How I survived the slums of Premium Economy

[juddles]

Not sure in what forum to post this, but that is what mods get paid so highly to decide.....

Have had a few fantastic years flying up the pointy end - mainly QF, but always sth america to Australia, on some route. Am on a sabbatical this year, so no income and trying to economize. Yesterday the full impact of that hit me when I boarded my QF27 flight SYD to SCL - in Premium Economy

Qantas gave me a taste of salvation by bumping me up to J for the short haul domestic - BNE to SYD. But when I finally got on that magnificent 747 out of Sydney, I had to walk past my row 5 rock star seats and shuffle glumly down to PE.

I had picked the last row in PE - Expert Flyer showed until the end that I would have a vacant seat next to me _(I was in the aisle seat in the centre of a 2-4-2 config. I prayed that the seat next to me would be vacant (or that I would get bumped to J). But I clearly prayed to the wrong God. Which is the correct God of travel??

Got to my seat, and sure enough there was a dude in the other aisle seat, but the two in the middle were empty. Bliss. Or at least a small salvation.

But then, even as they announced doors closed, a couple appeared. They had the centre seats. It is a really unattractive aspect of travel that you can hate people, not through any fault of their own, but just for existing and sitting next to you.

I fought this unfair feeling. They were clearly a happy couple - most likely they got a last minute upgrade from Y that in their world was magical. I don't ever want to destroy that feeling in other travellers, so I wrestled with my disappointment and thought.

After takeoff, dinner service, settling into the 13 hrs this flight entails, I finally spoke to the guy. I said I travelled all the time, I understood it is a pain to be in centre seats, and that no matter what I was doing, watching a movie or sleeping, he could climb over me, step on my face, whatever, and it was all good

He loved that. He thanked me profusely. And I slept so very well, in my sub-human PE experience, knowing I had made my fellow traveller's experience much better

 

[JohnM]

You made a good philosophical recovery there, @juddles .

But it could have been worse - much, much worse: If you had been on this coming Sunday's QF27, you would have had to walk past me in 5K on your shuffle-of-shame to the back .

Actually, just thinking about this - it probably would not have been good for MY well-being .

 

[juddles]

That would have been hard. And in my way, I would probably have felt obligated to somehow make your flash trip less comfortable

 

[JohnM]

That would have been hard. And in my way, I would probably have felt obligated to somehow make your flash trip less comfortable

Exactly what worried me, upon reflection....

 

[juddles]

Exactly what worried me, upon reflection....

I have a "well", which is really just a very deep hole, in my yard. I envisioned I would fill it with Chileans, but an upstart FF has reserved space there.

 

[GoldCanyon340]

Maybe they were staff on vacation travel? (Note: I'm not being anti staff travel as I've done a fair bit of ID90 flying in a previous life)

 

[Forg]

No, they were paid actors ... the airlines know that you usually travel J and want to rub-in the downsides of sub-J travel ... so this couple was paid to wait ‘til the very last minute ... !

 

[boomy]

That’s a long flight in PE. Did you explore other options on different airlines using points/miles? Would not be direct flight obviously but personally I’d rather go the long way via Asia sitting in J.

 

[jase05]

Was Y+ any good and what the seat comfort, room etc like?
I’ve never considered Y+ before as to me it just makes no sense as without a lie flat seat I’m not getting any sleep regardless of room. Would probably need a deal that blows me away to consider it but would be great to hear your pros and cons of the seat

 

[ozjuice]

Y+ is an overpriced rip off in most cases, sometimes I think it's better to put up with Y or go the whole hog. The prices do not reflect the product. If they were 25% more than it would be more realistic.

 

[love_the_life]

Y+ is an overpriced rip off in most cases, sometimes I think it's better to put up with Y or go the whole hog. The prices do not reflect the product. If they were 25% more than it would be more realistic.

Actually IMO there is a big gap between Y and Y+ and I would pay the money for it any day if not able to go J. Just came back from Japan in Y (travelling companion can only afford Y) and it was pretty awful though I did sleep a bit. The food offering was the pits and no even mini type amenity kit. On top of that the FAs on our side of the plane were Mr Slow and Mr Slower!
Y+ to SCL is a loooong way though and Juddles, you’re pretty tall, so it must have been hard for you.

 

[UP4014]

A dose of reality hits when you have to put your own hand in your pocket.

Ive found Y premium to be a not to bad compromise. Just pretend your back in 1972 business and all is good.

 

[JohnK]

I would have walked straight past the last row of premium economy to 43H and asked the person sitting there if they'd want to swap seats.

 

[jase05]

Y+ is an overpriced rip off in most cases, sometimes I think it's better to put up with Y or go the whole hog. The prices do not reflect the product. If they were 25% more than it would be more realistic.

This is also my thinking.
If just can’t justify the price difference. In the past I’ve just flown Y class at times and try to break it up into smaller legs with 2-3 stops

 

[OZDUCK]

We have only flown PE once and that was on a, then, pretty much brand new Air New Zealand B787-9 Akl - Per. The price was very reasonable as they were having a "introductory" sale and it was nowhere near the difference between Y that it is now. The seat was very comfortable especially for the shortish flight time. And the seat pitch was 41" as against QF's 38" on their B878-9. Which does make a difference - especially as they were bulkhead seats. The food was 1000% better than the really underwhelming mush we had paid for in Y on the way to NZ.

However, I must agree that the normal prices for PE do seem to be too much of a differential.

 

[juddles]

The original post was not really about discussing PE per se But to those who think it is almost the same as economy, I disagree. In my belief, J is OK, PE is painful, but Y is horrendous.

If I had to do a real long haul in Y I would feel physically sick (as a frequent traveller - if it is a once off holiday thing that is very different!)

And without renewing my fame as a QF fanboi, they actually do a very good PE product.

 

[juddles]

That’s a long flight in PE. Did you explore other options on different airlines using points/miles? Would not be direct flight obviously but personally I’d rather go the long way via Asia sitting in J.

boomy, yes I have Have done such weird trajectories as MDE-MIA-LHR-HND-BNE or MDE-JFK-ICN-SYD-BNE in J/F, which were good. But couldn't get anything for these current dates. At the moment QF charges about $2500 return in PE BNE-SCL, which is half the J cost. I can do that a few times, even if it is just to reset my expectations and enjoyment of future travel

 

[ozjuice]

Ok yes i think i hijacked the thread slighly...Sorry!

Having just flown back from Italy in SQ J with the wife we had our daughter come along but she was down the back. My wife wandered down to check on her once. I'll never forget the horror on her face when she returned. Made me shudder. It really is awful back there on Long Haul and yes...we have become snobs.

 

[juddles]

Ok yes i think i hijacked the thread slighly...Sorry!

Having just flown back from Italy in SQ J with the wife we had our daughter come along but she was down the back. My wife wandered down to check on her once. I'll never forget the horror on her face when she returned. Made me shudder. It really is awful back there on Long Haul and yes...we have become snobs.

A few years ago I had to book a one way trip Australia to Colombia. As we all know, one ways are expensive with many airlines. I eventually got jetstar J from aussie to Hawaii, then American onwards.

My wife still laughs when she recalls my face when we entered the "J" cabin on jetstar. This was before they had 787's. Apparently the frown I expressed was downright awful

 

[JohnM]

That price doesn't seem too bad for PE SYD-SCL-SYD.

Of course, the hope is that by buying PE and having high status, an upgrade is much more likely. I once booked SYD- SCL-SYD in PE Sale but was able to score a points upgrade both ways. To sit in PE was my safety net.

I have only flown in PE once - A Sale fare SYD-YVR. Certainly better than whY, but not as good as I hoped. One thing that bugs me is that a PE fare is way higher than Y but only earns FF points at whY level. It seems mean that they don't pitch points yield somewhere between whY and J.

Did you apply for a points upgrade and miss out because the J bus was full or did you just have fingers crossed for an opup?