Why I am ditching QF F/J longhaul, despite loving it.

[33kft]

Not disagreeing with the sentiment of your post, @joeymelb , but I assure you from personal experience that SQ have a Philippines call centre just like QF and it is only through shift times/huaca that I have managed to get through to the Singapore operators, it absolutely is not a common experience, and I've had to deal with SQ regularly for years while living in Singapore.

I have never cherished calling a call centre, and theirs is no different. I find it hard to fathom this need to paint every dealing with SQ as a dream, I mean it's a customer focused organisation that has a better culture than QF for sure but it's far from the nirvana this place paints it as.

 

[stm1sydney]

Fact is SQ is streets ahead of QF in all departments.

 

[33kft]

Fact is SQ is streets ahead of QF in all departments.

You can think that is the case. Their loyalty program is at best adequate.

 

[Flying mermaid]

You can think that is the case. Their loyalty program is at best adequate.

and therein lies the problem. Qantas’ loyalty program is good and has been mega successful, so they don’t have to put as much emphasis on quality of the product and service. Someone gets upset - throw them a few points and ignore the actual issue....

 

[dajop]

Fact is SQ is streets ahead of QF in all departments.

I am a big fan of SQ and they do better in a lot of areas than QF.

I’d still have greater faith in QF pilots - particularly their problem solving abilities, should something go wrong.

Also, on safety, some on AFF are advocating that you should not fly MH because they chose a flight path over a war zone (resulting in MH17 being shot down). Same rationale should apply to SQ, who should be avoided for the same reason, as it could have easily been them instead (and for that matter LH or KL as well). On QF we assume they would have chosen to avoid the area.

 

[33kft]

and therein lies the problem. Qantas’ loyalty program is good and has been mega successful, so they don’t have to put as much emphasis on quality of the product and service. Someone gets upset - throw them a few points and ignore the actual issue....

Exactly, it's a business. It's not a sports team and these are not philanthropic ventures. From the perspective of someone who has put plenty of money through SQ I feel they are adequate, not some sort of market outlier. Get on here and you see the way people talk about the airline, it makes you wonder if we're flying the same SQ. It is a perfectly fine airline and I hate to break it to people, so is QF. Your opinions may vary, but I find it hard not to throw 2c in with the weird cult love for certain airlines. They're all here to make money, and for some the strategy is like QFs (better loyalty program, worse service standard), others take the opposite approach.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

FTR - SQ contact number in Australia +61 2 8228 1188 goes direct to SQ/KF Call Crt in SIN - NEVER diverts to MNL Call Crt.

 

[Flying mermaid]

Exactly, it's a business. It's not a sports team and these are not philanthropic ventures. From the perspective of someone who has put plenty of money through SQ I feel they are adequate, not some sort of market outlier. Get on here and you see the way people talk about the airline, it makes you wonder if we're flying the same SQ. It is a perfectly fine airline and I hate to break it to people, so is QF. Your opinions may vary, but I find it hard not to throw 2c in with the weird cult love for certain airlines. They're all here to make money, and for some the strategy is like QFs (better loyalty program, worse service standard), others take the opposite approach.

I agree - people choose what works best for them - there is no one size fits all. For me the FF program has little value, so I go for the better airlines, for others it’s the opposite. And Qantas isn’t bad - just frustrating because it could be really good.

 

[RichardMEL]

I thought QF was "one of the worst airlines in the free world" though!!!

but seriously.. I agree it's what works for any one person andthat includes personal experiences both positive and negative with ANY business we interact with be it an airline, hotel, department store etc (I have a friend having a huge fight with Amazon about misdelivered items over in time.. not a fan! - but I digress).

One has to also remember when comparing airlines like VA/QF/AA/BA/UA/DL/LH etc to the Asian and ME3 airlines that there's a) far cheaper costs and b) state ownership involved. To an extent some of these airlines can spend up on service, soft and hard product for various reasons. Not disagreeing that SQ, for example, provide fantastic service and even better product, specially in the premium cabins .. OUTSTANDING in my experiences....

Not to "defend" the western airlines with higher costs though - given what they charge for premium fares and all, but that is also what the market seems to bear (and it's not like SQ charges less!)... QF et al could absolutely up their game, and if they provided soft product on par with SQ I think less people would be worrying about the FA's...

these areall very subjective things though. Some people would prefer a parma and crownie to shark fin soup and 2 choices of French bubbles

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Some people would prefer a parma and crownie to shark fin soup and 2 choices of French bubbles

Exactly! I was staggered yesterday to learn some folk don’t care for ‘hoity toity’ Champs - seems some just choose a flat bed to sleep their lives away.

What I find most interesting is the ‘Interaction’ aspect with crew - I have never had BAD crew on any airline - take charge - imm apon entering cabin tell crew they all look like super models or movie stars - whatever - interact with them - they are humans after all.

Here is another tip - 20pc $5 bag mini chockies from WW - but 1 buy 2 - give to crew as soon as you board - sit back and just see how long you need wait to get that glass refilled - or not - either way people need to take control of their activities and stop whingeing when expectations not met - make them happen

 

[jase05]

Exactly! I was staggered yesterday to learn some folk don’t care for ‘hoity toity’ Champs - seems some just choose a flat bed to sleep their lives away.

Whilst not doing it all the time I have been guilty at times of working a 14 hour day and then jumping on a J flight and falling asleep 15 minutes later and sleeping for the majority of the flight. For me the seat/bed is the most important consideration when selecting flights.

 

[Hvr]

Exactly! I was staggered yesterday to learn some folk don’t care for ‘hoity toity’ Champs - seems some just choose a flat bed to sleep their lives away.

That's me.

What I find most interesting is the ‘Interaction’ aspect with crew - I have never had BAD crew on any airline - take charge - imm apon entering cabin tell crew they all look like super models or movie stars - whatever - interact with them - they are humans after all.

Yesterday, when I was boarding whilst returning from DRW I held up my phone screen to the CSM at the door and said my seat number. Something I have done many times before and always been thanked because it is hard to see the small number.

The response this time was a sharp retort "I don't care where you're sitting, I'm checking you're on the correct flight". Suitably chastened I went and sat down in Y and never saw him go past row 4 to interact with any Y customer. It was a sullen flight with just the basics for all pax.

The two FAs serving Y seemed tense and just wanted to get the job done. The atmosphere was strained and it was a case of just sit in your seat until we land.

Interestingly, I had taken the same plane up, in J, with a different crew and they were totally different. They interacted with customers in both classes and had a friendly, approachable demeanor with a great feel about the flight.

 

[pauly7]

That's me.



Yesterday, when I was boarding whilst returning from DRW I held up my phone screen to the CSM at the door and said my seat number. Something I have done many times before and always been thanked because it is hard to see the small number.

The response this time was a sharp retort "I don't care where you're sitting, I'm checking you're on the correct flight". Suitably chastened I went and sat down in Y and never saw him go past row 4 to interact with any Y customer. It was a sullen flight with just the basics for all pax.

The two FAs serving Y seemed tense and just wanted to get the job done. The atmosphere was strained and it was a case of just sit in your seat until we land.

Interestingly, I had taken the same plane up, in J, with a different crew and they were totally different. They interacted with customers in both classes and had a friendly, approachable demeanor with a great feel about the flight.

Will be interesting to see what response you get from QF when you put in some feedback, hopefully you got their name to help narrow down.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Also, on safety, some on AFF are advocating that you should not fly MH because they chose a flight path over a war zone (resulting in MH17 being shot down). Same rationale should apply to SQ, who should be avoided for the same reason, as it could have easily been them instead (and for that matter LH or KL as well). On QF we assume they would have chosen to avoid the area.

All airlines flying through that zone were at fault for doing so. But what sets MH apart is that they lost another aircraft a few months earlier and should have had their minds focused on safety. They didn't. Their handling after the event, saying they should only have to focus on food and comfort on board, rather than safety, is further evidence that they simply 'didn't get' the gravity of the situation. That lessons weren't learned. How does that translate to the next flight you are going to take with them?

 

[banana boy]

You can think that is the case. Their loyalty program is at best adequate.

I prefer to pay $10 in fees and taxes for a SQ J redemption rather than $200 for a QF Y redemption. QFF is easier to get gold than KF but the costs of using QFF points are nearly as usurious as BA.

 

[MsTee]

I'm bemused (amused? stunned?) by this discussion, but will add something FWIW about a recent experience I had on a Qantas flight back from Tasmania. When the attendant came around with snacks I must have said something about missing breakfast or lunch before I traveled and having to drive 5 hours after landing. Next thing the attendant showed up with a bowl of fresh fruit and yoghurt and, I think, a nice bread roll. She said it was hers, and she didn't need it.

That's what I call over and above. What a lovely gesture.

I was seated in economy, which is where I normally fly these days. (IIRC it was a Qantaslink flight with only one class.)

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I'm bemused (amused? stunned?) by this discussion, but will add something FWIW about a recent experience I had on a Qantas flight back from Tasmania. When the attendant came around with snacks I must have said something about missing breakfast or lunch before I traveled and having to drive 5 hours after landing. Next thing the attendant showed up with a bowl of fresh fruit and yoghurt and, I think, a nice bread roll. She said it was hers, and she didn't need it.

That's what I call over and above. What a lovely gesture.

I was seated in economy, which is where I normally fly these days. (IIRC it was a Qantaslink flight with only one class.)

It was a lovely gesture And almost all of us will have a similar anecdote.

But the problem is the consistency of the crew, especially long haul (where they have a real chance to ‘do damage’). Qantas long haul can be inconsistent - and far more so than just about any other airline. Do you risk a 50-50 chance for each flight that you wish you were on another airline?

For some of us that risk is too high

 

[Flying mermaid]

I'm bemused (amused? stunned?) by this discussion, but will add something FWIW about a recent experience I had on a Qantas flight back from Tasmania. When the attendant came around with snacks I must have said something about missing breakfast or lunch before I traveled and having to drive 5 hours after landing. Next thing the attendant showed up with a bowl of fresh fruit and yoghurt and, I think, a nice bread roll. She said it was hers, and she didn't need it.

That's what I call over and above. What a lovely gesture.

I was seated in economy, which is where I normally fly these days. (IIRC it was a Qantaslink flight with only one class.)

that is really lovely . I hope you have given feedback to Qantas, as they have an annual award for staff who have gone “above and beyond”. I was one of the judges some years ago and the stories were just amazing, including one flight attendant who lent a passenger money after a wallet was left at home!

I don’t think I have ever had a problem flying domestic and I really like Qantaslink.

I guess a lot of the negative comments are coming from those of us who are spending not insignificant amounts of money on international F and J and our experiences have been pretty inconsistent (esp when compared to the competition).