Questions: SG on international QF Economy, vs. Emirates

[kitkatff]

Just flew Economy with Emirates as a QF SG, and I'd like to get some comparison with experiences on QF, as so far when traveling internationally with QF I somehow always got an upgrade to J (well, all of the 3 times I flew with them, it's not like it's every week ). Only made SG for the first time last year.

Just asking as I got the following on EK, due to the QF SG status, in Emirates' Economy:
- priority checking and boarding but that'd be the same I think - though EK also gives that to Silver.
- "business" tag on the luggage (didn't make any difference on arrival in MEL or LHR but nice touch)
- access to a lounge on an EK invitation in LYS, France - I am not sure I'd have gotten in with oneworld status alone, forgot to check, seems to be operated by Lufthansa (?)
- Fast Track tickets for security in DXB and Customs in Melbourne (no need to use either so will keep for another time)
- personal greeting/chit chat by the head cabin person for every flight

So the basic question is would I get the same service on QF international economy, as SG?

Adding to that the fact that their IFE is way better than QF's in terms of choice (including live TV on the 777s, but not the 380s), it was quite a good experience.

Only downside, as I had ticketed QF, in 2 cases I didn't have the option to purchase an upgrade, as apparently they can't check the ticket price or something. However on a third flight from SIN I was quoted a price - bit too high for my liking, but could have got it. That option seems a bit inconsistent? Half thinking to ticket EK next time, but I'm guessing I'd miss out on SCs.


Anyway, just curious on experiences of status PAX travelling in QF economy

 

[eminere]

You should, at the very least, receive:

• Check-in at the business class counters,
• Priority baggage handling (whether that works or not is a separate topic for discussion),
• Priority boarding, and
• Access to business class lounges.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Love the SG occasional shadow, about 80% success.
Purely when flying QF.

 

[decs]

so far when traveling internationally with QF I somehow always got an upgrade to J (well, all of the 3 times I flew with them, it's not like it's every week ). Only made SG for the first time last year.

Very interested by this. Do you mean op-up or a pts Upgrade Reward?

 

[GalaxyNexus]

Just flew Economy with Emirates as a QF SG, and I'd like to get some comparison with experiences on QF, as so far when traveling internationally with QF I somehow always got an upgrade to J (well, all of the 3 times I flew with them, it's not like it's every week ). Only made SG for the first time last year.

Just asking as I got the following on EK, due to the QF SG status, in Emirates' Economy:
- priority checking and boarding but that'd be the same I think - though EK also gives that to Silver.
- "business" tag on the luggage (didn't make any difference on arrival in MEL or LHR but nice touch)
- access to a lounge on an EK invitation in LYS, France - I am not sure I'd have gotten in with oneworld status alone, forgot to check, seems to be operated by Lufthansa (?)
- Fast Track tickets for security in DXB and Customs in Melbourne (no need to use either so will keep for another time)
- personal greeting/chit chat by the head cabin person for every flight

So the basic question is would I get the same service on QF international economy, as SG?

Adding to that the fact that their IFE is way better than QF's in terms of choice (including live TV on the 777s, but not the 380s), it was quite a good experience.

Only downside, as I had ticketed QF, in 2 cases I didn't have the option to purchase an upgrade, as apparently they can't check the ticket price or something. However on a third flight from SIN I was quoted a price - bit too high for my liking, but could have got it. That option seems a bit inconsistent? Half thinking to ticket EK next time, but I'm guessing I'd miss out on SCs.


Anyway, just curious on experiences of status PAX travelling in QF economy

I've done some economy both as WP and SG on Qantas.

Here's what I always get as WP: express passes, priority bags, priority boarding, onboard greeting (international economy only).

Here's what I get as SG: priority bags, priority boarding. No express pass. No greeting. It seems when I get to SG later on I'll just fly EK

 

[jackthomas]

Having flown as an SG on both, the treatment onboard EK is much better for a gold member because they treat QF Gold like their own Gold members who get many more benefits...
Always delivered an express path pass in economy on Emirates, definitely not on QF..
On my last EK flight I got express path on both ends, priority check in and boarding, cabin crew greeting, the cabin crew even came down to give me a bunch of wine from business which was an unexpected surprise (which confused those seated near me)

 

[eminere]

Love the SG occasional shadow, about 80% success.
Purely when flying QF.

Not an established benefit.

 

[love_the_life]

Not an established benefit.

Think it was more a**e than class if you pardon the saying - more luck than anything and a low pax load.

 

[kitkatff]

Very interested by this. Do you mean op-up or a pts Upgrade Reward?

I should have said, they were all points upgrades (once alone, twice for 3 people).

Thanks all for the feedback, looks like EK gives more consideration to those of us who can't hope to reach WP

 

[JohnK]

Love the SG occasional shadow, about 80% success.
Purely when flying QF.

Occasional and 80% are a huge contradiction.

Try flying on some peak hour flights and see if your high success rate sticks. Happens <50% for this Platinum so you as a Gold are getting a much better deal.

 

[eminere]

Occasional and 80% are a huge contradiction.

Try flying on some peak hour flights and see if your high success rate sticks. Happens <50% for this Platinum so you as a Gold are getting a much better deal.

Assuming of course that AP has sufficient sample size of data to draw that (contradictory) conclusion.

 

[Timba-Jet]

Have flown BKK-SYD a number times on both QF and EK. Personal greeting and express pass on EK as SG, nothing extra inflight on QF.

 

[GalaxyNexus]

Anecdotally when I was SG I got op-up from Y (super discounted rate) to J on an international flight. After I got to WP I never got one. So maybe SG do get a better deal.

 

[JohnK]

Or maybe Gold is the new Platinum. Or vice versa.

Shut up John....

 

[Pushka]

I should have said, they were all points upgrades (once alone, twice for 3 people).

Thanks all for the feedback, looks like EK gives more consideration to those of us who can't hope to reach WP

How did you get Qantas points upgrade on EK metal? That isn't an option? We've had 'free' upgrades as SG and WP.

 

[NZ_Flyer]

I have to say on recent QF9 and QF2 flights this year, I noticed a shadow as SG when looking at EF (and this was with me being the only person in the row and not a WP/WP1 having a shadow). Even when I changed rows the shadows moved with me (also changed to other empty rows) and ended up sticking for all 4 sectors. Maybe just an anomaly?

 

[eminere]

I have to say on recent QF9 and QF2 flights this year, I noticed a shadow as SG when looking at EF (and this was with me being the only person in the row and not a WP/WP1 having a shadow). Even when I changed rows the shadows moved with me (also changed to other empty rows) and ended up sticking for all 4 sectors. Maybe just an anomaly?

How full were the flights in the end?

 

[NZ_Flyer]

How full were the flights in the end?

Pretty packed. I was in the upper deck Y section and there were only 2 free seats (my shadow and another middle seat) on all the sectors. I didn't specifically look in the downstairs cabin but when I wandered through to stretch my legs it seemed pretty full with only a few empty seats. Although all the pax that got CSM greetings (and thus presumably WP or higher) were all travelling with family which is maybe why they didn't get shadows.

 

[kitkatff]

How did you get Qantas points upgrade on EK metal? That isn't an option? We've had 'free' upgrades as SG and WP.

The upgrades were with points on QF - that's why I started this thread, because I got 3/3 for QF international flight upgrades, so I have never flown QF international economy as a SG. So I wanted to know how EK Economy compares to QF Economy when SG So far EK seems better


On EK Upgrades when on QF tickets:
- last year I got offered an upgrade on check in (was 400 euros for 6+ hour flight), took it, but I gather at the time they were running some promotion or other (not sure)
- I asked again this time and in LYS I got told "can't do it you ticketed with QF so we don't know how much to charge you" - I even said "take my money" but no ...
- but in SIN at the EK check in I got quoted US$1,100 to upgrade from Y to J for SIN-DXB. Didn't take it as too expensive, but it was offered.
So the option to buy an upgrade on EK when ticketed QF seems kind of inconsistently understood/applied.

Actually just the option to buy an upgrade could make it worthwhile getting some flights ticketed on EK instead of QF, provided I have the required SC to maintain SG (I'll never get to WP).