a gift from Qantas to Virgin Blue

[The Green Goblin]

Apparently QF are now aware of the issues and looking at options due to "customer feed back

Yep, paint it silver :P

[maccaj73]

- Tag your own Bags
- Pay for the slightest amount of excess baggage
- 7 seats abreast in J class
- Pay for exit rows
- Get thrown a cookie or apple during offpeak flights
- Old 767's on many long INTL sectors
- Minimal staff at most ports (less and less service desks, big focus on headcount reduction)

Hmmmn, not sure if AJ is the right person for a premium carrier, to offer a premium product money needs to be invested in the product for the better. When people pay a premium fare they expect inclusions and better standards of service which is clearly not what QF these days wants to provide.

[inandout]

The new DJ seat is just like V America in both E and D-J. It will be miles ahead of QF. A gift indeed from QF.

[cavemanzk]

I had a look at that system in T3 the other day. 2 manned service desks had queues on them out the door, the DIY terminals were all unused and a lot of unhappy campers milling around confused as to why it now takes 2hrs to check-in.

Same thing happend when NZ made AKL/WLG/CHC Domestic fully DIY, there would be a massive que at the service desk of people wanting to be manualy checked-in after a few months evreryone had worked out it only takes you 30 seconds to tag your own bag & drop it.

Where as it went the total oposite at AKL International when it was introduced for Tasman flights. It removed the 60minute wait to check-in & replace it with a process that takes 90seconds. It just takes time for the market to change!

[rmcdonal]

- Tag your own Bags

The System in T3 seems to be working fine every time I walk past. Yes there were some lines at the service desk, but nothing like how it used to be.

[flightfocus]

As the bean counters have us all checking ourselves in and tagging our own bags (ie: Doing the work that employees once did) aren't we all technically employee's of the airline and entitled to staff travel arrangements??

This check in system is purely about staff reduction. It may be efficient for the suits with an overnight bag, but it IS reducing service standards and reeks of low cost carrier. Interesting that the little check in daleks have cameras and I would assume taking our pictures as well - has to be some privacy issues there no?

Back on topic:
I experienced the newest A330 domestic config in late last year (2010) and while the IFE was good, it still is a generation behind SQ, EK and the like. And the seats in business class were disappointing. Luckily I had an outside aisle, but the centre 3 across is a backwards step. Looked like they had been taken from a B737 and jammed in.

And yes the interior is so dreary and drab. What has happened to QF??

[UKSqueeze]

On a safety note, what is it with the seat belts in business on the A330?
The attachment points are positioned so that the belt is very high on the abdomen.
I find it very uncomfortable and I wonder if it is safe in the event of it stopping a sudden forward movement.of my body.

[PPRuNeUser0198]

Originally Posted by Flight Focus

while the IFE was good, it still is a generation behind SQ, EK and the like.

This is false - Qantas as well as SQ and EK use the Panasonic eX2 system.

[Lodown]

As SLF, my family recently took a Pacific crossing on VA in J class after several less-than-satisfactory experiences crossing on QF. Unless there are some major changes, we won't be going back to QF. We don't mean much on the grand scale of things, but QF has huge issues if more people like us start to hear that the competition blows it out of the water. Already convinced my sister's family to switch to VA for a trial. It wasn't difficult. She has club membership and travels business. QF management has bigger issues than trying to determine where to save the next dollar. Customers are walking away. Another gift to Virgin.
Better seats...better legroom...less crowding in the departure lounge...on time arrival (or close anyway)...better service...cleaner bathrooms...plenty of water and snacks. Haven't tried the A380 and probably won't get to do so now. Enjoyed the 757 (whoops...777) too much.

[PW1830]

Must have been the ER version.

[73to91]

The Herald Sun today: Etihad tips a major boost down under | Herald Sun

By moving to code-sharing with V Australia, Etihad had to give up its arrangement with Qantas.

Etihad and Qantas were at odds over the Australian national carrier's plans to send Jetstar into the Middle East.

Qantas also chose to stick with its long-term partner British Airways and not expand its arrangement with Etihad on flights beyond its Abu Dhabi base.

Will BA or perhaps American also be at odds with QANTAS soon over their plans to send JetStar to Europe and the US?

[blow.n.gasket]

Lowdown wrote:

cleaner bathrooms

My god, what a deplorable state the public toilets in Qantas domestic terminals are. I've endured better smelling sewers in third world slums than what's on offer from Qantas these days.

Lift your game Allan. Get out and about and see first hand just how decrepit aspects of Qantas have become.
Clean,non smelly toilet facilities with tapware that doesn't look like it came from the dump.A good steam clean of the slimy crud encrusted floor tiles would be a good start as well.
A really good first or last impression for a "premium carrier" ,NOT!

[Monorail]

Apparently QF are now aware of the issues and looking at options due to "customer feed back"

I paxed from PER to MEL the other day in the centre seat in business class. I can't believe they are doing this AGAIN. Is this not the configuration that was introduced a few years ago and got canned? A centre seat in J class is not a good idea.

[whatever6719]

I really hope that what Qantas chose was well before they knew about Virgin Blues plans for a premium cabin. If they think they will be able to compete effectively with the current offerings, they will be in for a shock. It really surprises me how an interior could be made to look so bland. It's as if Qantas had a contest "Biggest prize to who can make the worst cabin interior of any airline". I've flown many carriers and Qantas domestic interiors are shockers. Grey, grey and even more grey with no colour or pizzaz in sight. Even Jetstar have a branded cabin with some personality. People these days expect more and Qantas needs to step up and provide it. With Borghetti at Virgin, they are going to have to.
Regarding the middle seat, we will just have to wait and see what Virgin do. They may have the same config as well. Will be interesting to see how Qantas will respond.

[lineupandwait]

Wait till Virgin Blue is renamed to Virgin Australia, totally different image from the Virgin Blue LCC it started out as. Just a guess it may happen.

Spend some money on Qantas, Qantas!!!

[industry insider]

I used to take QF across the Pacific 4 times per year in J or F. No longer impressed. I now use either VA or NZ via AKL depending on USA destination. As was said earlier, spend some money on Qantas, Qantas. You are losing it.

Oh and J class fares on VA or NZ are averaging $3k cheaper than QF. Go figure.