First Cabin design workshop

[Hvr]

I do wonder how many people actually like the caviar versus those that eat it "because its expensive/fancy etc". I tried it on JAL, wasnt that fussed and wouldnt go out of my way for it. Gave the rest to TV to make sure it wasnt waisted (actually the FA passed it to him for me).

It either went straight to the hips or the waist. As for not wasting it well having tried caviar I can say it was ok but not worth asking for again. As for truffle well I had a magnificent mushroom and truffle dish in DXB recently that was very nice. Definitely going to try that again.

 

[blackcat20]

For me, the small bit of caviar on the canape pre-departure is actually really perfect.. that with the dumpling or whatever they have (last time IIRC I had a dumpling thing anyway) with a glass of bubbles is just nice. I don't worry about the full servings on SQ or EK F tbh

each to their own though

I am flying it in 2 weeks again so will enjoy whatever is offered because I'm very very lucky to be able to be in First.

The small QF serve is perfect for me as well, any more than that is overkill IMHO (for me, anyway).

Demand for caviar worldwide is much greater than supply hence one of the reasons it's so expensive.
When flying F I do look forward to having caviar, lobster, top tier wines, champagne etc both because they are usually to my taste and because I can't afford having all these things at home for dinner

I'm all for trying everything but keep eating something just because it's expensive is stupid.
Good example is shark fin soup, tried it, didn't like it so will never have it again even if offered onboard.

Well I agree with you on the Champagne....

It either went straight to the hips or the waist. As for not wasting it well having tried caviar I can say it was ok but not worth asking for again. As for truffle well I had a magnificent mushroom and truffle dish in DXB recently that was very nice. Definitely going to try that again.

Whoops; I know better than that! I did not want to waste it either.

 

[Flying Fox]

I do wonder how many people actually like the caviar versus those that eat it "because its expensive/fancy etc". I tried it on JAL, wasnt that fussed and wouldnt go out of my way for it. Gave the rest to TV to make sure it wasnt waisted (actually the FA passed it to him for me).

Personally I do like caviar and fish roe.

I don't care about no NDA. Are they going to offer Giant Galapagos tortoise soup?

I have had turtle soup. I didn't enjoy it and the meat was very tough. I wouldn't have it again.

QF need not worry about catering this on my flights. Thank you.

 

[mviy]

Pork has indeed been on selected F menus SYD/MEL- LAX

Oops. Forgot about that. When I went to the US I flew into SFO so was on a 747.

 

[Guvner]

Went through TG F at BKK yesterday. 2 porters to get luggage from hotel car along with an escort at kerbside. Escort lead us through to a dedicated sit-down desk for check-in where 2 glasses of bubbles were waiting as well as cold towels. Porters took luggage over to the bagging area, escort completed formalities, we merely sat down, handed over passports, had a sip and it was all done.
Escort walked us through dedicated immigration and then took us to F lounge in Terminal D (a 60 second walk from check-in) where a host took us to spare seats and handed us menus. Drinks flowed and personal updates for the departure were every 10 or so minutes (departure delayed due to wild storms). Mrs Guvner had a free 60 min massage. Golf cart took us from the lounge to the gate 5 minutes after boarding commenced and escort walked us on board to be greeted by name by the CM, we walked straight on via F bridge and were seated within 60 seconds of arriving at gate.

Contrast that to my experience of QF's ground offering which is, in truth, pathetic for an F product.
No porters
No escorts (that I have ever seen)
Carry your own luggage to the counters
Usually there a are F check-in queues
Find your own way to the lounge
Find your own way to the gate
Find your own seat

Can't say it's a special offering at all.

 

[Flying Fox]

Went through TG F at BKK yesterday. 2 porters to get luggage from hotel car along with an escort at kerbside. Escort lead us through to a dedicated sit-down desk for check-in where 2 glasses of bubbles were waiting as well as cold towels. Porters took luggage over to the bagging area, escort completed formalities, we merely sat down, handed over passports, had a sip and it was all done.
Escort walked us through dedicated immigration and then took us to F lounge in Terminal D (a 60 second walk from check-in) where a host took us to spare seats and handed us menus. Drinks flowed and personal updates for the departure were every 10 or so minutes (departure delayed due to wild storms). Mrs Guvner had a free 60 min massage. Golf cart took us from the lounge to the gate 5 minutes after boarding commenced and escort walked us on board to be greeted by name by the CM, we walked straight on via F bridge and were seated within 60 seconds of arriving at gate.

Contrast that to my experience of QF's ground offering which is, in truth, pathetic for an F product.
No porters
No escorts (that I have ever seen)
Carry your own luggage to the counters
Usually there a are F check-in queues
Find your own way to the lounge
Find your own way to the gate
Find your own seat

Can't say it's a special offering at all.

Your TG experience sounds great.

I have had a very consistent SQ F experience with -

Kerbside collection of bags from car
Sit down whilst someone else does check-in & passport management

To be fair, my QF F experiences include -

Kerbside collection of bags from car
Sit down whilst someone else does check-in
DIY walk to Flounge
QF escort from Flounge to F seat with intro to flight crew and wait with me until door close.

In LHR -
DIY check-in
QF escort through security & passport control & to a table in the BA Flounge
QF escort from Flounge to F seat with intro to flight crew and wait with me until door close.

Upon landing in SYD -
I spoke to a hostess and she organised an earlier J flight to ADL
Assisted with bag collection
Assisted with reporting bag damage
Organised earlier CD to take us home upon arrival into ADL

I have been fortunate with all this but I can see how the product is very inconsistent from the reports other have supplied.

 

[boomy]

Went through TG F at BKK yesterday. 2 porters to get luggage from hotel car along with an escort at kerbside. Escort lead us through to a dedicated sit-down desk for check-in where 2 glasses of bubbles were waiting as well as cold towels. Porters took luggage over to the bagging area, escort completed formalities, we merely sat down, handed over passports, had a sip and it was all done.
Escort walked us through dedicated immigration and then took us to F lounge in Terminal D (a 60 second walk from check-in) where a host took us to spare seats and handed us menus. Drinks flowed and personal updates for the departure were every 10 or so minutes (departure delayed due to wild storms). Mrs Guvner had a free 60 min massage. Golf cart took us from the lounge to the gate 5 minutes after boarding commenced and escort walked us on board to be greeted by name by the CM, we walked straight on via F bridge and were seated within 60 seconds of arriving at gate.

Fantastic! Textbook service by TG.
That's what ground service for F pax should look like.

I second everything you've experienced and will add they also offer escort through security for pax landing in F all the way to dedicated lounges on connections not only in BKK but anywhere in the world.

 

[BAM1748]

Went through TG F at BKK yesterday. 2 porters to get luggage from hotel car along with an escort at kerbside. Escort lead us through to a dedicated sit-down desk for check-in where 2 glasses of bubbles were waiting as well as cold towels. Porters took luggage over to the bagging area, escort completed formalities, we merely sat down, handed over passports, had a sip and it was all done.
Escort walked us through dedicated immigration and then took us to F lounge in Terminal D (a 60 second walk from check-in) where a host took us to spare seats and handed us menus. Drinks flowed and personal updates for the departure were every 10 or so minutes (departure delayed due to wild storms). Mrs Guvner had a free 60 min massage. Golf cart took us from the lounge to the gate 5 minutes after boarding commenced and escort walked us on board to be greeted by name by the CM, we walked straight on via F bridge and were seated within 60 seconds of arriving at gate.

Contrast that to my experience of QF's ground offering which is, in truth, pathetic for an F product.
No porters
No escorts (that I have ever seen)
Carry your own luggage to the counters
Usually there a are F check-in queues
Find your own way to the lounge
Find your own way to the gate
Find your own seat

Can't say it's a special offering at all.

QF doesn't seem the airline for you I guess. Maybe when I'm older and greyer I'll need the porters.

Matt

 

[Flying mermaid]

Your TG experience sounds great.

I have had a very consistent SQ F experience with -

Kerbside collection of bags from car
Sit down whilst someone else does check-in & passport management

To be fair, my QF F experiences include -

Kerbside collection of bags from car
Sit down whilst someone else does check-in
DIY walk to Flounge
QF escort from Flounge to F seat with intro to flight crew and wait with me until door close.

In LHR -
DIY check-in
QF escort through security & passport control & to a table in the BA Flounge
QF escort from Flounge to F seat with intro to flight crew and wait with me until door close.

Upon landing in SYD -
I spoke to a hostess and she organised an earlier J flight to ADL
Assisted with bag collection
Assisted with reporting bag damage
Organised earlier CD to take us home upon arrival into ADL

I have been fortunate with all this but I can see how the product is very inconsistent from the reports other have supplied.

I have never had an escort from the lounge to my seat! The only time I have ever seen an F host, apart from the greeting on entry to lounge and escort to the dining room and coming to tell you that your flight is boarding, was when QF1 was delayed 3+ hours out of Sydney. We were connecting from London to Venice and were met at the door, our luggage extracted and then CD to Gatwick to get a flight to Venice. We had actually organised this from Sydney, but I am not at all convinced anything would have been done if we hadn't talked to the F host in Sydney and asked what was going to happen with our connection. The service was absolutely immaculate in London, but I am a bit dubious as to whether it would have happened if we hadn't pushed in Sydney.

I wonder what the loads in F are like for paid vs award/upgrades. We have a few friends whom we have corrupted into paying for F and having tried Qantas F they have moved to other carriers.

We we are flying SQ F in October and plan to try a few others, so we have more of a comparison.

 

[blackcat20]

We got an escort in LHR because I asked for one, after missing out on any other F benefits at the airport. I think it actully helped build a rapport with the onboard crew and the service was fantastic.

 

[Guvner]

QF doesn't seem the airline for you I guess. Maybe when I'm older and greyer I'll need the porters.

Matt

Sure, thanks for the valuable feedback.

 

[Flying mermaid]

We got an escort in LHR because I asked for one, after missing out on any other F benefits at the airport. I think it actully helped build a rapport with the onboard crew and the service was fantastic.

We clearly are not demanding enough . I really don't like a fuss, but I also want to feel that the product is worth what I am paying.

 

[boomy]

QF doesn't seem the airline for you I guess. Maybe when I'm older and greyer I'll need the porters.

Matt

Disappointing comment to a well written post.

You'd be surprised but not only old people can use some help from porters. My +1 weights about 50kg, she is not old and quite fit but sometimes carries luggage more than half her weight. Do you think it's reasonable she needs to brake her back when traveling on a ticket that costs thousands of dollars?!

 

[Milefest]

QF doesn't seem the airline for you I guess. Maybe when I'm older and greyer I'll need the porters.

Maybe F isn't for you?

 

[Kangol]

To be fair, my QF F experiences include -

...

QF escort from Flounge to F seat with intro to flight crew and wait with me until door close.

I have never had this on QF F on many occasions, from many ports. If anything I have asked about F hosts to escort to/from lounges and have been denied. The reply is more a "do it yourself".

QF should take lessons on F ground service from many carriers, including but not limited to: TG, SQ, LH, AF.

The Maya Angelou quote comes to mind. Anyone in a service industry with common sense should have that in mind every time a service is provided. This is from the bottom right to the very top.

QF do F very well in other areas, but their ground service needs serious attention.

 

[RichardMEL]

We clearly are not demanding enough . I really don't like a fuss, but I also want to feel that the product is worth what I am paying.

Here's the thing...

I am like you. I don't like a fuss. I don't *need* a host escort. I don't want to be one of those types to be pushed through to the front of lines as a priority because I have a F boarding pass. Maybe I am just 'doing F" wrong

but compared to what Flying Fox has described, I've never seen THAT QF.

More to the point while I may not need or particularly want an escort at MEL or whatever what would be nice? Have it offered! Let it be known that if I'd like I can get an escort to the plane etc.

Closest I have seen to a flight escort is the F lounge at MEL when they called QF93 (which I was on) and said they would get us down to board as a group, and took us down in the elevator that is right next to the lounge entyr, thus bypassing the zoo in the gate 9/11 area (of course this is not useful unless you're leaving from these gates- recently some delayed QF93's have left from 16 or 18 I've noticed).

I'd be interested to know if all these services were requested by Flying Fox or just provided

and I've never once seen a F host at LHR (though to be fair I've only flown QF F out of there twice)

 

[Guvner]

Here's the thing...

I am like you. I don't like a fuss. I don't *need* a host escort. I don't want to be one of those types to be pushed through to the front of lines as a priority because I have a F boarding pass. Maybe I am just 'doing F" wrong

but compared to what Flying Fox has described, I've never seen THAT QF.

More to the point while I may not need or particularly want an escort at MEL or whatever what would be nice? Have it offered! Let it be known that if I'd like I can get an escort to the plane etc.

Closest I have seen to a flight escort is the F lounge at MEL when they called QF93 (which I was on) and said they would get us down to board as a group, and took us down in the elevator that is right next to the lounge entyr, thus bypassing the zoo in the gate 9/11 area (of course this is not useful unless you're leaving from these gates- recently some delayed QF93's have left from 16 or 18 I've noticed).

I'd be interested to know if all these services were requested by Flying Fox or just provided

and I've never once seen a F host at LHR (though to be fair I've only flown QF F out of there twice)

I don't "need" a host or porters either but it's a nice to have and is a very noticeable added F service. Last night at BKK there was a massive storm and it was chaos at the airport. Having a seamless service from kerb to aircraft was a treat for us, not an expectation. Why would you knock it back if it was offered?

Also, the service is quite discreet and not done in a "look at me" way. If it was like that I probably wouldn't utilise it as I'm not that personality type. There's no pushing to the front of any queues as there is a dedicated check-in, dedicated immigration/customs, dedicated lounge and dedicated gate/air-bridge. You don't get whisked to the front of anything except the nose of the plane.

Anyway, to try and keep the topic on track, I was trying to provide a real world contrast of the QF F experience with another carrier.

 

[RooFlyer]

Points upgrade for LAX flight tomorrow ex SYD.

Got a call at T-23 hrs from First host ... It came through with 'No Caller ID' which I routinely ignored, and it went to voice mail. Annoying that they do that (No Caller ID).

Voice mail was very thorough, asking me to ring back if I wanted kerbside help or spa treatment; confirming seat number (I'm glad it stuck!) etc.

I think pro-active offers of assistance should be there at all stages of a F flight, and they can happily bank on most of the offers not being taken up.

 

[medhead]

I have had turtle soup. I didn't enjoy it and the meat was very tough. I wouldn't have it again.QF need not worry about catering this on my flights. Thank you.

They need not bother with turtle soup for me either. But the Giant Tortoise soup is another thing entirely.Or in other words I'm referring to a single specific animal - not just any old turtle.

 

[blackcat20]

Here's the thing...

I am like you. I don't like a fuss. I don't *need* a host escort. I don't want to be one of those types to be pushed through to the front of lines as a priority because I have a F boarding pass. Maybe I am just 'doing F" wrong

but compared to what Flying Fox has described, I've never seen THAT QF.

More to the point while I may not need or particularly want an escort at MEL or whatever what would be nice? Have it offered! Let it be known that if I'd like I can get an escort to the plane etc.

Closest I have seen to a flight escort is the F lounge at MEL when they called QF93 (which I was on) and said they would get us down to board as a group, and took us down in the elevator that is right next to the lounge entyr, thus bypassing the zoo in the gate 9/11 area (of course this is not useful unless you're leaving from these gates- recently some delayed QF93's have left from 16 or 18 I've noticed).


I'd be interested to know if all these services were requested by Flying Fox or just provided

and I've never once seen a F host at LHR (though to be fair I've only flown QF F out of there twice)

I dont need an escort either, but it was our first time flying QF and I figured it was worth enjoying as many perks as possible. Missed out on a massage as the host was hard to locate but when we did meet her, she was lovely. I asked nicely if she would escort us so she collected us from the EK lounge once theyd had the boarding phonecall, showed us to our seats, introduced us to the crew, got our pjs and amenity kits. Its the little things that can make you feel special.