"Welcome aboard sir , your the only one travelling with us tonight"

[Major]

This thread is almost as good as "ask the pilot".

I remember a flight I took from SYD to TUMUT in about 1981. It was a small twin, I think about 8 or 10 seats and I was the only PAX. As the pilot was the only crew I sat next to him in the co-pilot's seat.

We spent most of the time chatting about sailing and ocean racing. I even had to hang on to the stick for a short time while he rummaged around in his bag for some photos of the yacht he sailed on. The weather was kind and it was a very pleasant flight.

I think the regs have changed since then and all commercial flights require 2 pilots.

 

[Deleted member]

Closet we came was a flight from London to Doha. We didn't confirm ( we're unable to do so on line as required) and were told our seats were gone. We ended up in PE on a very full flight as far Bahrain ( the moto GP or similar was on) from there to Doha almost empty. But no invitation to move further up the plane. plenty of space on what was a short flight from there.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

30 years ago when I was buying a lot of sheep and cattle off the islands in Bass Strait - Flinders in partic - most months I was only pax on both to and fro legs - I had agreement with operator out of Welshpool (Vic) airport to take early flt out on veggie run - twin engine plane that delivered the fresh fruit and veg and bread daily - was kinda unique sitting up their amongst the cartons / tubs for an hour or two.

No FA's so I had to make do with 'self serve' for meals.

 

[pagingjoan]

Great image!
[And you could have asked for a refund, given the self-service meals bit!
Statute of Limitations probably applies by now, though.]

 

[pauly7]

Last week I was booking MEL-SYD and noticed that DJ had the A330 servicing the 6:15am flight, so I booked it and upgraded to check out the J cabin, as i was thinking about flying it to PER later in the year. The seat map showed the cabin half full, which surprised me a little considering that flight normally only has 8 J seats.

Upon boarding, I turned left into the J cabin, and immediately was greeted by an FA who said "Good morning Mr Shep, welcome on board - please feel free to select any one of the 27 seats in here - in fact, feel free to sit in every single one of them if you like!"

After takeoff in the cabin announcement, I even got a personalised message - "We'd like to welcome aboard our business class guest - Mr Shep, Alicia will be with you to serve breakfast shortly. We'd also like to welcome aboard our guests seated in economy..."

Was a great flight - didn't even get to check out the IFE (apart from the "pilot's view camera") as I was talking to the FAs most of the way!


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Great for you! Pretty horrifying for VA!

 

[pagingjoan]

Great for you! Pretty horrifying for VA!

Yes, indeed. 'Slightly' OT but:
Based on my personal experience over the past two months, the J cabin always appears to have plenty of spare capacity. I was surprised to wind up in row 1 on a SYD-MEL 6pm flight recently, when I changed from a later flght at the last minute. Even then, there were several spare seats available (three perhaps?) in the two J rows.

 

[jdlover23]

i forgot about this thread and was lucky enough to have a "qualifying" experience over xmas

i was the only one in F on SQ FRA-JFK on Dec 25th it was a 747 and the cabin was fitted out in Christmas decorations and the staff were very happy and helpful

then on the return flight i was on VA to LHR and was the only one in the "sleep zone" upstairs behind the pilots area - the VA girl thought it was funny and made my bed up on a different seat so i could eat etc and have a bed at the same time which was very nice

 

[Flying Fox]

then on the return flight i was on VA to LHR and was the only one in the "sleep zone" upstairs behind the pilots area - the VA girl thought it was funny and made my bed up on a different seat so i could eat etc and have a bed at the same time which was very nice

Good thinking by her and overall great service!

 

[drross]

SQ sounds like it would have been fun!

 

[Storyteller]

i forgot about this thread and was lucky enough to have a "qualifying" experience over xmas

i was the only one in F on SQ FRA-JFK on Dec 25th it was a 747 and the cabin was fitted out in Christmas decorations and the staff were very happy and helpful

then on the return flight i was on VA to LHR and was the only one in the "sleep zone" upstairs behind the pilots area - the VA girl thought it was funny and made my bed up on a different seat so i could eat etc and have a bed at the same time which was very nice

Reminds me of a couple of years ago on the train from SFO to ORD. Had my sleeper made up & also used the next compartment as my sitting room. Very nice indeed being able to take tea in your private compartment as you wind through the Rockies.

 

[pshepvic]

Yes, indeed. 'Slightly' OT but:
Based on my personal experience over the past two months, the J cabin always appears to have plenty of spare capacity. I was surprised to wind up in row 1 on a SYD-MEL 6pm flight recently, when I changed from a later flght at the last minute. Even then, there were several spare seats available (three perhaps?) in the two J rows.

Continuing O/T for a second, I was a little annoyed on Friday as when I called two days before the flight and asked for an upgrade but was told no as there were no reward seats left, yet on the actual flight there were still 3 empty seats. When I checked in with my travel partner who was in J I even said this to the check in agent who agreed that it was a bit stupid. Gone are the days of the Op-Up though - 6 months ago they definitely would have moved me to PE, but not this time - she said "best I can do is sit you in the row behind" ... that was the seat I had already selected anyway!

Oh well, they'll have ODUs available through the lounge soon anyway.


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[Sprucegoose]

SQ sounds like it would have been fun!

Yes Clinical fun!!!!

 

[Mgjdubs]

Best I've had was being one of two revenue passengers in J on a 738 flight from AKL to SYD after Xmas 2011. The rest of the people with us were QF FA's (they were in uniform). Brilliant service, we were absolutely fawned over!

 

[Simo]

All the flights i have had in the past few days have been chockers with people.

Can not even get a spare seat next to me.

I just dream at the moment of getting a spare seat next to me at the moment.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

Last week I was booking MEL-SYD and noticed that DJ had the A330 servicing the 6:15am flight, so I booked it and upgraded to check out the J cabin, as i was thinking about flying it to PER later in the year. The seat map showed the cabin half full, which surprised me a little considering that flight normally only has 8 J seats.

Upon boarding, I turned left into the J cabin, and immediately was greeted by an FA who said "Good morning Mr Shep, welcome on board - please feel free to select any one of the 27 seats in here - in fact, feel free to sit in every single one of them if you like!"

After takeoff in the cabin announcement, I even got a personalised message - "We'd like to welcome aboard our business class guest - Mr Shep, Alicia will be with you to serve breakfast shortly. We'd also like to welcome aboard our guests seated in economy..."

Was a great flight - didn't even get to check out the IFE (apart from the "pilot's view camera") as I was talking to the FAs most of the way!

It's a wonder that PA didn't invoke an influx whY pax into the J cabin see that as an invitation to try out all those comfy seats.

 

[Must...Fly!]

Were you on a JASA & if so, did you enlighten the CSM to the benefits of AFF?

Late reply...sorry. Not quite a JASA...17,500 AA miles might have been utilised though!

I had considered the possibility of ATH-DXB being almost empty the other day...not quite. Same with FRA-ATH before that (2130 departure). Quite well populated actually (although I had a seat spare next to me in both cases).

 

[travelislife]

I was flying during the first bout of SARS from DAR-DXB-SIN-MEL on Emirates in Y. The SIN-MEL flight appeared to have more flight attendants than passengers on board! Was a very comfortable flight and had one of the best sleeps I have had on a plane lying out of the seats and the service was amazing too.

 

[SeatBackForward]

I've had BNE to SYD with more crew than passengers. Although it wasn't as pleasant as it sounds - the flight was delayed by almost four hours, and were the only suckers who had checked in bags..

 

[pshepvic]

I've had BNE to SYD with more crew than passengers. Although it wasn't as pleasant as it sounds - the flight was delayed by almost four hours, and were the only suckers who had checked in bags..

At least priority baggage might have worked on arrival then!


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[DTM1]

my closest experience was about 15 years ago flying air canada between london and toronto, where there were only 6 of us on the plane - the service was great, and they split the plane sections into sleeping, movie and blinds open. No one got moved up to J though. Funnily enough, one of the FAs recognised me a week later flying to Vancouver from Toronto (on a packed plane) and came up to me to apologise that the service would not be as good as it had been the previous week!