Underwhelmed by first QF flight as WP

[gumpy]

You know who do a good job with their top tier? Air NZ... every time i get a personal welcome, express card, NC headies and a newspaper... love them...

 

[Princess Fiona]

Might just be me but I find a difference between mainline QF ( usually recognised) and Jet Connect, Qantaslink etc where I've never had a greeting

 

[AWA2602]

I've some flights on CX coming up so very interested to compare experiences.

One final thing: had 5 flights on AA (3 x F and 2 x J) last Nov and let me tell you - that's an airline who won't recognise anyone for anything! :shock:

Paddy

I am sure you'll love the CX experience, particularly after AA who are probably the worst of the OW lot. Even without any extra attention or service CX stand head and shoulders above the rest of the OW pack and its easy to see why and how they regularly win awards for their service

 

[TonyHancock]

I am sure you'll love the CX experience, particularly after AA who are probably the worst of the OW lot. Even without any extra attention or service CX stand head and shoulders above the rest of the OW pack and its easy to see why and how they regularly win awards for their service

I have to say AA were pretty good on my trip to CVG last year. (Yes I know...why on earth would anyone be going to CVG ) I suppose this just goes to show how much it all depends upon people. I have always found FA's on BA to be the worst for attention and service.

It does make you wonder how good QF could be with a little more investment in its people.

 

[connieguy]

Hi Guys,

My first year as WP has seen 20% upgrades. 50% at check in & 50% at the gate. No special greetings, Express Cards or extra service in Y. Never knew you could ask for Express Pass. F lounge is good value.

AA F lounge is a waste of time. AA F check in is excellent.

CX F check-in and service is always excellent. Hate those CX J coffin 45 deg beds. When leaving India, CX J, there is always a CX person in the crowd outside the terminal to get you through the entry mess at Mumbai. Qantas offers nothing outside at Mumbai which is at the bottom of my list of good airports.

Greg

 

[Hvr]

Hi Guys,

CX F check-in and service is always excellent. Hate those CX J coffin 45 deg beds. .

Greg

Love the coffin seats, very good for the single traveller.

Best perk I got from CX as a WP in J was the express pass to enter and depart BKK immigration. Both ways was a zoo. On my entry the guard near the entrance saw my special pass and directed me to the next immigration set of gates where I was whisked through in seconds and then waited a minute or two for my bag.

 

[connieguy]

Yes Bkk with Express Card is good. Always get them with CX. Even without EC, inbound customs clearance at Bkk is quick especially if you zero in on the far left booths. I see EC at Bkk as most valuable outbound as the normal customs queue can be VERY long.

QF/BA F lounge at Bkk is a joke and a waste of time, at least those that I have visited.

Greg

 

[Oneworldplus2]

Hi Guys,

My first year as WP has seen 20% upgrades. 50% at check in & 50% at the gate.

Greg, can l ask; What type of fare are you booked into? I am on red eDeals and have inquired about op-ups and been told, "Sorry, your on a non-upgradeable fare". I somehow get the feeling from check-in staff (their attitude and the way they say it) that had l been on a higher Y fare, l might have had a chance. I base this decision on a friend of mine (QF WP) who travels on FULL Y and their upgrades have been around the 70-85% (unbelievable + fantastic in one) for QF DOM and INT.

 

[connieguy]

What I was talking about was Qantas upgrades to J or W that I did not ask for. As far as I know, you can upgrade ANY QF fare class to any other QF fare class with points. I do upgrade about 25% of my long hauls to J with points. BTW I normally buy the lowest cost fare I can.

As for the Y class fares, how do you buy them? QF online only offers Discount Economy, Premium Economy, Business or First but no Y or Economy.

I also fly JQ to Bkk and then fly CX to the EU or fly JQ to Hnl and then fly AA to the states and Canada. If you get in early, you can pickup AA instant upgrades for almost the same as their discount Y fares and most of those upgrades are to F, so the SCs really climb quick.

Greg

 

[JohnK]

Love the coffin seats, very good for the single traveller.

Which single traveller?

Do I count as a single traveller? I hate them more so when there are other people travelling together and trying to talk to one another....

 

[connieguy]

Hi John,

Yup. Like sleeping in one of those tube beds in Tokyo where sleeping like that means you have little money or means. However with CX they give you those coffin bed when you pay MORE money. Weird world. CX good service, but I avoid the coffin beds in J unless I'm very tired.

 

[Sprucegoose]

It does make you wonder how good QF could be with a little more investment in its people.

Do you see that You Tube post I made of the James Strong Presentstion reinforcing that point?

Well Worth a look.

 

[Hvr]

Which single traveller?

Me. :mrgreen:

Do I count as a single traveller? I hate them more so when there are other people travelling together and trying to talk to one another....

Of course you count JohnK.

As long as people travelling together aren't talking over me then I don't notice.

 

[pauly7]

As for the Y class fares, how do you buy them? QF online only offers Discount Economy, Premium Economy, Business or First but no Y or Economy.

Greg

You can buy Y coded Economy via a TA, some specialist online travel booking tools where you choose the code or by calling QF.

 

[connieguy]

Hi Pauly,

Thanks for that. Which online booking sites offer QF Y?

Greg

 

[MelUser]

I have just helped a WP with an upgrade request on QF from Premium to Business.

MEL to LHR. The flight is for tomorrow and flight has 5 seats free in F and 2 in J. The upgrade request has failed.

The relative is not impressed given he could have flown with an asian airline in J for the price of Premium on QF without the need to play (and lose) the Qantas international upgrade lottery.

Whilst their may be an upgrade at the gate this does not appear to be the way to treat a platinum frequeunt flyer. An AA Exec Platimum member would not stand for this sort of treatment!

My next trip os is to USA and is with VA in J. I too have decided that QF is simply not worth it (even as a WP and with lifetime QClub m/ship).

 

[medhead]

What I was talking about was Qantas upgrades to J or W that I did not ask for. As far as I know, you can upgrade ANY QF fare class to any other QF fare class with points. I do upgrade about 25% of my long hauls to J with points. BTW I normally buy the lowest cost fare I can.

As for the Y class fares, how do you buy them? QF online only offers Discount Economy, Premium Economy, Business or First but no Y or Economy.

I also fly JQ to Bkk and then fly CX to the EU or fly JQ to Hnl and then fly AA to the states and Canada. If you get in early, you can pickup AA instant upgrades for almost the same as their discount Y fares and most of those upgrades are to F, so the SCs really climb quick.

Greg

Qantas actually offer a number of different economy brackets online, i.e. red-e-deal, super saver, fully flexible etc. These booking into a range of fare classes depending on the availability. It is rare to be able to get Y class, I think. But I might be wrong as I mostly look at the cheap end. Not all fare classes are upgradable for points - specifically N, O, Q and E. This can also be different depending on where purchased and whether of Australian domestic or international travel.

There is much antidotal evidence to suggest that the higher the fare class the better the chance of getting an upgrade. I'm exclusively on E, or O fares and I've had 1 operational upgrade (not requested upgrade) in 86 flights last year. For you to be on 20% (1 in 5) then I would guess that you are paying for more expensive fares, or travelling at good times.

 

[TonyHancock]

Do you see that You Tube post I made of the James Strong Presentstion reinforcing that point?

Well Worth a look.

Yeah I had a look and IMHO Mr Strong is so right. It is the same in any business the people are a company's best assets.

 

[connieguy]

There is much antidotal evidence to suggest that the higher the fare class the better the chance of getting an upgrade. I'm exclusively on E, or O fares and I've had 1 operational upgrade (not requested upgrade) in 86 flights last year. For you to be on 20% (1 in 5) then I would guess that you are paying for more expensive fares, or travelling at good times.

I buy the lowest cost fare I can. It's my business. If I don't have the points to upgrade to J, I buy an forward exit row. I earn around 1,000 SCs per qtr. Might that also help?

Greg

 

[nlagalle]

What I was talking about was Qantas upgrades to J or W that I did not ask for. As far as I know, you can upgrade ANY QF fare class to any other QF fare class with points. I do upgrade about 25% of my long hauls to J with points. BTW I normally buy the lowest cost fare I can.

Not all fares are upgradeable with points. Red eDeals for a start.