SYD - PER Business Class

[danlamb]

Hi Guys

Looking for a bit of advice. Have just booked a return business class ticket to Perth in January, travelling from SYD - PER on QF577 and coming back on QF566 (767-300 and 747-300 respectively).

Can anyone advise what the seating arrangements on both of these flights are? And should I have booked different flights to get on to an aircraft with different (more comfortable) seats.

Does anyone know if Qantas offers skybeds on any of the flights to Perth, and if so, can anyone advise if these planes will be fitted with them?

Cheers

Dan

 

[codash1099]

Given the choice, I'd pick the 743 over the 763 any day. Seats in J are better (Dreamtime vs Millennium) and IFE is also better.

There's an occasional A333 on the run (I've never encountered it myself) so unless you get that, Skybeds are an "in your dreams" item.

 

[straitman]

There's an occasional A333 on the run (I've never encountered it myself) so unless you get that, Skybeds are an "in your dreams" item.

Having said that, the 743 seating is the best business seating normally available on the run.

 

[jasonja3]

Only A330-300 and 747-400 have the sky beds.

the 747-300 has dreamtime seats

Check out AIRLINERS.NET - The World Of Commercial Aviation At Your Fingertips or Qantas for photo's

 

[straitman]

Only A330-300 and 747-400 have the sky beds.

the 747-300 has dreamtime seats

Check out AIRLINERS.NET - The World Of Commercial Aviation At Your Fingertips or Qantas for photo's

Isn't that what codash1099 said in post #2 above.

 

[oz_mark]

Having said that, the 743 seating is the best business seating normally available on the run.

I will agree with this, its generally the best you will do, and realistically on the route they are probably good enough.

 

[Batesy]

On this route I always try and get the 747-300 Jumbo. These are old international Jumbos that QF still have in use until they get more of the aircraft currently on order, whilst old they have individual IFE with a reasonable viewing and audio slection. Much better than the offer on a 737 or 767.
Even in economy its a good flight. In Business go upstairs and get an exit row or 5E & 5F downstairs are great seats. Also international crew so usually very good service, liquor is quite often international standard as well.

 

[Reggie]

I did get to fly sky beds from PER to SYD to PER when they frist introduced them, as they were using them on that run to iron out the many creases andf problems with the seats and IFE

Very nice flights whilst they lasted

 

[danlamb]

On this route I always try and get the 747-300 Jumbo. These are old international Jumbos that QF still have in use until they get more of the aircraft currently on order, whilst old they have individual IFE with a reasonable viewing and audio slection. Much better than the offer on a 737 or 767.
Even in economy its a good flight. In Business go upstairs and get an exit row or 5E & 5F downstairs are great seats. Also international crew so usually very good service, liquor is quite often international standard as well.

So the question is, is it worth paying 2500 points to change to the 743 on the way or now it is booked would you stick with the 747, also as i am meeting people in perth it would mean changing to a less convenient time - which i dont mind doing as long as the benefits outweigh the inconvenience

 

[serfty]

If you are looking for Skybeds, your best bet is to try for a booking where the equipment is listed as a 333.

That would be your best chance, but like anything this can change after booking.

 

[Evan]

So the question is, is it worth paying 2500 points to change to the 743 on the way or now it is booked would you stick with the 747, also as i am meeting people in perth it would mean changing to a less convenient time - which i dont mind doing as long as the benefits outweigh the inconvenience

You mean change from 763 to 747 ?

743 = 747-300
744 = 747-400
747 = any 747 aircraft

763 = 767-300 etc etc etc...



And i would just take the flight is better time wise for you.. 767 and 747 are wide-body and jumbo so all good compared to 737 !
I like the old 743's though and do find them comfortable, even if only in whY.

E

 

[paxman]

flew on the old 747-300 last week to syd. whilst this bird is showing its age I prefer a J seat in on a 747 for the overall space. whislt you will get an international crew, they find the whole experience of domestic service somewhat below them. longhall j and domestic j are two very different beasts.

 

[codash1099]

I will agree with this, its generally the best you will do, and realistically on the route they are probably good enough.

Nothing is good enough for we Westerners! QF tell us they treat the E/W run at an international level - they should match the claim with aircraft

 

[codash1099]

So the question is, is it worth paying 2500 points to change to the 743 on the way or now it is booked would you stick with the 747, also as i am meeting people in perth it would mean changing to a less convenient time - which i dont mind doing as long as the benefits outweigh the inconvenience

That's totally a personal judgement. Depends on how much you are inconvenienced and how much you value the 2500 points.

Personally, I wouldn't make the change but YMMV

 

[oz_mark]

Nothing is good enough for we Westerners! QF tell us they treat the E/W run at an international level - they should match the claim with aircraft

They do don't they?

Perth-Denpasar 738
Perth - Jakarta 738
Perth - Tokyo 767
Perth - Hong Kong 767

 

[NM]

They do don't they?

Perth-Denpasar 738
Perth - Jakarta 738
Perth - Tokyo 767
Perth - Hong Kong 767

and also compare with Trans-Tasman services.

 

[Flashback]

FWIW I've often encountered the skybeds PER-SYD on the OMGO'clock flight on a Monday morning.

 

[QF WP]

So the question is, is it worth paying 2500 points to change to the 743 on the way or now it is booked would you stick with the 747, also as i am meeting people in perth it would mean changing to a less convenient time - which i dont mind doing as long as the benefits outweigh the inconvenience

Which is more important to you - getting to PER with no further cost (in points) and meet your people at an hour convenient to all, or a more comfortable seat on a larger more comfortable airplane that gets you in at 10.30pm (12.30pm according to your SYD body clock).

I caught QF583 SYD/PER 2 weeks ago. I chose 15K upstairs. The crew seats are in front of 15A&C. I think better seats are window seats (but not at front, back or exit rows) as the window seats have the extra storage compartments so you don't have to get up to get your carry-on bags out of the overhead compartments, as well as having the space underneath the seats above (the problem for me with the front row and exit row).

Another point is whether you are taking a taxi or the people you are meeting are driving you. By the time I got my bag (tagged Business and came out in the first run), the queue was 30 metres short of going back in the door to the Terminal. It took at least 30 mins to get to the front of the queue. The issue is that 3 flights arrive within 15 minutes (BNE, SYD and MEL), so there are a lot of pax. I arrived at my hotel in the city centre at 11.30pm (1.30am according to my BNE body clock).

I'd plump for staying the way you have booked.

 

[oz_mark]

FWIW I've often encountered the skybeds PER-SYD on the OMGO'clock flight on a Monday morning.

The OMGO'clock flights in both directions on Monday morning are usually 333's. Not sure of why, but maybe its a plane swapping exercise.