Has anyone here *never* been in Business or First?

[JohnK]

I would really like to find out what the conditions and service are like in Y on a long haul flight, so I know what to expect.

In my opinion, if flying QF, the conditions and service in WHY are quite good. The only other carrier I flew long haul was Olympic and they were quite good also.

I understand there will be less legroom, although I have booked the furthest forward bulk head row

You have small children? Bulkhead rows are the worst for legroom. I am only 5'9" and I sat in 23A on the A330 SIN-BNE and had a very uncomfortable trip. Aisle seat allows you to stretch the legs out a little more than usual.

but what about the food and drinks etc? How often can you get your wine glass refilled (or do they just give the small bottles)?

I don't know much about wine, although I think they give you the small bottles, or how you want to drink but I had no problem ordering and drinking 5 scotches on the first half of the SIN-BNE flight. As long as you do not look/act drunk they will continue to serve.

I imagine there is not a lot of difference in the IFE (smaller screen, I think), so that is a plus.

When it works IFE is OK. I have no problem with the smaller screens. Sometimes can be a problem if the person in front reclines.

I honestly am not trying to be elitist (as I said, it is only the company paying that gets me into J), but rather am just asking so I know what to expect. I am more worried about SWMBO, although she has never flown J before (and boy does she let me know :!: ), but is a bit worried about just how draining it will be on her and the kids.

Flight can be a little draining but it does not take long to recover.

 

[trooper]

Ahhhh.. I should point out that my disapointment with QANTAS was more STAFF related than anything.... and that can of course happen with ANY airline...

One of my mates (same sport) ALWAYS travels Y with QANTAS and likes it.. it IS subjective....

Long story - sorry.... happened to be at LAX rather early due to ground transport snafu.... WAS able to check in (so kudos to them for that!) - thought "why not?" and asked for exit/aisle.. and got it! So far so good....

On the plane... FA who was irritatingly "matey" and "ocker".. (later in flight she was loudly discussing football results with another passenger...and talking "past me" to do so if you know what I mean) comes over to exit row - (me in aisle, young bloke in window, middle empty!!!) and says "Guys.. (not "Gentlemen"... "GUYS"! ) - we have a problem"... I felt like saying "How awful for YOU".. but held my tongue... Turns out they had some enormous chap who couldn't fit in his seat - couldn't even GET into it!... they asked the young bloke to move.. so I thought the big guy would be going in that seat...Ha.. didn't mention his WIFE did they?..

TINY little lady takes the window seat.. Mr Behemoth plonks into the middle.. and the rolls of fat FLOW over the armrest... I'm leaning away at this point.. and discover my armrest is broken... Joy oh Joy. Did I mention he had BO???

Joy unbounded!

After take off... cos by now it was too late... sought out self same FA and pointed out how impossible it would be to sit there for 13 hours...

Offered middle/middle seat here.. middle/middle seat there... politely suggested that being moved up front might be a nice gesture.... Wasn't going to happen.. ended up next to her loud.football buddy... in a bulkhead seat.. and I'd have to agree with the previous poster.... you might be better off NOT there.... legroom was TIGHT!

Was offered a bottle of bubbly while deplaning... Big deal.

Least enjoyable flight ever.....

(And no, being sat in one of the empty seats in C was not something I expected.. but it would have taken the nasty edge off for sure! Reckon I might have wanted to fly with them again if they'd gone "above and beyond"? I can tell you that actually GETTING that BP upgrade on Air New Zealand - as a JADE level FF - has only confirmed my desire to KEEP flying with them!!! Perhaps I should perhaps have insisted on talking to the Boss FA??)

 

[Optics]

In my opinion, if flying QF, the conditions and service in WHY are quite good. The only other carrier I flew long haul was Olympic and they were quite good also.


You have small children? Bulkhead rows are the worst for legroom. I am only 5'9" and I sat in 23A on the A330 SIN-BNE and had a very uncomfortable trip. Aisle seat allows you to stretch the legs out a little more than usual.


I don't know much about wine, although I think they give you the small bottles, or how you want to drink but I had no problem ordering and drinking 5 scotches on the first half of the SIN-BNE flight. As long as you do not look/act drunk they will continue to serve.


When it works IFE is OK. I have no problem with the smaller screens. Sometimes can be a problem if the person in front reclines.


Flight can be a little draining but it does not take long to recover.

Thanks Johnk, sounds a little more positive.
I am booked into seat 34c, with the rest of the family in 35a-c. I thought this was regarded as a good seat? At least I have an aisle, so will get to stretch my 6'2" out a little. Its also the furthest forward, which has to help in getting to immigration/customs before most of the crowd (gee I hate LAX :!: ).

 

[Optics]

Ahhhh.. I should point out that my disapointment with QANTAS was more STAFF related than anything.... and that can of course happen with ANY airline...

One of my mates (same sport) ALWAYS travels Y with QANTAS and likes it.. it IS subjective....

Long story - sorry.... happened to be at LAX rather early due to ground transport snafu.... WAS able to check in (so kudos to them for that!) - thought "why not?" and asked for exit/aisle.. and got it! So far so good....

On the plane... FA who was irritatingly "matey" and "ocker".. (later in flight she was loudly discussing football results with another passenger...and talking "past me" to do so if you know what I mean) comes over to exit row - (me in aisle, young bloke in window, middle empty!!!) and says "Guys.. (not "Gentlemen"... "GUYS"! ) - we have a problem"... I felt like saying "How awful for YOU".. but held my tongue... Turns out they had some enormous chap who couldn't fit in his seat - couldn't even GET into it!... they asked the young bloke to move.. so I thought the big guy would be going in that seat...Ha.. didn't mention his WIFE did they?..

TINY little lady takes the window seat.. Mr Behemoth plonks into the middle.. and the rolls of fat FLOW over the armrest... I'm leaning away at this point.. and discover my armrest is broken... Joy oh Joy. Did I mention he had BO???

Joy unbounded!

After take off... cos by now it was too late... sought out self same FA and pointed out how impossible it would be to sit there for 13 hours...

Offered middle/middle seat here.. middle/middle seat there... politely suggested that being moved up front might be a nice gesture.... Wasn't going to happen.. ended up next to her loud.football buddy... in a bulkhead seat.. and I'd have to agree with the previous poster.... you might be better off NOT there.... legroom was TIGHT!

Was offered a bottle of bubbly while deplaning... Big deal.

Least enjoyable flight ever.....

(And no, being sat in one of the empty seats in C was not something I expected.. but it would have taken the nasty edge off for sure! Reckon I might have wanted to fly with them again if they'd gone "above and beyond"? I can tell you that actually GETTING that BP upgrade on Air New Zealand - as a JADE level FF - has only confirmed my desire to KEEP flying with them!!! Perhaps I should perhaps have insisted on talking to the Boss FA??)

That is probably one of my biggest fears, the extremely large person in the next seat. Please Lord, not on my only long haul Y trip!!

 

[Altair]

I have been trying to think of my last long haul in WHY, QF SYD-NRT on 743 2 years ago. Sure the honeymoon we flew IB in Y but those flights were on 1.5 hours long and IB SH C Class meant only the middle seat was not taken, same pitch though.
My economy flights on QF have been on the WLG-SYD run, since the start of 734 and I have sat in row 5 which was pitch of C, DVD of C, and aside when I travelled with the now Mrs Altair, (she usually flew NZ because of access to staff tickets) the middle seat was emtpy. All up they were a very pleasant WHY experience.
I have taken advantage of QF I fares the last few times I did this run so had the Trans-Tasman C experience, good but not worth it for the breakfast flights.
Long Haul from memory though was cramped legroom, and I am not that tall, uncomfortable seats in which I could not sleep. Service was decent and the food was at least edible, but ordered Asian vegetarian special meals. IFE was pre-AVOiD days.

 

[Tiki]

Reading all of these posts, I feel like I am the only one who has never travelled in Business or First Class!

I have QP membership and that is the closest to luxury I get... anyone else here who is forever destined to be stuck in economy with me? LOL

I'd love to do MEL - JFK in Business at least... would be so so nice. I'll keep dreaming...

Jenelle, you might as well count me in. I did get bumped up to Business ONCE while flying DXB-DOH on QR because the airline manager happened to be there and remembered me from when I had been in the office chatting to him a few days earlier. It was only a one hour flight though.

 

[coyote25]

Well I've only been in Y on international long haul (managed a couple of Bus domestic flights however). I've got WP from Y travel around Australia so I too dream of a international B or F experience, maybe I'll win the Round Oneworld Comp

As for international Y on QANTAS I have found it to be okay. IFE is fine (if it works) and the staff I've experienced have been good (maybe extra service being a WP??). The only problems are the 'big passengers' squashing you (which I can handle for 3 hr dom) and the screaming kids running around the plane at 3 am in the morning (a cathay only recent experience :evil: ). Good luck.

 

[Reggie]

I have never had an op-up. My first J ecperience was with Ansett in 1995 I think. I was living in Broome and was flying to Darwin to see a mate. The flight left at around 2.00am or something stupid like that. I had spent the afternoon and night before at the Roey and the Nippon Inn and was then denied boarding due to being slightly intoxicated.

This was one of those cheapy 21 days in advance tickets, and due to my missing (which I dispute - I didn't miss it, they stopped me getting on) my flight, I had to pay the difference and upgrade to J when presenting for the next flight. On my checking in later that day, in a more sober state, I was presented with my J boarding passes (BME-KNX-DRW) but when I passed over my credit card and told the guy I had to pay for the upgrade, he lookecd around and said "I won't tell anyone if you don't". Cool I got a J seat with free alcohol, interesting considering why I was denied boarding earlier.

 

[garyjohn951]

If you want my opinion, its been a few years since I flew with kids, but me and the missus with 2 children booked any of the following 7o;71;72;72 ab or other side jk, we 2 and 2, one adult/ one child.
You taking 34c, while the other 3 are in 35abc, sounds more like your wife has to look after the 2 kids while you worry about who is next to you and how many wines you can have. No wonder she is envious of your trips in J !!!

 

[Maca44]

I had flown a lot in the early days, but goods things come to those that wait, and it wasn't until I was about 43 years of age that I had my first J flight. I was also lucky enough to use Ansett points to fly F with United in 2001 (just before they went down under), but I recall someone mentioning in a post many moons ago that you are still travelling in a pressurised tube, only with a more comforts.

 

[NM]

Once you manage you first premium cabin experience, there is not turning back. Beware the devil you create the first time you experience First or Business Class travel :evil: :evil: .

 

[Altair]

Once you manage you first premium cabin experience, there is not turning back. Beware the devil you create the first time you experience First or Business Class travel :evil: :evil: .

So true. The comment from the new Mrs Altair while waiting in line at immigration in AKL, after the WHY passengers started to de-plane and lined up behind us after our SIN-BKK-AKL flight back from our honeymoon, "I do not think I could fly in economy for a long time anymore." I smiled, then thought of travelling opportunities and then sniffed the air and "understood" what she was talking about. Oh well I am sure there is a monster waiting to be unleased, oh she also checked out the TG First Cabin and commented how those seats made flat beds not these terrible angled things.:shock:

 

[trooper]

If it's not agin the rules to say:

Got in on the FT C class LAX-AKL deal.... only on UA but will be my first non-upgrade C flights... if they don't wriggle out of it!!

 

[Altair]

If it's not agin the rules to say:

Got in on the FT C class LAX-AKL deal.... only on UA but will be my first non-upgrade C flights... if they don't wriggle out of it!!

???
What deal is this? UA codeshares on NZ LAX-AKL so that means you get one of the best BC offerings around.

 

[Optics]

If you want my opinion, its been a few years since I flew with kids, but me and the missus with 2 children booked any of the following 7o;71;72;72 ab or other side jk, we 2 and 2, one adult/ one child.
You taking 34c, while the other 3 are in 35abc, sounds more like your wife has to look after the 2 kids while you worry about who is next to you and how many wines you can have. No wonder she is envious of your trips in J !!!

Its ok, you can be sure if I look too comfortable in 34c, there will be a swap ordered . The reason I have preferred the setup I have is that I hate waiting in the queue at customs/immigration at LAX, so the earlier we can get off the better. If others believe the back 2*2 rows are a better bet, I will definitely consider that option.

I didn't actually request these seats, it is just what QF allocated, I guess due to my being WP. SWMBO is quite happy with having the 3 seats together with the girls as she would otherwise be very worried about having someone large or loud next to her. The girsl are 13 and 9 and well behaved, so should not be too hard to handle. The IFE will keep them amused (please let it work!).

Thanks all for your advice, it is appreciated.

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

Once you manage you first premium cabin experience, there is not turning back. Beware the devil you create the first time you experience First or Business Class travel :evil: :evil: .

So true.

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

???
What deal is this? UA codeshares on NZ LAX-AKL so that means you get one of the best BC offerings around.

Not on this deal. Must be UA metal for transpac.

The deal circulated by email for a day before it got posted on FT's mileage run forum - link.

 

[JohnK]

Once you manage you first premium cabin experience, there is not turning back. Beware the devil you create the first time you experience First or Business Class travel :evil: :evil: .

Didn't have much effect on me. I am back in WHY for the majority of my flights. :-|

 

[simongr]

Once you manage you first premium cabin experience, there is not turning back. Beware the devil you create the first time you experience First or Business Class travel :evil: :evil: .

mrssimongr has only flown domestic J and already doesnt want to fly anything but J - not sure how she will react to a skybed or new business in CX during next year's trip :shock:

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

Didn't have much effect on me. I am back in WHY for the majority of my flights. :-|

IIRC you haven't yet flown one of the premium airline's longhaul business or first products?