Making the most out of the whole glorious Qantas First Class Experience

[MEL_Traveller]

Not the point: if (when) I pay ($ or points) to fly F I expect everything to be better than J commensurate with the much higher price. Even more so as QF make such a big deal about F.

Actually I'm not sure QF really does make a big deal about their first class! They almost promote their flagship lounges more than they do their on board product. QF is not a carrier offering glitz and all the bells and whistles. For that you'd need to fly Emirates (or JAL, which is probably the best OW First class... but it doesn't compare to the bling of EK). Or Lufthansa.

But back to your observation... I guess F is upgraded in terms of the number of additional dishes (appetisers, desserts, snacks), plus on the Hong Kong sectors they used to offer a fairly decent breakfast in F compared to cafe breakfast in business. plus the tasting menu (combination of everything already on the menu)

 

[LA10]

Has anyone taken QF9 recently to confirm whether the tasting menu is available or not?
I have contacted the QF contact centre and they were no help/confused.

Thanks.

 

[pagingjoan]

Has anyone taken QF9 recently to confirm whether the tasting menu is available or not?
I have contacted the QF contact centre and they were no help/confused.

Thanks.

It has not been listed on my most recent trips - but you can devise your own and the staff are more than happy to oblige, in my experience. Enjoy!

 

[Princess Fiona]

It has not been listed on my most recent trips - but you can devise your own and the staff are more than happy to oblige, in my experience. Enjoy!

That's good to know PJ

 

[Duality]

Anyone know where I might find a recent F menu, DFW>>SYD? (Yes, I know catering ex-dfw will be a handicap...)

How flexible is crew with a request for a 'tasting menu' if I (we) were so inclined? My understanding is the day flight out of SYD/MEL has such a choice, but not the evening flights down. (I figure 'hey, its a 17 hr flight- have a dinner, watch some movies and STILL get 8 hrs sleep and breakfast!')

Finally, does anyone know if there are First Hosts ex-DFW? I was told yes, and will reach out tomorrow. But was a bit surprised as they've never been mentioned.

Thx!

 

[blackcat20]

Anyone know where I might find a recent F menu, DFW>>SYD? (Yes, I know catering ex-dfw will be a handicap...)

How flexible is crew with a request for a 'tasting menu' if I (we) were so inclined? My understanding is the day flight out of SYD/MEL has such a choice, but not the evening flights down. (I figure 'hey, its a 17 hr flight- have a dinner, watch some movies and STILL get 8 hrs sleep and breakfast!')

Finally, does anyone know if there are First Hosts ex-DFW? I was told yes, and will reach out tomorrow. But was a bit surprised as they've never been mentioned.

Thx!

All the trip reports I've seen out of DFW are from last year so the menus arent up to date. The meal seems to be "supper" rather than dinner so no idea how you'd go asking for a tasting menu....

 

[Kangol]

Anyone know where I might find a recent F menu, DFW>>SYD? (Yes, I know catering ex-dfw will be a handicap...)

How flexible is crew with a request for a 'tasting menu' if I (we) were so inclined? My understanding is the day flight out of SYD/MEL has such a choice, but not the evening flights down. (I figure 'hey, its a 17 hr flight- have a dinner, watch some movies and STILL get 8 hrs sleep and breakfast!')

Finally, does anyone know if there are First Hosts ex-DFW? I was told yes, and will reach out tomorrow. But was a bit surprised as they've never been mentioned.

Thx!

Qantas A380 First Class DFW to SYD | SFO777

 

[LA10]

6 weeks today (not that I'm counting!), I'll be having my first ever F experience. F lounge Syd, F QF to DXB. According to EF, there's only 3 spare seats in F on this flight, so it looks fairly full. I'm so excited and am more excited for this than parts of my Europe trip.

Edit : also none of this would have been possible without all your help, tips, tireless answers to my stupid questions, so a big thank you. I'll drink to your good help!

 

[Cruiser Elite]

6 weeks today (not that I'm counting!), I'll be having my first ever F experience.................. I'm so excited and am more excited for this than parts of my Europe trip.

Lisa you enjoy every second you are on board - try everything F & B wise you can - enjoy your seat in every position - enjoy the IFE to whatever extent you can - don't leave that flight wondering 'I wonder if this or that would have been worth trying' - JUST DO IT!

 

[TheRealTMA]

6 weeks today (not that I'm counting!), I'll be having my first ever F experience. F lounge Syd, F QF to DXB. According to EF, there's only 3 spare seats in F on this flight, so it looks fairly full. I'm so excited and am more excited for this than parts of my Europe trip.

Enjoy! One's first QF F is a great experience.

 

[PaulST]

6 weeks today (not that I'm counting!), I'll be having my first ever F experience. F lounge Syd, F QF to DXB. According to EF, there's only 3 spare seats in F on this flight, so it looks fairly full. I'm so excited and am more excited for this than parts of my Europe trip.

Edit : also none of this would have been possible without all your help, tips, tireless answers to my stupid questions, so a big thank you. I'll drink to your good help!

haha I know the feeling. I'm visiting Europe for the first time in July and am almost more excited to fly in BA First out of LHR and J in a QR A350 than the rest of the trip.

 

[snabbu]

6 weeks today (not that I'm counting!), I'll be having my first ever F experience. F lounge Syd, F QF to DXB. According to EF, there's only 3 spare seats in F on this flight, so it looks fairly full. I'm so excited and am more excited for this than parts of my Europe trip.

Edit : also none of this would have been possible without all your help, tips, tireless answers to my stupid questions, so a big thank you. I'll drink to your good help!

About 7 weeks for me and my first QF F experience on 93 to LAX. Have just read through this entire thread and also wanted to say thanks to all the contributors.

 

[Duality]

Quick update-

QF 7/8 done in March and April. Had a wonderful trip, much thanks to inputs in this thread.

I was told there are first hosts at DFW, but they dont really do anything- no reaching out, I think they are there to manage any issues that come up. I was given a phone number, but didnt need to speak to anyone. I just mention this in case anyone needs assistance at DFW, there SHOULD be someone ready to act. Should.

The plane and service was really wonderful. Food out of DFW was ho hum; out of SYD markedly better. It was the supper menu down, and the lunch/tasting menu back. FA did a very nice job with the wine pairings and the lunch menu.

(Odd note: on the old menus, they had an asterisk on certain of the menu items, with the footnote saying "can order at any time during the flight". It seems that on the new printing (both xDFW and xSYD, in March and April) someone dropped the asterisk: the footnote is there, but it seems to apply to the entire menu! Strange.)

In flight service was great- no issues with attention, nor pacing. Nice, comfortable interactions. (My wife and I flew, 2a and 3a both flights.) Way down from DFW we dined in one seat... funny after 30 days of travel, on the way back it was 'lets just watch movies and eat' so we didnt share a table.

We used the QF club in DFW for a few hours having connected from elsewhere- while we did a walk-through of the AMEX lounge, it was packed (as usual) and my wife was "get me out of here". I swung by the AA lounge, to see the new dining room. Uggh. Claustrophobic. The QF space was low key, super empty and very comfortable. We did not use showers there; bathrooms nice. A plate of snacks and that was it.

The A380 was remarkably quiet. I have probably taken 20-30 trips on the 777 in F and J, but the A380 was SO much quieter.

The QF bed with the pad was a winner. The QF mattress pads are an amazing difference. Truly. Best sleep ever on a plane. Slept 7 hrs down, 6 hrs on the return. (Minor medical issue with someone on the way back- sounded like someone fell down the stairs or something- so it upset my sleep on the return.)

Tail cam- great into and out of SYD.

On the return from SYD, we had a massage and facial before a light lunch at the QF First lounge. Set up by the first host the day before. Arrived at 10:40AM for a 1:05 departure. Probably should have arrived at 10. (Brand new Uber driver got lost, couldnt find us....annoying.) While we did have enough time, it was a bit rushed through lunch, and once noon came and you are wondering about boarding. A half hour more would have given us just enough time.


Good times!

 

[gpl007]

Returned a couple of days ago LHR-DXB QF10 and DXB-SYD QF2 in F with a layover in the DXB airport hotel. My second time in QF F, so no surprises but excellent all the same.

They were serving Pol Roger Sir Winston Churchill ('94 I'm sure they said) on both flights, which was excellent. Service was great, not too fussy but there when you needed them.

I wasn't able to sleep very much DXB-SYD, found myself really hot even without the covers over me. Cabin temp may have been a bit high but it seemed the mattress pad made it worse. I don't regulate my body temp well so perhaps that's just me!

Heading to SIN in SQ Suites this afternoon, pretty excited to compare the two!

 

[Andona]

6 weeks today (not that I'm counting!), I'll be having my first ever F experience. F lounge Syd, F QF to DXB. According to EF, there's only 3 spare seats in F on this flight, so it looks fairly full. I'm so excited and am more excited for this than parts of my Europe trip.

I know the feeling! We have 4 months to wait to our very first QF F experience SYD-DFW followed a month later by our first B flight for the return. The only thing we have to compare it to was a Virgin Atlantic Upper Class flight SYD-HKG several years ago, otherwise we've always been Y flyers. Like you I think I'm anticipating the flights almost as much as our USA road-trip.

Looking forward to your impressions as a fellow F newbie

Andona

 

[blackcat20]

8 weeks till we do SQ F and Suites for the first time. Too excited.

 

[RichardMEL]

The Pol Roger SWC is 2004 vintage IIRC

but 94 sounds better

 

[Princess Fiona]

The Pol Roger SWC is 2004 vintage IIRC

but 94 sounds better

I totally missed that !!!
On my last F flight DXB-SYD the FA asked me if I'd like a glass of champagne as I was arranging my things upon boarding. I asked what was on offer and she said "Duval Leroy" :!:
One look at my shocked expression (stunned mullet) and she offered to go to the galley and check. Luckily it was indeed Sir Winston :mrgreen:

 

[Flying mermaid]

Heading to SIN in SQ Suites this afternoon, pretty excited to compare the two!

Make sure you report back - interested in your comparison.

 

[jb747]

(Odd note: on the old menus, they had an asterisk on certain of the menu items, with the footnote saying "can order at any time during the flight". It seems that on the new printing (both xDFW and xSYD, in March and April) someone dropped the asterisk: the footnote is there, but it seems to apply to the entire menu! Strange.)

I think it does apply to the whole menu. On some flights anyway.

The A380 was remarkably quiet. I have probably taken 20-30 trips on the 777 in F and J, but the A380 was SO much quieter.

It's extremely quiet. Hard pressed to hear the engines when we're starting them. I've never had any feedback from someone who has flown on a pax 747-800, but it would be interesting to know how they compare.