Qantas 787 reviews J - Y+ and Y

[Ansett]

Given that the 787 has made several flights now between OZ and US I thought it would be good to have a dedicated thread for review of flights across all the cabins.

Please provide as much feedback as possible in each cabin but especially in Y+ with the concerns about getting in and out in terms of the effect of reclined passengers and then in Y in relation to shoulder room in comparison to a domestic 737 and the A380 in Y.

For J passengers ease of sleep and comfort compared to A380

Looking forward to some informative reviews to help fellow AFFERS as to avoid or book the 787.

 

[AviationNZ]

Given that the 787 has made several flights now between OZ and US I thought it would be good to have a dedicated thread for review of flights across all the cabins.

Please provide as much feedback as possible in each cabin but especially in Y+ with the concerns about getting in and out in terms of the effect of reclined passengers and then in Y in relation to shoulder room in comparison to a domestic 737 and the A380 in Y.

For J passengers ease of sleep and comfort compared to A380

Looking forward to some informative reviews to help fellow AFFERS as to avoid or book the 787.

Just saw AusBT with this thorough review of Premium Economy - Qantas Boeing 787 premium economy (Melbourne-Los Angeles). Not exactly a wonderful product from the looks of things!

Hoping they were coming back in Business class so we can get the review of that cabin.

 

[Pleb Status]

It should be noted that any review which states that the reviewer 'travelled as a guest of xx_' is effectively an advertisement paid for by xx_.

 

[moa999]

I wouldn't read that review as an advertisment.

Is consistent with AusBTs initial reviews based on the Domestic flights as well.

With the price QF charges for PE versus Y, they can afford a few more inches in pitch.
I suspect on a $ per m² basis the PE seats are the highest yield by some distance

 

[mviy]

I expect at some point I’ll have a flight in PE on the 787, but I’m sure J will be a lot better. Will upgrade as often as QF approves my upgrade requests, but applying for upgrades as late as at the gate PE will be a possibility.

 

[Austman]

Every flight I've had on a 787 has been ordinary at best as far as the aircraft is concerned.

It ain't no "Dreamliner".

That's just marketing, unfortunately.

 

[dajop]

It ain't no "Dreamliner".

I disagree. For economy passengers, seating in 3-3-3 configuration it is very much a "Dreamliner". As in: you can only dream about what it would be like if you had a wider seat and more legroom.

 

[DavidFlynn]

It should be noted that any review which states that the reviewer 'travelled as a guest of xx_' is effectively an advertisement paid for by xx_.

So you reckon AusBT's clear criticism of Qantas' Boeing 787 premium economy seat on the MEL-LAX flight – which is consistent with our initial coverage of the launch and our findings on the delivery flight – is an advert paid by Qantas? If that were so, methinks they'd want their money back!

 

[DavidFlynn]

Just saw AusBT with this thorough review of Premium Economy - Qantas Boeing 787 premium economy (Melbourne-Los Angeles). Not exactly a wonderful product from the looks of things!
Hoping they were coming back in Business class so we can get the review of that cabin.

Indeed we are. QF offered business class there and back as is the norm, but as far I know we were the only media to choose to do one leg in premium economy (MEL-LAX) and one in business class (LAX-MEL).

 

[snabbu]

Great thread.

Hoping for a few Y reviews whilst these $787 fares still available

 

[Strategic Aviation]

The truth behind the Qantas-sponsored AusBT review's advertising spiel:-

making it incredibly difficult to get out and access the aisle

Translation: Fire crews were called to attend to free pax with the jaws of life. One trapped passenger found in the rearmost row of PE had scrawled a note that read "Do not resuscitate unless I'm op-up'ed to J". (A second note was also found: "Why isn't there F?")

saw my slightly-tilted inflight entertainment screen painfully crash into my kneecaps

Translation: Both my legs have been amputated at the knee.

Still unhappy with this, I spent a further 90 minutes trying various positions involving the foot net and leg paddle in an attempt to get comfortable for sleeping, but regardless of which I tried, I didn’t find success

Translation: I am still on the plane fighting with the legrest.

saw numerous travellers on my flight walking on the actual seats to get across, and jumping down into their seat and landing with a floor-shaking ‘thud’.

Translation: Two passengers doing this went through the floor into the cargo hold. Also everyone started shouting "HULK SMASH!" while jumping.

All things considered, on the 14-hour trek from Melbourne to LA, I managed to get literally one hour of sleep.

Translation: And now I wake screaming at night and have $3600 of chiropractor bills.

Passengers talking loudly in the cabin didn’t help

Translation: The PE pax loudly lamented their misfortunes all night. (Except those travelling courtesy of Qantas.)

I arrived in LA dreary and red-eyed, despite normally sleeping quite well on planes.

Translation: Upon arrival I was immediately cast as an extra in The Walking Dead.

 

[DavidFlynn]

The truth behind the Qantas-sponsored AusBT review's advertising spiel

Not a bit of sponsorship there, mate – as with all such reviews, the airline provides the ticket so that we can experience the seat or lounge or whatever, and write up that experience, but has zero say in what we write and we feel zero 'obligation' to the airline for that comp ticket.

As a former editor of mine (back when I was covering technology) used to say: "If you can't take their flight and hotel room, eat their food, drink their booze and then write a negative story if that's what is required, you're not a journalist."

 

[Strategic Aviation]

Don't think you took my post in context - read past the first line

 

[DavidFlynn]

Oh I got the context of your post, and got a giggle from it too, am just trying to take the opportunity to correct notions of 'sponsorship' and influence.

 

[JohnPhelan]

It should be noted that any review which states that the reviewer 'travelled as a guest of xx_' is effectively an advertisement paid for by xx_.

If you bothered to read the review before commenting, you would see that it is highly critical of the Premium Economy offering on the QF 787. Proving yet again that professional journalists provide honest and unbiased reviews, irrespective of whether or not the ticket is provided by the airline. Fortunately not all of us see the world through your eyes.

 

[Deleted member]

I’m more interested in the J review.

 

[Mattg]

I've only flown the 787 on a short SYD-MEL hop but would have to agree with the premium economy reviews. It's a pretty good seat that desperately needs another 3-4 inches of leg room. Even with my seat fully reclined, there just wasn't enough space to get comfortable. Qantas is charging a premium for these seats and it's simply not good enough. The lack of any toilets in the PE cabin was also a tad inconvenient.

I'm yet to experience Y but having a quick walk around the cabin those seats did look narrow. I still can't see myself booking Y or PE on a QF 787 long-haul flight... J did look excellent though.

 

[offshore171]

How were the toilet lines?

 

[Denali]

I remember watching a Qantas show about the new fit out and the back patting over the stupid paddle that your calf rests on. Meanwhile I was yelling at the TV that all that pressure on my calf for long periods will end up with me limping from the plane or a nice case of DVT.

Only plus I got from reviews is middle gets 23.5".

 

[Pleb Status]

If you bothered to read the review before commenting, you would see that it is highly critical of the Premium Economy offering on the QF 787. Proving yet again that professional journalists provide honest and unbiased reviews, irrespective of whether or not the ticket is provided by the airline. Fortunately not all of us see the world through your eyes.

Where did I indicate that I was referring to that particular review when I made my comment?

If I was referring to that review in particular, I would have quoted it.

The intention of the OP was to make this thread a summary of various reviews of the QF 789 (not just a single review). My comment was made to provide context to some of the reviews that will be posted later in this thread and I have seen in the past.

Reviews (and I am quoting Ausbt now) that state things like 'the QF 789 J suite is the best J 787 seat in the world' (with no additional qualifications), which is unlikely and directly reflected a QF advertisement which was appearing at the same time (their wording was 'best in the sky').