VH-EBV layout?

[mannej]

Qantas, moving to European standards.....

How is it moving to European standards?

 

[Platinum A332]

Well, based on the way Qantas has chosen to redefine Transcontinental Business Class, I guess I can now refer to North Korea as a freedom loving democracy.

Just when I think QF is lifting its game - it's Jetstar for Qantas Business Class. Never thought I'd say this but QF should learn from AA as to how to improve a transcontinental Business Class product (fully flat seats LAX/SFO-JFK from next year).

 

[markis10]

How is it moving to European standards?

More seats and less toilets, the 717 being the latest enhancement (and that was how it was described), going from three for 115 to two for 125!

 

[ChrisCunard]

So glad I've moved to Virgin!

 

[under the radar]

IF..heaven forbid (tongue in cheek)...a couple were travelling with a child or want to use an approved car seat (only in row6 tho) or 1adult/2kids..etc....would/could you 'book' the middle 'seat' to use as a seat??? seems like a good option...if required! :idea:

 

[Must...Fly!]

Guess I was right on big news

I'll miss the 767 transcon

What does concern me is the capacity gap between 737 and A330. This rule means QF probably can't run as many frequencies because of the size of the plane they have to fill. Which might mean more Orange star at the sacrifice of QF mainline frequencies

 

[oz_mark]

Guess I was right on big news

I'll miss the 767 transcon

What does concern me is the capacity gap between 737 and A330. This rule means QF probably can't run as many frequencies because of the size of the plane they have to fill. Which might mean more Orange star at the sacrifice of QF mainline frequencies

PER-SYD/MEL is pretty much all widebody weekdays on QF as it stands now. So it is not such a dramatic increase in capacity.

 

[moa999]

Well, based on the way Qantas has chosen to redefine Transcontinental Business Class.

How have they chosen to redefine it.
The new layout is A330 with
a. 2x2x2 with seatback IFE and workspace OR
b. 2x2x2 with pullup IFE.
Seat pitch I believe is identical and due to the removal of the IFE units in config a, the seat width is pretty similar.

Transcontinental has never had flat beds as part of the promise (apart from the occasional 747 rotation and 330 int config) and a guaranteed A330 widebody is a helluva lot better than a narrowbody.

 

[oz_mark]

Just when I think QF is lifting its game - it's Jetstar for Qantas Business Class. Never thought I'd say this but QF should learn from AA as to how to improve a transcontinental Business Class product (fully flat seats LAX/SFO-JFK from next year).

Actually, Jetstar business class was modeled on Qantas domestic, rather than the way around you have it.

 

[moa999]

but QF should learn from AA as to how to improve a transcontinental Business Class product (fully flat seats LAX/SFO-JFK from next year).

Only beginning to be introduced from next year, and the downside - only on a narrowbody A321

 

[Must...Fly!]

PER-SYD/MEL is pretty much all widebody weekdays on QF as it stands now. So it is not such a dramatic increase in capacity.

That's true, guess I should redefine my argument to weekends then.

I recently had a B767 subbed for a B737.

Are extra aircraft required for this change btw? Drop down to 1 x daily PER-SIN rotation would seem likely if so.

 

[oz_mark]

That's true, guess I should redefine my argument to weekends then.

The news reports I have seen (e.g. Cookies must be enabled | Herald Sun), do mention that the all A330 thing is on weekdays. I guess we'll still see 737s on the weekend!

Given the number of people that connect onwards to London from the Perth flight, they may well only need one a day going forward. Would be unfortunate, but quite possible.

 

[Must...Fly!]

I missed that detail oz_mark

Blame it on too much drunk last night lol

 

[madrooster]

The news reports I have seen (e.g. Cookies must be enabled | Herald Sun), do mention that the all A330 thing is on weekdays. I guess we'll still see 737s on the weekend!

Given the number of people that connect onwards to London from the Perth flight, they may well only need one a day going forward. Would be unfortunate, but quite possible.

QF will be able to feed EU-bound traffic onto the EK A380/777's so they probably won't need as much PER-SIN vv. capacity soon anyway. The EK arrangement would be more desirable than going x/SIN x/LHR EU-bound anyway...

 

[lovestotravel]

While the Virgin product (on the NEW A330's) is better than Qantas....

I don't think that having a fully flat-bed on MEL/SYD-PER is a medium or long term proposition for Virgin....

Qantas could have gone SkyBed1 on the A330's but that loses out about 65 seats in Y

 

[anat0l]

This is stupid.

Whoever was the "genius" who decided that this config and product is "it" deserves to be shot right between the eyes and left to rot - they are a disgrace to the profession they supposedly represent and an even bigger disgrace to the company that pays them. Absolute, idiotic decision - near criminal intent. :evil: :evil: :evil:

 

[serfty]

I was laughing at this evenings ch 7 coverage of this event. Showed the 2x2x2 J cabin on a returned 763 but nothing of the 2x3x2 332 J cabin.

Posted on a wing and a prayer ...

 

[Bugalugz]

What a let down, they had the opportunity to fix it but didn't.

How can they possibly expect to compete against Virgins superior product? (given the EK 330's aren't up to scratch) but the flat seat.....hmmm Red Eye, QF vs DJ....I know who wins and it wouldn't be QF.

Obviously they couldn't care less about what their customers actually think, it sparked a bit of outrage and most of us expected it to be fixed with new aircraft, even the 767 is looking like the better choice over the A330 :shock: and that's a worry!

Sure it's only a 3-5hr flight but its the principal of it, they charge over 1k for it, it should be worth it.

 

[serfty]

http://www.australianfrequentflyer....will-qf-compete-against-38608.html#post594735

In there is a picture of the 2x2x2 layout, but the pitch is just as squeezy (for business).

 

[anat0l]

Sure it's only a 3-5hr flight but its the principal of it, they charge over 1k for it, it should be worth it.

I'm struggling to think of another comparable carrier around the world which operates a 3-5 hour domestic flight with a just as inferior product really.

Even in America, the Transcontinental flights are about 5 hours long, and are actually afforded the best product on the domestic (and probably regional) network (and 3 class for that matter, but that's not relevant here).

I think most European carriers operate 5 hour flights not using their regional product, which I agree, in Business, is very ordinary.

In Asia, a 5 hour flight would have a much better product than something which appears to be Premium Economy.

I'm struggling to think that the demographic of Qantas' customers on the Transcontinental are that focused on soft product and utility more than hard product and comfort that Qantas can get away with this. That, compounded with the fact that Qantas would have to be blind as a tortured medieval prisoner with hot silver poured into his eyes to not realise that the Transcontinental routes are both one of the most lucrative and prestigious in the domestic network, infuriates me that they have the gall to put up this product and expect that they will come out unscathed.

A part of me somehow concedes that this will not completely and adversely destroy Qantas on the Transcontinental, and that's not got to do completely with those who have no say in their corporate purchase policy. But it really, really, really puzzles me how they came to this realisation. The fact that the aircraft nicely transitions between Jetstar and Qantas is no excuse to put up this product.

I'm really, really annoyed with whoever in Qantas thought this was a good idea, and truly their lives should be forfeit for this. It's a sheer complete waste of Qantas' money and a waste of shareholders money.

Admittedly, the product is probably adequate for the task at hand. But adequate is not necessarily conducive to effective, and it would take a large customer base consisting of a bunch of lock-ins or mindless, spineless robots to translate that to profitable.