Comments on: Qantas and United Finally Getting Competition to Australia

By: Jeremy

Jeremy — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 06:23:46 +0000

I am sending you this message from the American Airlines/ Qantas lounge at LAX while awaiting the departure of flight QA 26 to Auckland. This is to be my first time flying Qantas and I was excited about the experience. Unfortunately, my interactions with Qantas staff here in Los Angeles have been disappointing to say the least.

I live in Seattle and am a loyal Alaska Airlines customer. So loyal, in fact, that I was able to book a ticket in Qantas business class using my Alaska frequent flyer miles. At the time of booking only a premium economy seat was available. My return flight is a business class seat. I was told by both Alaska Partner desk and Qantas customer service to ask for a business class seat when I arrived in Los Angeles.

After an amazing flight on Alaska from SEA to LAX, I checked in at the Qantas desk. I was told business class was very empty, however only Alaska could change my seat. Surprisingly, the Qantas agent, Hazel, was totally unhelpful and very rude. She said to have Alaska call Qantas. I dutifully called the Alaska Partner Desk where the Alaska agent, Vivian, called Qantas customer service who told her that only the check in gate can reassign me a seat. Qantas customer service also verified that that business class was nearly empty. Yet, no one was able to assign one of those empty seats to me, despite my having reserved a business class ticket. Hazel reaffirmed that there was nothing she could do.

All of this transpired at approximately 6pm. Since my flight was not scheduled to depart until 11, I requested access to the business class lounge, since I was traveling under a business class award. Again, Hazel gave me a flat out no. I then asked her if I should have flown V Australia, and her response was “ Yes please fly them next time.”

Why couldn’t I have access to the lounge at the very least. I have access on my return flight and this is a business class award. I ended up just paying
I am completely shocked by the dysfunctional and unacceptable level of service I received. If I am flying using a business class award and business class is empty, why can’t they put me in business class. There is no loss of revenue to Qantas and the brand good will would be enormous. I am a marketing professional and I know that Happy Customers = Return customers.

As a loyal Alaska customer, I have to ask myself I Alaska wants a partner that treats their best customers this way. My experience runs contrary to everything I have heard about Qantas. In fact, it is the type of experience that would encourage me to consider other carriers – and encourage my friends to do the same. Just as an aside, the friends who I am meeting in New Zealand flew V Australia…I’m looking forward to comparing notes.

By: Wayno

Wayno — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 04:08:27 +0000

Have wings will fly- a trip on a United 47 is a 14 hour flight from hell. Asides from the fact they only ever put on the very senior crew (talking an average age of 100 from the looks of them) who couldn’t give a toss about service and pretty much throw your food into your lap and then ignore you as soon as the lights go out, there is less leg room and very basic entertainment. They have the old school projectors that half the time don’t work and show older than old movies and tv shows- i mean who doesn’t want to watch CSI Miami at 3am when you can not sleep because your legs are numb?

By: Omar

Omar — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 02:30:25 +0000

If you try to check in online with Qantas, and miss the small print that says its only for domestic, they ask alot of questions to waste your time without just saying: ‘YOU CAN’T DO THIS” When you ring up at vast expense, waiting for ever, they eventually say you can only check in 3 hours ahead, so with a family of four we got there right on time – only to discover that you could in fact check in ten hours ahead – and many had done so. And if you have loads of luggage when you arrive at Sydney – tough – you’ll have to push your luggage in relays of those small trolleys.

By: CF

CF — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 15:20:31 +0000

have wings, will fly – Welcome to the discussion! I think the general feeling is that United’s international 767s are far superior to the 747s in coach. They both have the same crummy legroom, but the 747 has narrower seats. Also, the 767 has personal screens in coach whereas the 747 only has overhead screens.

By: have wings,will fly

have wings,will fly — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 11:20:41 +0000

Hi! new here, finding it all very interesting!!!
just one comment – have not flown UA, but I cant believe that 767’s are better to fly in than 747’s as Bobber suggests – if this is the case I would hate to see their 747’s, as in comparison with QF, a 747 flight is sooo much better than a 767.
I shudder to think of a 74 being worse than a 76!!! Could anyone tell me what its like on UA 747??

By: The Traveling Optimist

The Traveling Optimist — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 16:04:01 +0000

If UA were to buy the 787 anytime soon, there may be some interesting new routes in store for them as well:

SFO-SIN/BKK
LAX-CAN
LAX/SFO-MEL
LAX-BNE (They’re down now but won’t give up Australia without a fight)
ORD-KWI
IAD-JNB (Finally!)

Having already pulled out of India twice I can’t see them going back much less having the local market trust them enough to stick around.

By: CF

CF — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 05:30:49 +0000

Joe – That Melbourne flight is temporary. The schedule I posted above is for the northern summer, and at least check, those flight times were as posted.

By: Joe

Joe — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 03:33:20 +0000

United now flies non stop melbourne to LA. They do 3 flights day, syd to sf and la, and mel to la. Also the syd to lax flight leaves at 10:13 and gets in at 7:50 am, just did it.

And I love united, but they are stupid not to put in on demand tvs in coach. Is it really that expensive to do?

By: The Traveling Optimist

The Traveling Optimist — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 17:04:51 +0000

KM – The 787 might indeed make the afternoon trip to Sydney something for QF to reconsider. The one time I flew that trip there were over 100 empty seats, making for a very comfortable flight indeed.

The 787 makes all kinds of options open up, such as Dallas, Chicago and possibly Atlanta. Given the age of alliances, only the first two might work thanks to the QF/AA partnership. I also see HKG to DFW and ORD on AA, again exploiting the oneworld hook-up with Cathay. Neither airline flies it right now. In the other direction, DFW to DXB would be intriguing as well as JFK to Jo’Burg.

If QF really wanted to do something innovative, the 787 might open up LAX to Perth, offering nonstops to both sides of the country for the first time but that would probably be more showing off than a serious money maker.

By: KM

KM — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 01:25:21 +0000

@ The Traveling Optimist: One wonders if the eventual launch of the 787 will make an afternoon trip viable again. (Not to mention what new routes might emerge.)

I once went out of my way to take that QF afternoon flight, and didn’t regret it. By arriving in the evening and going straight to sleep, I suffered virtually no jet lag.

This happened to coincide with the end of school holidays, so that particular flight was full. But apparently the loads weren’t so great the rest of the time.