How to upgrade to First

[Dr0pB3ar]

Hi Everyone,

I am flying on QF7 from SYD to DFW on Friday and returning on QF8 (DFW-BNE) some time in February. I have been booked in Premium economy and have put in for J upgrades which I Have never had a problem getting approved. I have quite a large stash of points now and was wondering if it was a) possible anbd b) worthwile asking for a points upgrade to first either to or from the US.

I am only a silver member which I know will make it difficult. A lot of people have said that it's not worth the money going F long haul, but it's one of those things that I think I need to do just once.

Any help would be much appreciated.

Cheers,

 

[markis10]

F is the way to go but not to DFW, Qantas operate direct services with three class aircraft, j being the highest.

 

[Hvr]

As markis10 has noted there isn't a first class on the SYD-DFW flight.

However, flying F is worth it even if just once. See if you can do the SYD-LAX on the A380 and get in F on that flight. It is worth it.

 

[mannej]

Correct me if I am wrong, but you would need to be flying J to have the possibility of upgrading to F.

 

[opusman]

Correct, from Y+ you can only upgrade to J. You need to have paid J to request an upgrade to F.

 

[Dr0pB3ar]

Thanks everyone for your advice. So, because the ticket is a paid Y+ then there is no upgrading to F. Oh well, will just have to wait a bit longer

I Flew from SYD to DFW at the start of 2012 and I was at the front row of the botom level J section and it definitely had an F cabin, I didn't know they had changed it since then. When I did the trip in 2012, I went over SYD to DFW on a 747, and on the way back did QF1 (I think) LAX-SYD on the A380, which was incredible despite having to go through LAX which is a dogs breakfast of an airport compared to DFW!

I am at this stage going PER-SYD-DFW-BWI. I had wanted to go SYD-LAX so I could get on the A380 but it didn't connect very well, and the other guys I am travelling with are a whingey bunch that didn't want too many connections

Thanks again for your help everyone, I appreciate it.

 

[markis10]

I Flew from SYD to DFW at the start of 2012 and I was at the front row of the botom level J section and it definitely had an F cabin, I didn't know they had changed it since then. When I did the trip in 2012, I went over SYD to DFW on a 747, and on the way back did QF1 (I think) LAX-SYD on the A380, which was incredible despite having to go through LAX which is a dogs breakfast of an airport compared to DFW!

It may of had a F cabin with J service but F has never been sold on the service as only the ERs operate which are all here class.

 

[cove]

On the 747 to and from Dallas you would try the J seats between I and 5 so you get the flight the captain gets.

 

[eric2011]

I Flew from SYD to DFW at the start of 2012 and I was at the front row of the botom level J section and it definitely had an F cabin,.

I know the section of the plane you are talking about as I always try to get there ( rows 1 to 4 IIRC ). It is small, private and unless you know any different one could automatically think it is a F cabin, lots of room both in-between seat rows and in general. I think way, way back in the dim dark days they may have been F and that is where people get the misconception from that they still are, but they haven't been that for many, many years (on QF anyway)

 

[SeatBackForward]

I know the section of the plane you are talking about as I always try to get there ( rows 1 to 4 IIRC ). It is small, private and unless you know any different one could automatically think it is a F cabin, lots of room both in-between seat rows and in general. I think way, way back in the dim dark days they may have been F and that is where people get the misconception from that they still are, but they haven't been that for many, many years (on QF anyway)

It USED to be the F Cabin, they are refurbishing these 747's slowly to remove the F cabin and replace with all J. So basically you pay for a J seat, get given J service, but sit in an older F seat.

 

[eric2011]

It USED to be the F Cabin, they are refurbishing these 747's slowly to remove the F cabin and replace with all J. So basically you pay for a J seat, get given J service, but sit in an older F seat.

That's pretty much what I have said, except I believe the fleet upgrade is completed now and there are no "old F seats"

 

[markis10]

It USED to be the F Cabin, they are refurbishing these 747's slowly to remove the F cabin and replace with all J. So basically you pay for a J seat, get given J service, but sit in an older F seat.

Yep, F was never sold on the route as per the press release in Jan 2011

Qantas will offer four return flights to DFW each week, featuring a three-class Boeing 747 aircraft. Direct Sydney-San Francisco (SFO) services will be discontinued on 14 May 2011, but SFO will remain part of Qantas' network as a codeshare destination.

 

[markis10]

That's pretty much what I have said, except I believe the fleet upgrade is completed now and there are no "old F seats"

There are F seats in four of the remaining aircraft that don't operate on the DFW leg except in unusual circumstances.

 

[eric2011]

There are F seats in four of the remaining aircraft that don't operate on the DFW leg except in unusual circumstances.

Oh ok, I quite often fly QF8 and SYD-SCL return and have never been in the old ones, which is why I thort the upgrade was complete. I was only trying to answer the OP with information that I believed was relevant to his post for his information with out getting into all the other routes that these craft fly

 

[SeatBackForward]

That's pretty much what I have said, except I believe the fleet upgrade is completed now and there are no "old F seats"

Yes, we are strongly agreeing

 

[Mr_Orange]

That's pretty much what I have said, except I believe the fleet upgrade is completed now and there are no "old F seats"

There are a handful of 747s that are not being upgraded. My mate was on one from HKG to SYD just before Christmas, as he upgraded from Y+ to J and then got an at gate op-up to F. When we spoke about it, the use of Google images determined that they were the old F seats. Obviously on this route he also got F service, etc.

 

[amaroo]

I am only a silver member which I know will make it difficult. A lot of people have said that it's not worth the money going F long haul, but it's one of those things that I think I need to do just once.

Any help would be much appreciated.

Cheers,

Differently worth it IMHO and it's always worth submitting the request.......I did on QF11 mid Dec and got the four of us upgraded to F

We're heading back on Sunday on QF8......booked QF11 with the sole objective of getting upgraded into F.

For the flight back I couldn't be bothered with F and decided a direct flight to BNE is the better option......F on night flights is a bit of a waste IMHO.

 

[Dr0pB3ar]

Thanks for the detailed replys everyone!

I remember when I was on that flight in 2012, they said that they were part way through upgrading the aircraft. I had been upgraded to J and a mate of mine was in Y+. I can't remember the seat number I was in, but I was in the first row of J seats behind the galley where the stair case is, and I was in older J seats and got a J service. The friend who was in Y+ was in a brand spanking new chair that looked like it had never been sat in, and was in the next cabin back which was probably only 5 or so rows back.

I do remember having a quick peek into the front cabin, and there where definitely F seats in there. From what you are all telling me though, they were likely J ticket holders getting a J service, in old J seats?

Does anyone know if they still do this?

Cheers,

 

[drewbles]

It USED to be the F Cabin, they are refurbishing these 747's slowly to remove the F cabin and replace with all J. So basically you pay for a J seat, get given J service, but sit in an older F seat.

All of QF7/8's 747's have been re-fitted as far as I know. I flew one on QF108 last year from JFK to LAX in Zone A, which was the old F cabin. Definitely only skybed.

As others have mentioned, no F on QF7/8, J is as good as it gets there. If the OP puts in an upgrade request, and it clears, the chances are Zone A may be full anyway.

 

[drewbles]

I do remember having a quick peek into the front cabin, and there where definitely F seats in there. From what you are all telling me though, they were likely J ticket holders getting a J service, in old J seats?

Does anyone know if they still do this?

Cheers,

Many years ago when QF were introducing Premium Economy into their fleet, and during the GFC and post September 11 (and even now on some selected routes), QF have been known to re-class a seat.

For example, on QF73/74, the now defunct SYD-SFO flight, QF would sell F seats as Business, some Business seats as Premium Economy and some Premium Economy seats as Economy.

Typically, the last few rows of Premium Economy were actually blocked for elites, and airport check-ins. The people in these seats had regular economy service. The people who had bought a premium economy seat, and ended up in a business seat, had regular premium economy service, and the people who bought business tickets, and were seated in F seats, received regular Business service.

When QF stopped selling F to HKG, my friends and I booked in Business flights up there for a birthday. We ended up in an F seat, with J service, as was expected.

All the F seats on 747's should now have gone, I believe.