QF F Experience Questions (QF1 & QF2)

[Flying Fox]

Mrs Flying Fox is turning 40 next year and neither of us have been to the UK or Europe and this is one of her dreams. So I thought that I would do the right thing by her and start saving points with this goal in mind.

I have been lucky enough to secure 2x F on QF1 and QF2 to the UK and back and I would like to make the most of the experience as who knows when and if I will ever be flying F again.

So I am pretty comfortable with booking the chauffer drive from home - airport & airport - hotel (LHR) and visa versa. No problems also with using the SYD Flounge and its facilities.

Lounge Questions -

QF1

1. DXB - I'm assuming that we will use the EK Flounge via our QF boarding passes. What will we have time to do in the Flounge whilst waiting for the aircraft? Enough time for a meal or spa treatment (do they even have a spa) or go shopping within the terminal?

2. LHR - Is there an arrivals lounge that we can use before the chauffer drive to our yet to be booked hotel? And if there is, do we simply keep our driver waiting until we are ready or do we book him/her for a specific time?

QF2

3. What time does check-in open for F and is it worth checking in early to Flounge at LHR?

4. LHR - I think that there are a few lounges that we can use when departing in F. Not sure which one to use? EK Flounge? QF Flounge? BA CCR? Open to all recommendations here.

5. DXB - Same question as above with regards to time available for Flounging etc?

On Board -

6. I would like to try the degustation menu for the flights (OK so I'm a foodie). Do I have to prebook this?

Overall -

Any other tips/advice is more than welcome.

Many thanks in advance.

Flying Fox

 

[TonyHancock]

QF1

1. DXB - I'm assuming that we will use the EK Flounge via our QF boarding passes. What will we have time to do in the Flounge whilst waiting for the aircraft? Enough time for a meal or spa treatment (do they even have a spa) or go shopping within the terminal?

You will get access to the EK F Lounge which occupies an entire floor of the terminal. There is a Spa, although I have not used it. I think you'll get in the region of an hour to ninety minutes in transit. There is also a duty free store in the F Lounge. The a la carte restaurant is not too bad at all.

2. LHR - Is there an arrivals lounge that we can use before the chauffer drive to our yet to be booked hotel? And if there is, do we simply keep our driver waiting until we are ready or do we book him/her for a specific time?

You can use the AA arrivals lounge, turn right when you get airside and there is a lift to the lounge. Not sure what the process is on the old chauffeur drive front.

QF2

3. What time does check-in open for F and is it worth checking in early to Flounge at LHR?

Typically check in, from my experience, opens about five hours before the first QF flight of the day which is QF2. Don't be in a rush to get to the lounges though they are not that great.

4. LHR - I think that there are a few lounges that we can use when departing in F. Not sure which one to use? EK Flounge? QF Flounge? BA CCR? Open to all recommendations here.

The BA CCR is in terminal 5 so you will be left with a choice of BA, CX and AA lounges. From my experience the BA Galleries F lounge is the best, but not a patch on QF's Sydney F Lounge or EK's DXB F lounge. Princess Fiona recently posted some photos, on the FFA Facebook page, of the hot food available on the self service bar. You will get the chance to use the F only Dining Room....but these days it serves the same food as the main lounge.

. DXB - Same question as above with regards to time available for Flounging etc?

Pretty much the same answer.

On Board -

6. I would like to try the degustation menu for the flights (OK so I'm a foodie). Do I have to prebook this?

I don't believe so.

As for other advice, there is not much to add other than enjoy the experience. QF does a pretty good job with F on the A380. The EK Lounge in DXB is pretty special, and to be fair so is the SYD F Lounge. (Don't get too carried away in the Syd Lounge if you want to enjoy the food onboard!!)

 

[evolve]

Fantastic reply Tony!

I'm doing a one way MEL-SYD-DXB booked as F (but MEL-SYD in J) and am wondering if I can organise a chauffeur drive from MEL, and also if if I can use the EK F Lounge once landed...

 

[TonyHancock]

Fantastic reply Tony!

I'm doing a one way MEL-SYD-DXB booked as F (but MEL-SYD in J) and am wondering if I can organise a chauffeur drive from MEL, and also if if I can use the EK F Lounge once landed...

For chauffeur drive you need both the MEL-SYD and SYD-DXB to be on the same PNR.

Don't know about arrivals access in DXB, but I don't think you can use the F Lounge because you need to clear security screening again to get to it.

 

[Flying Fox]

Thanks TonyHancock for the great reply.

Hopefully if I get my act together, I will post a trip report at some stage.

 

[Flying Fox]

I read something the Elemis Spa at the BA F lounge. Is the 15min massage any good/worth the time?

From what I have read its also free, is that correct?

Also, can QF F passengers prebook or is prebooking only for BA F passengers?

Thanks

 

[Deleted member]

I felt the transit time in DXB was a wee bit rushed as there is security as you disembark and again to get back on. But the EK F Lounge is great. Better by a mile than QF SYD lounge IMHO.
I actually found the BA Galleries lounge ok .

 

[Ansett]

Only BA F Passengers can be pre book and even as an F passenger with QF I have never managed to get a treatment Grrrrrrrrr at LHR

 

[amaroo]

I read something the Elemis Spa at the BA F lounge. Is the 15min massage any good/worth the time?

From what I have read its also free, is that correct?

Also, can QF F passengers prebook or is prebooking only for BA F passengers?

Thanks

SWMBO wasn't impressed......T5 & T3 and gave it the thumbs down.

 

[JohnM]

I had my first experience of the EK F lounge at DXB on QF9 in early Sept. Agree it's very nice and is was surprisingly quiet at around midnight; literally a handful of people.

Big disappointment and surprising to me was they only serve Moët.

Agree Galleries F lounge in LHR T3 is reasonable but as Tony pointed out, the menu in the dining room is just the same as what you can get delivered to your spot anywhere in the lounge. Pretty ordinary. I thought the food on the buffet actually looked better, after ordering from the menu and also seeing what others were ordering.

I was travelling J LHR-BUD at night and I was very firmly told that I couldn't sit in the dining room based on my status and class of travel after 7pm (or thereabouts)! During the day is OK but night is reserved for F pax only (of which there seemed to be about 2 dining). So I could still order off the same menu but had to eat at one of the little tables near the bar. BA really does never cease to amaze me...

 

[Princess Fiona]

I read something the Elemis Spa at the BA F lounge. Is the 15min massage any good/worth the time?

From what I have read its also free, is that correct?

Also, can QF F passengers prebook or is prebooking only for BA F passengers?

Thanks

It's not a patch on the SYD F Spa but it's not too bad. Complimentary for F pax and still (as of last week) WP. Can't pre-book, go straight there when you arrive.
My favourite treatment is Flying Feet. Hot stone foot massage whilst relaxing in the massage chair

 

[Flying Fox]

I felt the transit time in DXB was a wee bit rushed as there is security as you disembark and again to get back on. But the EK F Lounge is great. Better by a mile than QF SYD lounge IMHO.
I actually found the BA Galleries lounge ok .

Thanks for the insights. Can't wait to give the DXB Flounge a go (given how good the SYD Flounge is).

Only BA F Passengers can be pre book and even as an F passenger with QF I have never managed to get a treatment Grrrrrrrrr at LHR

SWMBO wasn't impressed......T5 & T3 and gave it the thumbs down.

It's not a patch on the SYD F Spa but it's not too bad. Complimentary for F pax and still (as of last week) WP. Can't pre-book, go straight there when you arrive.
My favourite treatment is Flying Feet. Hot stone foot massage whilst relaxing in the massage chair

Oh dear. I will try my luck and see if I can get the Mrs a massage but I will set her expectations low.

I was travelling J LHR-BUD at night and I was very firmly told that I couldn't sit in the dining room based on my status and class of travel after 7pm (or thereabouts)! During the day is OK but night is reserved for F pax only (of which there seemed to be about 2 dining). So I could still order off the same menu but had to eat at one of the little tables near the bar. BA really does never cease to amaze me...

A throw back to the British class system?

 

[Flying Fox]

You can use the AA arrivals lounge, turn right when you get airside and there is a lift to the lounge.

Does that mean that I clear customs & immigration first, collect my bags and then head around to the AA Arrivals Lounge?

 

[Princess Fiona]

Does that mean that I clear customs & immigration first, collect my bags and then head around to the AA Arrivals Lounge?

Yes you do

 

[legroom]

Slightly off topic, if I may.

Would the AA day pass allow you to use the London AA arrivals lounge ?

Forgot how much that costs nowadays.

? Worth it as hotel check in will be much later in the day

Thanks

(WP, non-OW carrier !)

Does that mean that I clear customs & immigration first, collect my bags and then head around to the AA Arrivals Lounge?

 

[fersea]

I found that by the time you get off the plane in Dubai and have a quick shower there isn't a lot of time for much else.

 

[phily]

I'm assuming that we will use the EK Flounge via our QF boarding passes. What will we have time to do in the Flounge whilst waiting for the aircraft? Enough time for a meal or spa treatment?

I would like to try the degustation menu for the flights (OK so I'm a foodie). Do I have to prebook this?

At SYD keep in mind that you can now check-in at any time of the day of your international flight, which gives you ample time to enjoy the benefits of the fabulous Flounge. The food in the Flounge is very good, but keep in mind that you'll also eat very well onboard. There is a "fine dining" area at the DBX Flounge, but I ate so well onboard that I didn't need any more. One of the benefits of the QF F cabin is that you can eat your meals whenever you want, though if you want to delay your main meal then it can help to ask for your selection to be kept for you. As others have noted, the BA Galleries F lounge is fairly good, but I've had similar experience of using the dining room, in that the printed menu lists only a selection of what is available to others just outside the dining room in the self-serve area.

Regards the chauffeured drive service at LHR and using an arrivals lounge, your driver will be waiting for you in the Arrivals area, and I don't know if you can delay them, for there is no way that you can contact them.

 

[Princess Fiona]

Slightly off topic, if I may.

Would the AA day pass allow you to use the London AA arrivals lounge ?

Forgot how much that costs nowadays.

? Worth it as hotel check in will be much later in the day

Thanks

(WP, non-OW carrier !)

Yes it's a bit steep though at $90 plus VAT
https://www.aa.com/i18n/travelInformation/airportAmenities/arrivals_lounge.jsp

 

[kevrosmith]

Regards the chauffeured drive service at LHR and using an arrivals lounge, your driver will be waiting for you in the Arrivals area, and I don't know if you can delay them, for there is no way that you can contact them.

When I arrived into LHR, I went straight to the AA Arrivals Lounge and, while in the shower, missed two calls on my Aussie mobile from an unknown UK number. I did wonder if this was the Chauffeur Drive service. When I was ready to leave the Lounge, I went down to the counter near to where there was a Qantas sign, and asked if I had messed up my booking. The local company is Tristar. As I hadn't answered my calls, they had cancelled the booking, but I was fortunate enough (I think) that they just reinstated it and a driver was handy ready to take me into the City.

I think what I would've been better to do is go straight over to the counter and advise them I was going to use the Arrivals lounge. As you come through the arrivals door in the public arrivals area, you will see the Qantas sign straight ahead, slightly to the left. There were a lot of drivers lined up waiting with placards, but I didn't even search for my name, so don't know if my driver would've been waiting there when I walked through (quite possibly there were).

I found the stop-over in DXB both ways just a tad too short and rushed. Had a quick shower on the way over, but on the return, all the showers were occupied, so missed out, though did not bother walking to the other end of the Lounge, where apparently there were more showers that might've been available. On the way over, I didn't bother eating in the Lounge, but on the way back, sat down at a table and ordered some breakfast, though regretted this as it all seemed quite disorganised. I wasn't sure if I was meant to order from a menu or just go to the buffet, the waitstaff were quite slow and unclear in their communication, the food turned out to be not fantastic, and really it was a bit of a waste of time. But YMMY.

The transit security in DXB seemed a bit of a joke. Forgot to get my LAGs bag out one time, and it wasn't picked up. I was glad I was toward the front of the line and would hate to imagine how long it takes for economy pax to get through.

The impression I was left with from DXB was: it's all a bit glittery and gold, but scratch the thin surface, and it's a broken mud clay pot underneath.

I was able to book a session in the Payout spa at the LHR Lounge. I had previously had a quick look at the AA Departures lounge, which was fairly quiet, but I'd heard the food offering wasn't great. My intention was to have a look at the BA Lounge and then check out the Emirates Lounge, but once I got to the BA Lounge, decided to just hang there. The shower rooms were huge and well appointed. They were nice enough to hold a booking spot for me so that I could come back after I'd eaten. I ate in the F Dining Room, though only realised the menu was the same as the remaining area later. There is a Champange Bar, and I made good use of the self-serve Whiskeys.

 

[suparockin]

I put a trip report up on QF1 in F if you're interested.