Should QF9 be re-routed

[Mr_Orange]

I understand because of QF/EK MCA QF can not fly to Europe via Asia

Yet another drawback of the EK tie up. Ill thought through and completely biased in EK's favour.

 

[RozInAus]

I'd love to know how many people who fly to LHR actually need to fly there. My last europe trip I flew into FRA and it was a much better experience from my point of view.
Problem is people tend to gravitate to the Sydney-LHR route, when really if they trained the people better and offered alternatives, they'd probably take them.

As I live in CBR, i'm always looking for options to fly via MEL, BNE or DRW where possible.

We're all different - I need to fly Heathrow - Brisbane around 6 round trips per year - and as there's no longer Qantas-operated planes that do this and so no premium economy, I have to add on a domestic flight between Brisbane and Sydney to do this with Qantas. Time and cash wasting!

 

[RozInAus]

Oh how I agree about Dubai's unnecessary and chaotic security screening as you disembark even though you're in transit! What's the point? I really, really dislike Dubai as a transit airport. Noisy, brash, crass, rude staff ...

 

[roogirl]

Very timely poll - I have stopped using Qantas altogether since the new routing came in (am an aussie based in the UK, I do 3-4 LHR-MEL J flights per year). It's a combination of simply having no interest in transiting through Dubai (horrible airport, rude staff, not comfortable with the idea of being the middle east) and the fact that the QF flights are so poorly timed. I think there's an inherent advantage in the fact that Asia is closer to half-way stop (so you're not being dragged off the plane at odd times), but even leaving my view on that to one side, if I was going to fly through the ME there's no way I'd pick the QF flight, I'd take one of the EK metal flights...and what's the point of that? Have switched to BA/Cathay via HKG instead - and as a result have also come off QFF and onto BAEC.

 

[RozInAus]

roogirl - I'm on the brink of doing the same. Were you able tp transfer any of your Qantas FF points and status credits to BA - I'm guessing not - and need to begin from the bottom with BA?

 

[JessicaTam]

Oh how I agree about Dubai's unnecessary and chaotic security screening as you disembark even though you're in transit! What's the point? I really, really dislike Dubai as a transit airport. Noisy, brash, crass, rude staff ...

Security screening during transit is common before entering the departure side of an airport. I am trying to think of when this does not occur.*

*SIN springs to mind, but there is still screening before boarding - which I dislike. I would rather get it out of the way.

 

[roogirl]

Nope - had to start at the bottom. It's not been too bad though as my qff year runs jan-jan and my baec year runs aug-aug. so I qualified as qff plat by August 2013 & then started loading up BA. So I can still use my qff emerald card to get me into lounges & use priority check in etc until dec 2014 - it's just a bit fiddly. Am 100 sc off BA gold and I can't wait!

 

[ajw373]

We're all different - I need to fly Heathrow - Brisbane around 6 round trips per year - and as there's no longer Qantas-operated planes that do this and so no premium economy, I have to add on a domestic flight between Brisbane and Sydney to do this with Qantas. Time and cash wasting!

Your first line says it all. We're all different. We all have different needs, different destinations different everything. Qantas as a business cannot possibly cater for everyone's differing needs, so they, unfortunately have to do what they believe will benefit the most number of people where they can make some money.

 

[mannej]

roogirl - I'm on the brink of doing the same. Were you able tp transfer any of your Qantas FF points and status credits to BA - I'm guessing not - and need to begin from the bottom with BA?

No ability to transfer points or SC's from the QFF program to another program.

 

[opusman]

Security screening in transit is definitely not unusual at all. I've only been through DXB once but did not find the staff particularly rude, although the actual security point was a bit chaotic and the priority line was not enforced.

In SIN there was always security screening when re-entering the gate after the transit stop.

 

[Rourke]

On one transit through Dubai I accidentally took a wrong turn towards exiting the airport, realised at the last moment, took an elevator and found myself in a magical security screening section with virtually no-one else around. Now if only I could repeat that on purpose ...

 

[RozInAus]

That sounds like a scene from Harry Potter!

 

[madrooster]

On one transit through Dubai I accidentally took a wrong turn towards exiting the airport, realised at the last moment, took an elevator and found myself in a magical security screening section with virtually no-one else around. Now if only I could repeat that on purpose ...

This is pretty common. There's a number of transit security checkpoints at DXB unlike other major airports (BNE has 2, SYD has 1, MEL has 1, LHR has 1 per terminal etc.). The problem is everyone looks for the first "Connections" sign and goes to that checkpoint as the majority of pax are transiting rather than entering the UAE. If you skip the first screening point and keep heading towards Arrivals, the subsequent transit security checkpoints are usually empty.

 

[katiebell]

If QF9 is rerouted via Asia, won't people in MEL will lose the ability to go to EK's European ports with just one stop? I don't think people in MEL would want to go via SYD & DXB or backtrack from LHR. Unless of course QF is happy to send all MEL passengers on EK planes, at least those not going to LHR.

I would! DXB is bad on all counts. Ek is not an airline I would ever choose to fly. I would much rather go via LHR, especially if teh old QF29/30 schedule was reinstated.

 

[katiebell]

Very timely poll - I have stopped using Qantas altogether since the new routing came in (am an aussie based in the UK, I do 3-4 LHR-MEL J flights per year). It's a combination of simply having no interest in transiting through Dubai (horrible airport, rude staff, not comfortable with the idea of being the middle east) and the fact that the QF flights are so poorly timed. I think there's an inherent advantage in the fact that Asia is closer to half-way stop (so you're not being dragged off the plane at odd times), but even leaving my view on that to one side, if I was going to fly through the ME there's no way I'd pick the QF flight, I'd take one of the EK metal flights...and what's the point of that? Have switched to BA/Cathay via HKG instead - and as a result have also come off QFF and onto BAEC.

I agree: DXB is awful: what security? No checks as to whether one is in transit before being allowed through; a colleagues took through a large bottle; not detected; rude lounge staff in 1st at entry point, poor reboarding set up if in 1st; not comfortable flying via ME; bad timings. I want to support QF but they have to have a product I want to use. Such a pity as the FA training has made the experience much much better in recent times.