First Cabin design workshop

[Flying Fox]

My thoughts/suggestions after having doing some F travel -

1. Courtesy call from QF before flights to ensure that everything was in order and booked (CD, Spa etc) and to confirm any assistance required or answer any questions.

2. If travelling F, you should always have access to CD at both ends.

3. Kerb side F hostess at all ports with escort through the airport to lounge (you can always say no thank you if you don't want this).

4. Doors on the suite and higher walls without going all the way up to the ceiling.

5. Larger TV with more camera and flight information viewing.

6. Full caviar service and lobster meal option.

7. Rethink the A380 lounge into something that is functional as a proper bar / social area.

Hope that you have an enjoyable time at the session.

I'm sure that I wouldn't be the only one who would enjoy a debrief from you on the experience.

Regards

 

[boomy]

QF F cabin is dated and needs urgent refurbishment.

1. Make the cabin look and feel more luxurious.
EY & QR A380 F cabins are both good examples.

2. Larger toilets. At least one F toilet should be significantly larger so pax can change clothes comfortably. The stupid decision to put the F cabin on the main deck makes it harder but still possible.

3. Better food menu. The degustation experience was a great idea and worked very well in the beginning but since the quality deteriorated. If can't do it properly better to cancel it all together and focus on high quality a-la-carte menu. Choices which are synonymous with F flying such as caviar and lobster should be offered.
Having dedicated chef onboard or introducing any time dining option as done on EK & EY are also good ideas.

4. Improve the drinks menu. There should be more than one choice of premium champagne in F and making sure enough bottles are loaded on each flight.
QF proud themselves for offering all-Aussie wine list but on some flights there are high quality premium reds on offer such as Cullen DM or Penfolds RWT while on others there are much less impressive offers. All long haul F flights should have at least one remarkable Aussie white and red on the menu.

5. Service. Service is usually good in F but not always very attentive, especially during nighttime. Not all pax are sleeping during long haul flight and they should still get the highest quality of service even after the meal finished and lights are out.

6. F hosts. Heard about them, never seen any of them.
Inconsistency is bad, not acceptable that some pax get better ground service than others regardless if they paid or used points for their booking.

 

[docjames]

Has anyone pondered if a refit is coming whether F would be able to be moved to upper deck, then business push rearwards of upper deck, and downstairs become all Y+/Y?

Would help with some of the space issues for toilets, "bar" etc. etc.

 

[boomy]

Has anyone pondered if a refit is coming whether F would be able to be moved to upper deck, then business push rearwards of upper deck, and downstairs become all Y+/Y?

Would help with some of the space issues for toilets, "bar" etc. etc.

That's exactly what should have been done in the first place. I don't think QF will redesign the whole plane now but it could definitely solve a few issues.

 

[boomy]

Just read on OMAAT that Eva offer Krug Rose in business class(!) which reminded me Qantas don't offer any Rose at all in F so here is one more thing to improve.

 

[moa999]

That's exactly what should have been done in the first place. I don't think QF will redesign the whole plane now but it could definitely solve a few issues.

Equally agree QF is unlikely to redesign the layout but downstairs is wider which I think is why QF put first in that space - particularly as they didn't install showers.

Also a sense of exclusivity when you use the stairs.

 

[emeline]

I have really enjoyed my QF F experiences. The beds were so comfortable. I agree with Fiona re: the food. Quite often I will recognise meals in J that are also offered in the F cabin and vice versa. I'd also like to see nicer china and cutlery. There is nothing 'first class' about the current cutlery. It reminds of the stuff we used to take on camping holidays when I was a small child.

I think this has already been announced - but I think F should have nicer pyjamas. Preferably something a little more feminine for the ladies. Button down would be nice!

In terms of improvements to the suite itself. I would love a mirror to be included somewhere in the suite. I always spend time doing my makeup at the end of the flight and it would be so handy to have a lit mirror to do so rather than having to take up one of the bathrooms. A bigger TV screen (as previously mentioned) would also be great. And I find the privacy in F pretty great anyway but wouldn't say no to doors on suites either.

 

[docjames]

That's exactly what should have been done in the first place. I don't think QF will redesign the whole plane now but it could definitely solve a few issues.

Equally agree QF is unlikely to redesign the layout but downstairs is wider which I think is why QF put first in that space - particularly as they didn't install showers.

Also a sense of exclusivity when you use the stairs.

Given they will be redesigning F seating anyway (meaning they could design for upstairs instead) and given it would likely mean re-siting the J/Y+/Y seats only (not a redesign) then surely it isn't that hard. There may be some extra issues with re-installation of extra toilets (that they removed from upstairs....).

So i suppose they'l look at it but the extra cost compared to "just" a refit of the F space may make it not worth it (although presumably they'd gain some Y seats or Y+ seats in the process)??? The other issue being whether they'd fit as many F seats in the current "emerald city" area as on the "ground floor" forward of the doors.

It'd be fascinating to know the options that were looked at at the initial fitout.

 

[Per_Travels]

QF F cabin is dated and needs urgent refurbishment.

1. Make the cabin look and feel more luxurious.
EY & QR A380 F cabins are both good examples.

2. Larger toilets. At least one F toilet should be significantly larger so pax can change clothes comfortably. The stupid decision to put the F cabin on the main deck makes it harder but still possible.

3. Better food menu. The degustation experience was a great idea and worked very well in the beginning but since the quality deteriorated. If can't do it properly better to cancel it all together and focus on high quality a-la-carte menu. Choices which are synonymous with F flying such as caviar and lobster should be offered.
Having dedicated chef onboard or introducing any time dining option as done on EK & EY are also good ideas.

4. Improve the drinks menu. There should be more than one choice of premium champagne in F and making sure enough bottles are loaded on each flight.
QF proud themselves for offering all-Aussie wine list but on some flights there are high quality premium reds on offer such as Cullen DM or Penfolds RWT while on others there are much less impressive offers. All long haul F flights should have at least one remarkable Aussie white and red on the menu.

5. Service. Service is usually good in F but not always very attentive, especially during nighttime. Not all pax are sleeping during long haul flight and they should still get the highest quality of service even after the meal finished and lights are out.

6. F hosts. Heard about them, never seen any of them.
Inconsistency is bad, not acceptable that some pax get better ground service than others regardless if they paid or used points for their booking.

I concur with most of these (especially the drinks menu). The only thing I'd add is that, whilst I find the bed very comfortable, I'm almost always too warm and end up having a poor nights sleep. The air vents don't seem to push as much cool air through as the ones in business. The only reliable solution that I've found is drinking to excess, hence my agreement with Boomy's comment about the drinks menu

 

[Princess Fiona]

I just received an invite to this and will attend.
Looking forward to it and will certainly try to put forward the suggestions from here.

 

[NoName]

They only load 7 bottles on long haul flight.
Considering the number of seats in the F cabin and adding the number of P1/CL who sit in J and served F champagne it's almost impossible not to run out frequently. Earlier this year they run out of it during first meal service on the way to Dubai!
It is seriously embarrassing that an airline who charges so much for an F ticket allows that to happen.

Ive said it before but they should be loading a minimum of 1 bottler per PAX. So 14 bottles minimum. It's not hard for a person to drink much more than 1 bottle over the course of several hours so given that obviously some people will have less then an average of 1 full bottle seems reasonable to me.

Pre departure: 1 glass
Post take off: 1 glass
Pre meal service: 1 glass
Post meal: 1 glass
Relaxing watching a movie before sleep: 1-2 glasses.

There's your full bottle without even trying to be excessive.

 

[RichardMEL]

I'd settle for some Coopers stout.

Reminds me of my last SQ F flight out of MEL to SIN. Their F class beer offering was.... VB!

(this is not intended as a slur on Coopers !)

 

[blackcat20]

Ive said it before but they should be loading a minimum of 1 bottler per PAX. So 14 bottles minimum. It's not hard for a person to drink much more than 1 bottle over the course of several hours so given that obviously some people will have less then an average of 1 full bottle seems reasonable to me.

Pre departure: 1 glass

Pretty sure I had at least 3 before we left DXB....

 

[kevrosmith]

I'm in SYD that week as well, and would love to be able to join in with the discussion. Wonder if there's a way to get an invite.

I've done QF F a few times now, but have also done EK and SQ F. I was greatly impressed with SQ Suites and personally, I think they are a bit better than EK's suites.

 

[NoName]

Pretty sure I had at least 3 before we left DXB....

Nothing wrong with that. I'll be multiple glasses before takeoff to LAX next week as well.
Was more just illustrating how easy it is to drink a whole bottle of the stuff. There really is no excuse for running out when your customers have (almost) all paid a significant amount of money to be there.

 

[boomy]

Another small issue but easily fixable: those coffee cups in F... every time I'm using them I feel like playing in a doll house plus the drinks always spill even in mild turbulence.
They should replace the cups with solid full size mugs.

 

[blackcat20]

Nothing wrong with that. I'll be multiple glasses before takeoff to LAX next week as well.
Was more just illustrating how easy it is to drink a whole bottle of the stuff. There really is no excuse for running out when your customers have (almost) all paid a significant amount of money to be there.

I agree! They used at least two bottles prior to take off. I was only given one with the post-departure refreshment, and by the actual meal time they were all out.

 

[BAM1748]

Hi, received this email from Qantas this afternoon. Anyone else got this invitation? What should I expect to get from this event? Thanks.

Expect an attempt to make it feel like you had some buy in, that way hard to complain when you and other VIPs had input.

 

[RichardMEL]

Another small issue but easily fixable: those coffee cups in F... every time I'm using them I feel like playing in a doll house plus the drinks always spill even in mild turbulence.
They should replace the cups with solid full size mugs.

Years back they had decent mugs IIRC but the change was horrible it's bad enough on domestic in J but gee

plus, in F or J, those tiny cups are so badly designed that a) the handles get pretty hot too b) the design is poor - slightest turbulence and it can spill easily

I suspect the real reason for the small cups is a) far easier stacking incarts and galleys and they can hold more on longer flights for fresh cups for all and b) cutting costs with common china across the fleet

I'd much rather they use a design like NZ's smart design of a pretty full size mug, but it is tapered inwards at the top such that the risks of spillage in chop is far, far reduced.

 

[Pushka]

A proper china teacup would be special. As for the champagne, to regularly run out is just cheap and nasty. Wrong message sent to F passengers.