Rumour: XFA & XFB to have cabins refurbished

[lovestotravel]

The 332 skybed is dated, however the newer products on EBO onwards just isn't good enough for transcon business...

Either way its yet another strike against QFs dated product
(and I don't know anything)

You'll both be pleased to know then, that Qantas has said the product they are putting on the A330's from Late 2014 onwards is going to be the best domestic J class in the world

 

[lovestotravel]

Seeing as we're all guessing .. I'd love to see them reconfigured for 3 class international service for flights to Asia.

I still say that the new Virgin A330's are too much of a good thing for domestic routes.....

 

[codash1099]

You'll both be pleased to know then, that Qantas has said the product they are putting on the A330's from Late 2014 onwards is going to be the best domestic J class in the world

Will that be true by the time we actually see it in action?

 

[777]

You'll both be pleased to know then, that Qantas has said the product they are putting on the A330's from Late 2014 onwards is going to be the best domestic J class in the world

Trying to think what the competition would be apart from VA? Most countries are too small to justify decent domestic J and US domestic is branded as F.

 

[notzac]

I still say that the new Virgin A330's are too much of a good thing for domestic routes.....

I'd agree with you there - though they've managed to get QF to make noise about putting International grade service on the transcon routes, so I don't see VA being able to drop the product standard any time soon.

To be clear, what I'd like to see is the J seats tweaked to go full flat and a W cabin introduced for flights to Asia.

 

[Ansettaddict123]

To be clear, what I'd like to see is the J seats tweaked to go full flat and a W cabin introduced for flights to Asia.

^This. I would really love to see VA order some -300s though. surely trying to get a 3 class cabin into a -200 wouldnt work very well. Very similar fuel burns, crewing costs etc but the stretch would allow some pretty interesting things in terms of the product they could offer.

 

[Flywithd]

I would like the see the dreamline in the VA fleet actually, would be impressive for their ever expanding routes.

 

[lovestotravel]

Trying to think what the competition would be apart from VA? Most countries are too small to justify decent domestic J and US domestic is branded as F.

I'd say VA already has the best domestic J in the world, on the new A330's. Of course there are some domestic flights in the USA that use international aircraft but that's not counted as a true domestic flight IMO.

VA is due for a fleet announcement by the end of the year, so I expect some 787/A350's to be ordered to further boost domestic capacity. Failing that a few more A330's

 

[dk4]

I'd say VA already has the best domestic J in the world, on the new A330's. Of course there are some domestic flights in the USA that use international aircraft but that's not counted as a true domestic flight IMO.

Perhaps you are not aware that AA is going lie flat (horizontal) in Business Class on transcon...

...and 1x1 (lie flat, horizontal) in First Class

Images and information from New Planes | Plane Flights | American Airlines detailing AA's new A321s.

They are even marketing it as their New Coast-to-Coast fleet.

 

[lovestotravel]

Perhaps you are not aware that AA is going lie flat (horizontal) in Business Class on transcon...

...and 1x1 (lie flat, horizontal) in First Class

Images and information from New Planes | Plane Flights | American Airlines detailing AA's new A321s.

They are even marketing it as their New Coast-to-Coast fleet.

Ah yes did forget about the the New York-LAX/SFO flights with a dedicated fleet of aircraft....

UA has had their PS service on 757's for a long time.. I actually flew them in J a few years back and it was pretty good for the price

But yes I wonder what the "World's best domestic J" product with QF will actually turn out to be

 

[drewbles]

Ah yes did forget about the the New York-LAX/SFO flights with a dedicated fleet of aircraft....

UA has had their PS service on 757's for a long time.. I actually flew them in J a few years back and it was pretty good for the price

But yes I wonder what the "World's best domestic J" product with QF will actually turn out to be

Having flown AA's 'Flagship Service' from JFK to LHR in F, I have to say, the food on VA's J domestic trans-con flights is streets ahead.

Airlines in the USA in general seem to lack the finesse of decent food in the air. They're more about large chunks of meats with salads from what i've seen (even F domestic).

VA's 330 transcon is by far the best J catering i've had, and amongst the best for any class.

 

[lovestotravel]

Well again, it was a few years ago, but I do recall being not at all impressed with the food on United PS J.. I can't even remember what it was it was so good.............

At the same time I haven't flown VA's A330 from east-west yet... I have 5 upgrades to use this year so I should get around to it, but just scared of ending up with XFA/XFB....

 

[Blackswan]

Airlines in the USA in general seem to lack the finesse of decent food in the air. They're more about large chunks of meats with salads from what i've seen (even F domestic).

Agreed. However, I'm a big fan of AA's icecream sundaes for dessert - with all the trimmings. Apple crumbles/tiramisu just isn't as good . . .

 

[Flywithd]

Im on the same boat as you, I could wait until September to fly east - west or justify using the upgrades and fly on flexi's.

At the same time I haven't flown VA's A330 from east-west yet... I have 5 upgrades to use this year so I should get around to it, but just scared of ending up with XFA/XFB....

 

[drewbles]

Agreed. However, I'm a big fan of AA's icecream sundaes for dessert - with all the trimmings. Apple crumbles/tiramisu just isn't as good . . .

OK you got me there. The Sundae's are one of the more awesome things (And so so simple to implement!).

 

[drewbles]

Im on the same boat as you, I could wait until September to fly east - west or justify using the upgrades and fly on flexi's.

I've used all 6 of my upgrades (4 plus the two bonus ones) on MEL-PER segments.

Out of the 4 i've taken (2 booked for future) i've had XFB once. I got XFA a week earlier in Y.

I used my 4 upgrades last year also on the MEL-PER-MEL segments. XFA was on one of them.

Considering they have more of the new config than old, you're odds are better than even at least. My next two flights are 2-2-2 seat map, but then again one of my previous was 2-3-2 and when I boarded it had been changed to a new config.

My scorecard then:

A330 J Flown on upgrades: 8
XFA/B: 2
Others: 6

75% hit rate isn't too shabby. I'd be just doing it (the price of flexis is going up; was $299, then $349 and the last ones I booked were $399 and that's not seasonal as it's showing up as that rate for the foreseeable future).

 

[moa999]

SYD-PER is $439 generally...
Still if booked a while out you have a very good chance of getting the up confirmed.

 

[kalboy]

Unfortunately scored this girl today PER-MEL. She hasn't been refurbed..First time on her for me in at least 20 Trans-con flights in the last 12 months. How lucky I have been, what a POS... Was in row 7 of Y cabin. The IFE just sucks, all up just a bad flight/experience. To top it off our next flight a 73H lost an engine on push back.
Just one of those days I guess.

 

[drewbles]

Unfortunately scored this girl today PER-MEL. She hasn't been refurbed..First time on her for me in at least 20 Trans-con flights in the last 12 months. How lucky I have been, what a POS... Was in row 7 of Y cabin. The IFE just sucks, all up just a bad flight/experience. To top it off our next flight a 73H lost an engine on push back.
Just one of those days I guess.

I thought A and B were out for maintenance, obviously not though.

Interestingly, over the Christmas break, they've removed 2 x daily PER-MEL A330's and subbed them to 737's. Not impressed as I booked the 330 on purpose (will be using fly ahead to get on the earlier service which is still, at present, an A330 with 2-2-2 J).