My JQi 787 impressions

[Austman]

It's certainly an OK aircraft and the big windows are nice, but overall I thought the JQ 787 was underwhelming.

The bad:
The worst parts of the JQ 787 are the Y-class seats and the narrow aisles. You are really squashed in Y. It seemed much worse in my view than the JQ A330 although at 31" pitch it's supposed to be the same. And with the 3-3-3 layout the aisles are incredibly narrow, so if seated at one you get bumped into all the time. And when the seat reclines, its bottom slides forward which takes away leg room - much like the horrible design that CX eventually abandoned.

The better:
The in-flight entertainment screen is good. And you are pushed so close to it that it seems like a cinema size. And the USB charger below the screen is handy. And the overhead bins are big - but they need to be with the 3-3-3 layout. Bathrooms are good with more controls working off proximity sensors. I wondered how easy they are to clean and how long they will last. The seat is really quite complex and must be a bit hard to properly clean.

The best:
The air systems and noise levels should be good too. It was not possible to tell on my flight (due to a very noisy technical issue) but everyone else says they are. The windows are good - not really wider but much taller. The electronic shading is interesting but some don't like the mirror effect that happens when they are fully darkened. The view you can get out of multiple windows when the aircraft banks is stunning.

Unfortunately, for me, the better and the best are more than offset by the bad: horrible JQ Y-class seating.

 

[Austman]

The seats and IFE screens. Note: there's two (very narrow) aisles in there! Also the big overhead bins with the doors all open. Once closed there's good headroom above the B and C seats. Some say that it's hard to reach the air vents from the C seat. The reading lights are controlled only via the IFE unit. It's touch screen control only for the IFE (no handset) - but at least it was nicely sensitive! Finally - the 'mood' lighting. Meh.





The big windows. Because they are so tall, you can more easily see out of more windows (at least the top parts of them).



Not much hoopla at DPS but at least they marked the event!

 

[smit0847]

Unfortunately, for me, the better and the best are more than offset by the bad: horrible JQ Y-class seating.

It's LCC long-haul Y. What did you expect?

 

[RooFlyer]

Thanks Austman. Pardon my ignorance, but is there a "business" class section? Did you get a look?

 

[Austman]

It's LCC long-haul Y. What did you expect?

More seating comfort than the same LCC's A330 Y-class. But for me it was worse.

 

[Austman]

Thanks Austman. Pardon my ignorance, but is there a "business" class section? Did you get a look?

Yes there is but I didn't take a look, but it's a much smaller J-class cabin than the A330s - just 21 seats. The seat pitch is similar to QFd J-class.

One thing I will say for Y-class is that there is a small cabin just behind J-class that looked pretty private. It's an 'up front' seat area that needs extra payment. See the layout here: The JetStar Source - JetStar Boeing 787-8 Seat Map

 

[blackcat20]

Thanks Austman. Pardon my ignorance, but is there a "business" class section? Did you get a look?

There are three rows in a 2-3-2 arrangement. Quite comfy, but more like a domestic J as has been said. The IFE is different to that in Y, I actually didn't think it was as good (the screen requires a lot of firm pressing).

 

[TomVexille]

I've been told the J seat is the same as the QF PE seat.

 

[DC3]

I've been told the J seat is the same as the QF PE seat.

I'd like to know about the business seats as well. I'm not keen on flying on a LCC because there are reasons why it is inexpensive, but have done the SYD-MEL-SYD F Lounge run using Jetstar.

 

[Austman]

I'd like to know about the business seats as well. I'm not keen on flying on a LCC because there are reasons why it is inexpensive, but have done the SYD-MEL-SYD F Lounge run using Jetstar.

Some pics of the JQ 787 J-class are here: Review, photos: Jetstar Boeing 787 business class - Flights | hotels | frequent flyer | business class - Australian Business Traveller

JQ- J: 38" pitch, 20" width. QF-PE: 38" pitch, 19.5" width.

 

[Austman]

What I find curious is the whole Deamliner marketing hype. Not just from JQ but from Boeing and other 787 airline operators.

The Dreanliner even comes up as a special logo font when you book a JQ 787 flight.

Anyway, here is JQ's Dreamliner promotion: Dreamliner

Deamliner?

1. Sight: Yes, the windows are big!
2. Touch: Comfortable seating?? No way in Y! What marketing rubbish!
3. Smell: Maybe, but is this really a big issue on planes?
4. Taste: Nothing to do with the 787 at all ! What marketing rubbish!
5. Sound: Probably. But not on my flight!

So 2.5 out of 5 for me.

Deamliner?? Maybe for the pilots, maybe for the airline, not so much for JQ Y-class passengers.

It is a nice enough plane though.

 

[TomVexille]

4. Taste: Nothing to do with the 787 at all ! What marketing rubbish!
5. Sound: Probably. But not on my flight!

Taste, might actually apply. The lower cabin pressure means your taste buds are less affected by the altitude.

As for sound. My couple flights were very quiet, but I understand yours had issues.

I like it as an airframe, but I agree that JQ haven't got the most comfortable product.

 

[eastwest101]

Reminds me of a driver/hire car company continually complaining about the price of fuel, and goes and buys a brand new Lexus Hybrid for its dodgy non-unionized shell company, and then proceeds to order the Lexus hybrid in a cheap vinyl hosedown interior with uncomfortable seating, then it sends out the new hydrid to the lowest socio-economic market/area that it can find. Meanwhile the used Ford Falcon taxis with the hosedown interior gets reupholstered but uncomfortable seats and put into service to compete with improving competitor(s), once the expensive service intervals are charged to the parent company.....

Seems like the B787 despite all its hype and advantages is let down the the internal configuration that JQi chose....

 

[Jeffrey O'Neill]

Sounds like JQ have crammed in the seats like Air Asia X do on their A330s and even copyign the original slide forward seats to boot.

Certainly wont be looking forward to trying out the 787 with them.

If only these airlines could realise there's a market similar to the yello seat on scoot, but while leg room is nice extra seat width is great too.

Give me 1 less seat per row and 33/34 inch seat pitch and I'll happily pay an extra $60 or $70 each way for the comfort.

 

[Isochronous]

It's the Orange Cancer. Of course the product is cough.

New aircraft should be going to QF and JQ cramming them in like sardines on A320s and old 767s.

 

[TomVexille]

Give me 1 less seat per row and 33/34 inch seat pitch and I'll happily pay an extra $60 or $70 each way for the comfort.

Unfortunately I'm not sure that your $70 is enough to cover the lost revenue in selling the extra seat. 33in pitch in an 8 across configuration would take up approximately an extra 20% floor space. I think it would have to be closer to $100 for them to make a profit

However it may open JQ up to a market that wouldn't have even considered flying with them. But I'm not an analyst, so what do I know...

 

[Austman]

It's the Orange Cancer. Of course the product is cough.

New aircraft should be going to QF and JQ cramming them in like sardines on A320s and old 767s.

For me it was essentially the JQ 787 Y-class seating that was bad. Worse than the JQ A330 Y-class seats we had a few days earlier.

The in-flight service I thought was OK - even good. Better than some full service carrier flights I've been on! And $50 for the Plus Pack which gave a hot meal, non-alcoholic drinks, a standard seat selection and (for DPS-MEL as a WP) 5,444 QFF points and 25 QFF SCs was, I thought, well worth it.

 

[k_sheep]

Thanks Austman. Pardon my ignorance, but is there a "business" class section? Did you get a look?

I was in J for the previous flight, will try to get some pictures up at some point.

The seats are like the domestic J seats in the refurbed 737s.

 

[boomy]

Looks ok to me. For someone who wants to save money and goes for LCC, getting the 787 is a big win.

 

[craven morehead]

It's the Orange Cancer. Of course the product is cough.

New aircraft should be going to QF and JQ cramming them in like sardines on A320s and old 767s.

Exactly !! :mrgreen: