The demise of the flying kangaroo?

[courtnep]

Despite being a lifetime gold FF, I have now joined Marco Polo, and am reducing Qantas FF points. I prefer flying to Europe via Asia and Qantas no longer provides this. Cathay/Finnair is a good combination

 

[lightie]

I am still optimistic Qantas will survive, travelled on the A380 last year B/C brilliant service. This year travelling BA as need to go to Singapore on way home from Europe and don't want to go London Dubai Singapore . Will fly direct on BA

 

[nlagalle]

It is amazing to still see the difference in the quality of the lounges - Emirates and Qantas. Qantas serve Lindaur champagne or similar, while Emirates serve Verve. Wonderful exotic food at Emirates same old stuff at Qantas.

ok maybe I am spoilt with the F lounge, but last time I was there it was Verve, Tattinger and Bolly.. I haven't compared the J lounges..

If I had a lot of frequent flyer points I would be cashing up quick. I find the best way to use the points and still do bookings through Qantas. Is to book on the Qantas site, but use the Emirates flights - best of both worlds. Better food, better service, better champagne. The one flight that I do find fun with Qantas is the Trans Tasman flight where they use a Qantas plane with a NZ based crew. What this crew lacks in finesse they make for in helpfulness and service with a smile.

Not sure I would wanting to pick an EK 777 over a QF bird.. 10 across isn't pleasant.

Guess flying these days is like a lottery - between flat seats, flight entertainment, food, lounges - it is hard to know who to fly with. Take into consideration the huge variety of fares e.g. Brisbane to Heathrow. Do you lose a bit of quality when you pay $2,000 less. It still beats Economy. Qantas can no longer go on and about their safety record, it is time they had something else to boast about.
This is just the opinion of one very senior citizen who is not flying on a business account.

I don't recall Qantas boasting about their safety record. Everyone else references it though.

 

[nlagalle]

I have yet to travel on a QF A330.

How do members who have travelled on these and the equivalent MH planes that operate some KUL bound flights from MEL compare the two? Would you give each a similar comfort rating in J and Y?

The QF A330's are being re-furb'd this year so the J seats will be above many of the Asian carriers IMO.. Y would also be on par as well.

 

[zainman]

Not sure I would wanting to pick an EK 777 over a QF bird.. 10 across isn't pleasant.

Agreed. But the A380's for both airlines feature 10 across. It's the EK 777 you want to avoid!

 

[graxx]

I was very involved in the Ansett company for many years as a consultant, and the parallel with Ansett is not totally valid. Ansett amanagement went off the rails with their marketting team, management lunacies that involved getting rid of anyone who knew anything about airlines and financial mismanagement. It also tried to set up a competing (with QF) international airline from scratch when TAA and Qantas amalgamated. Tough call.

Having said that, I tried to book a QF flight business to Lon via Venice and ended up on Emirates. I was all too hard with QF, despite my life gold status (no advantage with Bus Class anyway).
QF has also gone in for lots of gimicks and retro style that have no staying power- their lounges, including 1st in Sydney, are expensive, over the top, but don't have much sense of exclusiveness or luxury. The airline food is OK but not nearly as good as they seem to think. The Neil Perry
They are missing some sort of touch

 

[leadman]

"Jetstar seems to have surpassed Qantas in the Asian flight market"- now that IS a worry. Jetstar doesn't, to me, surpass anything at all. It is the epitome of mediocrity....I have never ever flown on time with JQ, and as I sat at MEL and SYD lounges recently there were multiple cancellations.

Heaven forbid if QF ever sink that low - that would be the death knell

Unfortunately you just have to sit in most Asian airports now seeing JQ aircraft; TPE, MNL, etc, etc,. but rarely see the flying kangaroo! The Jetstar ads are common, like the big billboards at SGN. I know there are different strategies and routes, but its just a very strange feeling seeing JQ before QF.

 

[vt01]

I believe the headlines we will see in the future are:
Qantas sells Jetstar to all new Jetstar Worldwide.
Qantas has sold off the most profitable part of the business saying that Qantas would now have to stand on it's own. When asked what would happen if Qantas could not do that, the response from the CEO was 'all mediocre things must come to and end.'
.
A few months later, another headline.
Qantas staff face mass redundencies in a bid to keep airline afloat.
And still a few more months after that,
Jetstar Worldwide buys Qantas.
In an unprecedented move, Jetstar Worldwide has bought Qantas after it's shares took a battering because of recent announcements and financial results. Jetstar Worldwide will now fly all of Qantas old routes using Qantas planes but rebadged Jetstar International. The CEO of Jetstar International said 'we aim to have a common Jetstar product offered on all routes.' When asked whether this meant that there was no longer a premium product, the response was 'Jetstar offers a premium product'.
.
A year or so later a new book is released.
Airlines for Dummies: How to turn a Premium Airline into an LCC

;-)

 

[leadman]

Despite being a lifetime gold FF, I have now joined Marco Polo, and am reducing Qantas FF points. I prefer flying to Europe via Asia and Qantas no longer provides this. Cathay/Finnair is a good combination

In the "Heads up about program changes" thread with is getting wide coverage someone mentioned that people will complaint but not do anything about it! I'm starting to read a lot of comments were people ARE making that change. I have also re-joined Marco Polo as I just cannot see any benefit now with QF. I've amassed over 38,000 SC so there is/was a loyalty factor, which when I was thinking about it is more of a stupidity factor, as the loyalty seems to be one way!

Maybe the QF management have "skilfully" found that tipping point where people are walking.......

 

[Amberlower]

I think Qantas is slowly being sunk to change the culture of that ''club''. I see the crew as its worst ''asset'' - they are self-serving, lazy and get upgrades to First, ahead of high-paying passenger; I know - I have been promised one for 5 years and despite on occasion, seeing 9 available seats the day before flying out, have arrived at check-in to find they are all ''gone''. And the booking officer acknowledged where they went, even saying they did not agree with the policy.
It seems the inmates are running the asylum at Qantas and no one seems to care.

 

[Dee Thom]

Unfortunately you just have to sit in most Asian airports now seeing JQ aircraft; TPE, MNL, etc, etc,. but rarely see the flying kangaroo! The Jetstar ads are common, like the big billboards at SGN. I know there are different strategies and routes, but its just a very strange feeling seeing JQ before QF.

Flew home from NRT last week (on JAL in PE) and noticed three JQ-Japan craft shut down and sitting on hardpoints away from T-2, and only one nosed in at the Terminal; this was at 8.15 p.m. whilst taxiing. Not my idea of aircraft utilization at what appears to be one of their better franchises.

Cheers,
Dee.

 

[LAH]

It is amazing to still see the difference in the quality of the lounges - Emirates and Qantas. Qantas serve Lindaur champagne or similar, while Emirates serve Verve. Wonderful exotic food at Emirates same old stuff at Qantas.
.

I disagree about the food at lounges in Singapore. Recently have been in both Emirates and QF lounge in Singapore, and I thought the food in the QF lounge was excellent and better than the EK offerings. What we really liked, apart from the quality, was the portion sizes of the ordered mains, and the small pastries/cakes which were of a size that you could enjoy one without feeling particularly guilty.

On a return flight LHR/DXB/SIN, I flew QF first class, moving on to Emirates in Dubai first class. (outward bound I had flown Emirates sin/dxb/lhr). It was interesting being on both product without a stopover to dilute any observations of the first flight. I had already had not the best experience with Emirates to London and when I boarded the Qantas flight, was surprised at my overall reaction to the QF seat and surrounds : this isn't about the 'glamour' in the Emirates seat, but I much prefer the Qantas first class seating area and it actually feels more spacious.

On a side note, on my flight to London with EK i reached down to get my shoes and as I came up I hit the side of my face quite sharply on the little lamp that they have on the desk area resulting in bruising that lasted for several days. Also, although the IFE is good on Emirates, the controls are a nuisance and I find the controls on the QF product easier and more reliable as EK had to keep rebooting my ife system. This isn't a rant about EK, but I enjoyed the QF product more than the EK product - and EK lost my luggage twice!

I would like to see QF flying to London with an Asian stop. I don't like the Dubai stop as there and back, the flights were delayed necessitating a mad rush to the next flight and I am sure it was on this connection, both ways, that my luggage was misplaced/not loaded.

 

[leadman]

I was very involved in the Ansett company for many years as a consultant, and the parallel with Ansett is not totally valid. Ansett amanagement went off the rails with their marketting team, management lunacies that involved getting rid of anyone who knew anything about airlines and financial mismanagement. It also tried to set up a competing (with QF) international airline from scratch when TAA and Qantas amalgamated. Tough call.

I agree there is a lot of difference, but there is a "scent" there.... But interestingly in your post a few common words; "off the rails", Competing with international airlines" "marketing teams", "mismanagement", etc, etc. I read a good article the other day on the appointment of Joyce indicating that "getting rid of anyone who knew anything about airlines"!! Maybe they might be not too different after all!!!

 

[Cossie]

Hmmm, I spent 22yrs of my life flying as Cabin Crew on QF Long Haul. I started in 1970, just before delivery of the 747/200's. I rose through the ranks and was made redundant in 1992 when QF in their wisdom changed the configuration in F/C from 32 to 16 and decided that the most Senior Cabin Attendant would run First Class, instead of having a Chief Steward. The management now in Cabin Crew Training feel it is their duty to have new Cabin Crew members report to them, any incident involving senior crew, no matter what the incident, is it any wonder that there is no loyalty either to their companions or to the passengers. We fought for many years to build an airline that Australians would be proud to call their own, we suceeded, as was evident when up the track pax would say on boarding, "Good To Be Home". I refuse to fly QF, never have since I left in 92, preferring to spend my money with airlines that care. Until they get rid of money grabbing "Board Of Director Members", QF will end up as a sticker on the side of someone else's metal.

I caught up recently with a friend who used to work for QANTAS as long haul cabin crew. He was made redundant in 2006 after 32 years working for them and suprise suprise, he hasn't flown QANTAS since.

 

[dajop]

Not sure I would wanting to pick an EK 777 over a QF bird.. 10 across isn't .

In Y I have and would again, same route, similar time, QF 330 vs EK 777 SIN-MEL. Seats felt no different, EK IFE and catering better. Seat guru suggests both seats are 17" wide, with seat pitch 32" on EK vs 31" on QF. Couldn't really tell the difference. Now SQ 777, that's a different story, seats definitely wider than both EK and QF, with 3-3-3 configuration.

 

[Amberlower]

Recently did a SYD-LON flight on a JAL ticket; 2 legs on QF, one on BA and one on JAL. Didn't know what to expect from the latter as it has been some time since last with them. It was by far the best leg. Qf the worst - lazy rushed crew , particularly on last leg home - showing annoyance when asked for a glass of soda water, which wasn't on their trolley. BIG difference between the disgruntled fossils QF rosters in Biz Class to the obliging youngsters SQ and other Asian airlines employ. BA has an aging cabin crew population as well, but they display some charm, at least.

 

[Mwenenzi]

Can you please provide any credible verifiable evidence that Qantas (or indeed any other airline) "go on" about their safety record? In what publication or advertisement?

I'm going to say none... Airlines don't want to talk about safety in their advertising since the industry as a whole wants the public to feel confident in flying.....

Agreed. Too many people here on AFF make statements without any credible verifiable evidence to support.
We must have 25 (or is it 50, 100?) of the worlds best airline managers posting on AFF.

 

[drron]

Flew home from NRT last week (on JAL in PE) and noticed three JQ-Japan craft shut down and sitting on hardpoints away from T-2, and only one nosed in at the Terminal; this was at 8.15 p.m. whilst taxiing. Not my idea of aircraft utilization at what appears to be one of their better franchises.

Cheers,
Dee.

That's where JQ normally operates from.They are JQ Japan planes on domestic routes.Pax bussed to and from the planes.Can watch the action from the QP or AC.
The JQ plane at the terminal was probably an international flight.

 

[sjd]

Did J SYD-SIN-BNE last year in B744, over in the old F seat and back in a refurb. Both times the service was excellent, attentive but not intrusive and happy to go that little bit further to make the experience special. Admittedly I could only afford it as an award (farewell JASA's, sniff) and have spent most of my time in DOM Y. The few times I upgraded or JASA'ed domestically I've had great experiences on QF. My sample is much smaller for J than many here, but my treatment as a regular WP in Y has also been very good with 90% hit rate at status acknowledgement. Given that I got to and then retained WP through 90% disc Y, I consider that a fair sample.

As for management decisions, well I can only shake my head with the rest of you. It's not the crew, flight deck and cabin, who are trashing the brand.

 

[Dee Thom]

That's where JQ normally operates from.They are JQ Japan planes on domestic routes.Pax bussed to and from the planes.Can watch the action from the QP or AC.
The JQ plane at the terminal was probably an international flight.

Thanks drron, just semed strange to see them shut down at that time of night. As a point of interest, JAL P.E. pax receive invites to the Sakura Lounge in NRT, and the QF J lounge in SYD

Cheers, Dee.