First Cabin design workshop

[mviy]

When I got a points upgrade to J for a flight to HKG and mentioned I'd been in the FLounge the flight attendant helpfully suggested that one of the dishes I ordered I could have later in the flight. They put it aside for me.

One would hope similar things could be done in F on the A380, but I haven't ever flown F yet.

 

[Oscarq]

On a full aircraft last week as we woke up in J about 2hrs out of MEL on QF94, asked very quietly are we ready for breakfast. Nicely done. No rush some pax had started B'fast others yet to wake. Crew worked hard to ensure cleanup was complemented before prepare to land announcement. It seems to depend on the CSM & crew. Experienced other flights with cabin lights cranked to bright & everyone eats now approach.

 

[RichardMEL]

Comments on dine on demand/breakfast:

- breakfast ex-USA:
recently - as in the past year or so - crews have been much better I think to not disturb(or try to) who are sleeping. Those yawning or obviously up they will ask and take an order, as quietly as possible. An improvement over the old lights on 2.5 hours out deal in F which was ridiculous

- dine on demand

the thing I have observed with *some* crewmembers with asking for things "out of sequence" - even a snack like a steak sanga (and I note that the little * on the menus saying "available throughout the flight" has disappeared - not sure if that is to suggest everything should be available, or that the options aren't...) but sometimes crewmembers have made me feel like it's an inconvenience for *them* to do it. I remember once being told that "Well I have to shift around ovens as we're preparing for breakfast soon" and really giving me the impression that they'd rather not. I found this horrid. As a passenger in a premium cabin this is NOT my problem or concern... if the menu says (and it did at that time) that the option is available throughout the flight, if I want it then it should be available without question(unless they are physically out of it). Such poor poor service -- and I've come across this attitude more than once... and I hate to say this QF but you'd NEVER get this attitude from SQ/CX/EK etc.... my request may be a PITA for the crew, but that's for them to resolve behind the scenes, not for me to worry about. Now it's fine if I'm told "It might take a little time to prepare" - that's appropriate but being made to feel like my request is really putting them out and not wanted? not cool. Now don't get me wrong this has only been a few times, but neough for me to remember as negative experiences and definitely NOT what you'd expect from a "F" experience (or ANY class for that matter).

 

[njba]

As a passenger in a premium cabin this is NOT my problem or concern... if the menu says (and it did at that time) that the option is available throughout the flight, if I want it then it should be available without question(unless they are physically out of it). Such poor poor service -- and I've come across this attitude more than once... and I hate to say this QF but you'd NEVER get this attitude from SQ/CX/EK etc.... my request may be a PITA for the crew, but that's for them to resolve behind the scenes, not for me to worry about. Now it's fine if I'm told "It might take a little time to prepare" - that's appropriate but being made to feel like my request is really putting them out and not wanted? not cool. Now don't get me wrong this has only been a few times, but neough for me to remember as negative experiences and definitely NOT what you'd expect from a "F" experience (or ANY class for that matter).

Completely, completely unacceptable! It's not about pandering to the every whims of the customer: it's about the basics of service and hospitality. You could sort of overlook it happening once, but the pattern emerging is alarming and should be addressed by QF.


It's sad that fixing the 'consistently inconsistent' approach to customer service is either beyond QF's management or simply not a priority.

 

[RichardMEL]

Completely, completely unacceptable! It's not about pandering to the every whims of the customer: it's about the basics of service and hospitality. You could sort of overlook it happening once, but the pattern emerging is alarming and should be addressed by QF.

I don't know if others have experienced this kind of attitude, but I've come across it a couple of times.. just disappointing. I consider myself one of the least annoying/demanding passengers for crew - I almost NEVER use the call button or want extras but there are times, one wakes up 11 hours in to a 14 hour flight and you want a snack while watching a movie or something. It's on the menu so why should this be an issue? I think it would be different if I was demanding every main option from the previous meal service and all at once or something.. but yeah.

I do want to absolutely be clear though that 9 out of 10 experiences in QF F (and on most flights) have been absolutely excellent with some wonderful and special crews.. so maybe I've encountered one or two on bad days or feeling stressed about logistics etc.. and I get that.. I have my days where I am sure I behave poorly but it does reflect badly when I've paid (one way or another) significantly to be there and to be made to feel that a service that's noted as offered is a lot of hard work and stuff for them.. not a good impression at all. Thankfully a very small minority compared to the flights I've been on.

It's sad that fixing the 'consistently inconsistent' approach to customer service is either beyond QF's management or simply not a priority.

Of course QF is hardly the leader in this department. I've had not so great EK flights, and some absolute disasters on other airlines in premium cabins *cough United cough* but it definitely seems QF seems to make it an art across everything they do.. one could say they are consistent in their inconsistency.

 

[Flying mermaid]

I don't know if others have experienced this kind of attitude, but I've come across it a couple of times.. just disappointing. I consider myself one of the least annoying/demanding passengers for crew - I almost NEVER use the call button or want extras but there are times, one wakes up 11 hours in to a 14 hour flight and you want a snack while watching a movie or something. It's on the menu so why should this be an issue? I think it would be different if I was demanding every main option from the previous meal service and all at once or something.. but yeah.

I actually complained about this on the board a few years back. We had been in Tanzania on safari and came back via Dubai to pick up QF2. We rather crazily did it all in one go, so by the time we boarded QF2, we had been travelling more than 24 hours non stop and I was half dead, so I told my FA (a very charming man), that I just wanted to have a bowl of soup and go to sleep. Full marks to him for getting that immediately, making up the bed and I was fast asleep really rapidly.

The problem arose when around 6 hours later, I woke up very hungry and went to the gallery to see if I could get some food (I am also one of the people who hate pressing call buttons, apart from which other people were asleep, so I didn't want to disturb them). Anyway went to the galley where a FA was holding the fort and asked if I could get anything to eat. She offered the steak sandwich and I really don't like them, so asked if there was anything else and she said no in a rather huffy way. I suggested perhaps some cheese and biscuits and after a fairly long pause she said she supposed she could and started getting out the cheeses and cutting some pieces. Fair bit of attitude though.

It was fine, I am not a big eater (although I love food), so cheese and crackers and a cup of tea were enough to tide me over to breakfast, but I was a bit miffed that at $12,000 pp, they couldn't make a bit more effort. If I was in the same situation again, I would request that something be kept for me when I woke up, but I feel I shouldn't have to. Others have said they have had meals kept for them, so clearly some crews are more proactive than others.

This sort of thing is one of the reasons I am now trying other carriers, after being solidly Qantas for so many years....

 

[blackcat20]

I actually complained about this on the board a few years back. We had been in Tanzania on safari and came back via Dubai to pick up QF2. We rather crazily did it all in one go, so by the time we boarded QF2, we had been travelling more than 24 hours non stop and I was half dead, so I told my FA (a very charming man), that I just wanted to have a bowl of soup and go to sleep. Full marks to him for getting that immediately, making up the bed and I was fast asleep really rapidly.

The problem arose when around 6 hours later, I woke up very hungry and went to the gallery to see if I could get some food (I am also one of the people who hate pressing call buttons, apart from which other people were asleep, so I didn't want to disturb them). Anyway went to the galley where a FA was holding the fort and asked if I could get anything to eat. She offered the steak sandwich and I really don't like them, so asked if there was anything else and she said no in a rather huffy way. I suggested perhaps some cheese and biscuits and after a fairly long pause she said she supposed she could and started getting out the cheeses and cutting some pieces. Fair bit of attitude though.

It was fine, I am not a big eater (although I love food), so cheese and crackers and a cup of tea were enough to tide me over to breakfast, but I was a bit miffed that at $12,000 pp, they couldn't make a bit more effort. If I was in the same situation again, I would request that something be kept for me when I woke up, but I feel I shouldn't have to. Others have said they have had meals kept for them, so clearly some crews are more proactive than others.

This sort of thing is one of the reasons I am now trying other carriers, after being solidly Qantas for so many years....

That's really disappointing. When we did QF10 I got peckish during the night and hit the call bell (which I also hate doing). Waited a while then someone appeared, took my order and warned me it would take 15 minutes to prepare. But otherwise no issues with ordering at a time that suited me.

 

[RichardMEL]

"Consistently Inconsistent" ! (try saying, or typing, that 10 times fast!)

 

[RichardMEL]

At first I was thinking service elements like the above discussion was a bit OT to this thread, but then I thought about it and realised that it's all part of the overall "First Class" product - hard, soft, service.

Reading FM's story above I can't but help compare to a recent EK flight I took where the crew were almost obsessively the other way. eg the Dom PDB the FA came and said to me "I hope it's not too cold.. it's been in the chiller for a few hours so if it's too cold let me know" (it was perfect), then during the meal service offering other options, or always asking if I'd like to try a different wine or whatever... even with a coffee asking if it was the way I liked it and if not she'd be happy to remake it and even after coming back asking if I'd like anything more, second dessert or whatever. Now sure, on that flight there were only 2/14 in F so they had an easy ride and lots of extra stuff and not a lot of work, but it was just the attitude (and it wasn't just one FA in particular) to make sure it was all what I wanted and nothing seemed like it would be too much trouble. Now EK have their issues (that's discussed elsewhere) but this kind of attitude I've found on SQ, CX and others.

As customers, we pay either in $$$, upgrades or points a lot to sit up there and it's not just the bed and legroom we're paying for. I would think in designing a product that the service element is a integral part. In fact it's vital. You can have the best seat in the world, the best F&B and IFE but if the staff are terrible.. that's what you'll remember as much as the other stuff, if not more. Conversely a great crew can turn an ordinary equipment or offering trip into a memorable one (for example, flying UA many years back in Business, having ex-PA crew who were something really special and made up for the horrible product they had to work with).

Now again I stress it's hardly the norm at QF (in my experience) for service in F, J or any class to be like this, but seems enough of us have encountered this kind of "you're making me do work I'd rather not" attitude that it's not just the odd isolated case.... and that's so sad.

I get it.. I have days when I just can't be bothered dealing with work stuff.. we all do... but it does pay to remember in a service industry that your customers are paying, one way or another, significantly to be there and you know what, that lady you just fobbed off in 3F could decide the travel budget and preferences for a top 50 company worth millions.... and even if she isn't, that shouldn't matter anyway.

so I hope at this design workshop that service elements were also covered.

 

[njba]

You almost get the sense that QF's heart isn't in to providing world-class F product. A very old seat, ever diminishing routes, a decline in dining options, variable staff, lack of airport special treatment, etc. I read Lucky's F reviews and then I read about the QF F experience and they almost seem like worlds apart. It strikes me as a deeply sad that your enjoyment with something that costs $10,000+ (or 200k points) depends on a lot of luck (that you get a crew that gives a damn, that you get a First host who cares, etc)

 

[Flying mermaid]

Over the years I would have to say I have had mainly excellent crews in F. I am not a demanding person - generally eat when asked to, drink minimal amounts, so I am not pushing any boundaries. But I do believe service is an almost critical part of the F experience (and the bed and I think Qantas has one of the most comfortable beds around). I don't feel Qantas has a real commitment to F any longer, which is why I am now shopping around.