Qantas Economy Plus Discussion

[MEL_Traveller]

Saw on another travel page - QF is introducing the economy plus to the A330 fleet - hope not QPA-QPD because these aircraft do not have wifi - why should we have to pay more for a product other QF A330 has, and these 4 aircraft don't have?

https://www.executivetraveller.com/news/qantas-a330-economy-plus

The extra room - if that’s important - far outweighs any wifi!

As mentioned upthread I flew a domestic sector sitting in what’s normally the crew rest seat… it was amazingly comfortable with the extra 3 inches. Much better than the 737 seats which are still quite narrow.

 

[tomlee1986]

Given the cabin crew have told me those 4 are never getting wifi because they're being retired first and guesstimating by timing of required maintenance, I cant see them being reconfigured. They're probably getting retired within the next 18months.

I wonder when will they approximately retire

 

[moa999]

I wonder when will they approximately retire

Age wise QPA is approx 12 months older than EBA/ EBB which have just undergone 7-8wk (so likely C8/D checks) at Paya Lebar (QPG), but who knows how the Covid shutdowns have impacted maintenance timings.

I suspect we might get more info at the FY26 results presentation in mid-Aug (and my prediction would be 4 333s retired and 4 789s delivered in FY28 (so July 2027- June 2028)

 

[Chrizztofa]

Age wise QPA is approx 12 months older than EBA/ EBB which have just undergone 7-8wk (so likely C8/D checks) at Paya Lebar (QPG), but who knows how the Covid shutdowns have impacted maintenance timings.

I suspect we might get more info at the FY26 results presentation in mid-Aug (and my prediction would be 4 333s retired and 4 789s delivered in FY28 (so July 2027- June 2028)

A cursory look at Flightera suggests that the A333s continued to operate through the Covid shutdowns from 2020 while almost all of the A332s were parked for at least 12 months from March 2020 onwards (EBD was parked for nearly four years).

However, it does seem that the A333s did rotate through maintenance during this period:
QPA was out of service from Oct - Dec 2020
QPB was out of service from Jan - Mar 2021
QPC was out of service from Jan - Feb 2021
QPD was out of service from Apr - Jul 2021

If it's six years between D checks then you could see the first four A333s being retired later this year (with the arrival of QPM and the A350s to offset the loss in capacity until the new 787s arrive in FY28)?

 

[encryptededdy]

The evening Trans-Tasmans have been pretty empty these last few months in the Economy Plus section, I'm getting an empty seat next to, in front of, and behind me almost every trip at this point. Meanwhile, everything behind Row 13 is full on almost every flight.

From this perspective this has actually been a great enhancement from Qantas for my travel, not for the legroom per se but just the empty section in the forward part of the 737 and works better than "shadows" ever did without Economy+.

 

[CaptJCool]

Flying to Adelaide on 22nd
And onto Melbourne on 23rd

T-80 opened up the remaining Row 4 seats (1 & 6) both with a price tag of $$

So hopefully at checkin, I’ll get the morning run in 4

 

[million_thanas1968]

Unfortunately, it seems like the days of WPs selecting Row 4 at T-80 for free are officially over. I seem to recall being able to select it even last month, but I was just told that QF had implemented a new policy as of July 1st that officially makes bulkhead rows paid selection until T-24.

I guess that between last year's announcement and last month, some of us WPs were still able to pick bulkhead seating at T-80 for free. Not anymore, sadly.

 

[SYD]

Unfortunately, it seems like the days of WPs selecting Row 4 at T-80 for free are officially over. I seem to recall being able to select it even last month, but I was just told that QF had implemented a new policy as of July 1st that officially makes bulkhead rows paid selection until T-24.

I guess that between last year's announcement and last month, some of us WPs were still able to pick bulkhead seating at T-80 for free. Not anymore, sadly.

Are WPs even seeing Row 4 from T-80 even as a paid option?

I have two future bookings SYD<->MEL (return) and on all four Row 4 is completely blocked but showing empty on EF for all four flights.

From memory, and posted up thread, there was a small window around T-80 +/- that I could select Row 4 before becoming blocked again.

So basically you couldn’t even pay to sit there.

 

[CaptJCool]

No luck on row 4 for today’s nor tomorrows flight

Sighs

 

[SYD]

No luck on row 4 for today’s nor tomorrows flight

Sighs

Do you recall what was presented around T-81ish to T-79 ish?

Did you even get the option to pay to sit in Row 4 inside T-80 or T-24 / after OLCI or did they just stayed blocked?

 

[CaptJCool]

Do you recall what was presented around T-81ish to T-79 ish?

Did you even get the option to pay to sit in Row 4 inside T-80 or T-24 / after OLCI or did they just stayed blocked?

Yes
The option to pay was available
One seat in Row 4 Syd - Adl $70

6 seats in Row 4 ADL - MEL $50

 

[million_thanas1968]

Are WPs even seeing Row 4 from T-80 even as a paid option?

I have two future bookings SYD<->MEL (return) and on all four Row 4 is completely blocked but showing empty on EF for all four flights.

From memory, and posted up thread, there was a small window around T-80 +/- that I could select Row 4 before becoming blocked again.

So basically you couldn’t even pay to sit there.

For me, yes.
In fact on some flights I'm seeing Row 4 and selected bulkheads on the 330 such as Row 23 DEFG as free.
It's not until I go to the confirm payment page that it throws an error and gives me a new price.

On a few of my flights that hit T-80 today, Row 4 is now available but at a price.

 

[Daver6]

Bulkhead on A330 was available to me at T-80 for a fee for a flight tomorrow.

 

[tomlee1986]

Bulkhead on A330 was available to me at T-80 for a fee for a flight tomorrow.

May I ask which flight is this?? and safe travels

 

[SYD]

Bulkhead on A330 was available to me at T-80 for a fee for a flight tomorrow.

QFi or Domestic?

We were able to select bulkhead on an AY config A333 ex HNL back in May. Amazing legroom but the tray table arrangement was diabolical.

We’ve taken the exit row next year but hoping for an upgrade to J to avoid a similar tray table.

 

[Daver6]

May I ask which flight is this?? and safe travels

QF71

QFi or Domestic?

We were able to select bulkhead on an AY config A333 ex HNL. Amazing legroom but the tray table arrangement was diabolical.

We’ve taken the exit row next year but hoping for an upgrade to J to avoid a similar tray table.

International (although QF71 is a domestic/short haul config I believe).

 

[exceladdict]

Important question, are people recording flights in these seats as economy plus on my flight radar? I haven't been, reserving it for intl Y+ where there is a difference in booking code (same way I didn't put aa MCE flights here...).

About to enjoy a nice extra legroom seats on a 321. Thought the flight was packed, middle seat was blocked but old mate in the window seat must be statused enough for it to be a shadow!