Why I love Qantas

[juddles]

Not sure if this is strictly a FF thread, or even a thread at all. But after seeing so much debate and whinging (yes I go there too) about Qantas, I felt the sudden urge to explain why I stick with them through thick and thin.

I love Qantas. Yes, there are airlines with sexier aircraft fitouts, more delectable lounges, etc etc. But what I love most about Qantas is that they are Australian.

Let me explain this so as not to be misunderstood as some die-hard nationalistic loyalist:

I spend a lot of time overseas. Sometimes months, sometimes years. And as any decent Aussie would, I get homesick. So to suddenly get on an aircraft in some far away place and get an immediate injection of Australia really does it for me. Two examples:

1.- A while ago I had a torrid time in Africa. Had a gutful and decided to return to the homeland. It had been a long time away, immersed in another culture, when I hopped aboard a Qantas 747 in South Africa to make the return. I hadn't seen an english-speaking soul in ages, so felt immediate comfort getting aboard. As we prepared for takeoff I grabbed one of the male stewards for a simple enquiry. He seemed a bit edgy, clearly not having a good day. So when I asked him what the flight time to Perth was he replied "I'm just a steward. Ask the f...ing astronaut up the front" His reply could be seen to be unprofessional, but I laughed so hard it hurt. That sort of real person does it for me so much more than some false and soppy puppet of many airlines (Thai anyone?)

2.- I have a brother who also has to travel a lot. We VERY rarely get to fly together. Many years ago we ended up on the same Tahiti-Sydney sector. As any brothers would, we passed the time by having just a few bourbons. As the crew prepared to land, the staff approached us and presented us with a sealed bottle of JD. Said we were the best travellers they had ever had. And they would have given us a bottle each but we had drunk the rest. Have never got that on another airline. Happened again recently when we hooked up on a LAX-SYD flight. This time they gave us some bottles of the red I so enjoyed.

Everyone has ideas how things can be run better, but as someone who misses the homeland, the joy I get from the staff on Qantas keeps me with them, and I suspect will always. I know their international operations are bleeding, but I blame that more on consumers ease of internet selection of simply bargain basement price. A great national airline requires two-way support. They need some pressure to keep things good, but they also need loyalty. I almost applied today for Platinum matching with Virgin, simply because I could, but then realised that I have history with Qantas, and love them despite the odd glitch. So I will stay by them for now.

Just reading the above I am ready for the flaming.....

 

[Justchecking]

Not a flame, but I'm genuinely surprised that point number 1, is a delight to you. I'd find that incredibly rude. Guess I don't mind a false and soppy puppet if they serve me my dinner and don't dump their bad day in my lap. :-|

PS - better get used to the Asian way as your QFi sectors will soon be crewed by false and soppy puppets.

 

[nlagalle]

Not a flame, but I'm genuinely surprised that point number 1, is a delight to you. I'd find that incredibly rude. Guess I don't mind a false and soppy puppet if they serve me my dinner and don't dump their bad day in my lap. :-|

PS - better get used to the Asian way as your QFi sectors will soon be crewed by false and soppy puppets.

I guess it could be the way it was said? Although I don't condone swearing of any kind in customer service. If it was made in jest then....

 

[djfuzz]

Haven't we already done this love-in?

http://www.australianfrequentflyer....yer-program/thats-why-i-fly-qantas-31132.html

 

[under the radar]

Haven't we already done this love-in?

http://www.australianfrequentflyer....yer-program/thats-why-i-fly-qantas-31132.html

you can never have too much love!!! bring it on!

 

[juddles]

I guess it could be the way it was said? Although I don't condone swearing of any kind in customer service. If it was made in jest then....

Hard to explain it, but it was said in a totally inoffensive manner. Sort of like he was confiding in me his bad day rather than whinging about it, if that makes sense? We were having a quiet chat and there were no other pax near us. And he was very good throughout the flight.

 

[Vinny]

"I'm just a steward. Ask the f...ing astronaut up the front" His reply could be seen to be unprofessional, but I laughed so hard it hurt. That sort of real person does it for me so much more than some false and soppy puppet of many airlines (Thai anyone?)

I'm afraid that attitude and language would not endear me to QF or any other business. Exactly the opposite. A simple question with that reply to most people would be unacceptable to the vast majority of travellers. It's an airline with paying passengers, not a D grade football team.

In fact I would make a conscious effort to register a very strong complaint as well as avoid the business in future.

The attitude displayed by a few FA's in recent years is the main reason I rarely fly with the airline.

 

[juddles]

I'm afraid that attitude and language would not endear me to QF or any other business. Exactly the opposite. A simple question with that reply to most people would be unacceptable to the vast majority of travellers. It's an airline with paying passengers, not a D grade football team.

In fact I would make a conscious effort to register a very strong complaint as well as avoid the business in future.

The attitude displayed by a few FA's in recent years is the main reason I rarely fly with the airline.

Did you read my last post?

 

[Vinny]

As we prepared for takeoff I grabbed one of the male stewards for a simple enquiry. He seemed a bit edgy, clearly not having a good day. So when I asked him what the flight time to Perth was he replied "I'm just a steward. Ask the f...ing astronaut up the front" His reply could be seen to be unprofessional, but I laughed so hard it hurt. That sort of real person does it for me so much more than some false and soppy puppet of many airlines (Thai anyone?)

Preparing for takeoff and the FA is having a bad day and letting you know about it! Sheesh and how many hours to go???


Pfft! You may enjoy being the recipient of what comes from a rude QF FA but I don't.

 

[MiLK_MaN]

This is why I love Qantas....


Standing at carousel 4 in MEL waiting for my luggage, greeted by the above.

 

[anthropologist]

After tonight's flight 1064 from kal to per coughpy 737-400 with no differentiation between J and cattle- thank god I couldn't get j tickets although I tried - over an hour late - service - 0/10, boarding completely screwed up - 0/10, inflight meal served at 2100 was absolute rubbish cold carbohydrates no protein - 0/10 and then no complementary drinks - 0/10 land at 2130 and then have to wait for four other flights' luggage 0/10 - and to top off a great night my bag last bag off - beautiful - well done Joyce a perfect zero!

Tonight is the end of my year 2500+ points just got Platinum status match from Velocity so intend to spread the love er dollars this year (all of which are my dollars) - should be able to keep platinum for both! How depressing!

Qantas in WA equals Jetstar for for the rest of Australia. The rudeness I regularly experience from Qantas flight staff on flights in WA, particularly to the Pilbara is something to behold - breathtaking.
The handlers strike (barbecue) impacted only about 10 percent of the negativity of this flight Qantas about 90 percent!





Yes I'm loving seeing how low Qantas can go

 

[juddles]

Preparing for takeoff and the FA is having a bad day and letting you know about it! Sheesh and how many hours to go???


Pfft! You may enjoy being the recipient of what comes from a rude QF FA but I don't.

Clearly I have not been able to convey the context of the conversation. He was not being rude, we were having a laugh, admittedly about his cough day. Which in the circumstances I totally related to. He was not rude, despite you wishing to believe so.

 

[mannej]

Clearly I have not been able to convey the context of the conversation. He was not being rude, we were having a laugh, admittedly about his cough day. Which in the circumstances I totally related to. He was not rude, despite you wishing to believe so.

Don't worry, I do understand where you are coming from. My GP (spent a lot of time in the bush) is very similar in his manner, yet I would hardly call him rude. He does alright for himself seeing that he is always booked out in a centre that has 10 or so other GP's...

 

[samiam]

Clearly I have not been able to convey the context of the conversation. He was not being rude, we were having a laugh, admittedly about his cough day. Which in the circumstances I totally related to. He was not rude, despite you wishing to believe so.

I totally get your point...

... being completely sexist and ageist, would an 80 year old grandmother have felt the same, if responded to in such a way?

(Noting that in this word of infinite probabilities said 'steward' may not have responded in such a way to an ageing individual with two Y's - not the fare bucket)

 

[Justchecking]

Clearly I have not been able to convey the context of the conversation. He was not being rude, we were having a laugh, admittedly about his cough day. Which in the circumstances I totally related to. He was not rude, despite you wishing to believe so.

OK,so you were both having a laugh and that's why you love qantas.

That doesn't change how such behavior is perceived by non-Australians or even Australians who don't particularly love that side of the culture. Although we love the salt of the earth egalitarian ways to a degree, we still expect a certain level of respect from people who are serving us. That doesn't mean I look down on anyone who serves me, quite the opposite, I treat them as the professional they are. Our lack of rigid social hierarchy is both our advantage and our undoing. Those from outside of this culture find it unfathomable that someone is a service position would be so uncomfortably familiar and they take it for rudeness. Perhaps that is part of the reason for the dwindling reputation of our flag carrier.

 

[under the radar]

After tonight's flight 1064 from kal to per coughpy 737-400 with no differentiation between J and cattle- thank god I couldn't get j tickets although I tried - over an hour late - service - 0/10, boarding completely screwed up - 0/10, inflight meal served at 2100 was absolute rubbish cold carbohydrates no protein - 0/10 and then no complementary drinks - 0/10 land at 2130 and then have to wait for four other flights' luggage 0/10 - and to top off a great night my bag last bag off - beautiful - well done Joyce a perfect zero!

Tonight is the end of my year 2500+ points just got Platinum status match from Velocity so intend to spread the love er dollars this year (all of which are my dollars) - should be able to keep platinum for both! How depressing!

Qantas in WA equals Jetstar for for the rest of Australia. The rudeness I regularly experience from Qantas flight staff on flights in WA, particularly to the Pilbara is something to behold - breathtaking.
The handlers strike (barbecue) impacted only about 10 percent of the negativity of this flight Qantas about 90 percent!





Yes I'm loving seeing how low Qantas can go

i knew it was asking too much for people on this forum to actually stick to the topic !!! if you havnt got anything to say re: THE TOPIC 'why i love qantas'!!... dont say anything at all!!!! or start your own topic..so i can avoid all the whinging.. thankyou

 

[harvyk]

Jees, give the old QF bashing a rest ppl, there the nonews comments section which would love to have this bashing stuff...

Why I love Qantas...

1. For years they where the "international airline" as a kids I knew that seeing a QF jet meant that those people where going to far away lands... I was a little disheartened that my first OS trip was with CO, I still remember my very first QF flight on an old B737-300, it was a CBR-SYD (followed closely by a SYD-MEL and a MEL-PER)


On a less soppy note

2. They have never left me stranded at an airport. I have always ended up at my destination.

3. They do have some pretty good FA's on staff ones that are infact polite (without being stuck up) and don't mind a joke. Furthermore whilst I have seen some meh FA's I have yet to see any FA who "didn't want to be there." (AA I'm looking at you)

4. I usually find their food somewhat edible, and infact I've had some pretty good meals on flights with them.

5. Once I've paid for a flight I don't spend a cent more.

6. Their AVOD is actually pretty good... Not the best I've seen (air NZ I think topped it, but that was more their choice of movies available than anything else), but by far not the worst... (I was a little disappointed with CX B777 flights being on loop and AA B777 flights being on loop which was impossible to get the start of a show)

7. I've always found if they mess up, they admit fault and make things right again (eg a couple of times I've had luggage delayed, in one case they held it at the airport for me as requested and then gave me free access to the QP that afternoon to make up for the delay, the second time they delivered it to my hotel room in PER, and the third time they delivered it out to my place in CBR)

8. OpUp's - nuff said

9. F-Lounge - also nuff said

10. Whilst the service levels may go up or down, I know pretty much what I'm going to get on a QF flight. I love to explore and get (nice) surprises whilst travelling but that doesn't extend to flying. I love the fact that when I board a QF aircraft even in Y, I'm going to get a comfy (enough) seat, a safety demo I could just about recite word for word, a meal (or two) which will taste ok, AVOD if I picked the right aircraft types (which I try to do), and a blanket \ pillow on a longer flight, and FA's who will keep the ginger beer \ coca cola flowing (I don't usually drink on planes), and a lounge which will usually provide a nice place to sit whilst waiting for my next flight.

 

[medhead]

i knew it was asking too much for people on this forum to actually stick to the topic !!! if you havnt got anything to say re: THE TOPIC 'why i love qantas'!!... dont say anything at all!!!! or start your own topic..so i can avoid all the whinging.. thankyou

And you said something re:THE TOPIC How?

Re: the topic : I don't love qantas.

 

[Alanslegal]

This is what you wrote initially and as you can see, it is very easy to read it very inappropriate because 1. you got on board 2. asked the steward a simple and reasonable question 3. only to be sworn at and 4. you enjoyed it.

I hadn't seen an english-speaking soul in ages, so felt immediate comfort getting aboard. As we prepared for takeoff I grabbed one of the male stewards for a simple enquiry. He seemed a bit edgy, clearly not having a good day. So when I asked him what the flight time to Perth was he replied "I'm just a steward. Ask the f...ing astronaut up the front" His reply could be seen to be unprofessional, but I laughed so hard it hurt. That sort of real person does it for me so much more than some false and soppy puppet of many airlines (Thai anyone?)

And no wonder why it is easy to misinterpret your experience just by reading the above.

Thanks for the clarification though, in your following posts.

Hard to explain it, but it was said in a totally inoffensive manner. Sort of like he was confiding in me his bad day rather than whinging about it, if that makes sense? We were having a quiet chat and there were no other pax near us. And he was very good throughout the flight.

Clearly I have not been able to convey the context of the conversation. He was not being rude, we were having a laugh, admittedly about his cough day. Which in the circumstances I totally related to. He was not rude, despite you wishing to believe so.

 

[v8Statesman]

Why I love Qantas.

Details kept vague to protect the not so innocent.

After 2 longish flights in J, 2nd 1 being an overnighter a very pretty FA I had been flirting with invited me back to her hotel room for that "little bit extra"

QF ended up paying for my lunch that day. Although I suspect they don't know that.