The Qantas Edge in First [ AJ: "Customers drool over our ...{Neil Perry} ... food!" ]

[TonyHancock]

I am by no means a frequent flyer and whilst I have no intention of defending the QF spin around its F product I never tire of making the same comment. QF and for that matter BA F are a step up from any J products I have experienced in long haul apart from the QR Q-Suite. (I have experienced VA, QF, BA, QR, EK, EY, CX, UL, AA, LA, MH, AY and JL in J over the past 10 years) Even the QR Q-Suite feels a bit cramped compared to QF F.

 

[Flying mermaid]

I have already raised in another thread, I am still struggling with the idea of using 50K AA points to book QF F vs my confirmed VA J (59K VA points) on SYD-HKG.

I have looked at a number of reviews online (video and blogs) and looking at the food and wine offered, it is similar, even though I am comparing QF F vs VA J. For seat size, QF is bigger but I am not a big person anyway.

Then really the difference would be the lounge: QF F Lounge vs The House and both provides in-dining experience so really the only difference there is the view and possibly the spa experience?

That's why I am struggling to see why QF F is called F, when it should just be QF J+ instead?

We have been calling it J+ (down from F-), for years. However marketing is all about creating hype and people who haven’t experienced competing products believe it.

 

[Flying mermaid]

I am by no means a frequent flyer and whilst I have no intention of defending the QF spin around its F product I never tire of making the same comment. QF and for that matter BA F are a step up from any J products I have experienced in long haul apart from the QR Q-Suite. (I have experienced VA, QF, BA, QR, EK, EY, CX, UL, AA, LA, MH, AY and JL in J over the past 10 years) Even the QR Q-Suite feels a bit cramped compared to QF F.

The Qantas F bed is still my favourite, although I would still book Qsuites in preference for a better overall experience. I call it J+ in recognition of the fact that it is a step up, but it just isn’t F when you compare it to the best F out there and I guess this thread is about the fact that Joyce is claiming it is the best.

Qantas champagnes are good but for the difference in price between Qantas F and Qatar J, I can buy a lot of bottles of Krug.

 

[Daver6]

That's why I am struggling to see why QF F is called F, when it should just be QF J+ instead?

Given QF use the term "mini first" to describe the J product on the 787, J+ would make it below that

 

[moa999]

Even the QR Q-Suite feels a bit cramped compared to QF F.

While well designed and detailed I think the Q-Suite has similar density to the Qantas Business Suites.

The F products have way more space and no foot cubby (which is where the staggered J designs get their efficiency). Personally I like the openness of the QF F cabin and it's still sufficiently private imho.

 

[Flying mermaid]

While well designed and detailed I think the Q-Suite has similar density to the Qantas Business Suites.

Each to their own, but I hate the Qantas Business suites - felt incredibly claustrophobic, whereas I felt heaps of space in the Qsuites. We travel as a couple so that might be the difference. In the Qsuites, once the divider is down it feels really spacious. I couldn’t get my feet comfortable with the Qantas cubby hole, but had no trouble with Qatar.


Qantas F is obviously much bigger.

EDIT Joyce rabbits on about how wonderful the staff are and yes I have had some terrific staff. I have also been snapped at and had eyes rolled by Qantas staff in both F and J - only other airline that has happened on has been BA. I don’t consider myself either pushy or demanding.

 

[Ewing]

Having travelled on all those different airlines, Qantas is miles ahead with what Neil Perry is doing and I think our customers have shown that is actually quite special.

Funniest thing I've read all week.

This was my last flight in QF First earlier this year. Hardly special.



I've stopped flying QF internationally unless the flight is short enough where I don't need to eat. Flights back from Asia I eat at the airport and just have a glass of wine and maybe some cheese onboard. All my recent international trips have been on NZ J and the catering has been exceptional.

Perhaps AJ needs to find someone with some functioning tastebuds to sample the food on other airlines. Perhaps this is why he thinks the aircraft has great coffee too.

I have also been snapped at and had eyes rolled by Qantas staff in both F and J - only other airline that has happened on has been BA. I don’t consider myself either pushy or demanding.

I've submitted formal written complaints about crew in F and J multiple times. QF is the only airline I have submitted a complaint to.

Yes, I've also had some brilliant staff (and have also submitted formal feedback on them too) but there are plenty of mediocre crew in the cabins.

It's a shame because I actually really like the QF F suites. I don't like enclosed suites (a la Emirates), and I sleep really well in the bed especially with the new Sheridan bedding.

 

[ronone69]

Ever wondered what Qantas thinks its edge over its competitors is. Now we know

Alan Joyce Reveals Why Qantas' First Class Crew Has A Psychological Edge Over Their Competitors

Alan Joyce says there's more to first-class service than being friendly – and reveals why his crew has a psychological advantage over the competition.

www.dmarge.com

So, there you go

Must live on a different planet from me !

 

[Max Samuels]

OMG surely the this post should have been dated April 1st!

I think I asked somewhere in another thread why QF F was so poor compared to the top 5 when all they had to do was open their eyes and LOOK FFS.

Obviously a lot of this is personal taste, but the wine on QF is nowhere near as good as EK for example, in my opinion.

And I find the decor of the QF F cabin so sterile and "cold"..... it doesn't ooze luxury, that's for sure. I feel like it is more suited to surgery

 

[samh004]

That was a very interesting read.

 

[Libertyscott]

EDIT Joyce rabbits on about how wonderful the staff are and yes I have had some terrific staff. I have also been snapped at and had eyes rolled by Qantas staff in both F and J - only other airline that has happened on has been BA. I don’t consider myself either pushy or demanding.

Exactly. Crew inconsistency is a real issue. I've had crew that couldn't do enough, and then a few days ago when asking for a cup of tea at the galley (in Y on long haul), my partner was told "we're serving dinner soon", as if it was a big fuss to get a tea bag and some hot water for a disposable cup, like it was "putting them out" from when they were just having a chat about their holidays. The meal came 45 minutes later (and we were in the very front of the front cabin).

I've had a few awful crew on BA, and it's more likely than not on US carriers, but i've also had a sneering comment from QF ground staff after reporting damaged luggage ("why would you have such an expensive case", when I had 462 flight hours that year and it was just a robust hard-shell Samsonite case), and been told I was lying at SYD domestic premium check-in when I showed a printout of a QF chat conversation confirming my OW luggage allowance saying "you could have made that up".

I've flown Air NZ over 200x in the past decade, but the number of times I've had poor attitude from staff I could count on my fingers, I've flown Qantas about 100x and I get it about 10-15% of flights

 

[TonyHancock]

I call it J+ in recognition of the fact that it is a step up, but it just isn’t F when you compare it to the best F out there and I guess this thread is about the fact that Joyce is claiming it is the best.

Yes I agree, QF and BA F, which I view as similar in hard product, are a long way behind the likes of EY, QR and EK. (...and I suspect many more but I have flown F with those three over the last four or five years.)

 

[Rosege]

Just fell off my chair laughing. The steak I had last week was burnt to a crisp. On par with BA nowadays.

There is a post on how to get the perfect steak on BA on another forum - if you google steaks on a plane BA its the top result

 

[kermatu]

Given QF use the term "mini first" to describe the J product on the 787, J+ would make it below that

In some ways it is (can’t pre-select meals in F; ‘lounge’ is upstairs).

The most troubling aspect of this article is the implication that NP is here to stay. Such a shame.

 

[TonyHancock]

The most troubling aspect of this article is the implication that NP is here to stay. Such a shame.

Thanks for reminding me!

I have the joys of the Fred Perry J menu on QF29 later this week. With no wifi I always ask the crew for a copy of the menu pre take off - then I can at least google all the unrecognisable stuff to work out what they are serving. (To be fair I noticed the menus were already in the seat pocket on QF30 at the weekend so I presume the majority of J pax are in the same boat......or aircraft if you prefer.)

 

[kermatu]

Thanks for reminding me!

I have the joys of the Fred Perry J menu on QF29 later this week. With no wifi I always ask the crew for a copy of the menu pre take off - then I can at least google all the unrecognisable stuff to work out what they are serving. (To be fair I noticed the menus were already in the seat pocket on QF30 at the weekend so I presume the majority of J pax are in the same boat......or aircraft if you prefer.)

Maybe that’s why QF keep the same menu on their trans-Tasman routes for up to 9 months. Saves repeat offenders like me having to ask the staff “what actually is this dish?”. Or at least, only ask after I’ve been served it.

 

[esseeeayeenn]

Maybe that’s why QF keep the same menu on their trans-Tasman routes for up to 9 months. Saves repeat offenders like me having to ask the staff “what actually is this dish?”. Or at least, only ask after I’ve been served it.

Whoever decided that six different varieties of lettuce makes a salad should be taken out and shot.

 

[RooFlyer]

Whoever decided that six different varieties of plain, green lettuce makes a salad should be taken out and shot.

Is that better?

 

[kamchatsky]

Whoever decided that six different varieties of lettuce makes a salad should be taken out and shot.

But but but ..... They are Neil Perry inspired lettuces!!!!!

 

[Rick Somerton]

Drinking the company cooled.