Qantas to upgrade business class sleep experience

[Must...Fly!]

The pilots have control of the air temp don't they?

I think they do, but the flight attendants also have control on their control panels

 

[legroom]

Hi

Top of the mattress (think of a mattress protector, that's what it looks / feels like) is an elastic band which the FA will place around the top of the seat for you.

The FAs will automatically do that for all passengers

Best

 

[milehighclub]

The mattress clips over the headrest to be attached. It is easy enough to do it yourself, but the crew will always be available to do it for you. The mattress can be attached to the seat anytime after take off, so you can use it while in a more upright position watching a movie or eating, then simply recline to go to bed.

The mattress cannot be used during take off or landing.

 

[RooFlyer]

The pilots have control of the air temp don't they?


Sent from my iPhone using AustFreqFly app

Had a discussion about this in another forum. Informed view was that there a number of 'air con' sectors & units which the FAs can control; both the set temperature and whether or not to bring an un-used unit on-line (ie if a lot of people active and using electronics). HArd to please everybody, but temp anomalies do occur and FAs can rectify pretty quickly if they are minded to.

 

[RooFlyer]

Re the mattress issue, as I think others have noted - the view of many FAs at the moment is that on the flights out of the USA at least (ie departing close to midnight), the initial meal service, co-inciding with peole wanting to go to sleep and therefore requesting bed-make-up will cause mayhem, and drag the meal service out maybe 100% (that's a quote from a FA on a trans Pac flight 2 days ago). So if you do want to go to sleep, don't count on it for quite a while.

I think its a good innovation (ie a F service migrating down), its just the logistics that may fail. Hopefully if pax want to do their own beds, they can.

 

[milehighclub]

The meal service shouldn't take any longer than it currently does (and actually should be quicker). Remember the meals take at least 25 minutes to heat. In that time any bed requests will have be completed by then.

Once crew are accustomed to making them, it should take about 25-30 seconds per person to make a complete bed. If they just want the mattress on it takes about 6 seconds. It's a very quick and easy process and again designed so that passengers can also attach and detach it as they wish.

 

[MarcB]

Can you still adjust the seat with the mattress on top of it, like get more in a lounging state?

Looking forward to the pics

Yes - besides the headrest issue (which is manual anyway), the other adjustments were all still available. The crew actually encouraged us to put the mattresses on even while using it as a "seat" because it provided greater comfort. The term mattress is misleading, it's really a tailored doona - a bit like a mattress protector, only thicker.

 

[MarcB]

Thanks MarcB, how do you fix the top of the mattress is it with an elastic band or something like that? Can't see why this wouldn't work on a Skybed MI...

I actually think it was just a snug fitting pocket of fabric - not elasticised. It's just tight enough to fit over the top of the seat/headrest. Assuming it was the same size, can't see why it wouldn't work on MK1.

 

[MarcB]

Do the crew put the mattress on for you, or do you have to do it yourself ?

They did it for most pax - but it's easy enough to do yourself.

 

[lovestotravel]

They did it for most pax - but it's easy enough to do yourself.

Thanks! I really like the SQ FA's who do everything for you, but then again the SQ J long-haul seat requires you to get up and fold the seat over for bed mode, so not quite the same as just reclining....

 

[RooFlyer]

The meal service shouldn't take any longer than it currently does (and actually should be quicker). Remember the meals take at least 25 minutes to heat. In that time any bed requests will have be completed by then.

Once crew are accustomed to making them, it should take about 25-30 seconds per person to make a complete bed. If they just want the mattress on it takes about 6 seconds. It's a very quick and easy process and again designed so that passengers can also attach and detach it as they wish.

No, think about it. You'll have passengers requesting bed make up prior to meal service. Either the FAs do it (or at least get the bedding out of where ever its going to be stored - not in the lockers I hope!), and ignore the meal service prep (which they are flat out doing), or tell the pax the'll have to wait an hour till the meal service is finished. If the pax do their own bed make-up, they'll be standing in the aisles fiddling with the bedding, figuring out how it goes on or just standing there, as pax are want to do. You'll have some wanting their bed made up in the middle of the meal service (which takes an hour or so.) Same deal. Now you have bedding toting in amongst the meal carts and trays in the aisles.

As I said originally, this is the scenario told to us by 2 FAs on a recent trans Pac flight. Maybe they just don't want to do the extra service, but its very easy to see, And woe betide us if the FAs want to make some sort of point ince its introduced!

 

[MH_fan]

I actually think it was just a snug fitting pocket of fabric - not elasticised. It's just tight enough to fit over the top of the seat/headrest. Assuming it was the same size, can't see why it wouldn't work on MK1.

I'm sure it'll fit on Mk I except it'll make the bed more slippery and you'll find yourself at the bottom of the seat in a "ball" when you wake up.

 

[ozmille]

I'm sure it'll fit on Mk I except it'll make the bed more slippery and you'll find yourself at the bottom of the seat in a "ball" when you wake up.

Actually never really had that issue, I just put a pillow under my feet and I sleep equally well on MKI as MKII, the only issue I have with the MKI is that they are getting a bit older and the cushioning gets really thin so for me they can have one of those mattresses on board

 

[Must...Fly!]

As I said originally, this is the scenario told to us by 2 FAs on a recent trans Pac flight. Maybe they just don't want to do the extra service, but its very easy to see, And woe betide us if the FAs want to make some sort of point ince its introduced!

on EK 2 F/As hand out the overlays immediately, while the others prepare meals in the galley. then orders are taken.

doesn't have to be much more complicated than that. 2 F/A's do the turndown, the rest prep meals, as soon as the turndown is done take orders and deliver food/drinks

 

[anat0l]

on EK 2 F/As hand out the overlays immediately, while the others prepare meals in the galley. then orders are taken.

doesn't have to be much more complicated than that. 2 F/A's do the turndown, the rest prep meals, as soon as the turndown is done take orders and deliver food/drinks

How many FAs work the J cabin on QF's 744s and 388s?

Also, it still doesn't address the issue where people will want turn down at different times during the course of the first meal service. If everyone that wanted to sleep (and could make the note known in the lounge) did it straight away, no problems. But when you get some who will eat, some will use the facilities then decide to turn down, some will have a snack (not full meal) then turn down...

TBH it's probably nothing that a bunch of capable FAs can't handle, but it's not straight out dead simple, and I hope the FAs are mentally prepared for doing any one of two key tasks at any time (i.e. serve food, or make a bed). None of this, "sorry can't help you now - you'll need to wait until after we've finished the meal service."

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[milehighclub]

There are 6 crew on the 747 and 7 crew on the A380 in J. Each requires 2 crew to prep for the meal service. 4/5 crew could make every bed if required within 25 minutes before the meals are cooked. 1 flight attendant could fit 64 mattress in business in 20.5 minutes (19.8 seconds per seat)

Also amenities and PJ's will be handed out prior to take off instead of after (time permitting) giving crew even more time to assist in making beds. Overtime some passengers will probably make their own bed as it is quite simple. The mattress and dooner are both preset on the seat along with a pillow.

 

[defurax]

Sorry if this has been answered previously, but is the turndown service only intended for "ultra-long haul" services or we could see this deployed on QF128 in the near future?

 

[anat0l]

There are 6 crew on the 747 and 7 crew on the A380 in J. Each requires 2 crew to prep for the meal service. 4/5 crew could make every bed if required within 25 minutes before the meals are cooked. 1 flight attendant could fit 64 mattress in business in 20.5 minutes (19.8 seconds per seat)

Are those timing figures based on real experience, a practice run, or stated guidelines / performance metrics?

 

[RooFlyer]

There are 6 crew on the 747 and 7 crew on the A380 in J. Each requires 2 crew to prep for the meal service. <snip>

Really? Just 2 crew operate all the J galleys? I'd never noticed them rushing back and forth before. Must be hell having to zoom up and down the stairs on the 747.

<snip> 4/5 crew could make every bed if required within 25 minutes before the meals are cooked. 1 flight attendant could fit 64 mattress in business in 20.5 minutes (19.8 seconds per seat) <snip>

"Clear the aisles and get the hell out of my way! I've got 64 beds to make!"

"But I want mine made done a bit later."

"Siddown! You're number 25 and you'll like it!"

<snip> Overtime some passengers will probably make their own bed as it is quite simple. The mattress and dooner are both preset on the seat along with a pillow.

And what pray tell does one do with the stuff during the time when you don't want the bed made up - like when eating dinner / supper? As if the overhead lockers aren't chockers already. If you have an exit row it'll have to be stowed some-where during take-off.

As I said before, I reckon its a great service improvement. I just can't picture it going well .....

 

[milehighclub]

Are those timing figures based on real experience, a practice run, or stated guidelines / performance metrics?

It was someone doing it slow for the purpose of showing how to do it. In reality it would probably be a little quicker.

This is just to put the mattress on though. Putting the seat down would probably add another 10 seconds.

Point is - it is really really simple. Besides crew are used to making F beds which are far more complicated and involved.