This is just bonkers!

[TheRealTMA]

If you want to avoid QF then book EK marketed flight and credit to their Skywards program. If you're booking a QF marketed flight (EK metal) as mentioned above then you may as well book QF9 or QF1 from the get go as you're still 'flying QF'.

Like the above scenario where you're flying EK metal on a QF codeshare, the same applies trans-Tasman where 'flying QF' doesn't mean travelling on "tired 737s" and avoiding QF doesn't mean travelling on a QF codeshare flight on EK metal.

I think you are missing the point here. It's not a direct anti QF thread just a rational look at the changes over last few years. More people are experiencing EK, even if initially on QF code share, and progressively will chose to book EK directly rather than QF so I can't see how QF can maintain PXs in the medium to long term, especially with the delays they have had on recent LHR flights and swapping out 380 for 747 on US routes. QF don't fly 380 out of BNE so it means a trip to SYD or MLB first. Why bother? EK out of BNE is almost always full in Y and J and 80% in F in our experience, especially on the 380s. Better lounge experience, direct boarding. Why would one chose QF metal and go via other ports. And to NZ, why would one ever fly QF or J* on lower quality planes with less service.

Why will people continue to do 2-3 stops to Europe and hub out of LHR on QF when it's just one stop via DXB to anywhere in Europe?

For now QF are maintaining a significant price hike over other airlines, normally matched by EK atm, but sometimes EK is much lower in price as the post that started this thread. EK in J and F are thousands of dollars cheaper to US ports via one stop, admittedly with two long flights, but overall the travel time to NYC, Boston, Toroto etc is not that much different, just more convenient.