QF refitted A380s are squeezy

[Melburnian1]

Quite a number of TAFF readers may never fly economy class long haul - and good on them - but for peasants like me who must endure it, comparisons between airlines helps to occupy the mind.

On a recent QF flight from LHR, I was unlucky enough to have a centre economy seat (i.e. not next to an aisle). This was torture, but added to that was how QF has squeezed in 39 extra economy class seats to the cabin and kept the number of toilets the same.

Because the cabin crew ex DXB really took their time in serving a meal and then were similarly wayward in removing the trays from passengers' seats, large queues of about 12 then developed for the toilets as not unnaturally a fair number of the 483 passengers on board wanted to access the toilets at a similar time (I was of course only on one deck at once).

This was especially difficult for females on board, although fortunately there were no accidents.

With QF's woeful financial performance, it needs to squeeze more seats on board to try to make money, but be aware if your flight is full or close to it not to leave your 'run' (no pun intended) to the toilet until the last minute.

 

[mannej]

Middle seats are a squeeze no matter what airline you are flying.
I feel that your post re squeezing more seats in Y is a tad misleading. From what I can gather it is only 6 more Y seats on the main deck, with the rest Y seats on the Upper Deck. Hence 6 extra passengers shouldn't really be an issue for the Y toilets on the main deck.
The actual Y seats in the upper deck are a bonus especially if you are traveling in a group of 2.
Either way the A380 product is a step up from the older Y products in the 330 and the 747's...

 

[Happy Trails]

Let's not forget that they also removed a couple of toilets while they were at it.

 

[nlagalle]

Let's not forget that they also removed a couple of toilets while they were at it.

but weren't they from the J cabin?

 

[Melburnian1]

Let's not forget that they also removed a couple of toilets while they were at it.

By my quick calculations there are now 12 more economy class passengers on the main deck.

What is undeniable is that QF's A380s now have about 10 per cent more overall seats than market leader Singapore Airlines (SQ).

The 13 or 14 hour haul between MEL and DXB is a longish sector by international standards (as are SYD - DXB and MEL or SYD and LAX, or SYD - DFW/ DFW - BNe), yet QF wants to sacrifice what modicum of economy class passenger comfort remained on its A380s.

Little wonder that QF is losing market share overall.

 

[nlagalle]

By my quick calculations there are now 12 more economy class passengers on the main deck.

What is undeniable is that QF's A380s now have about 10 per cent more overall seats than market leader Singapore Airlines (SQ).

The 13 or 14 hour haul between MEL and DXB is a longish sector by international standards (as are SYD - DXB and MEL or SYD and LAX, or SYD - DFW/ DFW - BNe), yet QF wants to sacrifice what modicum of economy class passenger comfort remained on its A380s.

Little wonder that QF is losing market share overall.

Considering the are the same seats with the same pitch the only thing "squeezy" is possibly the number of toilets.

 

[nlagalle]

BTW there only looks like 6 extra seats downstairs.

 

[mannej]

By my quick calculations there are now 12 more economy class passengers on the main deck.

What is undeniable is that QF's A380s now have about 10 per cent more overall seats than market leader Singapore Airlines (SQ).

The 13 or 14 hour haul between MEL and DXB is a longish sector by international standards (as are SYD - DXB and MEL or SYD and LAX, or SYD - DFW/ DFW - BNe), yet QF wants to sacrifice what modicum of economy class passenger comfort remained on its A380s.

Little wonder that QF is losing market share overall.

Not quite 6, not quite 12 - but 9.

I honestly think your issue is the middle seat more than anything. Lets be honest they aren't fun and will obscure your view of the flight no matter what.

From my experience, the upper deck Y is a bonus, and the product is a step up from the 330 and 747 Y products. If you want to understand squishy, try flying on the 330. Same seat pitch supposedly as the A380, but I can tell you the 380 wins hands down comfort wise...

 

[jetlagger]

Quite a number of TAFF readers may never fly economy class long haul - and good on them - but for peasants like me who must endure it, comparisons between airlines helps to occupy the mind.

On a recent QF flight from LHR, I was unlucky enough to have a centre economy seat (i.e. not next to an aisle). This was torture, but added to that was how QF has squeezed in 39 extra economy class seats to the cabin and kept the number of toilets the same.

Because the cabin crew ex DXB really took their time in serving a meal and then were similarly wayward in removing the trays from passengers' seats, large queues of about 12 then developed for the toilets as not unnaturally a fair number of the 483 passengers on board wanted to access the toilets at a similar time (I was of course only on one deck at once).

This was especially difficult for females on board, although fortunately there were no accidents.

With QF's woeful financial performance, it needs to squeeze more seats on board to try to make money, but be aware if your flight is full or close to it not to leave your 'run' (no pun intended) to the toilet until the last minute.

I tried that scenario on a long haul Scoot flight recently.. Absolutely No Thanks ever again. I detest long haul since I turned 30 without a 'premium seat allocation".
Life is too short to suffer a journey of that length.
Without being a snob, I've certainly completed my 'apprenticeship" in the steerage class in my youthful days of travel.
I'm being content of recent forward class cabin comfort with the extra clams paid & certainly less sufferance.

 

[Happy Trails]

but weren't they from the J cabin?

One from upstairs in what used to be PE (which now shares with J) and one from lower deck Y.

 

[Ansettaddict123]

I think the OPs issue may be more to do with strategy.
Toilet queues are always an issue on long whY flights so I find it wise to plan ahead and try and beat the peak times (Just after meal service and TOD). Its always better to do this than try your luck in the scrum in my experience. Airlines do these things sometimes, and it's not hard to adapt

 

[chrisb]

And just when you work out your toilet strategy the captain randomly throws in 45mins of seatbelt sign to really test you.

 

[Melburnian1]

chrisb, that's exactly what happened. It took me two rounds of standing in a queue before I could visit one of the reduced number of lavatories.

Not good enough to reduce the number of toilets in economy class given (by first world airline standards) the large number of passengers transported in a QF A380 in economy class.

But then the managers never travel economy, I bet.

 

[drewbles]

Here, this is a good solution:

Of course then there is 'priority queueing' for WP's, but don't get me started on that

 

[OATEK]

And just when you work out your toilet strategy the captain randomly throws in 45mins of seatbelt sign to really test you.

Nothing like a bit of turbulence with your lap belt on to test your holding capacity!

 

[serfty]

Here, this is a good solution:

...

Those rolls look a bit skinny ... and somewhat sharper than normal! :shock:

 

[legroom]

I agree with Mannej that the "middle seating" was likely to have aggravated the existing Y issues.

You cannot get up / out until the trays of your neighbour has been cleared first - unless it is... well, you know... unbearable.

With an aisle seat, you could get up early to "beat" the queue even if the tray has not been cleared.

I wonder why an AFFer would be allocated a middle seat - that's usually for .. ahem, the hoi polloi who does not know any better (my friend and his +1 were allocated the middle seats LAX SYD two years ago and that had positively scarred him for life).

There are threads and more threads on exit row / preferred seatings / status runs to become WPs / SGs etc....

When I do have a red eye in J (for WP requal), I will think of the Y middle seats as the reason why those red eyes are needed.

 

[Melburnian1]

legroom, the answer as to why an AFFer was allocated one of the dreaded middle seats was simple.

The AFFer was too busy with other activities and too stingy to pay the A$25 QF advance selection seat fee. This AFFer does not often travel with QF as he prefers others airlines such as SQ, VA, PR, 2P, NZ and 5J among others. However I take your point that most AFFers would know better than to end up with such an abysmal seat, exacerbated by the plane being full save for one gent who failed to board at DXB for MEL and had his luggage offloaded, resulting in a 28 minute late departure.