737-400 to Syd !!!

[harvyk]

Whilst I understand the difference that everyone is talking about I really have to ask who cares :?:

It is not as if you are stuck on this 'thing' for hours on end and they will all be gone soon.

Well I do for one, flying J is a pretty rare experience for me, so when I do I want it to be the best experience possible. Given that from CBR the 734's are used so frequently, and plane substs between the 737 types happen somewhat frequently here, I don't really like wasting my points or $$$ to get a very substandard experience. I'd personally rather save my $$$ or points and simply go an exit row. Similar seating experience at a much cheaper price.

 

[Austman]

er, no. The 734 is as fake J seat. Essentially 3 Y seats pretending to be 2 J seats. It is awful

It's more like 'european' Business class

Nope, J on the 734 is the convertible seat. Basically it's an pseudo Y/J hybrid seat which allows the middle arm rests to be pushed together to make a wider seat. It is not a J seat, considering that the tray table is only slightly wider than a normal Y and then there is the "middle" tray table which is so small it's virtually useless especially if the seat is been used as a Y seat.

Understand all of the above, but according to the Qantas Source, Qantas own seat maps and even seat guru, the first rows on the 734 have increased seat pitch equal (according to the source) or sometimes equal (according to guru) to the 738. And when in J mode the width of each seat might not be the same as the 738 but it's still 2-2 so you get the elbow room. I've been on it often enough in J and didn't think it that much different to the 738 (both are pretty bad) and when in Y mode, rows 4 and 5 seemed better to me than further back. Is the source and seat guru wrong?

 

[Melburnian1]

Of the five remaining QF 734 planes, two (VH-TJR and VH-TJS) (named 'coughatiel' and 'Jabiru' respectively), celebrate their 20th birthday with Qantas on 31 October 2013 (although they were delivered to the then Australian Airlines from what I can see on www.airfleets.net ). The others are not quite as old.

None are as 'ancient' as the two 763s VH-OGG and VH-OGH that by Christmas Day 2013 will be 23 years old. Of the four oldest 744s, VH-OJA 'City of Canberra' turns 24 on Sunday 11 August 2013 according to publicly available records. If a TAFF member travels on it on Sunday, perhaps he or she can bring along a cake (though maybe not candles given the carry-on regulations about lighters and matches!)

There's nothing wrong with older aircraft provided they are properly maintained (other than 'first world' quibbles about seating or politically correct noise about 'emissions'), but QF arguably has a relatively elderly fleet.

Will these 734 birds still be carrying QF passengers on their 20th birthdays or will they have been sold off to (say) an African airline (or scrapped?)

 

[reductionist]

$0.02

The convertible nature of the 734 J class seats is also confusing for the flight crew.

I have been sternly reprimanded 2 times now (out of a total of 2 734 flights) for attempting to use the loos at the front of the aircraft (as a J class passenger).

I try my best not to look like a hobo, so I can only assume that the flight crew can't easily keep track of where J class stops & Y begins.

 

[Mr_Orange]

Whilst I understand the difference that everyone is talking about I really have to ask who cares :?:

It is not as if you are stuck on this 'thing' for hours on end and they will all be gone soon.

It is an inferior product and I don't see why QF should charge as much for those seats as they do for the 738s. They should recognise the 734s are old, battered and out of date and discount the fares appropriately. You could then choose to save money and fly a semi-J product or pay the full fare and get the full-J. (last-minute equipment changes not withstanding).

 

[boomy]

Whilst I understand the difference that everyone is talking about I really have to ask who cares :?:

You can say that about so many topics that are discussed here on AFF.
Basically it's all 1st world problems but when traveling a lot then the little things sometimes matter.

 

[serfty]

I am quite happy to travel on a 734 in the first 6 rows.

Rows 1-6 are all of ~35"-37" pitch, this is up to 6" more than the 31" rows 7 and back.

(Row 6 are not convertible, economy only, but this pitch is still up there.)

 

[Fruitcake]

They should recognise the 734s are old, battered and out of date and discount the fares appropriately..

Alternatively, over the 11 years since the 73Hs started arriving, QF have recognised that despite being old, battered and out of date they can still charge the same price for 734 J - so they do!

Interestingly VA tried selling a similar product last year on its 737-700s but the howls of protest were so strong that it was withdrawn extremely quickly... maybe QF pax just have lower standards .

 

[straitman]

There will always be something to talk about as once the 734s are all gone people will find the next worst offered product and talk (read whinge) about that. :shock:

I don't say who cares in the context of longer trips as I would care. I say they are acceptable in the context of short haul domestic and before you ask I don't know where the distance cutoff is. When booking you have a choice of flights and consequently aircraft.

It is an inferior product and I don't see why QF should charge as much for those seats as they do for the 738s. They should recognise the 734s are old, battered and out of date and discount the fares appropriately. You could then choose to save money and fly a semi-J product or pay the full fare and get the full-J. (last-minute equipment changes not withstanding).

Remember we are talking about the interior fit and not the airframe here and whilst that may be 'old and battered' as you say, they are both perfectly serviceable and in the process of being withdrawn.

After they finish will you then move your argument to the next worse product in the fleet?

 

[harvyk]

After they finish will you then move your argument to the next worse product in the fleet?

Probably, but then again I don't see a problem with keeping QF on their toes...

 

[Mr_Orange]

After they finish will you then move your argument to the next worse product in the fleet?

Nope, because all the domestic J seating I have flown in has been fine and I have no reason to want to change it. The 634s are sub-par compared with the rest of the fleet, but at least they are going the way of the Dodo .

 

[TonyHancock]

Nope, because all the domestic J seating I have flown in has been fine and I have no reason to want to change it.

:shock:......but....but.....the domestic 332's with the blocked middle seat?

 

[maomaocat]

Being based in Canberra, I don't even...

We get to look down on the DH-8s! Hah!

 

[harvyk]

We get to look down on the DH-8s! Hah!

DH-8's, the one type I will avoid at almost all costs. Unless I will be waiting an insane amount of time between connecting flights, then I will consider a DH-8, mainly a problem when arriving from International flights as there is limited business hours flights from SYD-CBR on 737's of any variety.

 

[ketsuzei]

mainly a problem when arriving from International flights as there is limited business hours flights from SYD-CBR on 737's of any variety.

Yep. I tend to throw in a status run along the way just so I can get all the way home in J.

 

[Mr_Orange]

:shock:......but....but.....the domestic 332's with the blocked middle seat?

Never flown one!

 

[TonyHancock]

Never flown one!

Lucky Chap!

 

[cosi]

Last week I had VH-TJR from Mel-Bne route and even the CSM was surprised to see the plane operating this sector.

Pleased I do not waste points on a upgrade.

 

[vertisol]

DH-8's, the one type I will avoid at almost all costs. Unless I will be waiting an insane amount of time between connecting flights, then I will consider a DH-8, mainly a problem when arriving from International flights as there is limited business hours flights from SYD-CBR on 737's of any variety.

Love the Dash! Takes a bit longer but I find the tone of the cabin noise more conducive to sleeping.

 

[awilcockson]

I fly BNE-CBR a fair bit and 80% off the 737s have the old coughpy J.

Makes me happy to be sitting in whY