Oneworld airlines alternatives to Qantas

[Allan R]

My wife and I recently flew with Qantas to Europe and return. I have been loyal to Qantas for the past 14 years and am a QC member. I have experience a few problems over these years, but overall have been pretty happy. However on this last occasion, the quality of cabin service, food, and seat comfort on each of the 4 legs (A3830/747) were the worst I have ever experienced in my 30 years of international air travel. For example, inoperative entertainment system, food shortage, poor quality food. rude and abrupt cabin staff, very tight seat configurations. I can understand why the airline recently dropped from 6th to 8th in the airline top 10 list. Can anyone suggest an airline in the Oneworld group that offers reasonable service and leg room?
I'm happy to stay with Oneworld so that I can use my accumulated miles and QC membership. If it sounds like I'm whinging...I apologise, but I am.

 

[delsbells]

Cathay Pacific rate highly and there is Finnair and British airways. I think Malaysian Airlines are joining One world next year so they would be a good alternative too.

 

[sergeyvzn]

Cathay Pacific is an excellent alternative to Qantas especially now they are getting rid of their horrible fixed-shell seats in economy and getting a fantastic new business class seat

as for a second choice airline - if I had a choice between BA or Finnair, I would choose Finnair. Also a factor is transiting via their super cute and easy to navigate hub in Helsinki Vantaa airport

 

[Allan R]

Thanks very much for your comments. I will check out all the airlines that you suggested. I travel to Shanghai about 3 -4 times per year, so Cathay or Malaysian may suit better.

 

[moa999]

You're allowed to whinge, and ocassionally we all have bad flight experiences.

Whilst you don't say what class you were travelling, interesting that the experience was across both the 380 and 747 as both have substantially different seat configs and AVOD.
The 747 seat and AVOD hasn't changed in years (although will begin to shortly), whilst the 380 is (imho) substantially better across all classes.

 

[docjames]

Note that QC membership is useless on Cathay, Finnair etc.

You only get lounge access for you+guest if travelling on QF, BA or AA.

Malaysian are not yet a partner (may be ~ 12-18 months away).

If travelling predominately to Shanghai (only), I'd be using Cathay, dumping QC and swtiching earn to CX.

If you still do Domestic travel, then stay in QFF / CC, and just use CX for the Shanghai trips, but note the legroom (in Y) is no better on CX than QF. In some respects it's worse due to the fixed seating (hard shell). there's threads on this if you search (and you'll see I've posted in most of them! )

 

[Rebekkap]

Note that QC membership is useless on Cathay, Finnair etc.You only get lounge access for you+guest if travelling on QF, BA or AA.Malaysian are not yet a partner (may be ~ 12-18 months away).If travelling predominately to Shanghai (only), I'd be using Cathay, dumping QC and swtiching earn to CX. If you still do Domestic travel, then stay in QFF / CC, and just use CX for the Shanghai trips, but note the legroom (in Y) is no better on CX than QF. In some respects it's worse due to the fixed seating (hard shell). there's threads on this if you search (and you'll see I've posted in most of them! )

Those hard shell seats are quite literally the most uncomfortable seats I have ever sat in. Hideous. I was in an exit row so wasn't so bad from the leg room point of view, but my goodness they are completely lacking in lumbar support and are dreadfully uncomfortable. Even with a full sized pillow behind my lower back I was still trying to sleep in a really uncomfortable position.

 

[browski]

DragonAir will be a good option for you intraAsia..............but really, for long term, you should be a Velocity or Krisflyer accumulator.

Fly Virgin domestically and credit to Krisflyer
Fly SQ or TG or OZ or Air China from Australia to PVG and redeem all on Krisflyer

 

[elbarto]

If you're chasing status and are looking at flying a Star Alliance airline then join the Aegean Airlines program. A rtn trip in Y to London should net you Star Gold.

 

[cirqueboy]

CX is my choice. I maintain SG with QF and fly CX as much as I can. The exit row seats free of charge for OW makes it a no brainer when having to fly in Y, especially on the Boeing 777, heaps of room in row 54. The service, food and wine out of a real bottle in Y is so much better than what QF offers. The lounge choices in HKG when transiting are also quite good.

 

[docjames]

Those hard shell seats are quite literally the most uncomfortable seats I have ever sat in. Hideous. I was in an exit row so wasn't so bad from the leg room point of view, but my goodness they are completely lacking in lumbar support and are dreadfully uncomfortable. Even with a full sized pillow behind my lower back I was still trying to sleep in a really uncomfortable position.

Completely agree. Try 8.5hrs DXB-HKG, non-exit row, being 6'5", around midnight departure, ~10am arrival. Back sore from angle, legs sore from being jammed into seat in front. Stupid airbag seatbelt poking into the side of you.

I wont fly CX Y until these seats change.


Edit: I might add it was followed two days later by 4hrs on their 777 regional with "old" Y seating which was much more comfortable - soft lower, hard upper section.

 

[Allan R]

I have recieved a lot of advice since I posted. I greatly appreciate all your comments.

 

[goldy]

Qantas is rubbish. On my last flight to DFW a few weeks back, the aircraft was so dirty and dusty it was totally unbelievable. so im basically in the same boat, QF will NOT be getting my money in the future.

 

[gumpy]

wow a lot of people seem like Finnair... I'll definitely try them next time.

For me like most here use CX and BA as an alternative. I love CX but I don't mind QF really. When I fly international long haul I need sleep and comfort over anything else by a long margin so I rate them almost solely on the hard product.

I sleep best in BA and CX for J but QF gives me a chance to get into F and the sleep quality is ok for J on the 388.

 

[Isochronous]

CX is my choice. I maintain SG with QF and fly CX as much as I can. The exit row seats free of charge for OW makes it a no brainer when having to fly in Y, especially on the Boeing 777, heaps of room in row 54. The service, food and wine out of a real bottle in Y is so much better than what QF offers. The lounge choices in HKG when transiting are also quite good.

What do you mean by free exit row seats?

 

[Vinny]

I have felt the same for a number of years. If I fly OW airlines I make four quick trips to SYD to keep QF membership levels. Then to Europe I usually fly Finnair, firstly flying Cathay to HKG. Both are excellent airlines however business class is my only experience with them. The cool thing is flying Finnair you fly via a port in Asia, then on to HEL, then on to a European port, giving extra status points and a much more pleasant experience than QF.

The difference if needing to fly QF on a leg home is quite noticeable.

It's usually less expensive if you shop around as well.

Good luck.

 

[Awesom Andy]

What do you mean by free exit row seats?

CX offers free exit row seats in Y for all pax with OW status, even for a ruby.

Finnair has also started flying to SIN daily, with an A340. They also have codeshares with QF and CX, so you can book direct on their website, where you'll be presented with an array of options going via SIN, BKK (QF/BA) or HKG (CX) available on most days. A dummy booking for J SYD-LHR in Aug shows some routings to be $2k less than what QF/BA is currently offering, while scoring a total of 640 SC for a return trip.

 

[winfred]

I have felt the same for a number of years. If I fly OW airlines I make four quick trips to SYD to keep QF membership levels. Then to Europe I usually fly Finnair, firstly flying Cathay to HKG. Both are excellent airlines however business class is my only experience with them. The cool thing is flying Finnair you fly via a port in Asia, then on to HEL, then on to a European port, giving extra status points and a much more pleasant experience than QF.

1 problem with Finnair to Europe is that the flights between HEL and your final destination will have "domestic" J seats similar to the old Virgin Y+.

 

[drron]

Though if your final destination isn't LHR or FRA then on QF you will transfer to another carrier who will also have cr*ppy premium seating.

 

[JetLagged]

Cathay Pacific rate highly and there is Finnair and British airways. I think Malaysian Airlines are joining One world next year so they would be a good alternative too.

Surely you jest regarding British Airways as a good alternative? If it is one of their new products, maybe. If it one of their old aircrafdt - these are traps to be avoided at all costs. As to their cabin staff - rude, frumpy, bored, inattentive, old-fashioned (to be polite - tired and worn out, more like it). Imagine being in a J class seat that is broken but the cabin staff refuse to let you move - even though a) you request that even Y is preferably, and b) there are Y seats available. This was a trans-Atlantic flight to New York - imagine the state of arrival after that flight!