Qantas gets a poor review by Age editor

[serfty]

FWIW, it can be route dependant.

QF ex SFO flights specifically had a reputuation for minimalist if not quite non existent service.

Not sure if it is still the case with the recently resurrected route.

 

[cove]

Serfty we won’t go back to anything or anywhere where the service was a zero. Life is too short for that.
If I remember correctly we scored a really old Qantas junker that should have been in the bone yard for that run out of San Francisco to Sydney.

 

[love_the_life]

Serfty we won’t go back to anything or anywhere where the service was a zero. Life is too short for that.
If I remember correctly we scored a really old Qantas junker that should have been in the bone yard for that run out of San Francisco to Sydney.

That’s right. I’ll take my money elsewhere if I get bad service or product. There’s lots of competition out there. Sometimes the alternatives turn out to be better, sometimes not but we don’t go back to places which don’t take the customer seriously. In terms of airlines we tend to be less likely to book QF if other companies provide a better product. Sometimes it makes sense to use QF but other options are weighed up now. In the last we would book QF because it was Australian but had too many average to poor experiences to do that now. As Cove says, ‘Life is too short.’ Being self funded and paying cash for the majority of our flights might have something to do with it.

 

[cove]

In London we have a restaurant downstairs. Mrscove copped a poor meal deal and she never wants to go back. Convenient but if they cannot cook that is a problem.

 

[oz_mark]

I can identify most of the issues that are raised in the article, but they wouldn't make me put pen to paper!

You are referring to Hilton loyalists who keep returning to same bad properties because they can’t break loose from the golden chackles but the OP was referring to new customers who will probably not return to a business that made a first bad impression.

If I was Hilton Loyalist (and I admit at this point, I don't get the emotional attachment to Hilton on display around these parts), I might try a property one time, just because it is Hilton. But if they don't measure up, why go back?

 

[boomy]

If I remember correctly we scored a really old Qantas junker that should have been in the bone yard for that run out of San Francisco to Sydney.

That’s right. I’ll take my money elsewhere if I get bad service or product. There’s lots of competition out there. Sometimes the alternatives turn out to be better, sometimes not but we don’t go back to places which don’t take the customer seriously. In terms of airlines we tend to be less likely to book QF if other companies provide a better product. Sometimes it makes sense to use QF but other options are weighed up now. In the last we would book QF because it was Australian but had too many average to poor experiences to do that now. As Cove says, ‘Life is too short.’ Being self funded and paying cash for the majority of our flights might have something to do with it.

Stop bashing poor Qantas!

So what what if sometimes they fly old aircrafts with IFEs from the stone age, provide bad service and there are plenty better options to choose from. It’s an Aussie airline and we must support them!

 

[cove]

boomy I know that is tongue in cheek! I bailed out of Qantas shares after the AGM so I don’t fret at night nor day.

 

[serfty]

If I remember correctly we scored a really old Qantas junker that should have been in the bone yard for that run out of San Francisco to Sydney

Was that an FA, the Aircraft or both?

The issue with SFO and Qantas crew was it had a reputation as a "party" slip and the FA's were often in recovery mode as they worked the flight back to SYD.

 

[cove]

The flight crew were not around for hours. I noticed and so did Mrscove.
We had only gone thru San Francisco to look at some estate jewelry and that didn’t work out either.
So for us we go out of Los Angeles either on SQ or QF to get back to Perth.
It was one of those not refurbed 747s that needed to go out to the bone yard before we flew on it.

 

[seanpodge]

They aren't so much loyal to Tiger as they are to cheap airfares. If an airline swooped in and undercut Tiger on every flight TT would have zero pax.

Quite. It's the game Tiger/Jetstar/et al are playing. It should come as a warning to other airlines that keep looking to cut back costs/service. If all management focuses on is dollar signs, they can't blame customers for doing the same.

I'll admit that I am someone who hasn't flown QF for 20 years (combo of me nearly never flying domestic in Aus, lack of international routes useful to me, *A membership and more recent dislike of Joyce's anti-union leadership), but if QF, as per the article author, offers a product closer to Ryanair than the Residence, then it does little to engender any loyalty among passengers beyond towards their wallets. May as well book that cheap Tiger/Scoot/Air Asia et al flight over QF. You know the service probably won't be great there either, but at least they're upfront about it rather than waiting until you're on a metal tube 40,000 ft up in the air to let you in on the secret.

 

[trippin_the_rift]

Personally, I'll go OUT OF MY WAY to avoid Australian cabin crew. IME 20% are spectacular and real assets to their employer. The rest are benchwarmers, at best.

 

[Lendav Orav]

QF can certainly be inconsistent but overall nothing like anything from the Americas or southern Europe. LA is usually pretty good in J but there's still generally the attitude. AA is usually pretty awful in any class. Also my experience with AC. IB simply appalling. We keep going back to alliance members though as we want to retain (and enjoy) status. Same thing goes for Hilton stays. I'm curious what people's gripes have been about Hilton SP. I've been a few times and always been unimpressed but just because it's a boring hotel. No terrible service tough.

 

[Denali]

Im not disputing the authors story but why no photos?

If the plane truly was "... the toilets were filthy, with paper and rubbish overflowing from the bins. The aisles were revolting, with plastic wrapping and headphones and various bits and bobs all over the floor", then I cant believe someone didnt take a happy snap for show and tell.

Not a single photo in 10+hrs by a news agency editor?

 

[love_the_life]

Im not disputing the authors story but why no photos?

If the plane truly was "... the toilets were filthy, with paper and rubbish overflowing from the bins. The aisles were revolting, with plastic wrapping and headphones and various bits and bobs all over the floor", then I cant believe someone didnt take a happy snap for show and tell.

Not a single photo in 10+hrs by a news agency editor?

Actually I’ve been on flights that sounded similar and never even considered taking a photo.

 

[BAM1748]

Have a long haul flight about once per year on QF where crew ignore call buttons.

Not professional and gives out all the wrong impressions.

 

[Guvner]

Im not disputing the authors story but why no photos?

If the plane truly was "... the toilets were filthy, with paper and rubbish overflowing from the bins. The aisles were revolting, with plastic wrapping and headphones and various bits and bobs all over the floor", then I cant believe someone didnt take a happy snap for show and tell.

Not a single photo in 10+hrs by a news agency editor?

If the author had taken photos there'd be a queue of people on here claiming that said author was just looking for a story, otherwise why would she have had her camera at the ready. She was on holidays, and she had a bad flight, so she wrote about it. I don't see the problem.
It's the same as a bad restaurant review, everyone reads it and instantly validates it by comparing it to their own experiences. If it doesn't align they either dismiss it or question the motives.
I wrote a review of a bad hotel experience I had and was attacked for daring to criticise the establishment that apparently was "superb" and "fantastic" and it was all my fault and I was asked why I didn't take any pictures, I was a liar, I was looking for compensation etc etc.
Reality was it was a bad experience and I was honest with my review and I did not seek any redress, but some people can't handle that.

 

[DC3]

Im not disputing the authors story but why no photos? .....

.... Not a single photo in 10+hrs by a news agency editor?

Yes, Gabrielle Costa, a Fairfax journalist, who researches and reports for a living, does not include the photos in this article for some reason.

 

[dajop]

FWIW, it can be route dependant.

Could it depend on operating aircraft? IIRC, QF have different crew bases and crewing arrangements for different aircraft type. I can remember some shockers on the 747's but have noticed pretty consistent service on the 330's flying between Australia and SIN in more recent times.

I'd tend to agree with the call button comments. It's a contrast to some airlines who I'm beginning to think on modern aircraft have KPI's relating to call button response times, as they do seem to want that button turned off as soon as they reach you and ask you what you want.

 

[yohy?!]

yep got that level of service in Y only last week flying back to HK, call bells ignored & visits to the galley to request drinks treated with glares and disdain.

massive contrast to the flight down to SYD where the crew in Y were falling over themselves to keep us happy.

the poor crew were NZ based and the great crew AU if that adds to anyones data points.

its 50/50 for me in encountering these types of crews on QFint, domestic they are much much rarer.

 

[Pushka]

yep got that level of service in Y only last week flying back to HK, call bells ignored & visits to the galley to request drinks treated with glares and disdain.

massive contrast to the flight down to SYD where the crew in Y were falling over themselves to keep us happy.

the poor crew were NZ based and the great crew AU if that adds to anyones data points.

its 50/50 for me in encountering these types of crews on QFint, domestic they are much much rarer.

I’ve had not so great experiences with NZ based crew. There’s just not the same polish and training I guess.