QF A350 First

[RichardMEL]

Where Colombo when you need him?

Mrs Colombo made him sit back in Y.

Plus I'm not sure project Sunrise would support his smoking habit

 

[Assassin]

Interesting. LH have gone away from separate bed and chair.

Wonder where the meal/work table is? RH armrest is storage, LH armrest retracts down.

I am certainly not an expert on F products, but the separate bed and chair seems like a super inefficient use of space!

 

[RooFlyer]

I am certainly not an expert on F products, but the separate bed and chair seems like a super inefficient use of space!

Yes, as I noted up thread, Lufthansa went away from their separate chair and bed. I think we need to consider that this is probably just more flimflam marketing of Qantas, raising very high expectations, but we know how they usually pan out.

 

[Quickstatus]

Now waiting for the "journos" salivating for an "invite cos I was a good boy" to provide a gushing review using QF marketing suggested language.

 

[Assassin]

Yes, as I noted up thread, Lufthansa went away from their separate chair and bed. I think we need to consider that this is probably just more flimflam marketing of Qantas, raising very high expectations, but we know how they usually pan out.

I was just surprised that anyone would use that layout!

 

[Kiwi_Flyer]

I was just surprised that anyone would use that layout!

SQ is worse. Their newest suite (now several years old) has separate bed and chair, and the chair swivels.

 

[RooFlyer]

SQ is worse. Their newest suite (now several years old) has separate bed and chair, and the chair swivels.

Forgot about that. How is it regarded compared to the previous version?

 

[NoName]

Am I the only one who wonders why they haven’t made an actual double bed with this? Not for two people but just for extra space when sleeping. You’ve got a bed and seat that appear to be lined up right next to each other with no gap. Why not have the seat fold out to a horizontal position exactly in line with the bed for twice the width?

 

[Assassin]

I’ve only tried F on QF and EK but struggling to work out how a separate bed and seat make sense unless there are half the number of F seats in the same space (which of itself doesn’t make sense). Is there any real logic to it?

 

[Mr H]

Forgot about that. How is it regarded compared to the previous version?

I have not flown on the 'new' suites, but I have heard bad reviews, especially about the seat. Apparently it doesn't really recline much and you have to swivel to face the person in the suite opposite when eating. The suite itself looks to have a huge amount of wasted space.

Personally, I do not like doors, I prefer seats that recline to a point where it is like lying in a bath, and I like to be right next to a window. I am not the right customer for that product. The original suites were really comfortable and you could leave the door open and still have some degree of privacy.

 

[Assassin]

Am I the only one why wonders why they haven’t made an actual double bed with this? Not for two people but just for extra space when sleeping. You’ve got a bed and seat that appear to be lined up right next to each other with no gap. Why not have the seat fold out to a vertical position exactly in line with the bed for twice the width?

Yes!

 

[RooFlyer]

Is there any real logic to it?

Promo. As I mentioned upthread, I can't even see a table (or where it might fold into).

 

[justinbrett]

I’ve only tried F on QF and EK but struggling to work out how a separate bed and seat make sense unless there are half the number of F seats in the same space (which of itself doesn’t make sense). Is there any real logic to it?

Don't know about half, but the sunrise jets have to be a much less dense configuration to make the extra distance. That's why even Y is getting more space (and it's not out of the goodness of their heart - they're doing this because they have to).

There is a lot of wasted space in current F even without a separate bed, that's part of the point of F - space for space's sake. If you want efficient use of space that still includes a flat bed and workstation, that's J.

Even the nicest J/F seats I've flown on that convert still feel like a reclined seat to me when in bed mode, so I get the point. As to whether it's worth it, that's up to the numbers men.

If I was designing it, I'd make the bed fold up against the wall.

 

[RichardMEL]

Forgot about that. How is it regarded compared to the previous version?

I've flown both the old suites and new on SQ.

The amount of space in the new suites can't be underestimated. it's something else in there. I found the separate bed SO convenient. None of that extra rubbish of having a bed made up or torn down to sit up for a bit, eat etc (if one does not want to eat in bed etc). And of course with SQ new suites, putting 1A2A,1F2F together can create that double bed/suite too which has obvious advantages.

The older product is/was very good of course as a F product, but honestly you can't compare imo. They fit 14 of those in zone A of a A380 downstairs vs 6 upstairs - different space of course, but it really works. Yes, the old product the middle suites could be made up to a double too, and obviously more seats meant greater availability, but the space was used more lengthwise while the new suites have length and width too and the space is, honestly, huge.

other advantage, for me, of the separate bed is that it's an actual firm base - you're not dealing with, for example, putting a mattress pad over a lie flat seat or whatever, so all of those issues are removed and the bed feels akin to a pretty reasonable hotel bed to me and I got great sleep. I'm not saying you don't get a good sleep in current QF F, EK F or whatever - of course one can - but for me there is a distinct advantage to the "convert-a-seat" model.

imo all the comments about inefficient use of space and such don't really apply when we're talking about a FIRST product - that's the whole point of such a class of travel imo. Obviously the fare premium says it all ($$$ or points) and you know qF will ge crazy with these things (if they will even release any) whenever they arrive, but I think it's totally justifiable.

 

[SeatBackForward]

I am certainly not an expert on F products, but the separate bed and chair seems like a super inefficient use of space!

Congrats, you've just become an expert on "F" products.

 

[Assassin]

Congrats, you've just become an expert on "F" products.

Hence the “seems like” rather than “is”…. RichardMEL has provided some illumination, which makes sense to me.

 

[RooFlyer]

If I was designing it, I'd make the bed fold up against the wall.

It’s been a few years now, but I recall that was the arrangement for the EY First Apartment with it’s separate chair and bed, I but I may be wrong. What I do recall is, the bed was so hard it rather spoiled the entire experience. Also, it didn’t have a personal air vent, so when the door was closed, it really did get warm.

I wouldn’t bother again

 

[BD1959]

That table looks like it can levitate into numerous configurations based on that sketch!

"... levitate ... "

... for the Spirit of Australia ???

... so would this be .... wait for it .... "Spirit in the Sky" ... ???

(no, it wasn't worth it ....)

Regards,

BD

 

[SeatBackForward]

Hence the “seems like” rather than “is”…. RichardMEL has provided some illumination, which makes sense to me.

I think you were spot on though, space is a premium on an airline, that they can offer a fare that provides that much space, is an indication of what value they are extracting from it!

 

[@WhiteboardKing]

FWIW I stumbled across footage of one of Qatars A350-1000s landing in JFK over the weekend. As far as aircraft go, it looks amazing on the outside. If the finish and styling is even remotely similar on the inside, it will be one amazing piece of metal.