QF domestic service tired, slow... and what's with the Asian weddings???

[zenyattamondatta]

in the late 90s, at the peak of the Japanese economic rise. I think the Yen had just hit parity with the USD and the world was imploding

This does lead me to question your eye for detail.

 

[Max Samuels]

This does lead me to question your eye for detail.

Obviously I don't literally mean imploding! In English sometimes we use words that don't strictly align to the definition in order to affect impact or to make a joke? Like when someone says "Qantas is the worst airline ever" they probably don't literally mean the worst. They just mean quite bad.

Anyway, what I literally meant, was that the Japanese economy was going so crazy, the parity with the USD was previously unheard of, inflation was out of control, banks were beginning to wobble, and it was basically the continuance of the Japanese bubble... I think shortly after that they fell into recession and have been in deflation ever since? I think after that time some leading economists called the Japanese economy a "basket case"? A big spike in suicides resulting from collapsed businesses etc? But don't take my word for it..... Google it.. try "Japan economic bubble" - although literally it wasn't a "bubble"!

 

[zenyattamondatta]

Google it..

I don't need to.

The ten years from 1991 or so onwards came to be called "the lost decade" because of *deflation*, not "out of control" inflation. Presumably by "parity" you mean USD/JPY=100... it spent most of 1995 below 100. So hardly unprecedented as of the late 1990s. And Japan experienced a succession of financial crises in 1997 and 1998. I was there too, but it appears that I may have had greater awareness as to what was actually happening around me.

 

[farstar]

I don't need to.

The ten years from 1991 or so onwards came to be called "the lost decade" because of *deflation*, not "out of control" inflation. Presumably by "parity" you mean USD/JPY=100... it spent most of 1995 below 100. So hardly unprecedented as of the late 1990s. And Japan experienced a succession of financial crises in 1997 and 1998. I was there too, but it appears that I may have had greater awareness as to what was actually happening around me.

In the US there is concern about Debt as % of GDP but compared to Japan they are laughing.

 

[Scarlett]

I know it is slightly off topic... but while talking about Asian weddings I thought I would share an anecdote from experience in Japan when I was 19yo or so...
One of strangest things I have ever seen

 

[jb747]

That line from the safety briefing video is particularly cringeworthy.

Actually it means you listened, so perhaps it worked. (BTW, I hate the entire concept of fun safety videos.)

Actually I forgot to mention the priority boarding and what a success it was......

I guess in this case priority boarding would have been a success if they didn't let you use it.

 

[justinbrett]

My first AA domestic flight was in 2007. They were awful. Worse than Jetstar (probably Tiger but I’ve never flown Tiger, and intend to keep it that way). Qantas was leaps and bounds ahead of AA.

I’m pretty much at the point now that I prefer flying AA domestic to Qantas domestic (obviously a choice I’ll never have). The point is the AA trajectory has been up and Qantas has been down.

I wouldn’t say Qantas domestic is a bad product but it ain’t what it used to be.

 

[moa999]

I’m pretty much at the point now that I prefer flying AA domestic to Qantas domestic (obviously a choice I’ll never have). The point is the AA trajectory has been up

Most of the AA flyers on the various international boards think it's gone backwards since the USAir merger/takeover

 

[Max Samuels]

Most of the AA flyers on the various international boards think it's gone backwards since the USAir merger/takeover

That's the total opposite of what I have heard? It is since the merger that they committed to a brand new fleet etc. I think a lot of USAir members preferred USAir to AA (got stuck next to one on a flight to BOS-CLT and heard all about how AA ruined their airline)

 

[justinbrett]

That's the total opposite of what I have heard? It is since the merger that they committed to a brand new fleet etc. I think a lot of USAir members preferred USAir to AA (got stuck next to one on a flight to BOS-CLT and heard all about how AA ruined their airline)

Yep. And they’ve brought in free beverages and snacks, free MCE for elites and free alcohol for MCE.

 

[Max Samuels]

Yep. And they’ve brought in free beverages and snacks, free MCE for elites and free alcohol for MCE.

Yep - totally agree. I wrote a whole rant about how much I think AA has improved. I actually look FORWARD to domestic flights on AA - esp out of ports with Flagship First facilities... and somehow managed to upset the QF die-hards by suggesting that another airline could be better than theirs....

 

[drron]

That's the total opposite of what I have heard? It is since the merger that they committed to a brand new fleet etc. I think a lot of USAir members preferred USAir to AA (got stuck next to one on a flight to BOS-CLT and heard all about how AA ruined their airline)

I switched to Aadvantage in 2002 and then my major program in 2007.The loyalty program was really good,premium awards freely available with little cash component and service was excellent.It is the loyalty program that has gone downhill since the merger.premium awards now rare on AA metal and getting harder on partner airlines due to AA only releasing awards ~ 331 days out.Hence the vitriol on FT.Also why my main program is BA.I felt USAir ruined AA's loyalty program.
However the hard product has slowly improved.