Recent good QF service

[qf unfort]

Last few flights been pleasantly surprised by the QF service. All domestic, all booked economy, all in last 2 weeks.

MEL-BNE: during meal service attendent called me by name, described the two wines before I chose. nice service in Y.

SYD-MEL: QF upgraded me to J. Not sure why (other than maybe WP status) as Y cabin not full. Seems unusual, esp on the SYD-MEL vv route from what I can gather

MEL-ADL: Row 5 of 737 cabin. After take-off, lead stewardess(not sure technical term for that role) came thru Y cabin introducing herself to (what I presume) the 4 or 5 WP members sitting there. Welcomed me back on board and asked if i'd like a newspaper or if there was anything else she could do to make the trip more enjoyable. Slightly embarassing to be honest as she ignored the guy next to me who must have wondered why I got the special treatment! Still, nice personal touch.

All other flights (inc those above) priority tags worked perfectly at all airports - near first off.

Anyone else seeing a definate improvement in service recently? Presume doing what they can to retain business in these tough times...

 

[Grooba]

Here's hoping it was actually the fact that Qantas is trying to up their game!

I highly doubt it was a corporate decision to improve customer service as from my POV the service is always (and has always been in the last few years) up and down.

 

[pblackm]

You never know, but there is a possibility that the new Training Centre that we discussed a while ago may be starting to have an effect.

 

[medhead]

You never know, but there is a possibility that the new Training Centre that we discussed a while ago may be starting to have an effect.

+1on the training center idea. Let's hope this is the start of a trend

 

[oz_mark]

I have commented elsewhere that there does seem to have been an overall improvement in service on QF flights since late last year. Not sure what actually brought it on, there could have been several factors. I just hope they keep it up.

 

[Ikara]

MEL-ADL: Row 5 of 737 cabin. After take-off, lead stewardess(not sure technical term for that role) came thru Y cabin introducing herself to (what I presume) the 4 or 5 WP members sitting there. Welcomed me back on board and asked if i'd like a newspaper or if there was anything else she could do to make the trip more enjoyable.
...

My betting is that she was a "more mature" (and I mean that in the nicest possible way!!) lady with curly hair. That happened to me a number of times when I was flying and it was always the same lady. My guess is that she has been flying as long as me - and I'm 62! But it is nice though. She has been as far as the exit rows to welcome me back on board.

JB

 

[KitKat]

Was upgraded recently on ADL-MEL flight.
Was asked to go to the QP desk about 5mins before QP call for boarding.
"Mr K, please come to the QP front desk.."
"May I have your boarding pass?"
Boarding pass from Check in Kiosk - folded into 4, slightly crumpled - handed over
"You have been upgraded to Business, enjoy!"
"Ooh, thank you"

Flight was full and I think they had changed the plane from a 737-800 to 737-400. Perhaps that is why they moved me up to the pointy end.
Anyway, the upgrade was much appreciated as I am only SG. It is my first ever upgrade (without going through the QF lottery).

 

[munitalP]

There has in my very humble opinion an increase of customer care onboard as well as by the lounge dragons over the last couple of months...

I have done 14 QF flights and 1 DJ flight this month and the only "onboard" questionable service has been on Qantas link flights - and even that hasn't been too bad and I think is stemed from the smaller aircraft and milk run hops up the east coast north of BNE.

Yesterday PER/ADL - a "senior" CSM looked after me, kept the glass of coldstream merlot charged and even had time to have a quick chat about nothing in particular

ADL/MEL, again a "senior" CSM - maybe mid 50's, the plane was a 733 so she managed to extend her field of play to way past the 3 rows of J and down into the main cabin quite some distance

Again (alas no coldstream) keeping my glass charged!

A special note goes to Karen - a lounge Lady (not dragon in this case) at the SYD J lounge - what a wonderful woman!!!

Mr!

 

[Grooba]

A special note goes to Karen - a lounge Lady (not dragon in this case) at the SYD J lounge - what a wonderful woman!!!

Mr!

Sound like a nice candidate to provide feedback via the Recognise Staff email feedback for on Qantas.com

I've noticed at the SYD J lounge that generally the staff there are quite attentive and easy to deal with.

In saying that, even the most feared lounge dragon can be acceptable if they are calling your name out for an upgrade.

 

[ozimax]

I will add to this thread. Checking in for a QF flight in SFO last week, bound for Sydney, and I was pleasantly upgraded to Premium economy.

This was the 1st international upgrade for me in 500+ flights with QF, and I was very surprised, and thankful.

The actual inflight service was good, the meals excellent. QF service is, in my experience (and as a former employee), usually only so-so, but this time they have excelled themselves.

 

[Leumas]

I've never had an op-up from QF, and frankly, they haven't been anywhere near my good books lately...

Fair is fair though - I received a hamper on Friday 'apologising for the inconvenience caused'.

 

[Batesy]

I was booked on todays (Sunday) 2:00pm MEL-SYD with QF. Checked in at about 12:15 so was very early. I was in the business lounge, checked in there with carry on only. Was called to the desk at 1:15 asked if I would like to gon the 1:30pm flight as my 2:00pm was going to be delayed.
Changed and made it in to SYD early. Great service as the male dragon was on the front foot.

To be blunt though I find QF service very inconsistent across the board, from on board to call centre to lounges and check in, can get great service with people that deliver great service and think in common sense, logical terms.
However you can get the complete opposite with grumpy bordering on rude service with any interaction with QF. Whenever I get great service I e-mail them and let them know. When I get unhelpful service on the phone I call back later and get a different person and a different result.

I am WP and never feel specially treated on domestic services in Y.

 

[Mr Ed]

I have flown Sydney - Mt Isa a number of times, at the pointy end and when I've sat down for the Brisvegas - Mt Isa (Gateway to Hell) sector I have asked the air hostesses to keep my champagne glass full and the red flowing. At the end of the flights they even give me the open bottles.
They have poured me down the stairs and been very helpful easing me into Hells Hole.
That's happened a number of times on different flights to different places.
Flying from Sydney to New York, the Lost vomit to New York sector, everyone was spaced out so most people had a bed for 5 hours sleep.

 

[anat0l]

After take-off, lead stewardess(not sure technical term for that role) came thru Y cabin introducing herself to (what I presume) the 4 or 5 WP members sitting there. Welcomed me back on board and asked if i'd like a newspaper or if there was anything else she could do to make the trip more enjoyable. Slightly embarassing to be honest as she ignored the guy next to me who must have wondered why I got the special treatment! Still, nice personal touch.

I got a similar greeting on QF634 MEL-BNE a few weeks ago. I had just turned WP (only two days beforehand) and the plane was lightly loaded, however there was no chance of an op-up on my award Y and the aircraft had changed from a 738 to 734. I got row 4, so it wasn't all that bad. My travelling companion was originally staring at a seat in row 7 on what was initially viewed to be a full load, but the J lounge staff managed to grab 4B (me = 4C) for him. The load was so light at the front he ended up moving to 4A and we had a free seat between us, which is pretty much just as good as sitting in J!

Anyway, after take off and seat belt signs turn off, the economy cabin manager Janice approaches and introduces herself to me and my companion (even though he is only QC NB). We later confirmed that there were only a handful of WPs on board, and it looked like I must have been the most forward seated of them because the rest of row 4 opposite us didn't get any personalised greeting.

Janice reapproached us after the dinner trays had been cleared and asked if there was anything I would like or that would make the flight more enjoyable. After some chit chat about the superb Y meal, I really didn't know what to ask for. Free booze (considering this was a cash bar flight)? Perhaps some of the wine from J? I decided to ask for some of the Peyton's chocolates normally only given to J pax. She immediately returned with two chocolates. (That's probably all they would have left for the last flight of the day.)

I almost thought this was sort of standard treatment for WPs, although having said that I also believed it was only possible because the flight was not full. Had the flight been packed to the gills, I doubt the same level of service would have been proffered; not to say that I would be very, very impressed if it was proffered with a full load!


I didn't know QF had a feedback link specifically for commending service. I will have to search and keep this in mind. In general, the worst QF have dealt to me is fairly boring, pedestrian personality people, but never rude or the like. This is very much at odds with quite a few people, but honestly whilst I haven't always got my way with QF I certainly haven't had a verbal tiff with them.

 

[harvyk]

The most memorable one was I was sitting in Y, and couldn't eat the meal given to me, so the FA went to the front and got me a meal from J.

My worst J experience was flying MEL to CBR on a 734. I'd just flown from AKL to MEL on a 744 in J and to then get a 734 J seat, I may have well been back in Y.

Hey if I had paid for the flight myself I probably wouldn't have bothered with J at all for such a short flight on a 734, as it really was \ is nothing special.