What has QF improved in the last few years?

[Anna]

Sometimes I ask myself why I stick with QF and usually I come up the answer that they have the knack of somehow remaining just a bit better than the competition, which is not exactly a glowing endorsement. So now I am trying to think of the things that QF have done in the last few years that I do see as improvements and not "enhancements".

So far I have come up with:

A380

F lounges

Dom J lounge food

Premium boarding (when it works)

Premium economy

48 hour points upgrade confirmation for WP

More sources for earning QFF points

What do others think?

 

[Isochronous]

WP greeting in Y int'l flights
The introduction of ASAs (until the changes in June of this year)
Flying to SCL and DFW

 

[TonyHancock]

Wp1.........

 

[medhead]

For me island dining in SYD domestic J lounge is a winner. Wait listing for domestic upgrades as well. Allowing upgrades from discount economy for domestic is also a good, within the usual value comparison for using points.

 

[moa999]

More dom aircraft with individual IFE
Website and app improvements
Returning to OOL
The EK partnership, albeit some here see it as a negative - to Asia it is a little, but to Europe it is a big plus

 

[RooFlyer]

If we are talking improvements currently over a few years ago my main ones are domestic J service and in-flight meals and also the WP international upgrade advice is now >48 hrs in my experience earlier this year.

There. I managed a post about Qantas without bagging it (as that would have been off-topic )

 

[Economy_Gold]

For me the main improvements were:
- increased international upgrade notifications
- A380s to LHR, LAX and HKG
- domestic J lounges (with all-day barista service)
- more website functionality (unfortunately, ASA removal has put a big dent on that point)

However, on the flipside:
- ridiculously reduced J breakfast service from Asia to Australia
- removal of ASA bookings from the website (anD Classic Awards don't even earn SC)
- no more A380 to SIN

 

[medhead]

No airline has classic awards that earn, outside special promotions.

 

[k_sheep]

International catering to/from PER.

New sleep service.

The new SIN lounge (okay, will be a downgrade for F and WP, but an upgrade for J and QP/SG).

Expedia.br

 

[Economy_Gold]

No airline has classic awards that earn, outside special promotions.

That is correct, but QF charges more points and a much higher co-payment (due to fuel fines) for awards compared with many other programs, including other Oneworld programs (such as AA). Therefore it would be very nice from Qantas Frequent Flyer perspective and commercially probably prudent from Qantas' perspective to offer an extra incentive to collect QFF and to use them for Classic Awards. And providing SC for Classic Award would achieve that and has only a very small cost for QF.

 

[amaroo]

Removing the old F seats - in most 747
Removing MK1 J seat - in most 747
Introducing ASA
PB
SIN lounge......and plans for HKG/LAX

Plenty of cons - but thats another thread.

 

[TheEmu]

That is correct, but QF charges more points and a much higher co-payment (due to fuel fines) for awards compared with many other programs, including other Oneworld programs (such as AA). Therefore it would be very nice from Qantas Frequent Flyer perspective and commercially probably prudent from Qantas' perspective to offer an extra incentive to collect QFF and to use them for Classic Awards. And providing SC for Classic Award would achieve that and has only a very small cost for QF.

Nice idea but I can't see it happening.
QF could eliminate ASAs by having an optional add-on bundle (Jet*-style) to include the SC/FFP onto Classics for an attractively-low fee.

 

[kempvet]

Qantas Link now using Syd T3
The Syd J Lounge
Reconfiguration of some of the 747's
The onboard safety video (my opinion is that it is vastly superior to Captain Clarke's efforts)

 

[Anna]

Plenty of cons - but thats another thread.

I know, but I wanted to hear some positives so I feel less crazy sticking with them when they stuff up a booking. Or delete my favourite route.

Thanks all. And a special thanks to Rooflyer for refraining from bagging

 

[love_the_life]

IMO the introduction of the QF Y+ product. We have used it a bit and found it a great addition, vastly superior to BA's version and have not looked at other carriers' offerings.
For daylight flights in particular it is great value.

 

[JessicaTam]

The onboard safety video (thanks for the reminder kempvet) and Y+

But most of all the improvement to my FF card. It used to be silver!

 

[mannej]

The onboard safety video (thanks for the reminder kempvet) and Y+

But most of all the improvement to my FF card. It used to be silver!

Call me boring, but I actually like Captain Hello again! I was able
to recite that word for word!

 

[medhead]

I find the barcode on my QFF card for boarding to be really good.

If we're talking safety videos, getting rid of "subtly every aircraft is different". [To attempt to prevent an off topic debate about this, my objection is that if the aircraft are subtly different it can't be meaningful for safety reasons, because people shouldn't notice the difference. They're either different or they're not.]

There. I managed a post about Qantas without bagging it (as that would have been off-topic )

You could have said "nothing"

 

[kempvet]

Call me boring, but I actually like Captain Hello again! I was able
to recite that word for word!

None of the foreigners I spoke to had a clue what was going on with Captain Clarke or who he was and were completely puzzled as to why sporting identities should even be seen in an on board safety video, while they were trying to work out what he was doing there, they were not paying attention to the safety video message. I think that QF have done a great job using normal and down to earth staff rather than celebrities in a non grating way. I find that the on board safety video of AA is too diverse, trying to get every aspect of American life into the video by rapid change of speakers distracts the viewer, on board safety videos should be about safety, not politically correct statements about diversity.

 

[mannej]

None of the foreigners I spoke to had a clue what was going on with Captain Clarke or who he was and were completely puzzled as to why sporting identities <snip> .

This is Captain Hello Again
http://youtu.be/d_ObULL2pUY
Sporting identities can be used to good effect (NZ safety videos), but it is something that QF didn't do too well...