SIN-BNE 744 replaced with A330 and sadly the old sloping J so called 'skybeds'

[ian_baker58]

Received this email below yesterday :evil:

The reason I booked this flight was the service was on a 744 WITH the real skybeds in J class....and now - yes I am pissed off at the 'inconvenience' caused... While QF ran these so called 'skybeds' on the previous 744 fit in J class, I flew with BA to avoid them at all cost - they are simply dam uncomfortable.

Then again, I'd be even more pissed off if I had booked Y+ and been downgraded to Y as a result of the 'network review'....!

Certainly not how to win friends and influence people QF

Dear Mr B


We wish to advise you of an update to your Qantas Booking Reference 4xx_X scheduled to be operated by a Qantas Boeing 747 aircraft to and from Brisbane and Singapore. This flight will now be operated by an Airbus A330 with a First Generation Skybed with a slight incline.

This change is a result of a detailed review of our network, which has involved re-assigning aircraft to better match customer demand, including flights operating between Brisbane and Singapore. You will still enjoy the full benefits of the Business cabin including personal space, service, food and wine and entertainment.

The A330 reconfiguration program is underway and by the end of this year the first of the refurbished aircraft will be introduced, which will feature fully flat beds and direct aisle access from every Business seat.

We sincerely regret any inconvenience.

Regards

The Qantas Team
​

 

[mannej]

To be fair they are providing advance notice.

There are airlines out there (I won't mention them) that will swap a 330 for a 737 and not provide any advance warning.

Yes it is Angled flat from BNE, but so are the 330's that SQ run for the direct service as well.

 

[Himeno]

I wonder when they are going to change QF21/22 back to a 330.

 

[ian_baker58]

To be fair they are providing advance notice.

There are airlines out there (I won't mention them) that will swap a 330 for a 737 and not provide any advance warning.

Yes it is Angled flat from BNE, but so are the 330's that SQ run for the direct service as well.

Point taken - but still not a happy camper!

 

[ian_baker58]

I wonder when they are going to change QF21/22 back to a 330.

Since QF is rapidly disposing of their 744's that may well happen to Japan...

According to Seatguru, QF5 will become an A330 also....

Not sure if they are planning to put Y+ into the 300 in the new fitout. Anyone know??

 

[mannej]

The 747 was never guaranteed to have MKII either way, unless you were on one of the routes requiring the ER's.

 

[Mr_Orange]

Not sure if they are planning to put Y+ into the 300 in the new fitout. Anyone know??

No they aren't fitting Y+ to the A330s. Stupid choice IMHO.

 

[JohnK]

News not good

Now what? Stuck with an A330 in economy to Asia.

 

[Mr_Orange]

News not good

Now what? Stuck with an A330 in economy to Asia.

Were you in Y+? When are you flying? QF5/6 may still be operating as a 744 and you could reroute to maintain Y+.......

 

[JohnK]

Were you in Y+? When are you flying? QF5/6 may still be operating as a 744 and you could reroute to maintain Y+.......

No. I have had 2 economy flights on 747s swapped to A330. Not my preferred aircraft.

 

[Mr_Orange]

No. I have had 2 economy flights on 747s swapped to A330. Not my preferred aircraft.

Meh, it's not that bad. I've been doing Y to HKG from BNE. I actually prefer the fact that edge seats are pairs. More often than not I get 2 to myself .

 

[mannej]

Meh, it's not that bad. I've been doing Y to HKG from BNE. I actually prefer the fact that edge seats are pairs. More often than not I get 2 to myself .

That is the big advantage of the 330 over the 380 (upper deck excluded) and 747 for couples.

You can actually sit closer to the front if you want two seats together without any other seat buddies.

I have no arguments over the quality of the 380, but the 330's aren't as bad as everyone makes them out to be.

 

[ftm]

The 747 was never guaranteed to have MKII either way, unless you were on one of the routes requiring the ER's.

Good point. So quite possible that the seat product will be no different in Business.

 

[ian_baker58]

No they aren't fitting Y+ to the A330s. Stupid choice IMHO.

How clever is that decision (NOT)??? :shock:

QF Y+ is possibly one of the best Y+ cabins around (seat, service, price etc), and when I'm paying for the seat its my usual choice - but not on QF to Asia it seems now...:evil:

Yet another reason to seek alternative carriers on these A330 routes it appears...

More of the self-fulfilling prophecy that business is bad and getting worse story we've been hearing from QF under current management...:?:

 

[ian_baker58]

No. I have had 2 economy flights on 747s swapped to A330. Not my preferred aircraft.

QF advised (when I rang and coughed about the A330 J 'so called' Skybed MK I after the downgrade from 744 to A330 SIN BNE) that they are refitting the A300's by end DEC 2014 ya de ya de yah and it will be the same (or similar) to the A380 J product (albiet in a smaller cabin I guess)...

Its seems they will not be fitting Y+ to the A330 cabins either with the seat upgrades - DUMB decision I reckon, but I'm just a fare paying passenger that's been gold/platimum for the past 20 years - what would I know???

 

[kempvet]

I think that while it was unfortunate that the OP was caught out with the aircraft change there are 2 things to consider

1. There are worse airlines than QF where this happens, notably AA
2. The OP did have some warning of the change, again not a luxury AA offer their passengers, nothing worse than booking HNL-DFW a similar 7 hour flight, expecting a 767 and at least some sleep to find a single aisle place, sit up F seat and little if any sleep.

Doesn't change anything for the OP though.

 

[ian_baker58]

I think that while it was unfortunate that the OP was caught out with the aircraft change there are 2 things to consider

1. There are worse airlines than QF where this happens, notably AA
2. The OP did have some warning of the change, again not a luxury AA offer their passengers, nothing worse than booking HNL-DFW a similar 7 hour flight, expecting a 767 and at least some sleep to find a single aisle place, sit up F seat and little if any sleep.

Doesn't change anything for the OP though.

Indeed - I've had similar experiences on AA in the past across the US out of LAX (connecting from QF) and as you say they just do it...

That said, QF needs to know that they are pissing off their best customers (although I suspect a certain Irishman doesn't really care at all) :evil:

At least I've had my rant (here and on the phone to the QF premium FF line), and I have to say the folks on the phone at the WP premium line went out of their way to see if they could re-route me to pick up a 744 MKII, but without success - well done that man on the phone :mrgreen::mrgreen::mrgreen.

According to the gent on the phone - they've managed to seriously piss off a lot of Y+ people with the equipment downgrades as a result of the 'network review'....

​

 

[JohnPhelan]

QF advised (when I rang and coughed about the A330 J 'so called' Skybed MK I after the downgrade from 744 to A330 SIN BNE) that they are refitting the A300's by end DEC 2014 ya de ya de yah and it will be the same (or similar) to the A380 J product (albiet in a smaller cabin I guess)...

Actually the new J suites that are going into the A330s are FAR better than the Skybeds on the A380s - they are far more private and actually have storage space!!

But the roll-out only starts in December - it won't be finished for quite some time after that.

 

[amaroo]

Same here. Now looking to come back on BA or CX out of HKG.

 

[ian_baker58]

Actually the new J suites that are going into the A330s are FAR better than the Skybeds on the A380s - they are far more private and actually have storage space!!

But the roll-out only starts in December - it won't be finished for quite some time after that.

Thanks for the update John... Seems I missed the "starts in DECEMBER" bit of the ya de ya de yah spiel on the refit of the A330's to replace Skybed MK I :shock:

The "new J Suite" sounds as if its a step up and that would be a smart move to compete with other carriers on the QF A330 routes, but I still think the lack of Y+ is not a smart move.