What's the service on QF trans-tasman in J?

[Berlin]

Hi guys,

never went to New Zealand in J on QF and was just wondering how it stacks up (especially when compared with Emirates) in terms of service, drinks etc.? The flight in question is a morning flight so can I expect a hot breakfast/ food selection and some champus? What would it be on an afternoon flight- is it treated as a proper international business flight (similar to PER-SYD maybe?) or do they give you a rather "domestic" service on QF? Any experiences welcome! Thank you...

 

[medhead]

I did that last weekend and got a decent service in J. Menu provided for a 6am flight. There was a choice of cereals or one of 2 hot breakfasts. Very much an international service with proper champagne offered. It was a step up from the domestic leg of QF81 and 82 in J, which are nominally international flights.

Of course, the 737 did make it feel like domestic J in some respects.


Sent from the Throne

 

[medhead]

in fact here is the menu

View attachment 9140


Sent from the Throne

 

[richie9x]

Yes it is very much like the service you get on a coast to coast domestic 737 flight like SYD to PER. You'll get over the ear headphones (although they are not active noise cancelling). A blanket and pillow, but not much use at that time of day. Pretty much the same seat as the domestic 737s. As the Jetconnect planes are all relatively new you'll get personal IFE.

 

[Berlin]

in fact here is the menu
Sent from the Throne

Great- thanks a lot for that! Sounds better than I had expected and I'm aware that the hard product is of course inferior to what EK offers. I personally usually prefer service and food on Qantas (plus even an early morning run to the Flounge is worth it!) so I'll probably take the QF option after all

 

[Qld4101]

I prefer the QF trans Tasman offer over EK - I think it lands somewhere in between their domestic and long haul offer.
Emirates I have only used few times on trans Tasman and have been far from impressed on all occasions (I can only presume that their long haul offer is vastly different based on comments on here generally).
I think QF service is far superior (its as if the EK crew are not interested in the short haul) and food probably on-par.

 

[medhead]

I prefer the QF trans Tasman offer over EK - I think it lands somewhere in between their domestic and long haul offer.
Emirates I have only used few times on trans Tasman and have been far from impressed on all occasions (I can only presume that their long haul offer is vastly different based on comments on here generally).
I think QF service is far superior (its as if the EK crew are not interested in the short haul) and food probably on-par.

That's how I felt about the crew on QF82/81 for ADL-SYD-ADL. It was like they didn't care. My wife also picked out something from the in sky shopping catalog and they outright refused to sell it to me. Apparently the sector is too short for them to sell stuff even to J passengers. (I was eligible for DF having come from AKL.)


Sent from the Throne

 

[under the radar]

That's how I felt about the crew on QF82/81 for ADL-SYD-ADL. It was like they didn't care. My wife also picked out something from the in sky shopping catalog and they outright refused to sell it to me. Apparently the sector is too short for them to sell stuff even to J passengers. (I was eligible for DF having come from AKL.)


Sent from the Throne

by memory i'm pretty sure duty free cant legally be sold on ANY domestic leg...regardless of flight number...but i'm happy to be corrected

 

[medhead]

by memory i'm pretty sure duty free cant legally be sold on ANY domestic leg...regardless of flight number...but i'm happy to be corrected

Maybe, but its a rubbish situation. I was perfectly, legally allowed to buy DF. But I couldn't get it on the TT flights because of transit security in SYD, and that in sky shopping isn't available on those flights (small issue). Maybe I should have tried in the SYD departure hall. It was only nail polish, anyway. And she'll get it in October.

 

[Must...Fly!]

I prefer the QF trans Tasman offer over EK - I think it lands somewhere in between their domestic and long haul offer.
Emirates I have only used few times on trans Tasman and have been far from impressed on all occasions (I can only presume that their long haul offer is vastly different based on comments on here generally).
I think QF service is far superior (its as if the EK crew are not interested in the short haul) and food probably on-par.

I would suggest EK crews aren't interested, period.

In any case, done J on jetconnect once (WLG-MEL) and it was fantastic, very polite, excellent service. Yes, it's a narrow-body, but I don't mind on a shorter flight. Would definitely fly them again.

 

[scwappy]

I prefer the QF trans Tasman offer over EK - I think it lands somewhere in between their domestic and long haul offer.
Emirates I have only used few times on trans Tasman and have been far from impressed on all occasions (I can only presume that their long haul offer is vastly different based on comments on here generally).
I think QF service is far superior (its as if the EK crew are not interested in the short haul) and food probably on-par.

Emirates long haul much different from tasman service. How can that be ? Same planes, same crew, same great bar on the a380, same flat bed, same great entertainment system. EK over the tasman kick cough IMHO and generally much cheaper than QF or NZ.

 

[amaroo]

Not a big fan of the QF/jetconnect service over the ditch.

Have recently done their new 737-800 J service SYD-AKL-SYD - I prefer the 767....pity they are long gone on this route.

In the future I'll just hit it hard in the Flounge & then amuse myself down the back

 

[haydensydney]

Give me Emirates F any day - it really is the only way to cross the ditch.

 

[Berlin]

Just thought I pull this old thread out from the past given my trip to New Zealand over the holidays, both ways on QF in J. Proper champagne is a thing of the past unfortunately, some (pretty horrid) Australian bubbly was offered instead- very disappointing and stingy.

Staff was extremely friendly and helpful both ways though and food options decent though choices always ran out during row 3. All in all, the QF experience was way below what EK is offering on the same route both in term of hard product (narrow-body 737 with old-fashioned recliner seats vs. EK's excellent A380 offering with lay flat seats) and food/drinks (pretty lame Neil Perry menu with boring choice of drinks vs. EK's excellent multi-course meal service including proper champagne and nice wine list).

All the more a bit of a shame as I'd take Qantas' attentive and professional crew over the funny multi-culti mix that Emirates provides (their crews basically feature anything from super-professional to straight down useless and lazy) any day.

 

[VHOEJ]

Emirates offer a full international long haul product for a 3 hour flight - it is overkill really so you really can't compare.

If airlines like QF or NZ could justify putting a better J cabin product for such as short flight, they would. The business cabin isn't full of paying passengers because people can't justify it for a flight shorter than a lot of domestic Australian flights.

 

[Ewing]

Just thought I pull this old thread out from the past given my trip to New Zealand over the holidays, both ways on QF in J. Proper champagne is a thing of the past unfortunately, some (pretty horrid) Australian bubbly was offered instead- very disappointing and stingy.

That's disappointing.

I've done TT in QF J about half a dozen times (including a few op ups) and had great flights each time, and yes it was champagne rather than sparkling.

Hopefully (given the other cost cutting over the holidays) it's just a temporary measure. My next TT J flight is in 3 weeks, so I'll see how it goes.

 

[Berlin]

Emirates offer a full international long haul product for a 3 hour flight - it is overkill really so you really can't compare.
If airlines like QF or NZ could justify putting a better J cabin product for such as short flight, they would.

I agree with you in that it would not make any economical sense for QF, NZ or DJ to provide a similar hard product and EK can only do so operating it as an appendix of their main flight from/to Dubai. However, you could argue that a little seat upgrade would be in the realms of the possible given the competition on this route. At the very least- don't be stingy and replace the few bottles of champers with some (pretty cheap and nasty by the taste of it) Aussie bubbly. The latter is saving at the wrong end in my eyes- you have friendly and well trained staff which surely even if employed through Jetconnect will cost more than a few bottles of champers. So why spoil the experience? I heard several fellow J travelers around me moaning about it which is just sad.

That's disappointing.
I've done TT in QF J about half a dozen times (including a few op ups) and had great flights each time, and yes it was champagne rather than sparkling. Hopefully (given the other cost cutting over the holidays) it's just a temporary measure. My next TT J flight is in 3 weeks, so I'll see how it goes.

Please let us know- I'd be curious to see if it had really been only over the holiday period!

 

[Flying mermaid]

I've done it a few times in J over the last few years and found it fairly average. We did a Tahiti trip in 2011 with QF from SYD to AKL and return and the service on the leg back was really bad. We at least got our meals but the FA forgot to bring main courses for the couple across from us and after eventually complaining they managed to get it, but then had to miss out on their cheese and ice cream. Pretty sure it was just sparkling not champagne the times we have flown. We have another trip to AKL (well actually Queenstown, but going via AKL) in late Feb, so I will put comments up after that.

 

[HarryB]

How does LAN compare? Their J prices to AKL are great but what about the service & meals? I believe they use an A340 which I have never been in so I'd be interested in how good the J setup is as it could make a decent status run option if you don't mind an overnight stay in AKL.

 

[Mgjdubs]

How does LAN compare? Their J prices to AKL are great but what about the service & meals? I believe they use an A340 which I have never been in so I'd be interested in how good the J setup is as it could make a decent status run option if you don't mind an overnight stay in AKL.

It's not so bad. Seat was comfortable, but the food ex-AKL was incredibly ordinary. I found the lunch option ex-SYD a little sparse in offering, but perfectly edible (however, considering I'd eaten in the lounge this didn't really worry me). Service was good; polite and attentive and they do make the effort to address you by name, not quite as polished as QF trans-tasman though I felt.

Easy SC run and perfectly comfortable, although from what I've heard the LAN flights are often delayed, so don't book it if you're on a tight schedule or scared of the stupid o'clock departure in the mornings. I recommend it if those things don't bother you.