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Qantas v the rest

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Old Jul 25th 2006, 10:36 pm
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Default Qantas v the rest

I get the feeling that Qantas are way down the pecking order when it comes to you guys flying back and forth to Australia.

I did a recce back in Feb and used Qantas which I found to be ok.

So I conclude that Emirates, Singapore, etc etc much offer something better. Is it legroom, price, staff?

Cheers

Steve
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Old Jul 25th 2006, 10:53 pm
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Default Re: Qantas v the rest

Personally I would rather individually pluck out all my pubic hair with a pair of pliers than travel on Qantas or any other of the 'One World' partners! (unfortunately I normally dont have any say in the matter.)
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Old Jul 25th 2006, 11:20 pm
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Default Re: Qantas v the rest

Originally Posted by benny the ball
Personally I would rather individually pluck out all my pubic hair with a pair of pliers than travel on Qantas or any other of the 'One World' partners! (unfortunately I normally dont have any say in the matter.)
Thats my point benny!!! But why?
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Old Jul 26th 2006, 12:18 am
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Default Re: Qantas v the rest

Originally Posted by Stephen
Thats my point benny!!! But why?
Everything.

I've had much much better service from the staff both on the ground and in the air from Emirates - to the point that one cabin crew member hunted through the plane for a meal for me just because I asked for the chicken which they'd run out of and I don't like lamb. I ended up with sweet and sour veggies labelled "staff meal" or somesuch. Very very helpful indeed all round.

You go through Dubai rather than singapore - much better transit area, much better duty free options

I've also found the leg room to be better on Emirates, although that could just be coincidence related to the type of plane. The same applies to the entertainment system - the Emirates ones have the ability to let you watch your choice of film when you want to, rather than that ridiculous rotation system that leaves you with 32 minutes of free time between the end of your chosen film 1 and start of chosen film 2. To be fair, I haven't flown BA/Qantas for 3 years, so they could have upgraded by now

The first time I flew BA to Oz they fed us twice in 17 hours and one of those meals was inedible. My stomach had crawled up my throat and was prowling round the plane on its own looking for stray peanuts by the time we landed (hubby survived by making it his mission to drink the plane out of VB!).

As I said, I haven't flown them for about 3 years. They could have improved. I'm not risking it! They're never the cheapest, so why worry? Qantas I've generally found better than BA, but you risk getting a BA plane by booking Qantas, and that's a risk I'm certainly not prepared to take!
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Old Jul 26th 2006, 12:22 am
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Wink Re: Qantas v the rest

Originally Posted by thribble
(hubby survived by making it his mission to drink the plane out of VB!).
Perhaps I should write a survival guide?

Originally Posted by Pete's Guide to Flying
Drink 'plane out of beer. The end.
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Old Jul 26th 2006, 12:25 am
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Default Re: Qantas v the rest

I've found that Singapore airlines, and Malaysian airlines both supply thier air hostesses with the best uniforms.

(as a sidenote, i have also found they prepare the best meals and have the better appointed aircraft too....)
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Old Jul 26th 2006, 12:46 am
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Default Re: Qantas v the rest

Originally Posted by thribble
Everything.

I've had much much better service from the staff both on the ground and in the air from Emirates - to the point that one cabin crew member hunted through the plane for a meal for me just because I asked for the chicken which they'd run out of and I don't like lamb. I ended up with sweet and sour veggies labelled "staff meal" or somesuch. Very very helpful indeed all round.

You go through Dubai rather than singapore - much better transit area, much better duty free options

I've also found the leg room to be better on Emirates, although that could just be coincidence related to the type of plane. The same applies to the entertainment system - the Emirates ones have the ability to let you watch your choice of film when you want to, rather than that ridiculous rotation system that leaves you with 32 minutes of free time between the end of your chosen film 1 and start of chosen film 2. To be fair, I haven't flown BA/Qantas for 3 years, so they could have upgraded by now

The first time I flew BA to Oz they fed us twice in 17 hours and one of those meals was inedible. My stomach had crawled up my throat and was prowling round the plane on its own looking for stray peanuts by the time we landed (hubby survived by making it his mission to drink the plane out of VB!).

As I said, I haven't flown them for about 3 years. They could have improved. I'm not risking it! They're never the cheapest, so why worry? Qantas I've generally found better than BA, but you risk getting a BA plane by booking Qantas, and that's a risk I'm certainly not prepared to take!
Hi thribble

Good post. Qantas seem to have a pretty mixed entertainment system. The newer planes like the one I got from Hong Kong to Perth was brand new with likwise EntSystem. However the 747 I got from Brisbane to Singapore had a broken EntSystem (BROKEN, USELESS, KNACKERED).......class.
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Old Jul 26th 2006, 1:04 am
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Default Re: Qantas v the rest

Place as much faith in these as you wish...

http://www.worldairlineawards.com/Aw...eYear-2006.htm

http://www.oag.com/Airline+of+the+Ye...t_winners_2006

Qantas was 2nd in the top one and a finalist in the second (note no Singapore Airlines !!!)

I am going to stick up for Qantas a bit here... I think they get unfairly labelled on this site. They are widely regarded as on of the best airlines in the world. I have flown with them at least a dozen times from UK to OZ and never had anything but an excellent flight. And to correct one poster, they do now have video on demand. Finally, there is absolutely no risk of getting a BA operated flight if you specifically ask for Qantas metal (ie QF2, QF 32) I would summarise:

Qantas / Cathay Pacific / Singapore Airlines (if you don't mind robots for flight attendants), I would consider the top tier airlines. Other comments I would have:

Malaysian: Almost bankrupt. Fleet in serious need of renewal but can't afford it. Do have generous seat pitch though.
Emirates: They will become the long haul Ryanair. They already seat more abreast than most other airliners (10 in their 777's ) Tim Clarke (Head honcho at Emirates) has already stated that he wants to operate cheap flights between OZ & UK packing upto 800 people on there new A380's. However you will have to pay for absolutely everything on board.
BA: A bit average most of the time. I always find BA a bit bland... food, cabin crew etc. Safe and reliable though.
Virgin: Great if you want to party for 24 hours!!

There are loads of others (eg Japan Air Lines, Air NZ, United, Austrian.......) but the above seem to be the most common on here.

I am sure I am going to get flamed for the above but it seems to me that it has become fashionable on here to slate Qantas and praise the likes of Emirates yet its not quite the same if you were to ask a similar question amongst the aviation industry.
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Old Jul 26th 2006, 1:10 am
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Default Re: Qantas v the rest

have just been drinking with a former air stewardess who agrees with me that Emirates are the pits.
Qantas are good - esp when you need short notice compassionate flights from Aus.

Austrian are good, Cathay though are tops, only beating Qantas by a whisper though.

BA are in competition for kr*p airline of the century award
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Old Jul 26th 2006, 1:21 am
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Default Re: Qantas v the rest

Originally Posted by Pollyana
have just been drinking with a former air stewardess who agrees with me that Emirates are the pits.
Qantas are good - esp when you need short notice compassionate flights from Aus.

Austrian are good, Cathay though are tops, only beating Qantas by a whisper though.

BA are in competition for kr*p airline of the century award
Pollyana, I would agree with everything you said although I can think of a few airlines worse than BA
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Old Jul 26th 2006, 1:46 am
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Default Re: Qantas v the rest

On another point. Is it generally more economical to book flights return out of OZ rather than the UK if you will be a regular flyer?

Someone said to me that it was cheaper to book from Oz, but dont know if thats credible or not???
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Old Jul 26th 2006, 2:00 am
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Default Re: Qantas v the rest

[QUOTE=thribble]
The first time I flew BA to Oz they fed us twice in 17 hours and one of those meals was inedible. My stomach had crawled up my throat and was prowling round the plane on its own looking for stray peanuts by the time we landed (QUOTE]

Exactly the same as our experience on BA long haul. They were absolutely dreadful.
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Old Jul 26th 2006, 11:46 am
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Default Re: Qantas v the rest

Depends where you want to go Stephen but its expensive to book return flights back to England from Australia I went back earlier this year and the cost was $1800 + tax which makes the cost of flights in England look positively cheap.

On choice of airlines I found both Emirates and Singapore substantially better than Qantas. From the check in staff to the hostesses who constantly had to be called on the Qantas flight (didnt see them for hours) where as the other 2 always had staff doing the rounds.

Originally Posted by Stephen
On another point. Is it generally more economical to book flights return out of OZ rather than the UK if you will be a regular flyer?

Someone said to me that it was cheaper to book from Oz, but dont know if thats credible or not???
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Old Jul 26th 2006, 11:58 am
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Default Re: Qantas v the rest

What are we comparing airlines with, African ones? To me they get me from A to B. I like the fact that most airlines I have the fortune to deal with have planes that go up in the sky and then land reasonably in one piece - more often than not.

BA are quite simply, ordinary. In that they could be made for that word. They are not good or bad.

Emirates are the best I have ever flown with, can't work that out Polly.

Quantas are also a tad ordinary but better than BA. If pushed I would claim that Asian are the best. But I wouldn't lose sleep over the decision, preferring price and availability as a driver.
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Old Jul 26th 2006, 12:15 pm
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Default Re: Qantas v the rest

Originally Posted by longreach
Place as much faith in these as you wish...

http://www.worldairlineawards.com/Aw...eYear-2006.htm

http://www.oag.com/Airline+of+the+Ye...t_winners_2006

Qantas was 2nd in the top one and a finalist in the second (note no Singapore Airlines !!!)

I am going to stick up for Qantas a bit here... I think they get unfairly labelled on this site. They are widely regarded as on of the best airlines in the world. I have flown with them at least a dozen times from UK to OZ and never had anything but an excellent flight. And to correct one poster, they do now have video on demand. Finally, there is absolutely no risk of getting a BA operated flight if you specifically ask for Qantas metal (ie QF2, QF 32) I would summarise:

Qantas / Cathay Pacific / Singapore Airlines (if you don't mind robots for flight attendants), I would consider the top tier airlines. Other comments I would have:

Malaysian: Almost bankrupt. Fleet in serious need of renewal but can't afford it. Do have generous seat pitch though.
Emirates: They will become the long haul Ryanair. They already seat more abreast than most other airliners (10 in their 777's ) Tim Clarke (Head honcho at Emirates) has already stated that he wants to operate cheap flights between OZ & UK packing upto 800 people on there new A380's. However you will have to pay for absolutely everything on board.
BA: A bit average most of the time. I always find BA a bit bland... food, cabin crew etc. Safe and reliable though.
Virgin: Great if you want to party for 24 hours!!

There are loads of others (eg Japan Air Lines, Air NZ, United, Austrian.......) but the above seem to be the most common on here.

I am sure I am going to get flamed for the above but it seems to me that it has become fashionable on here to slate Qantas and praise the likes of Emirates yet its not quite the same if you were to ask a similar question amongst the aviation industry.
It does not really matter what the airline industry thinks. We pay the fares so we decide who is good or crap.

I think Emirates are good & Qantas are crap.
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