Lack of curtains separating Business and Economy on 737

[pauly7]

Flew MEL-HBA in J this week and the crew were excellent and kept their eye on Economy passengers putting their bags in Business overhead bins and politely asked the pax to take them out and put them in bins above their seat as the bins in 1-3 are for Business passengers only.

I think this is appropriate and applaud the VA crew member for this

 

[PJF]

Erm ... you do realise Qantas mainline domestically allow up to two 7kg 105cm rollaboards and a "personal item".

Errr yes I do realise that. My comment was in reference to downgraded post above about the enforcement of the size and weight restrictions that in my experience is enforced vigorously on Q link a priority which a tag is attached if it does not meet the rules and taken from you when boarding. I have not experienced the same vigorous practices on mainline QF. I have never seen a bag weighed at the gate on mainline QF has anybody else seen it.

 

[Pushka]

Seriously? This is a childish thing VA crew are very good at policing. Qantas crew on the other hand use common sense.

I am usually the last person to board. If there's no room in the overhead bin above my seat and there's room in the overhead bins above business class then guess where my bags where will go? The bags won't be going behind me and if for some reason my bags end up behind me then nobody leaves until I get my bags.

I trust you’d only do this when all J passengers have been sorted.

 

[Pleb Status]

There is no sense of entitlement. I board late because I don't want to sit in a cramped seat in a claustrophobic cabin for longer than I need. It's why I like sitting up front and want to get out quick.

If you were to fly VA as a WP you would get an extra legroom seat up front for free, along with 'preferred' overhead space, a priority boarding process that works (it gives actual priority and is generally enforced), all for less money overall.

All of your 'problems' would be solved. You would need to deal with the magic rope keeping you out of J however so maybe not....

 

[JohnK]

I trust you’d only do this when all J passengers have been sorted.

I wouldn't dream of taking someone's overhead bin space. Seriously. In fact I've been known to take my laptop bag out of overhead and put at my feet to make room for other bags of need be.

When I board I always search for overhead bin space above my seat or even behind but not too far. If full I then start searching forward for overhead bin space and this is where Qantas cabin crew are always there to help and they find room for my bag. Sometimes above business.

 

[PJF]

I trust you’d only do this when all J passengers have been sorted.

Good point but I would hope that we all displayed that courtesy

 

[PJF]

If you were to fly VA as a WP you would get an extra legroom seat up front for free, along with 'preferred' overhead space, a priority boarding process that works (it gives actual priority and is generally enforced), all for less money overall.

All of your 'problems' would be solved. You would need to deal with the magic rope keeping you out of J however so maybe not....

Hmm makes you wonder about the QF product/experience if WP or above sorry SGs and the rest just quoting as per the VA experience above.

 

[Pleb Status]

Hmm makes you wonder about the QF product/experience if WP or above sorry SGs and the rest just quoting as per the VA experience above.

You do not need to wonder.

On this particular topic (and the related asides that have also been discussed), only the hardcore QF fanboys could argue that VA does not offer a far superior experience.

 

[PJF]

You do not need to wonder.

On this particular topic (and the related asides that have also been discussed), only the hardcore QF fanboys could argue the VA does not offer a far superior experience.

Yes and as to the QF priority line. Saw in Brisbane a couple of days ago a flight to Melbourne. The Priority line was twice as long as the general boarding line and I counted 46 people in the priority line and not the first time I have seen many. So go figure makes me wonder if they are all legit. Need the curtain back to keep them all at bay.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

"They also stated that the policy is the cabin crew are asked to monitor this behaviour to protect the integrity of the Business class cabin. Economy class customers should be directed to the toilets at the rear of the aircraft."

Yes and as to the QF priority line. Saw in Brisbane a couple of days ago a flight to Melbourne. The Priority line was twice as long as the general boarding line and I counted 46 people in the priority line and not the first time I have seen many.

Just to backtrack on a post you made a few days ago, I'd suggest QF are being condescending on these issues simply because they think they can. Failure of their crew with actually providing the service advertised and sold is not really a concern for them, it would appear and to blame the crew, like they did in that email to you is also admitting failure at a supervisory/management level.

If repetitive crew failures ended up in a coroners court (not likely with what we're discussing), I doubt management would gain much traction with a plea of "it wasn't our fault, it was the crew". That would simply be an admission or complicity or incompetence.

You do not need to wonder. On this particular topic (and the related asides that have also been discussed), only the hardcore QF fanboys could argue the VA does not offer a far superior experience.

Whilst I agree that VA do indeed offer a better J product, I would not go as far as to suggest it is "far" superior. If QF start to lose discernible business as a result, it wouldn't take them much effort to surpass VA. At the moment though, it appears management at QF couldn't give a toss and are quite happy for their staff to fail in delivering the sold product.

 

[PJF]

Just to backtrack on a post you made a few days ago, I'd suggest QF are being condescending on these issues simply because they think they can. Failure of their crew with actually providing the service advertised and sold is not really a concern for them, it would appear, it would appear and to blame the crew, like they did in that email to you is also admitting failure at a supervisory/management level.

If repetitive crew failures ended up in a coroners court (not likely with what we're discussing), I doubt management would gain much traction with a plea of "it wasn't our fault, it was the crew". That would simply be an admission or complicity or incompetence.



Whilst I agree that VA do indeed offer a better J product, I would not go as far as to suggest it is "far" superior. If QF start to lose discernible business as a result, it wouldn't take them much effort to surpass VA. At the moment though, it appears management at QF couldn't give a toss and are quite happy for their staff to fail in delivering the sold product.

Yes my personal assessment of the QF response was "say this it will make him feel better but without any real substance behind it". I certainly know how to read between the lines. As to coroners court yes I know how that functions and have been there a number of times over the years with my profession and I agree it is unlikely that this would end up there.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

I mentioned the coroner just to highlight that management blaming staff is not acceptable, especially repeat problems that are widely acknowledged. The failure is actually with management.

 

[Hvr]

I flew MEL-SYD today on an A330-200 in the second row of Y.

Having the curtains closed meant that it was very clear that Y pax were not permitted forward into the J cabin.

The curtain really needs to be reintroduced to the 737.

 

[FrustratedQP]

Just flew KLM 737 and two Swiss flights A319 and A320. All had curtains, which were used as soon as the flight attendants were released and signs on overheads stating “Business Class Baggage only” I can’t see why Qantas can’t do the same. It would avoid a lot of confusion.

 

[Pushka]

This on Croatian airlines this afternoon during takeoff. Solved any issues. We were in Y. Next Wednesday on Swiss again in J.

 

[JessicaTam]

I never understood how QF could claim they removed the curtain as pax found it annoying. It could only affect a maximum of 2 pax. They must have been a vocal minority if QF pandered to them.

As a regular 4C/D occupant the curtain was never a bother. Nor did I see anyone one else appearing frustrated. Cost cutting for the refurb, pure and simple.

 

[moa999]

Sitting in 4C/D regularly the curtain was annoying on takeoff and when you wanted to use the seatpockets.

I also think the screens look a lot better than a curtain.

But even with this, the greater issue is QF doesn't use a rope or enforce the announced restriction (they didn't when it was the curtain either)

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I never understood how QF could claim they removed the curtain as pax found it annoying.

It's the same focus group that recommended simpler and fairer? and cafe breakfasts? Oh, and those really confusing chauffeur cars before flights to the USA? I think the focus group suggested those could be enhanced by removing them.

 

[Pushka]

Sitting in 4C/D regularly the curtain was annoying on takeoff and when you wanted to use the seatpockets.

I also think the screens look a lot better than a curtain.

But even with this, the greater issue is QF doesn't use a rope or enforce the announced restriction (they didn't when it was the curtain either)

Agree. Those seats had the curtains flapping around them. But that didn’t seem to happen on the flights this week. Different structure maybe. But in row 3 I had the window side of the curtain somehow hanging around my head on Swiss.

 

[downgraded]

Perhaps it's just tacit acknowledgement by QF that 2 toilets for 150+ people is often inadequate, so they chose a policy that could be bent with subtlety rather than a hard barrier that's more obvious when contravened?