Qantas F or Etihad J ??

[Duffa]

I have the points for both. Here are my thoughts.
Travelling MEL-DUB

GOOD
Qantas: MEL F lounge and QF 9 in F
Etihad: MEL F/J lounge. On-board coughtail bar. Direct flight to DUB from UAE.

BAD
Qantas:. Late departure so will sleep through most of the F delights! No direct flight to DUB
Etihad: Only "J" and not F. No A380 to Dublin

Haven't flown either service so please help?

 

[Buzzard]

I wish I had a problem like that

 

[Mattg]

I would probably choose QF F over EY J. Among other reasons, I think the on-board service on QF is likely to be far superior (especially in F) and you'll get the A380 as far as LHR. A number of recent trip reports covering EY J have commented on the poor service.

 

[BillytheFIsh]

I haven't flown either, so I'm in the same situation as you and I wouldn't think twice about going QF F.

 

[kpc]

If you hate Lhr, than EY...QF F seat slightly better than EY J; in my limited experience, EY J service nearly as good as QF F....I personally would lean towards EY unless you have never flown QF F before and want to try it out!

 

[boomy]

I'd take any F over any J any time.

 

[Duffa]

I wish I had a problem like that

First world problem, I know.
I have flown QF F before but that was way, way back when it was a 747 - never been on the QF A380 product

 

[esseeeayeenn]

I haven't tried the new EY F lounge in Abu Dhabi but I'd certainly factor in the quality of the transit experience.
Certainly the EK F lounge in Dubai is luxurious, and you should be greeted by an F host who will help you make a free appointment at the spa.
On the other hand I do like the bar on Etihad's A380. The lounge area on QF doesn't compare, and they don't encourage F pax to wander up the stairs anyway.
The QF A380s just seem like a collection of missed opportunities to me. No shower or proper bar or other feature to define the premium in-flight experience, oddly designed open suites in F and the dreadfully dated skybeds in J.

 

[pauly7]

QF F all the way. Much much better catering. Better seat/bed.

 

[boomy]

Certainly the EK F lounge in Dubai is luxurious, and you should be greeted by an F host who will help you make a free appointment at the spa.

Since when QF pax met by F host in DXB?
I've never heard of or seen any hosts in all my transits.

Btw Duffa, did you check availability on EK F using your QF points? Their overall product is heaps better.

 

[Duffa]

I'd take any F over any J any time.

Except the QF F is 134,000 points more expensive. That's something I forgot to mention - more than a J-return's worth of points differential.
And the YQ are about $1,200 on QF and $280 on EY

 

[esseeeayeenn]

Since when QF pax met by F host in DXB?
I've never heard of or seen any hosts in all my transits.

Btw Duffa, did you check availability on EK F using your QF points? Their overall product is heaps better.

I was greeted by a first host at DXB on 20 August 2014 in transit from QF1 SYD-DXB to EK151 DXB-CPH.

 

[Duffa]

Btw Duffa, did you check availability on EK F using your QF points? Their overall product is heaps better.

Yes, I did thanks. Their availability is slightly different and doesn't quite suit.
I've flown EK F before including the shower experience!!! I would take EK A380 over QF any day, too.

 

[boomy]

I was greeted by a first host at DXB on 20 August 2014 in transit from QF1 SYD-DXB to EK151 DXB-CPH.

Ah ok, on transit to EK F it makes sense and good on EK for making the whole F experience extra special.
I was thinking it's like those mysterious QF F hosts that I've heard about but never actually met any of them.

 

[v1nce007]

BAD
Qantas:. Late departure so will sleep through most of the F delights!

Go via Sydney and take QF1?

 

[Aussie_flyer]

I haven't tried the new EY F lounge in Abu Dhabi but I'd certainly factor in the quality of the transit experience.
Certainly the EK F lounge in Dubai is luxurious, and you should be greeted by an F host who will help you make a free appointment at the spa.
On the other hand I do like the bar on Etihad's A380. The lounge area on QF doesn't compare, and they don't encourage F pax to wander up the stairs anyway.
The QF A380s just seem like a collection of missed opportunities to me. No shower or proper bar or other feature to define the premium in-flight experience, oddly designed open suites in F and the dreadfully dated skybeds in J.

Theres no bar on Etihad A380s. They have the lobby or lounge area and I find it completely boring. Its nothing like the bar concept on EK and QR A380s

 

[Duffa]

Theres no bar on Etihad A380s. They have the lobby or lounge area and I find it completely boring. Its nothing like the bar concept on EK and QR A380s

Bummer! It looked like a bar on the website but on closer inspection, you are right. Just a lounge.

 

[boomy]

Bummer! It looked like a bar on the website but on closer inspection, you are right. Just a lounge.

It is actually very nice lounge to hang around for a while. On a recent flight I sat there with the CSM, two FAs (it was late at night so they had nothing to do) and a bottle of good cognac. We had an interesting conversation/gossip about EY and other airlines.

 

[RooFlyer]

Ah ok, on transit to EK F it makes sense and good on EK for making the whole F experience extra special.
I was thinking it's like those mysterious QF F hosts that I've heard about but never actually met any of them.

At SYD and MEL F lounges, the 'First Host(s)' are behind the reception counter (or nearby). Multi tasking!

 

[esseeeayeenn]

Theres no bar on Etihad A380s. They have the lobby or lounge area and I find it completely boring. Its nothing like the bar concept on EK and QR A380s

They don't call it a bar because of sensitivities about alcohol.
And no there is no physical bar as in a counter with barstaff behind it.
But they wait on you and bring you drinks so it isn't functionally any different.
I have really enjoyed sitting their having a drink and meeting other PAX.
I haven't flown on a QR A380 but I'd rate the experience on a par with the bar on an EK A380.