Star Class a Joke

[anat0l]

Maybe you should be saying *class is not comparable to business class offered by others, Jetstar clearly state they consider it business class:

Jetstar Airways - StarClass, International Business Class Travel

Interestingly they did not use that line when it first was offered.

Jetstar may consider it their business class, but it definitely doesn't stack up against other business class cabins around the world, even against particular airlines that mightn't ever get into the top 10 airlines in the world.

• Star Class seat: Millennium with leather, which is the same for QF Trans-Tasman and medium-long haul regional (exception HNL). Not sure how many airlines around the world which operate a similar length regional services have better seats. American F seats anyone? Any Asian carrier? Some of those would use proper long haul standard business class seats (either lie-flat or fully-flat). I think that almost any carrier, though, would have better seat pitch in their business class compared to Star Class.
• Star Class food: comparing it to the food in the cabin aft of it is like putting lipstick on a pig, and the pig comes for free. Woo hoo. IIRC no pre-meal drinks.
• Star Class amenities: not too bad, but again the same as the cabin aft of it, just for free. (IMO the amenity collection is very comparable to what I got in VS Upper Class - that's depressing.)
• Star Class ground service: only thing for it is priority check-in and lounge access (if you don't have QP or QFF status of appropriate level already). This is the only way to get to Star Class priority check-in; QFF status doesn't cut it. No priority baggage handling.
• Star Class entertainment: satisfactory - pretty much the same as QF Trans-Tasman and a lot better than loopback IFE on QF regional services operated by 763s (but not better than QF medium-long haul regional operated by Airbus equipment, which have proper AVOD).

In saying this, it definitely doesn't have the business class price tag (it more has a premium economy price tag). However, something like BA CE also isn't as stupidly expensive, as are quite a few regional services on Asian carriers which easily have much more superior service compared to Star Class (although some of these are fifth freedom flights which are not as long as flights with JQ Star Class). But on average, given a Star Class fare's cost, you would probably be hard pressed to use that amount of money to buy J on another carrier for the journey between the same two places. Happy to be proven wrong here. And yes, I know that cost is not everything and people will be prepared to pay a premium to make a conscious choice of carrier for reasons not related to cost.

If you stretch the definition a bit, you may like to say that JQ Star Class is a form of business class. But there are many here that would say that it's more like Y+ (maybe Y++ - that's a stretch) compared to J-.

For me, my attraction to it is that it does earn at J rates even if it is merely a Y+ standard.

 

[medhead]

Jetstar may consider it their business class,

For me, my attraction to it is that it does earn at J rates even if it is merely a Y+ standard.

By these two points then I'm happy to define it as business class. It is Jetstar's business class.

All the other points your raised, while totally valid and true, are comparisons to other airlines business class. It may be an inferior business class product, nevertheless it is Jetstar's business class product.

 

[markis10]

Jetstar may consider it their business class,

There is no "may", Jetstar call it business class, end of story. How it compares to other offerings is of interest in terms of determining the value of the offering to the individual, but the lack of a defining standard makes any comparison worthless when it comes to assessing whether it is really business class - its a marketing term, not an accurate product description as such.

 

[oz_mark]

Jetstar may consider it their business class, but it definitely doesn't stack up against other business class cabins around the world, even against particular airlines that mightn't ever get into the top 10 airlines in the world.

Jetstar is a leisure focussed operator, with a product that matches this focus. I doubt that it is intending to compete with other carriers that offer business class. Looking at its peers, it is more than they offer. AirAsia offer XL seats, but they don't offer much in the way of additional services, just a bigger seat.

So, I have come around to the view that it is Jetstar's view of business class.

 

[Oneworldplus2]

I find JQ Star Class quite reasonable value...When doing Hawaii, it was $2800 for Starclass vs $9000 for Qantas business
Dave

If I'm paying, I would happily do SYD-HNL again in Starclass (noting the price differential for QF J - which is just insane). Who actually pays $10k+ to go to HNL anyway?

Agreed. I can't afford QF J, so if l get the chance for QF J SC's on *Class, l will take the opportunity.
Do SYD-HNL a few times and there goes a deposit on an investment property.

 

[anat0l]

Who actually pays $10k+ to go to HNL anyway?

I'd like to know what are the consistent loadings for those flights (although that might explain why QF choose to plonk a 763 on the route rather than a proper aircraft for a flight of that length of time).

If the loadings are justifying the pricing then I would like to really know how that is possible. They can't all be on AA awards, DONExs, JQ bumps, award tix or upgrades and to my best knowledge I don't think QF are in the business of smuggling mentally ill patients ex-Hawaii.

 

[Jacques Vert]

And yes, I know that cost is not everything and people will be prepared to pay a premium to make a conscious choice of carrier for reasons not related to cost.

As many have said on other threads on this site: it all depends on the individual's situation.

Mrs JV & I can't afford to pay for true international business class and have never flown J Int or W+ (but have flown business domestic by way of an upgrade or two). So we have little to campare it too. And our trip to Ho Chi Minh was the best deal on offer (for our price range) at the time (prior GFC).

* Class will suit some, not others. Such is life.

Regards,

JV

 

[oz_mark]

* Class will suit some, not others. Such is life.

...and in its target market, *Class will likely be in more demand than a legacy carriers version, and consequent price, of business.

 

[straitman]

By these two points then I'm happy to define it as business class. It is Jetstar's business class.

All the other points your raised, while totally valid and true, are comparisons to other airlines business class. It may be an inferior business class product, nevertheless it is Jetstar's business class product.

Correct.

Star Class is still as good as the United and Continental F product I flew on about 20 years ago.

 

[Dave Noble]

Correct.

Star Class is still as good as the United and Continental F product I flew on about 20 years ago.

Assuming you mean domestic product, the seating is closeish but meal/service wise CO domestic F of that time was definitely better. Continental had a v nice International 1st product which is nowhere near similar. Star Class is closer to parity with COs international business class of that period but COs product was more comfortable and the meals were better

I think that StarClass ( and BA WT+ , QF PE etc ) are a good option to offer and if not wanting to pay for business/1st a good way of getting reasonably decent comfort but for a typically much lower cost than business

I do dislike the way JQ pushes it in their advertising as being a business class which I feel is pretty misleading

Dave

 

[harvyk]

By these two points then I'm happy to define it as business class. It is Jetstar's business class.

All the other points your raised, while totally valid and true, are comparisons to other airlines business class. It may be an inferior business class product, nevertheless it is Jetstar's business class product.

A perfect example, until mid-last year MEL-AKL J class could be operated by a skybed (B747 \ A330) or a convertable seat (B737).

QF sold both these products as J, but one is far superior to the other, and from memory both J products cost the same price. So business class within the same airline isn't overly well defined.

 

[Oneworldplus2]

A perfect example, until mid-last year MEL-AKL J class could be operated by a skybed (B747 \ A330) or a convertible seat (B737).

QF sold both these products as J, but one is far superior to the other, and from memory both J products cost the same price. So business class within the same airline isn't overly well defined.

Good example harvyk. A friend of mine who fly's a lot from SYD-PER also tells me that the price is higher in J class on the A330 with skybed, than on a B7** with a convertible seat. Not sure if it's the cost of running the plane/seat/more staff but generally the A330 is priced higher all round.

 

[Alanslegal]

I do dislike the way JQ pushes it in their advertising as being a business class which I feel is pretty misleading

Totally agree.

The JQ Starclass steward I spoke to said that he would receive on board a complaint on each and every flight about Starclass. The complaints arise because the pax believes they are getting a "business class" product and are hugely disappointed when all they get is a nice Y+ type seat.

 

[oz_mark]

Good example harvyk. A friend of mine who fly's a lot from SYD-PER also tells me that the price is higher in J class on the A330 with skybed, than on a B7** with a convertible seat. Not sure if it's the cost of running the plane/seat/more staff but generally the A330 is priced higher all round.

I haven't noticed the price difference, however if it is the case that the A330 is more expensive this is more likely due to the extra space requirements of a skybed versus a convertible seat. That is a J passenger in a skybed takes up more space than one in a convertible seat. To get the same profit per passenger therefore requires a higher price.

If you were to stick Skybeds on a Jetstar flight (which you can't due to aircraft limitations), you would expect that StarClass would be commensurately higher in price.

 

[oz_mark]

Totally agree.

The JQ Starclass steward I spoke to said that he would receive on board a complaint on each and every flight about Starclass. The complaints arise because the pax believes they are getting a "business class" product and are hugely disappointed when all they get is a nice Y+ type seat.

Maybe the price of their ticket should have given them some clue, but I wonder what they think "business class" actually should be.

 

[markis10]

I haven't noticed the price difference, however if it is the case that the A330 is more expensive this is more likely due to the extra space requirements of a skybed versus a convertible seat. That is a J passenger in a skybed takes up more space than one in a convertible seat. To get the same profit per passenger therefore requires a higher price.

If you were to stick Skybeds on a Jetstar flight (which you can't due to aircraft limitations), you would expect that StarClass would be commensurately higher in price.

When the 743's were running there was a premium on those flights, I would not be surprised it that is also the case here, QF are pretty smart when it comes to things like that.

 

[oz_mark]

When the 743's were running there was a premium on those flights, I would not be surprised it that is also the case here, QF are pretty smart when it comes to things like that.

Maybe it affects rates companies pay or something, as the Qantas booking pages don't seem to differentiate between aircraft as far as I can tell.

 

[Dave Noble]

Maybe the price of their ticket should have given them some clue, but I wonder what they think "business class" actually should be.

I don't see why; Jetstar push it as being a business class product at an economy fare when it isn't really equal in quality to other international business class products

Advertised as Premium Economy and it would be much more fair an advert

Dave

 

[Limewood]

When I booked the Star Class I saw some nice seat pics on the net and looked like good room in front of them, ok its not J but hey its gotta be better than cattle class (we thought), but gee the price difference to Q should have set off alarm bells for starters.

All we really wanted was bigger seats with room between us and the seat in front, as it turned out (my size) I could just get the table down with the passenger in front seat fully extended for the whole trip, laptop use very cramped too, then had to climb over my wife's seat to get to the aisle.

Made a mistake, should have known better, got slapped over the wrists for it, but at least it wont happen again. From now on its international flights J or might try premium economy on new Q airbus?.

 

[trooper]

Given that there is NO agreed "Dictionary" style definition of "Business Class" I find it difficult to understand the objections to that description being used...

BA's CE is defined as "Business Class" isn't it? And it's just a blocked middle seat (And a movable curtain... Wow!)

... compared to even TG's old/tired 747 Businesss Class (let alone a good regional product) it is pretty poor...:shock:

My regular C cabins are NZ and SQ.... based on the comments here about jetstar.. and using the same argument.. ("not what I call Biz")

... I could conceivably argue that ANY airline without true lie flat seats shouldn't use the label "Business Class"...:mrgreen:

Don't think I'd get very far wid dat!