Article: Unbundled Business Class fares that exclude perks like lounge access

[SYD]

if 2 pax going are the seats at least next to each other

Depending on the airline and when you get to select “free” seats, you’ll be getting what’s left. So on a busy flight, it’s quite likely you wouldn’t be seated together.

Although, on 1:2:1 seat configurations, those “1” (window seats) tend to go first and the middle pairs last. So that improves the the odds. Then it’s a question of the actual seat style and whether you can see your travelling campion over the partition.

 

[serfty]

JQ was / is different because you’ve always paid extra for those extra perks eg Lounge access. Vs pay less for less…

Pretty sure JQ weren’t the first for the ++ model.

The original Business (AKA Star Class) was agnostic - you did get lounge access irrespective of the fare and even at ports where Qantas did not have a lounge.

 

[SYD]

The original Business (AKA Star Class) was agnostic
- you did get lounge access irrespective of the fare and even at ports where Qantas did not have a lounge.

True. And there were decent Sale fares! But that was enhanced and the “MAX” bundle amount often dynamically increases to keep the fare at the Full Flex price (they still don’t have an in between bundle that gives points/lounge without being Fully Flexible fare)…

Doesn’t JQ still provide partner Lounge access from non QF ports?

 

[Bayside Flyer]

I have 1.3 million FF miles, hardly finding time to use them these days. my earning via CC will be roughly 2 mil per year from July, so blowing these miles on full freight 1st and Biz flights isn't going to bother me too much. that said the latest "enhancement" by QF is an insult. I am about to preference VA from here on in

 

[wombatpatties]

Oh yes please!
I don’t need lounge access, my first experience of this was not pleasant.
I don’t need a chauffeur.
I have mastered travel with hand luggage now.
Usually travel solo, so no need to see anyone.
Please make this idea simple for us no tech people. I will be a very happy Jan.

 

[Rico24]

Seat comfort is 80% of the value in flying J for me. Priority check-in takes up another 10%, then everything else (lounge, food, seat selection) is only a nice-to-have. A 'lite' fare discounted by any more than $300 will get my money.

Totally agree. The seat comfort is the key factor when flying 8+ hours.

 

[drron]

if 2 pax going are the seats at least next to each other

Not necessarily. We bought a no frills service on EK SIN - BKK. No seat selection. We were in one of the 4 middle seats in J that they have on their 777s. Just 10 rows apart. We were the first to check in and got a good agent. Took some time and I had to agree to a seat with no IFE. I wasn’t planning on using it anyway.

 

[SYD]

Not necessarily. We bought a no frills service on EK SIN - BKK. No seat selection. We were in one of the 4 middle seats in J that they have on their 777s. Just 10 rows apart. We were the first to check in and got a good agent. Took some time and I had to agree to a seat with no IFE. I wasn’t planning on using it anyway.

Yeah, that was the point I flagged earlier, For 2 or more travelling together with no status, seat selection (or lack there of) is probably the major pitfall. Depending on the airlines overbooking booking policy - possibly even worse outcomes?

 

[ozflier]

I'm booking Qatar Airways low level business fare Australia to Istanbul. The info says restricted seat selection and no lounge access. I am Qantas Platinum -OWE Emerald. I understand that Qantas and Qatar are not too friendly .I'm wondering if any posters have travelled on Qatar recently on my kind of fare as a OWE and were able to pre book seating and access business class lounges in Doha.

 

[SYD]

I'm booking Qatar Airways low level business fare Australia to Istanbul. The info says restricted seat selection and no lounge access. I am Qantas Platinum -OWE Emerald. I understand that Qantas and Qatar are not too friendly .I'm wondering if any posters have travelled on Qatar recently on my kind of fare as a OWE and were able to pre book seating and access business class lounges in Doha.

Yes, you’ll have free selection and access to the Platinum lounges (for OWE).

My last QR trip ex CGK was “Lite” fare out, regular fare back.

 

[jase05]

Yes, you’ll have free selection and access to the Platinum lounges (for OWE).

My last QR trip ex CGK was “Lite” fare out, regular fare back.

Yep, all correct.
Is the Platinum lounge any good?
I’d imagine nowhere near the quality of the AM lounges you had access to on the way back

 

[SYD]

Is the Platinum lounge any good?
I’d imagine nowhere near the quality of the AM lounges you had access to on the way back

We didn’t get to the Platinum only South lounge since our onward connection was from the North / “Garden” end (and the dreaded bus gates).

I’d actually totally forgotten the outbound flights were a “Lite” fare (made no diff in CGK with OWE and the partner lounge), so in DOH, rocked up to the AM Garden, only to do the walk of shame to the combined Plat/Gold North lounge. Which is still a pretty solid lounge.

 

[ozflier]

I'm guessing that now Oman Air is part of the OWA ( just!) , Oneworld Emeralds will receive the same benefits when flying with them.

 

[SYD]

I'm guessing that now Oman Air is part of the OWA ( just!) , Oneworld Emeralds will receive the same benefits when flying with them.

Yes

 

[jase05]

Yes

My understanding is that domestic flights in Oman will have no lounge access unless in J or as part of an International itinerary. I doubt this will affect too many passengers though as they only have 2 destinations within Oman.
Apparently the F lounge has now closed too since they no longer offer F so what they do with the space remains to be seen although there has been some speculation that they will turn that perhaps a class of service J lounge or something similar

 

[ozflier]

Thank you.

 

[AuSammy]

Depending on the airline and when you get to select “free” seats, you’ll be getting what’s left. So on a busy flight, it’s quite likely you wouldn’t be seated together.

Although, on 1:2:1 seat configurations, those “1” (window seats) tend to go first and the middle pairs last. So that improves the the odds. Then it’s a question of the actual seat style and whether you can see your travelling campion over the partition.

My QR discount tickets for later this year include lounge but not seat selection.

The total opposite to most couples, when +1 and I going on a long trip where we will be in each others pockets for weeks on end we usually select separate individual window seats so we get some “me time” on long sectors.

Hoping our flights later this year are not too full and we are not forced to sit together.

Not prepared to fork out the THB3000+ per seat per sector they want for seat selection.

 

[OZDUCK]

My QR discount tickets for later this year include lounge but not seat selection.

The total opposite to most couples, when +1 and I going on a long trip where we will be in each others pockets for weeks on end we usually select separate individual window seats so we get some “me time” on long sectors.

Hoping our flights later this year are not too full and we are not forced to sit together.

Not prepared to fork out the THB3000+ per seat per sector they want for seat selection.

Exactly the attitude my wife an I have. We often have to tell the check-in person and often the cabin crew that we do not need to sit together.

And I also refused to pay the seat allocation fees on our forthcoming trip ex Singapore. Most of it will be at night and there are the outside cameras as well.

 

[jase05]

Exactly the attitude my wife an I have. We often have to tell the check-in person and often the cabin crew that we do not need to sit together.

And I also refused to pay the seat allocation fees on our forthcoming trip ex Singapore. Most of it will be at night and there are the outside cameras as well.

We both want window seats so as a rule on 1-2-1 J configs we both always take a window and never the middle pairings so it annoys me when some airlines try to move us to sit next to each other, Emirates the biggest offender I’ve found

 

[SYD]

We both want window seats so as a rule on 1-2-1 J configs we both always take a window and never the middle pairings so it annoys me when some airlines try to move us to sit next to each other, Emirates the biggest offender I’ve found

That sort of happened just recently on a QF upgrade. I was auto allocated a proper window seat (3K) and SYD+1 the adjacent aisle middle seat. We quickly reconfigured to 3A and 5A!