No LAN F ??

[Evan]

LAN has just donwgraded my QF332 codeshare from A(First) to C(Business) on 27th Dec AKL-SYD leg.
Its still listed as A340-300 on EF.

So what is the deal ? anybody have any cluse why there is apparently no F now (a non LAN plane ?)

Anyway can you say not happy ! If really there is no A and i have not been told of the change do you think AA could be convinced to change my flights to a different routing at no cost ? (eg instead of MEL-AKL-SYD to MEL-PER-SYD or MEL-CNS-SYD).
At the very least i would prefer QF J to LAN J !!

E

 

[Dave Noble]

My understanding is that LAN is removing F from their SYD flights

The current LAN J seating is basically Dreamtime seat vs the Millenium seat that QF offers plus has IFE so depending on whether the hard product or the meals are the key thing, then you may wish to change to QF ( assuming u are on a ticket limited to OW. If not limited to OW, then EK would be the way to go).

If it is an ATW ticket which has a change fee, I cannot see any liklihood that they will allow you to reroute to another destination for free. You have been re-accommodated in the highest available cabin by the operating carrier

Dave

 

[drron]

I have been looking at an AONE next year including South America.LAN had F on only their SCL-SYD and SCL-MAD services according to their website.However no dates could be seen with F on either service.Their site does say they are retrofitting the A340.So I guess no more F.However they are installing the near flat beds in J.I presume like those on their 767 which I found very good and much better than the QF 767s across the Tasman.

 

[serfty]

This has been reported on FT for the last week or so.

At least MEL to AKL has Skybeds and a lunch service.

 

[docjames]

IIRC the LAN 340 only has about 1 (!) row of F, then about 10 rows of J.
Hardly seemed worth it! No wonder they're taking it out.

They may also be using some of the space for pilot rest area.


Also, suspect the OP meant QF322 (not 332).

And looking at the seats (as i headed for row 28!) there seemed little difference between F and J so it probably matters little that it's J only.

 

[Evan]

Thanks guys.... Well i want a reroute to fly on QF and skybeds then... i will see if AA will accomodate.. or keep the current arrangment but i want my QF F miles and SC not as worried about sitting in J as much as the fact i decided on the OMG o'clock flights because they offered F
(Its a OWE AONE5)

If my flight was booked as A then why should i net get A or get compensated... if i knew i booked D (and they bumped me to a C class, not D) then that would be different.

Essentially i want the service i paid for or i prefer a QF flight at a more reasonable hour, its hardly a cost to them to waive the $125 to change is it ?

Anyway will phone tomorror to see what they say. Or should i just turn up and complain when i find myself in J.

Of course no email to me or phone call to tell me i had been bumped down, i just happened to check my flights as i was double checking a booking i made in the 2-for-1 sale.

E

 

[NM]

I don't think you can use the argument that you are not getting what you paid for. The fare rules clearly say that if there is no F cabin, then you will be accommodated in the business class cabin with no compensation due.

NOTE: For flights where First or Business Class is not offered or available, passengers may travel in a lower Class, in the applicable booking code for that lower Class. The fare for the highest Class used applies, without compensation.

Its unfortunate that the cabin available has been changed after your ticket was issued.

 

[drron]

The new LAN J is not bad-you will basically have a skybed.Service was good-the only difficulty being language which i look upon as my fault not speaking Spanish.I am sure on the flights to Aust. though at least 1 fluent English speaker would be rostered in J.The wines were very good.
The only problem would be the timing of the flight.

 

[StevePER]

I also really enjoyed the new LAN business class - we flex PPT-SCL and SCL-EZE and had no language problems.

 

[docjames]

We flew SCL-AFO-SCL-EZE-SCL-AKL

All flights had english speaking flight attendants.

 

[Evan]

Ok your convincing me... but still annoyed they did not let me know about the change... also LAN site still says there A340 have F but maybe it will be gone by end december.

E

 

[NM]

Ok your convincing me... but still annoyed they did not let me know about the change... also LAN site still says there A340 have F but maybe it will be gone by end december.

E

I believed it will be a staged migration from 3-class to 2-class with the installation of their sloping bed style business class seat. Since they probably don't know teh exact roll out date for each aircraft and hence flight/route, they will have taken the decision to stop selling F on the route just in case their is no F seats available. Its always possible they will still operate with a current 3-class config and you may get an F seat with J service - or you could end up in the current J cradle seat. Still not too shabby for a 3 hour flight when compared with a QF Millennium seat.

 

[Evan]

I believed it will be a staged migration from 3-class to 2-class with the installation of their sloping bed style business class seat. Since they probably don't know teh exact roll out date for each aircraft and hence flight/route, they will have taken the decision to stop selling F on the route just in case their is no F seats available. Its always possible they will still operate with a current 3-class config and you may get an F seat with J service - or you could end up in the current J cradle seat. Still not too shabby for a 3 hour flight when compared with a QF Millennium seat.

Yes but you can also get QF skybed to MEL which is what i have on the way there (Unless it also turns into an equipment change)
I wonder if a low of other airlines will pull F out of there offereings in the future, i cant say its been an increase of decrease but its really only some key routes now, and i exclude all the AA F since its really just like most others J.

All the more justification to make my next trip a DONE and not an AONE, and can still request points upgrades on QF sectors.

E

 

[NM]

Yes but you can also get QF skybed to MEL which is what i have on the way there (Unless it also turns into an equipment change)

but that does not help when you have a ticket for AKL-SYD .

I wonder if a low of other airlines will pull F out of there offereings in the future, i cant say its been an increase of decrease but its really only some key routes now, and i exclude all the AA F since its really just like most others J.

Its been happening for the last 3 or 4 years now.

As for AA F, have you experienced their 777 F product on international flights? Many would rate the AA F seat as better than most F seats, including QF 744, BA, BA old F, UA etc. As far as seat is concerned, its a step below the current generation suites we are seeing in QF A380, SQ A380 and 77W, CX new 744 etc. Certainly a step above J in my experience.

But AA is another of the airlines removing F from some international services. All their 763 operated routes are 2-class only. NZ and VS are two more that have gone down the improved J route.

All the more justification to make my next trip a DONE and not an AONE, and can still request points upgrades on QF sectors.

The number of real F routes is certainly dropping. But the J product on many major airlines is improving beyond the point where F was 5-10 years ago.

 

[Evan]

The number of real F routes is certainly dropping. But the J product on many major airlines is improving beyond the point where F was 5-10 years ago.

Sorry i was refering not to the 777 international F on AA of which there is not a lot but rather all there other F or lack of.

But it is for sure a situation of current J being better than or the same as F from a few years ago.
The new CX is rather nice and also the JL is good.

But when you look at the price premium for F even on the OWE type fares you really have to get a good few F flights in to make it all worth while.

Funny thing is it seems the most F flights to be had inside a continent is in Aisa CX,JL,KA. Almost none in USA, Europe, SWP, Africa except the main intercontinental routes.
Europe as an example, I think there is a FRA-MAD or something like that but the only other is LRH-MCT-LHR, maybe one or 2 more but not really any i could find.

Oh i love F, if only there was more of it to try.

E

 

[NM]

Sorry i was refering not to the 777 international F on AA of which there is not a lot but rather all there other F or lack of.

Then you be referring to their domestic F product, which really is just a business class equivalent to most other airline's domestic or short-haul services. It really should be called business class, but since many other domestic airlines in the USA use the term First, they are very reluctant to change the name.

But I think AA domestic F compares with BA Club Europe quite well. In most cases the AA domestic F seats are superior to BA Club Europe seats and catering is of similar standard. Just no lounge access based on AA domestic F ticket (unless on Flagship trans-continental service which is closer to international F anyway).

And in many cases, QF domestic J is similar to AA domestic F. The main diff I see is there are quite a number of shorter AA flights that are beverage service only, while all QF domestic J flights will provide at least a snack service.

But when you look at the price premium for F even on the OWE type fares you really have to get a good few F flights in to make it all worth while.

Funny thing is it seems the most F flights to be had inside a continent is in Aisa CX,JL,KA. Almost none in USA, Europe, SWP, Africa except the main intercontinental routes.
Europe as an example, I think there is a FRA-MAD or something like that but the only other is LRH-MCT-LHR, maybe one or 2 more but not really any i could find.

Yes, the best real F flights are the inter-continental routes. Even on a short intra-continental flight (such as CX HKG-BKK) where F is offered there is little benefit in travelling F over J.