QF 717 experience

[Mistress]

My better half and I flew out to alice springs a week ago using our QFF points while they were on a previous discount. As better half is gold QFF, I had booked our seats earlier and the closest up front was row 8/9. 2 days before the flight I log back in and can up our seats to row 1 2 or 3, so choose 2 as 1 being exit row and with kids you cannot use. Un be known to me we were seated in business seats for economy tickets. Looks like certain 717s (alice springs to BNE for this flight), are business seats but economy ticketed! Bonus!!!

Better half is now getting some 717s out of MKY and same deal, middle seat on row 1 to 3 is blocked out for seats D, like the Alice Springs flight, but still the flight is all economy, no business on the flight!!! Bonus way to get business seats on economy ticket!!!

For me personally I care about the leg room not the extra service!

Another thing with the 717 there was no inflight entertainment, however my iPad hooked up nicely to the Q entertainment app.

I also loved flying on the 717!

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

717 even in Y on aisle A&B is not that bad.
Plus engines are down the back, better still
Granted some on here don't like them, but I love them.
Slowly the former JQ is taking over, flown them twice, but I don't like those.
Still prefer the 717.
Did an ADL - BNE on a J 717 a while back.
Aisle A&B is the one with only 2, so it "feels" to me, a bit more spacious, and not so crowded like a tin can 737.

 

[amaroo]

Flew last week on a B717 - can’t recall flying one before. I liked it! Sitting AB exit row gave me memories of the long gone B767.

I’ve got a fair bit of FNQ travel coming up and will actively book B717.

 

[love_the_life]

We like the 717s out of CBR but over the summer break time they seem to disappear and are replaced by more Dash8s.

 

[bsb]

I love that plane. It’s my all time fave jet.

QF J is great on them but even Y is great. QFs planes are smarter than Hawaiian’s, which are the only other ones I’ve been on.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Some people don't like the Dash8 or any prop planes, guess they fear the props coming off and chopping the plane.
For a person who likes ground views, the Dash8 seems to fly a bit lower, and you have a different perspective than on a 717/737/787.
CBR - SYD one time, I asked if the planned flight I was to be on was a Dash8, had booked it like that, the QF gate person asked if I wanted to go on a 737, I said no thanks, I had booked the Dash 8.
Flew ADL - MEL on the Dash8 too once.

 

[love_the_life]

ADL to MEL would’ve seemed never ending on a Dash8. I got stuck on one BNE - CBR once!

 

[docjames]

ADL to MEL would’ve seemed never ending on a Dash8. I got stuck on one BNE - CBR once!

BNE-HTI was slow enough, made worse by the jetstar A320 that departed after and arrived before us......

 

[Daver6]

ADL to MEL would’ve seemed never ending on a Dash8. I got stuck on one BNE - CBR once!

That's exactly how I felt doing it on a Dash 8 from MEL to NTL.

 

[Mattg]

Interesting to know there's a few 2-class 717s flying around on 1-class routes! Thanks OP for sharing.

ADL to MEL would’ve seemed never ending on a Dash8. I got stuck on one BNE - CBR once!

That's exactly how I felt doing it on a Dash 8 from MEL to NTL.

Sorry to get off-topic, but a relative flew from ADD to DAR recently with Ethiopian Airlines, which is a longer route than BNE-ADL. Apparently it was a 3h 40m redeye flight on a Dash 8! If you don't believe me, look up ET827.

 

[docjames]

Sorry to get off-topic, but a relative flew from ADD to DAR recently with Ethiopian Airlines, which is a longer route than BNE-ADL. Apparently it was a 3h 40m redeye flight on a Dash 8! If you don't believe me, look up ET827.

Looks like it's a Dash 8 on Mon and Fri and a 737 the other days of the week.

 

[amaroo]

Continuing with the OT nature....

Last month we did return CUN-BZE-CUN (1h 45m each way) in a 12 seater Cessna 208 Caravan - it was awesome!

 

[kermatu]

I'm a fan of the 717s. Try to get these (or the rare 737s) out of CBR whenever possible.

Don't like the Dash-8s but got quite used to them on the NW Tassie routes over many years.

Too noisy. But did enjoy a couple of TSV-CNS flights in the Dash-8s. Excellent viewing.

 

[docjames]

The 208 grand caravan is such a great aircraft. We flew one from a dirt airstrip near Lake Kariba (Zimbabwe side) to Hwange NP (HWN). Amazing performance.

According to the pilot (glad he told me after we landed), apparently one of the real advantages for remote/bush operations is that each wing can be removed separately, so in the event of a landing accident and (one sided) wing damage, a new (single side) wing can be flown in and replaced in the field.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

I have not sat near the rear of the 717, so can't say if the noise level is higher, or that bad, but on here, it was mentioned by a colleague on here a while back that it can be loud.

 

[kermatu]

I recall some trip report which had a video from near the engines on the 717 that suggested that was the case.

Fortunately I usually sit well away!

Dash-8s are noisy no matter where you are.

 

[Flying mermaid]

We like the 717s out of CBR but over the summer break time they seem to disappear and are replaced by more Dash8s.

And on weekends . Booked our flights for our African trip in September and made sure I chose the 717 back on the Sunday as Mr FM hates the Dash 8s. Just checked our booking and the 717 is now a dash8 and I think the only one that is not is early evening. A bit annoying but pretty much what you expect. Presumably not a sitting week for pollies .

 

[amaroo]

The 208 grand caravan is such a great aircraft. We flew one from a dirt airstrip near Lake Kariba (Zimbabwe side) to Hwange NP (HWN). Amazing performance.
.

Agreed. We ended up doing 8 flights on a Tropic Air 208 caravan and loved everyone of them.... quite a few of them we were the only passengers onboard.

Flying low over jungle, coral and beach added extra special benefits.

 

[amaroo]

Have a couple of dozen or so B717 coming up, best part - WP's get exit row free Sad, but true....

 

[Mistress]

Have a couple of dozen or so B717 coming up, best part - WP's get exit row free Sad, but true....

Yes Im hoping they honour that on international too... better half will be WP very shortly and we have a long haul international coming up at end of the year slugging it in economy, however if we can get some emergency exit seats to be able to stretch out even better!!! though i know we won't be able to get the window exit seats as we have 2 kids with us, but the middle of the aircraft with extra leg space, i am hoping we can nab those... saving $180 per person!!!