Trans Tasman - remember when JetConnect crews were the best?

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xtra

Junior Member
Joined
Jun 20, 2011
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33
I'm flying TT regularly now the borders are open.

JetConnect operated flights are just terrible right now. On my latest flight, it took them 2 1/2 hours to complete the J meal service. I'd hate to think how cold the meals were by the time they reached row 3. At least they saved money on drink consumption - no one got any!

The food is nowhere near pre-COVID, a lot of the flight attendants "in training" (probably because they're ramping the NZ base back up) and - at $1500 one way - you feel a bit ripped off. None of the Qantas "polish" is in the service. Which is the exact opposite to pre-COVID when JetConnect crews were amazing.

I just completed my first Air NZ leg, which I only booked because QF was full.

There is just no comparison on the soft product. NZ have plentiful PDB top ups, printed menus, separate entrees (two choices), three main choices (that all look good), three dessert options, seven different wine options (champagne, three reds, three whites), amenity kits, pillows and - to be frank - flight attendants who genuinely get service.

Qantas has the edge on hard product if you score an A330 (but not most of their flights that are 737s) and the lounge in SYD/MEL (but only if you're Platinum and only one way as they're using the NZ lounges across the ditch). But everything else is so sub-standard right now and I'm going to walk to the other side.

Will they get back there or are they taking AU-NZ for granted?
 
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Mwenenzi said:
Pre CV19 I flew QF CHC-MEL often and again in Apr 2021. The crews were AU (SYD) based. (I asked them)

Jetconnect as an airline closed 31 March 2018, with the aircraft moved from NZ to AU register. Crews stayed on

Jetconnect - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org

The QF AKL lounge is being refurbished
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Jetconnect as an 'airline' is no longer, but the business is still there, staff are still employed by Jetconnect with their own operations.
 
xtra said:
amenity kits
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Not really a big deal but I think they're not supposed to hand out Amenity Kits, but some crews do so anyway. I've flown AirNZ trans-tasman 3 times in J and once in Y+ in the past 2 years and all 3 times in J they've told me amenity kits are for long haul only, but on my Y+ flight there was a kit at my seat (and when I peeked into the J cabin there were kits on that flight there too).
 
It's sad to hear that this is the current state of QF trans-Tasman flying. I used to do a lot of SYD-AKL trips on Jetconnect and the Kiwi crews were always great. But that was before COVID.
 
A JC CSM (who was honestly terrible) was crowing last week that they’ll soon also be managing A330 cabins. Apparently until now the TT and BNEAKL FAs have been JetConnect but the managers mainline, except for 737s where they do the lot.

Doesn’t bode well for the future of Qantas! And even if the service was any good, the soft “COVID” TT product is just not up to scratch vs NZ.
 
xtra said:
A JC CSM (who was honestly terrible) was crowing last week that they’ll soon also be managing A330 cabins. Apparently until now the TT and BNEAKL FAs have been JetConnect but the managers mainline, except for 737s where they do the lot.

Doesn’t bode well for the future of Qantas! And even if the service was any good, the soft “COVID” TT product is just not up to scratch vs NZ.
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Yep the race to the bottom and top of Joyce's bonus payments is well progressing.

The A320 order and now the A350's will cement the pay of pilots and crew to a level never imagined.
 
Mattg said:
It's sad to hear that this is the current state of QF trans-Tasman flying. I used to do a lot of SYD-AKL trips on Jetconnect and the Kiwi crews were always great. But that was before COVID.
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Well, it's one persons opinion that it is the current state, let's not write the obituary yet, although I'm sure AFF will write an 'article' on it anyway ;)

I have 20 people on multiple QF TT flights next week including myself in both classes so can give an update as well.

One thing I will note is that the flights are jammed and the prices are eyewatering at the moment (I must admit we did book last minute!).
 
I agree. Out of 6 flights in the past couple of months routing Sydney through both BNE & MEL, neither offer a premium level.
Only one leg did I get a QFF thank you from the CSM. On the 737 they run out of meal choices at row 1.
I‘d do Scare New Zealand but QF have me hooked on status chasing.
 
smckay said:
I‘d do Scare New Zealand but QF have me hooked on status chasing.
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This is an intriguing comment. So you're saying that you're not happy with Qantas' service, but are going to continue flying with them anyway?

If everyone thinks like this, there's literally no incentive for Qantas to improve its service ;)
 
Mattg said:
This is an intriguing comment. So you're saying that you're not happy with Qantas' service, but are going to continue flying with them anyway?

If everyone thinks like this, there's literally no incentive for Qantas to improve its service ;)
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Yes, so getting OT here.
Since joining this forum I have been an avid J OWE user and have experienced plenty of perks I could not think of.
Unfortunately, it has also made me into a Qantas (actually One World) status-chasing demon as I don‘t fly enough to accrue status in 2 programs. With relatives in NZ I can make the flights needed.
Maybe this could be a topic for you; how does the infrequent flyer retain gold status to make long haul holiday flights more pleasant?
 
Mattg said:
This is an intriguing comment. So you're saying that you're not happy with Qantas' service, but are going to continue flying with them anyway?

If everyone thinks like this, there's literally no incentive for Qantas to improve its service ;)
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Indeed this would give QF no reason to improve.
After my last rather disappointing Trans-Tasman trip a few weeks ago I have cancelled my next trip with QF and will probably not book Trans-Tasman on QF again unless the service improves and gets much closer to the pre-Covid service.
 
In contrast I have flown 8 TT sectors since July, 4 on A330 and 4 on 737 to mostly Syd and Mel. 3/4 A330 sectors in J, all 737 in Y (row 4 each time)

To be honest, the service I've had from the jetconnect 737 crew was miles better than the mainline crew on A330. In row 4 I was often greeted, given some J headphones (which aren't anything to write about) and just treated with great respect.

The A330 mainline crew was very hit and miss. 2 great crew, 2 terrible crew. My last flight in Y back from Sydney it almost looked like the crew were ready to go to bed and most were retirement age. No smile, no nothing. Literally just threw you the meal.

I actually prefer the 737 when flying Y since I have access to row 4 in all honesty
 
We had a MEL based crew on ZQN-MEL today and they were very good.

The CSM stopped by to ask what I thought of the 2020 Penfold’s Max’s Shiraz.

I told him I was surprised to see real bottles of wine in Y instead of the small plastic ones.

He said they didn’t have any of the small plastic ones in ZQN, so he’d told the crew to take some of the bottles from J for anyone in Y who wanted wine.

He popped back later to see if I wanted to try the 2018 Jim Barry Shiraz.
 
AKL-BNE on QF126 was the best crew in a long time.
pleasant welcome from one of the ladies, PBD delivered in a hurry.
CSM welcomed all pax generously, delivered meal service well and at the end of the flight before seatbelts on went around and again thanked each pax personally. I told him a lot of CSM could look to him as the standard.
Every member was happy, able and really provided superior service.
 
smckay said:
AKL-BNE on QF126 was the best crew in a long time.
pleasant welcome from one of the ladies, PBD delivered in a hurry.
CSM welcomed all pax generously, delivered meal service well and at the end of the flight before seatbelts on went around and again thanked each pax personally. I told him a lot of CSM could look to him as the standard.
Every member was happy, able and really provided superior service.
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Second this. My QF126 in July has the best CSM who went above and beyond. He also acknowledge my status and we had a great conversation.
 

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