An Awful Qantas Experience That Must Be Shared.

[Pushka]

I fly almost exclusively on QF domestically, but have found partner options (code share or OE) to suit me better with most of (but not all) of my international travel. Mind you, unlike many here, my International travel schedule is quite tame. I guess there are many underlying aspects to the overall offering , which if were different, we might get a different experience.. I’m currently in Lombok, and the resort here has a ratio of staff to guests around 1.5 to 1. I’m fairly certain that wouldn’t work in Australia, for obvious reasons.
I’m not an aviation expert, So I cant say with any certainty what Cabin crew and pilots with QF are paid compared to other airlines, and how that impacts on the cost of operating the fleet they have, I also expect that (QF) being based at the bottom of the world, is somewhat Disadvantaged . So while I’m not making excuses for QF, I’m not convinced that there is a level playing field.
I seem to recall there was some talk a free years back about basing operations overseas, in a more , shall we say “competitive industrial relations” environment.
For now, I am reasonably happy with my QF experiences. ..... for now

Well, not that us Adelaideians have any choice to fly Qantas Internationally anymore but even the lure of the F lounges in Sydney and Melbourne isn’t always enough to stop me booking Emirates or Qatar out of Adelaide. Saves several hours as well. And up until recently Emirates would upgrade us but nada from Qantas in years.

 

[Dr Ralph]

Thanks. I have written to Qantas.

I have written to them numerous times before without much luck but we shall see.

Monopolising the Sydney / Jnb route, charging a packet and using the oldest planes in their fleet amounts to a ripoff.

People love to defend Qantas because of their safety record and a healthy dose of patriotism. But the product simply does not stack up when compared to others, no matter how you look at it.

You have some fair comments to make. But I'd caution you against using the excessive hyperbole when contacting Qantas to express your displeasure.

I'd also suggest that you think about another carrier if you are so unhappy. There is no need to fly QF on this route. There are several other options available - eg CX via Hong Kong.

OK, ok that was an exaggeration. Does that make everything else I say invalid? Fluff?

In short, yes. When someone doesn't know you here they judge you by what you write. If you've told one lie they may legitimately ask how many other lies or exaggerations have you made.

 

[ozjuice]

Interesting post and IMO the ice cream on every flight is like rock, just need to give it 10 minutes and it's perfect. Must be a plane thing.

Anyway, interested to hear if you considered any positives about the experience?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

The seats are / we’re fine last time I was on a QF 747. Maybe something has changed?

The droop! You're lucky to have not experienced it And then there's a new one for me, a friend returned from the USA last month and rather than being droopy, the seat arched. In all the wrong places.

 

[tgh]

IMnsHO, the hard J product is somewhat Archaic , and the carpentry tools supplied to eat must cost them a mint in fuel.
Service is what you can achieve ; demanding service may work on a middle east airline but is problematic on the 'roo.
I find the J staff float between between fantastic and needing a little cultivation, however the latter situation seems easily rectified by some encouragement and humour.
The people are why I fly Qantas , the machinery is why I may not in the future….

 

[drron]

Always love a good rant.

I doubt anyone could argue QF have a below-average J product with above average prices. At the end of the day it's your choice whether to fly them or not.

As to price I am now flying out of SYD in F for a lot less than the comparable QF J fare.

 

[Pleb Status]

Remove all of the hyperbole and the 'trip report' by the OP just sounds like a standard QF J flight to me.

 

[Milboo]

Wasn't there a destination thread to Santiago by Flying Mermaid, with lots of comments about the tired 747 and trying to avoid it?

I can echo that. I flew J to Santiago on QF and it was pretty average in comparison to other J products. I especially liked the water pouring down on me during take off and not being able to get away from it.

FWIW I have no issues with people joining and sharing a rant. As someone said above, a bad experience is usually when many hunt out forums like this.

I also agree with RooFlyer’s comment re the usual blowback from the QF fans. I noticed it the other day in a thread not complimentary of QF. There is an immediate leaping to the defence and determination to prove the person is exaggerating etc because heaven forbid someone could have had a bad experience on QF.

 

[serfty]

Remove all of the hyperbole and the 'trip report' by the OP just sounds like a standard QF J flight to me.

And there's the problem, Qantas marketing and price fails to depict reality.

 

[craven morehead]

I always select seats on the upper deck on those flights seems a bit more reasonable. Food is average no doubt about it. I have also on occasions flown J return with CX , much better just twice as long

 

[MEL_Traveller]

The other option are the daily flights by SAA from PER to JNB. Connections from capital cities provided by VA. Fare is $4500 (from including connections) compared to QF's $4600. Adds about 4 hours onto the journey. But an unfriendly 0435 arrival in JNB.

 

[vetrade]

A bit OT but regarding Neil Perry meals, took Mrs V to the Aus Open tennis last weekend - $500 each for a package that included dinner at Perry's Rockpool pop up restaurant. The steak I got was really just a slab of gristley fat that I couldn't even cut through. Pretty bad for a place that they advertise as a steakhouse!

 

[snabbu]

I fly almost exclusively on QF domestically, but have found partner options (code share or OE) to suit me better with most of (but not all) of my international travel.

Agreed.
Where ever possible I'll take the non QF OW option internationally but domestic it's QF 99% of the time.

 

[Sdtravel]

I can agree with some of what the Op is saying.
Some crew are awesome and just make it a great experience. Eg the SYD DFW crew i had in J last year. Others sometimes not so much.

Ice cream is always like that on planes. As mentioned earlier. Just let it sit for a while.

There is that one annoyingly old 747 sticking around that im hoping in March when i go to SFO it doesnt end up being my plane. Ive selected the upper deck for me and my family but ive got my fingers crossed for 1 that we don't get subbed and 2 that its a great crew. Ill be very anmoyed and embarrassed if either happen. It shouldn't be pot luck i agree.

But these issues arent limted to QF as many know. Ive had bad and great CX flights. Good crew and bad crew. I could write a rant about why CX on BNE HKG serve dinner then refreshment breakfast before arrival. Departure scheduled for 23.45 (or 00.40 as it ended up being). I want to sleep not eat dinner. Why not have a supper service then full breakfast before landing. I digress.

Consistently inconsistent is the QF thing.

 

[Pushka]

A bit OT but regarding Neil Perry meals, took Mrs V to the Aus Open tennis last weekend - $500 each for a package that included dinner at Perry's Rockpool pop up restaurant. The steak I got was really just a slab of gristley fat that I couldn't even cut through. Pretty bad for a place that they advertise as a steakhouse!

I saw that restaurant - didn’t realize it was a pop up. So our chicken tenders and chips @ $13 was a deal then. I don’t know why Neil Perry is involved in anything other than F. It always ends in tears.

 

[Denali]

Im betting this topic/thread will be an article on AustBT next week.

 

[Pleb Status]

Im betting this topic/thread will be an article on AustBT next week.

To accompany the QF advertorial they are currently running as the first headline piece...

 

[Pushka]

Well clearly I’d rubbed it from the memory banks even though it was just last November. The worst flight in J I’ve ever taken on Qantas. Sydney - DPS. We didn’t eat in the F lounge in Sydney as it’s business - food will be fine. It wasn’t. A sandwich for a dinner meal? And fish. Never eat fish on a plane. Crew - one excellent and the rest - looking forward to their Bali break, early. Chair - ok a small plane but still for a 6 hour flight the equipment is poor. Expensive. The ONLY redeeming thing about it was that is was a DSC booking.

 

[opusman]

The ONLY redeeming thing about it was that is was a DSC booking

So that you can requalify for WP to get into the F lounge where you won't eat anything because you're in J?

 

[serfty]

Im betting this topic/thread will be an article on AustBT next week.

Or even here in the Gazette: The Frequent Flyer Gazette | Australian Frequent Flyer