QF F - First Impressions

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Had first experience in QF F on Sept 10 – whilst I have ridden SQ R and F 100 times and TG F only twice this was 1[SUP]st[/SUP] experience in QF F. I don’t intend this to be an SQ v QF comparison but what I list below are my first impressions of the hard and soft product.

Certainly different seat layout – I am no big fan of herringbone in any way shape or form – but we are all different and I guess just need to adapt. But given seating layout there is absolutely zero chance of any interaction bw you and partner – even less than I anticipated.

PJs and amenity pack look good – but my god are those scuffs provided just the cheapest of cheap you could ever find – freebies in any hotel far superior.

Toilets so tiny – my god I was amazed. Half size of toilets on SQ 380 and about 1/10[SUP]th[/SUP] size of TG 380.

Tait Comtes champers delicious – 3 champs listed on wine list – only 1 available – crew advised they serve what is loaded – Comtes it is so let’s get serious.

Seriously inadequate lighting for reading – this I found a pain in the cough – oh light totally insufficient – lights surrounding headboard behind you just not bright enough – this was most annoying.

Crew were excellent – 3 crew members service 14 pax – CSM did nothing bar greet people and wander through cabins tapping on his iPad – I guess that his job. SQ CSM always contribute to serving F pax if required. SQ R and F have 4 crew – QF 3 – they had to work their coughs off

Seat comfortable to sit in in most positions – upright or whatever recline angle – this is one area where SQ F let’s itself down. SQ R is good but std F seat wide as hell but nor very comfortable to sit in – not a problem with QF seat though – very good.

Virtually zero storage bins in and around seat for your goodies for use during flt - zero in F seats anyway – don’t know about A or K window seats – 2 tiny little shelves right beside you on LHS which are then totally obscured when seat rotated for recline – 2 twist out draws out of reach from your seat – slide forward on your seat then can reach them but not very convenient – just an area that should have been addressed.

No vertical adjustment dinner table – that was strange – slides forward and back but no vertical adjustment – ok no biggie – just expected it.

Both F and J cabins full - F 14/14 with 10 who changed totally into the PJs provided to answer a question posed in another thread – J had 54/54 pax according to crew – again so diff to SQ as no upgrades on SQ unless lower cabin oversold.

Now as for the interaction bw couples - there were 3 couples on board all of whom continually criss crossed aisle or are peering around mini suite wall to try to interact in minimal form with partner during flight. This amazes me – it just smacks of lack of design forethought – maybe no possible solution.

Watched BYO IFE 2hrs before realized no power supplying my computer even though I had power supply plugged in - but USB power outlet ON – call FA and she goes off to check – apparently power outlet was turned OFF - go figure – Jen the crew member who looked after me entire journey was totally apologetic and she was just SUPERB throughout the flt.

Lunch rolls around and table is set - NO Lurpak - that's gotta be a good thing right?

What’s with the ‘camp style’ cutlery in both F Lounge and on-board? Hardly elegant.

First thing I notice is just how good the bread is – the rye bread was just superb – much better bread offerings than SQ.

Cauliflower soup delicious – simply delicious.

Did I mention how good the Comtes was?

Main I chose the Braised beef cheek – big mistake - dry chewy boot leather would be the only way to describe this – disgraceful. How anybody could stuff up braised beef cheek is quite an accomplishment – but I was able to eat most of it thanks to the Leeuwin Estate Cab Sav – I love that wine.

Coffee was lovely – hot and strong.

I rarely eat dessert so can’t really comment – although I did opt for the ice cream. Was not quite what I expected – chocolate coated vanilla Ice cream on a stick in F? Really? In F? Other deserts I did not try

A few more Comtes and another hour of BYO IFE then time for sleep. Bed was quite OK – slept like a baby but I usually do – plenty champs and a sleeping tablet and I make zzzz’s like they are going out of fashion.

Woke and prepared for breakfast – forgettable to say least. Fresh fruit fine but that was best part. Scrambled eggs just so so and toast best not had – very ordinary. English breakfast tea though was hot and only redeeming fact. Cruiserettte was woken an hour after me and her scrambled eggs were stone cold – just not good enough.

Now I know everybody is given an amenity kit – but what is with the zero amenities in toilet? I would have thought some disposable toothbrushes / combs / brushes etc. would be available but none to be found – guess you do need use the amenity kit provided and no spares available.

So pack everything away for landing and OMG – my phone was sitting on tray table and as I lifted table phone slid down behind and trapped. Bugger me – totally inaccessible area and totally irretrievable. Call crew and they try and try –only solution is to get engineer post landing to pull seat apart to try to retrieve. F*ck me! I have 2hr connection to LV and MUST have phone!

So best solution is to give crew Cruiserette’s number and they will call or text once engineer has pulled seat apart and retrieved it and they will forward to a destination we provided once they have it. So we deplane and through security in no time – waiting at carousel for baggage and hear announcement for Mr Elite to contact ground staff. I grab first person in uniform I can see and she says ‘Oh you are Mr Elite – I have your baggage here and a crew member is on way down with your phone!’

WOW what a result – within 5 mins the male QF crew member from the F cabin appears and hands me my phone – simple process apparently to pull plane apart if you know where to start – great result on phone return QF - great result and full marks.

So overall without sounding too derogatory the QF F experience was good but did not knock my socks off. YES huge tick for phone retrieval and crew in F cabin simply SUPERB – I will send through note to QF congratulating them shortly. Loved the wines – food basically not up to scratch and I am not a hard marker I don’t think. Cold eggs for breakfast just not acceptable – and I don’t mean luke warm I mean COLD. Cruiserette just said not impressed with QF at all and still wants to go back to the old blue skybeds upper deck SQ 747 – aint’ gonna happen honey.
 
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Superb service with the phone retrieval, Cruiser. Well done, QF F staff. :)

I am a great fan of QF F on the 380, in particular. The cabin crew, in my experience, are almost always brilliant, and they are the key factor in having a splendid trip. I've had the SQ Suites experience a couple of times and enjoyed it immensely - and would be more than happy to re-visit that, any time. But, on balance, the QF staff and style suits me a little better.

That said, I found your detailed assessment interesting and do agree with some of the negatives of the product - inadequate reading lighting, limited accessible storage space, particularly with the seat extended, lack of adjustment options for the tray table, again especially with the seat in lounging position, and virtually no amenities in the bathrooms. The first and the last, at least, should be easy to fix!

On a couple of flights, the food has been so-so but usually it's good, I find. And the Champagne is always excellent. You were fortunate with the Comtes. I've not seen it for a while. Have a flight coming up very soon, so my expectations will be high. :)

Thanks for the post.
 
Both F and J cabins full - F 14/14

The upgrade lottery in all it's glory.

All about enticing your customers to buy J and then splurge points entering the lottery ... whilst ensuring your F availability for paying customers is wide open right up to the last few days.

In December I was able to upgrade the four of us on QF11 into F - beautiful when your number comes up!
 
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Nice write up :) I've flown QF F many times and agree with the majority of your observations. I haven't yet hit cold eggs or inedible food, admittedly I have had food that's not quite up to F standards at times but that's not restricted to QF. Don't find the lighting a problem at all and don't find the lack of vertical movement of the dining table an issue either as I find it's easy to adjust the seat to suit the height of the dining table without compromising comfort. I have only flown twice in F with Shrek and we dined together which I found perfectly adequate in the space provided. I'm a bit of a solitary flyer so really like the individual pods and wouldn't like to see the cabin have more double seat arrangements.
Spot on about the lack of amenities in the toilet, the drawer with the shoe shine mits and cotton buds is rather pointless really.
Hopefully if you have a return trip the catering hits the spot.
 
Nice write up :) I've flown QF F many times and agree with the majority of your observations. .......<snip> I have only flown twice in F with Shrek and we dined together which I found perfectly adequate in the space provided. I'm a bit of a solitary flyer so really like the individual pods and wouldn't like to see the cabin have more double seat arrangements. .<snip>

Yes, PF, I didn't comment on that point but I do agree with you. My QF F flights have been a mix of travel with partner in F, and others with partner in J :)) He often declines to "waste" his points on an upgrade. I don't understand the term, used in this context. :)).

If we are both in F, we usually dine together but, apart from that, we are both happy to have the time and space to ourselves for movies, reading, working, sleeping etc. Indeed, I think it's one of the real luxuries of travel up the pointy end. Just doing what you want, when you want, with staff on hand to meet every need - and with a smile! What could be better? :)
 
Disappointing to read the food wasn't so good as service and food are usually QF strong points in the air. Braised beef cheek sounds like something I had before in Dom J, hope it's not the same dish served in a nicer plate!
Sounds like F is great for solo traveling but for a couple J would be a better choice.
 
Disappointing to read the food wasn't so good as service and food are usually QF strong points in the air. Braised beef cheek sounds like something I had before in Dom J, hope it's not the same dish served in a nicer plate!
Sounds like F is great for solo traveling but for a couple J would be a better choice.

IMO QF F is great for couples .... hours of watching what you want, getting waited on hand and foot and enjoying whatever F&B that takes your fancy - is true bliss
 
Oh I forgot to mention - neither female nor male SK-II amenity kits had any type of brush or comb inside - nada / zilch / zero - hope you don't think I am splitting hairs here but this is really hard to fathom. :D
Spot on about the lack of amenities in the toilet, the drawer with the shoe shine mits and cotton buds is rather pointless really.......................Hopefully if you have a return trip the catering hits the spot.
Yes Cruiserette did mention that 'shoe shining' way down her list of priorities travelling MEL-LAX in F!

Could not secure QF F ret to MEL so booked VA instead - I love that bar on board - shame VA in their wisdom have decided to axe MEL-LAX service - this will be my swan song on VA - I have given them 'life' going forward solely because of their decision to treat Melburnians as 2nd class citizens.
 
Oh I forgot to mention - neither female nor male SK-II amenity kits had any type of brush or comb inside - nada / zilch / zero - hard to fathom that one.Yes Cruiserette did mention that 'shoe shining' way down her list of priorities travelling MEL-LAX in F!

At least the girls get a decent amenity bag ... the boys one is total rubbish.
 
Slightly off topic, but slightly related. The wine lists. Both in F and J. They have these lengthy wine lists that wine all sorts of awards. In reality (at least J, not had the pleasure of F...yet) they will only have maybe 3 of the whites, 3 reds, one sparkling and one dessert wine. I realise there is some form of rotation, but it always seems to be the same few wines. Feels a little like false advertising to some extent to me. And yes, I realise this is being rather picky :)
 
Slightly off topic, but slightly related. The wine lists. Both in F and J. They have these lengthy wine lists that wine all sorts of awards. In reality (at least J, not had the pleasure of F...yet) they will only have maybe 3 of the whites, 3 reds, one sparkling and one dessert wine. I realise there is some form of rotation, but it always seems to be the same few wines. Feels a little like false advertising to some extent to me. And yes, I realise this is being rather picky :)

It's not only that, also the quality of the wines (at least in J) went down over the years.
I don't mind a small selection as long as they are all good quality.
 
Nice write-up!

Certainly different seat layout – I am no big fan of herringbone in any way shape or form – but we are all different and I guess just need to adapt. But given seating layout there is absolutely zero chance of any interaction bw you and partner – even less than I anticipated.

FWIW, QF mentioned that a majority of their F pax travel solo, hence the design being the way it is. Makes sense from their POV, I guess.

I've tried QF F once (a few months ago) and have two more in the next few weeks. I totally didn't know about the touch screen panel which controls the seat massage feature amongst other things. At the time, I thought it was odd that J (Skybed Mk II) had a seat massage feature and F didn't. Little did I know that wasn't the case! :oops:

Also had the Taittinger CDC as well. Wasn't a fan despite loving the Taittinger NV. Looking forward to the other two (Pol Roger Sir Winston Churchill and I forgot if the other one is VC LGD or Bollinger LGA) - hopefully can try them both soon!
 
Oh please leave your share of the Comtes for me, then!
Totally agree I love it :). Pretty fair summation by the OP - the couples issue doesn't worry us. After 35 years of spending pretty much 24/7 together we don't mind being on our own on a flight.... I do love QF staff and it has been the main thing keeping us with Qantas. However after experiencing the great food on Emirates and the wonderful shower I am not sure it will be enough to hold us in the future......
 
Ah, the shower. Yes. Highly seductive, that. :)
I really can't remember what the EK bubbles were - but that shower is so over the top. And such great fun - as long as you don't think about how completely extravagant it is.
Just thinking about a combination of the QF Comtes and the EK shower.....
Definitely non- PC. :) :)
 
Ah, the shower. Yes. Highly seductive, that. :)
I really can't remember what the EK bubbles were - but that shower is so over the top. And such great fun - as long as you don't think about how completely extravagant it is.
Just thinking about a combination of the QF Comtes and the EK shower.....
Definitely non- PC. :) :)
isn't this whole board non-PC? Champagne was Dom - I prefer the Comtes but the combination of shower and Godiva chocolates won my heart....
 
At least the girls get a decent amenity bag ... the boys one is total rubbish.

Totally agree. But on another note, have you seen the EK amenities bag for guys ? It is pure class.
 
isn't this whole board non-PC? Champagne was Dom - I prefer the Comtes but the combination of shower and Godiva chocolates won my heart....
Yes, of course it was Dom. We are so easily won over, are we not? All it takes is a spa room with shower at 30,000 feet, top shelf bubbles and a chocolate or three. :p
 
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