Qantas to slash number of first and business seats

[Flying Fox]

My thoughts are -

1. I agree that J is now better than F used to be. If you think further back, F didn't even have flat beds so time has changed the service levels for everyone. Maybe with the exception of Y.

2. Concerns about less J redemption/upgrade seats as well.

3. More importantly, I think that QF has got its timing very wrong. With the GFC ending and premium travel demand growing again, isn't this the wrong time to be taking out premium classes that represent the fattest margins? Won't this hurt profitability in the future? If you consider a GFC as a once in a 30 yr event, reducing a profitable product line to combat a financial glitch that might not occur again in 30 yrs or so is bound to damage profitability in the 29yrs in between.

If this cycle of decision making continues, the next GFC will be just after QF have started reconfiguring their aircraft for more premium products

 

[NYCguy]

With the new Skybed Mk2 I have no need for an F seat and I think that most people would be the same.

You may still have a seat-mate, who may or may not be extremely annoying, and may or may not have to clamber over you every time they wish to leave their seat.

There will always be a market for F from passengers who value the quiet and privacy of the first class cabin. The main J cabin on QF's 388 has 54 seats - where's the privacy there? OK, it's not Y, but in those F "suites" you can at least hide from your fellow passengers somewhat. That's important to some of us.

I'm a little surprised that QF don't see a business case for F between SYD and SFO, but there you go. There's always UA.

 

[drewbles]

I'm a little surprised that QF don't see a business case for F between SYD and SFO, but there you go. There's always UA.

Having flown SYD-SFO numerous times, I can see why there is no market. This is a major Leisure route. UA have a huge hub at SFO and AA do not, making connections for business travellers, and premium pax, much less for QF/AA out of SFO when compared with LAX.

UA will have more business travellers on SYD-SFO due to the fact they have more connections from SFO. QF will have more business travellers on SYD-LAX due to the face AA have more connections from LAX. Simple numbers game there.

The times i've done SYD-SFO, The premium cabins have never been anywhere near full. Last flight I got bumped up to J seating with Y+ service, on a $1000 return fare. Time before, pre-GFC, the premium cabins were sparsely populated, and Y was full.

I'll still fly SYD-SFO any day, purely as I hate arriving in LAX and the often huge customs/immigration clearance times.

 

[maninblack]

You may still have a seat-mate, who may or may not be extremely annoying, and may or may not have to clamber over you every time they wish to leave their seat.

There will always be a market for F from passengers who value the quiet and privacy of the first class cabin. The main J cabin on QF's 388 has 54 seats - where's the privacy there? OK, it's not Y, but in those F "suites" you can at least hide from your fellow passengers somewhat. That's important to some of us.

I'm a little surprised that QF don't see a business case for F between SYD and SFO, but there you go. There's always UA.

"Some of us" being the issue. Some, is just not enough to mount a sustainable business model on many routes. If it was airlines would be increasing F class around the world but this is generally not so. The quality of J on many airlines is so good now that it is good enough for nearly anyone. Many of the major carriers now offer an individual suite to their long haul J passengers such as CX, SQ, NZ, AC, DL, BA etc. The requirement for staffing, catering, amenities, lounges and so-on that go into running a true F class service is a large and costly undertaking.

I don't think QF will scrub F altogether. LHR and LAX will always have it I reckon.

 

[dajop]

You may still have a seat-mate, who may or may not be extremely annoying, and may or may not have to clamber over you every time they wish to leave their seat.

There will always be a market for F from passengers who value the quiet and privacy of the first class cabin. The main J cabin on QF's 388 has 54 seats - where's the privacy there? OK, it's not Y, but in those F "suites" you can at least hide from your fellow passengers somewhat. That's important to some of us.

Thinking about QF a lot of what you say is oh so true. The whole seat mate aspect can sometimes be annoying, especially the clamber over you thing, and really isn't very private at all.

However, on some other airlines (those with the much maligned herringbone seats and SQ's new J class), there is a much stronger feel of privacy and there is direct aisle access from every seat. Hence if you didn't want the better service/food/beverages, the "prestige" of flying F or the feel of "turning left", these new generation J products may well be an adequate substitute.

But to be frank loss of F routes is really all about SFO, JNB & EZE - they are the three destinations where there is F today and won't be tomorrow - although I guess there are also questions marks around LHR routings through HKG and BKK as well.