Hobart Express JASA (Amongst others on the road to PS)

[yohy?!]

A year on from joining AFF it can be safely said that my addiction to status and points is cemented and growing

Yesterday's itinerary to take me across the line to PS would be the best indication: SYD-CBR-SYD-HBA-MEL-SYD for 130 status credits and 5,500 points at a cost of 24,000 points and $310 for a YASA, JASA and a Red E-Deal.

You may ask why I went to all the trouble to get to PS - I will be relocating to Asia next year and will be directing my travel to Cathay so this will be a headstart to getting to OWS which I should have by July 11.... my anniversary is also 31 Dec and I didnt want to lose out on SCs earned through work travel.

I also wanted to try out on Dom J on QF - as a previously loyal DJ flyer I was interested to see how difficult a task JB has in front of him in capturing J business from QF.

(due credit to markis10 for naming the 'Hobart Express' and passing on the details of the excellant JASA available on CBR-SYD-HBA)

SYD-CBR
QF787 (rather unfortunate choice of flight number I thought!)
8:20am
737-400
25C

I arrived on time at SYD T3 and checked out the NGCI - whilst the design aesthetic is quite nice my impression of the check-in area overall was chaotic with many pax standing around with various expressions of frustration whilst QF staff frantically tried to bounce between them and get them all checked in. Fortunately I simply had to swipe my FF card and retrieve my first boarding pass of the day then head through security.

Boarding was on-time but we then sat on the tarmac for about 20mins before pushing back, no explanation for the delay was given. I only had a 40min gap between this flight arriving and my next flight however I wasn't worried as it was on the same metal with the same crew - turnaround and back to SYD.

I had been frustrated at being unable to select any seat other than in rows 24-25 right up to T-2 in the end it was fine though as I had the aisle with the middle seat free, the only gripe then being the long time it takes to disembark as only the forward door is used (being a regular DJ flyer it's hard to understand the logic behind not using both doors on tight turnarounds).

"Breakfast" in Y needn't have been bothered with really on this short sector - a muesli bar and a small bottle of aseptic juice, the service was completed efficiently and as personably as could be expected.

We landed 15 minutes behind schedule and the crew were eager to get us out the door. I headed out into the new CBR terminal (quite nice) and asked 2 different QF staff the way to the J lounge - neither knew lol. Fortunately I departed at Gate 13 and the lounges were halfway down the terminal after security.

After retrieving boarding passes at the lounge entry for my next 2 sectors to HBA I got a nice buzz of entering the lounge under my own J booking for the first time First impressions: nice high ceilings and appealing fitout with plenty of natural light and space.

The fruit and yoghurt on offer for breakfast was very nice, I was disappointed that there was no barista made coffee (the only on offer was by machine and was undrinkable). I only had about 10 minutes in the lounge before having to return for boarding and thought the hard product was very impressive.

 

[yohy?!]

CBR-SYD
QF704
737-400
5D

So after a brief visit to the J lounge it was time to reboard and return to SYD, the CSM was quite surprised to see me back I think but did not comment other than to direct me to my J seat.

This was the second time I had sat in row 5 on a 734 and I have to say I don't mind the converta-J seating, the only thing that could be improved is the lack of privacy or seclusion for the J 'cabin'.

Being a short sector I didn't expect too much in the way of enhanced service however it was a little disappointing that the cabin crew neglected the other J pax at the expense of the 2 (possibly) CLs in 1A and C. It would have been nice to also have been offered a paper for example or to receive a smile with my pre-departure juice or meal.

A 'refreshment' was served rapidly after takeoff - salmon salad which was very tasty but was marred by being served with the same brand of cake and filtered tap water that are available in Y. I accepted a Tea also to find that was also the same bitter blend (Tetleys?) that is served in Y also.

Overall my first impression of Domestic J was not the best, whilst this is an extremely short sector I felt that the crew let down what easily could have been a much more 'premium' experience by just adding a little more energy and friendliness to the service.

Upon disembarking back at SYD I then had a few hours to J lounge prior to my next sector. The lounge now appears to be complete and I was happy with the food and drink choices available - comparing it the regular QP though I struggled to find any differences that made it more 'premium'. There seemed to be the same food and drink on offer as well as identical facilities, the only difference I could see was the ambience was quieter in the J lounge which was appreciated. FreqwentFlya dropped by the lounge on his regular commute to work from CBR and we discussed his upcoming travels and how the A380s being out of service would hopefully result in op-ups to J

 

[anat0l]

Looking forward to the rest of the report, yohy?!

SYD/CBR (or anything .../CBR) is not going to impress in terms of J. Especially the SYD/CBR sector is just politicians galore at times. And you are being served a mini-meal within 50 minutes, which is a pretty good effort (I had a flight in the USA which was in domestic F but was less than 2 hours, and all we got was drinks service with snack selection (i.e. chips, cookies or chocolate)). In saying that, the effort required of the staff in servicing that short flight probably has an effect on their disposition, although we always take that as inexcusable anyway...

I hope you have a good J experience somewhere but I'm expecting DJ to come along with their J with the view, "Anything you can do I can do better". Frankly, I think it's inevitable that it'll happen just that way.

 

[yohy?!]

SYD-HBA
QF1019
737-800
1A

After a very relaxing few hours in the J lounge grazing and sipping it was time to board my 3rd flight of the day to Hobart. On my way out of the lounge I noticed that Ian Thorpe had been present with his manager along with what looked to be several designer suits, he was leaving at the same time as me so it seemed we would be on the same flight to HBA.

No priority boarding for J it seemed and the CSM was surprised to see my BP showing seat 1A (Thorpie was in 2A ). The service on this flight was the best of all I received, FreqwentFlya explained in the lounge prior that this should be expected as the CC are trained to treat the pax in 1A and C as the most commercially valuable on board - a little surprising that I got this seat pre-allocated as an NB given Thorpie as well as a former TAS premier being on board.

We were delayed again by what the pilot described as 'very minor maintenance work' being done by an engineer and ended up pushing back about 15 mins late. I received my pre-departure drink and at this point really thought that there should be some sparkling offered at this point of the day - the alcohol selection in Dom J seems to be very limited, I was never offered anything other than a nice red with my meal but it would have been nice to have a selection available.

Take-off was a little bumpy, the service began and the CSM served me first. She explained the meal available and checked I was happy with it, she was respectful but not overly friendly - I got the impression that she probably dealt with DYKWIAs all-day long. The meal was roast lamb with cous cous and cannelloni beans I think, utterly tasteless and microscopic portions along with the same cake and water as served in Y. I enjoyed the red provided with the lunch and was given a few top ups throughout the service.

More turbulence at this point and the CC were told to take their seats for around 15 minutes - I enjoyed 'The Gruen Transfer' in the meantime and stretched out in my millenium seat (more comfortable than 734 J but I don't think I got the knack of it as I could have had more back support). Once the seat belt sign was off a coffee service was commenced, the plunger coffee on offer looked and smelt great but unfortunately was stone cold. I pointed this out to one of the CC who recovered the error well and got me a brewed coffee instead which was piping hot, the CSM also checked with all the pax to change their coffees also.

This was the end of the service as the captain announced our landing time and advised that a front had moved in and we could expect a very bumpy landing (he wasn't wrong there). We touched down in a rainstorm and taxied to the terminal, the CC that fixed my coffee chatted to me briefly whilst awaiting the air stairs and confirmed that it had been satisfactory. Upon departing there were umbrellas at the bottom of the stairs which I thought was a good touch compared to the DJ pax across the tarmac having to frantically dash for the terminal.


Overall I felt a bit mixed over this flight, it again came down to the crew. The CSM was very professional to the point of coming off a bit cold, whilst other crew were very responsive and friendly. Again I felt the food and drink were 'premium' by name only, there's not much there to distinguish from Y catering apart from free booze of a limited selection. The seat was comfortable and the leg room excellent although I was less than impressed with the crumbs on the seat upon boarding!

 

[yohy?!]

HBA-MEL-SYD
QF1012 / QF462
737-800 / 737-400
7C / 16C

The last 2 legs of my day were both in Y and were unremarkable. Except for an equipment change on the 2nd leg from a 763 to a 734 I think they probably signify what is the standard for QF Domestic Y these days:

-pax herded on
-fed and watered by mostly uninterested 'legacy' CC
-aged aircraft (ie hard landing with 'interesting' metallic sounds)
-professional pilots who make the effort to keep you informed of any delays or issues

I arrived back in Sydney on-time and in 1 piece which is of course the most important thing, did I 'enjoy the journey' though (as was mindlessly reeled off at least 20 times over the day)?

Not particularly, it was an exhausting day (which of course was at my choosing) but I think it always comes down to the crew and the ground staff, they are the ones who are going to make your journey enjoyable... All that is required it they take a few seconds to help you with a smile and make you feel like an individual - I received that experience from only 1 CC on the SYD-HBA leg. On 5 sectors throughout the day and interacting with at least 20 QF staff it shows where the issues are with their service culture. Had I been on DJ I know that number would be much higher, especially if I had been a premium pax.

So at the end of the day I did get a good sense of where DJs strengths are going to come from as they continue to try and pry market share from QF, here's some thoughts:

-QF should reevaluate their food and drink service on short sectors, cabin crew are basically relegated to shoving meals in front of you and collecting the rubbish with little time for anything else. On a sector like MEL-SYD for example I wouldn't expect a full meal and drink service in 1 hour in Y, the poor CC are so busy they cannot provide friendly service and if anything goes wrong or holds them up they fall behind very quickly. Compare this to DJ where the trolley comes out and very quickly moves through the cabin, CC are able to serve you with a smile and even attend to a call bell if you want another drink. I'm not sure what the answer is here since QF heavily market the 'meal and a drink' as being a point of difference but if you are waiting most of the flight for it to arrive and then it is inedible what are all those marketing $$ accomplishing?

-Food and drink selection, this is another area where I was not particularly impressed: You pretty much have no choice on QF, 1 meal choice and limited drink selection - sure it's free but again if it's not what I wanted or selected what's the point? Particularly in business this is where DJ can score some quick and easy wins - give the pax a wide variety of simple and tasty hot and cold options for food and drink. They don't need fussy, tasteless Neil Perry creations, just make sure they are tasty and the portion size is more than a few mouthfuls! Coupling that with a proper bar service and good selection of soft drinks, (fresh!) juices and good tea and coffee would be great.

-CC service was distant at best on all QF flights, I could not help but compare to the energy and enthusiasm of DJ CC. There is a fine line to maintain professionalism but I also think that treating pax in a friendly and enthusiastic manner goes a long way to making a trip satisfying and memorable. It will be particularly difficult I think for DJ to find the right position for themselves in the market to pick up the J pax who will appreciate the difference in service culture - I think Virgin America's First experience is probably (and hopefully) the route they will end up taking.


So there you have it, got my PS status through prior to anniversary date so the mission was accomplished and interesting to get a broader view of the QF domestic experience - now I just have to try J on an A330 PER sector to see how it differs from these shorter ones.

 

[Sprucegoose]

Yohy great report.

Only one meal and wine choice syd- hba??

Thorpie maybe a CL?? And on ug ticket hence 2a over 1a.

I don't like 1a as it has restricted legroom, preferring 2a, did you consider that?

Row 5 on cbr runs, was the j cabin full?

I prefer the millennium seats

 

[Princess Fiona]

Nice TR I think you will find the SYD-PER J experience better ( unless you end up in those shocking PE seats). Had my best meal ever in J on one of those flights ( poached chicken and Persian feta salad).
I have nearly always had great friendly service in both J and Y on QF. Maybe I've been lucky.

 

[bossreggie]

Enjoyed the TR Yohy?!

I agree with your thoughts on DOM J. I like the extra space... Any other "extras" are hit and miss!

I have been pretty lucky with the CC attitude but remember I give them a box of chocolates on boarding... So I think that helps.

 

[yohy?!]

Only one meal and wine choice syd- hba??

Correct, 1 meal and 1 white and red wine choice

Thorpie maybe a CL?? And on ug ticket hence 2a over 1a.

I did consider that but he was in the Dom J lounge so I don't think QF considers him a huge revenue spinner for them.

I don't like 1a as it has restricted legroom, preferring 2a, did you consider that?

Hmmm good point, 1a was more than adequate for me at 6foot. 2a wasn't great for Thorpie though he was resting feet next to my seat and bumping it the whole flight.

Row 5 on cbr runs, was the j cabin full?

No half empty and I tried hard to move up but the seats were never unblocked, next time will try in the J lounge beforehand.

 

[Sprucegoose]

Enjoyed the TR Yohy?!

I agree with your thoughts on DOM J. I like the extra space... Any other "extras" are hit and miss!

I have been pretty lucky with the CC attitude but remember I give them a box of chocolates on boarding... So I think that helps.

What sort of chocies Reggie?

 

[bossreggie]

What sort of chocies Reggie?

If flying from MEL... I tend to get Liliy O'Brien Dessert Chocolates. I wouldn't bother with the supermarket varieties as I prefer to give something a bit more special than those.

 

[anat0l]

QF should reevaluate their food and drink service on short sectors, cabin crew are basically relegated to shoving meals in front of you and collecting the rubbish with little time for anything else.

-Food and drink selection, this is another area where I was not particularly impressed.

It seems more and more people are not being impressed with these.

The problem is that what does QF really do? We have had a strong opinion here on this forum that they should just abandon the complimentary food and go to buy on board. People can then get what they want, when they want and the variety is better, and perhaps food fresher. What that equals is also QF bowing into the rest of the world (except Asian carriers) and turning more and more into an LCC. That's a bigger coffin nail than having a few people who don't like the food occasionally (or frequently for that matter).

We are a picky bunch. We know that it just takes the precise change of paradigm, attitude or procedures from legacy carriers and we deal the masterstroke "I'll never fly you again" card and we are gone. Irrational or rational is not relevant; it happens, and we see it a lot on these forums.

Frankly the only thing QF can do better is get better tasting food, with (probably more important than the current state of food) more consistent caterer QA requirements and encourage a culture of FAs that just has to ensure that if they want to work for this company they will need to be able to deal with immense pressure. There really is no other way, yet the solution is so difficult to achieve...

And for the love of <insert deity here>, if I hear someone say that the food is cr*p because it's Neil Perry one more time, all I can say is that I am not going to be responsible for my actions...

 

[ejb]

...
And for the love of <insert deity here>, if I hear someone say that the food is cr*p because it's Neil Perry one more time, all I can say is that I am not going to be responsible for my actions...

Hear hear.....

If people don't like the food onboard, don't eat it and take your own. I would say that the majority of food onboard is ok and if I wanted exceptional meals I would go out for dinner and not get on a plane.

Back on topic......

It seems like you got a good cross section of experiences on that status run and that is what travelling is all about. Add in the new PS status and sounds like a great trip.

ejb

 

[markis10]

Flying time CBR to SYD is 21 minutes, so that limits options there, having done a couple of flights in J ex SYD then had the same service ex BNE I have been amazed at the difference in meals lately, with the SYD offerings rubbish by comparison.

 

[yohy?!]

for the love of <insert deity here>, if I hear someone say that the food is cr*p because it's Neil Perry one more time, all I can say is that I am not going to be responsible for my actions...

To be fair it's not that it's his food that's cough...it's that his name is attached to food is cough and marketed as being inspired by him.

Perhaps they could scrap the endorsement deal and invest in the actual catering.

 

[anat0l]

To be fair it's not that it's his food that's cough...it's that his name is attached to food is cough and marketed as being inspired by him.

Perhaps they could scrap the endorsement deal and invest in the actual catering.

I'd like to think that all of us are well-thinking, rational adults.

To that extent, it doesn't matter whose food it is: it just has to taste good and be reasonable portioned. The name is irrelevant. That's the point. Keep the deal - I don't care. I read the menu considering the item I want to eat, not that Neil Perry inspired it.

 

[Fifa]

I really enjoyed reading your trip report yohy.
Next Sunday I am doing a "Hobart Express" returning a couple of days later so will be interested to experience domestic J in both types of 737.

Aiming for SG by March.

 

[samiam]

Flying time CBR to SYD is 21 minutes, so that limits options there, having done a couple of flights in J ex SYD then had the same service ex BNE I have been amazed at the difference in meals lately, with the SYD offerings rubbish by comparison.

I fly MEL-PER every couple of weeks and have always found the J meals above average (although not superb - but hey, it's not a restaurant) and the service exceptional (not to mention the improved comfort when the metal happens to be an A330-200 (EBN or EBO I think was on the tail)).

By the time you cycle through drinks, main, dessert, drinks, etc a 3-4 hour flight goes in no time.

On MEL-SYD and MEL-CBR I certainly notice the frenetic pace of the CC, and the difference in meal options, without the luxury of time.

But then, a 1 hour flight goes by in a flash compared to the East-West run, so food isn't important (to me) - just water & coffee.

PS - Thanks for your TR!

 

[yohy?!]

I'd like to think that all of us are well-thinking, rational adults.

To that extent, it doesn't matter whose food it is: it just has to taste good and be reasonable portioned. The name is irrelevant. That's the point. Keep the deal - I don't care. I read the menu considering the item I want to eat, not that Neil Perry inspired it.

I do agree with your point, I guess I'm trying to highlight how in many areas QF is tending to focus on marketing how 'premium' they are rather than investing in actually being a premium carrier.

 

[yohy?!]

I am doing a "Hobart Express" returning a couple of days late

Nice but you gotta try out cramming the whole thing into 1 day - it is a unique experience!

I'm thinking next time to take an earlier flight to CBR to enjoy the J lounge for breakfast(and avoid turning around with the same crew again - awkward!).

Then have a nice long lunch in SYD J lounge before heading to HBA and turning around to MEL for dinner in J lounge there.