Yesterday there was yet another engine failure with a Qantas aircraft. The increase of problems is very troubling.

http://au.news.yahoo.com/latest/a/-/...ngine-failure/

They are more expensive than anyone else,service is ok only but it used to be chosen for its safety record. Not so sure now.

Pam Ann, the comedian, captures the new Qantas perfectly:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnkIWEJ3e54

Love it Susan!

We scheduled for Feb. 1 2011 LAX to Melbourne....so it's not quite as funny to us....here's hoping all goes well.

You have to admire the captain for saying the engine cooked itself. An Air Canada pilot would claim the engine was self-servicing.

SanDiegoSue, here is a "test drive" of the A380 which I presume you are booked on to Melbourne. I won't fly on anything else if I can avoid it and obviously this person feels the same.
It appears that our media wish to fry Qantas's reputation ( as is the way in Australia ) and I am surprised we don't have headlines saying something like: "Qantas flies out of control" lady in seat 31 could not flush the toilet till her third attempt! Anyway here is the test drive:
Aircraft Qantas A380

Route Sydney to London

Class Economy, seat 71F.

Seat pitch and width 31 inches; 18.1 inches

Seat configuration 3-4-3 with the exception of row 71. Seat 71D, part of the centre four, has no seat in front of it, thus lots of leg room. One to seek out in future.

Luggage allowance Two pieces of checked baggage up to 23kg in total, plus one piece of cabin baggage up to 7kg.

Scheduled flight time 23 hours 20 minutes, including a 90-minute refuelling stop in Singapore.

On-time performance Perfect.

Aircraft condition Spick and span.

Console/entertainment The in-tail camera, which allows you can watch the entire flight from your personal touch-screen console in real time, as if you were sitting above the plane, is a highlight, particularly on take-off and landing. Loads of current-release and other films, TV and radio programs and games.

Comfort The cabin of the A380 is said to be twice as quiet as a 747 cabin and the absence of that constant roar is brilliant. The air pressure is also better and I felt surprisingly refreshed after 23 hours. As in all economy seats, you still feel like there's nowhere to put your legs but this seat is more comfortable than any other economy seat I've endured. Unfortunately, the arm rests don't come all the way up so you can't push them out of the way and slouch all over your travelling companion(s). The underseat baskets for your feet are an improvement on the standard metal bar.

Service Couldn't be nicer. The cabin crew were gracious and made a heroic number of trips down the aisle through the night bearing trays of water and juice.

Amenities Plastic pouches with eye shades, toothbrushes and toothpaste are placed on each seat at the start of the longer leg from Singapore.

Food and beverages The menu, with a choice of two dishes for each of four meals, read so much better than it tasted (the food on the return flight from London was notably better). Ice-creams, hot chocolates and snack bags served separately are a nice touch. The help-yourself drink and snack bars, available throughout the flight, are also appealing, including biscuits, crackers, fruit and soft drinks.

Flight frequency Departures daily, Tuesday to Saturday but not all are on an A380.

Online qantas.com.au.

Tested by Lissa Christopher

Sue, I'm sure you will be fine ( as I was myself when I travelled from SFO to Sydney last May ) and as MaryD was. We are just being overlly critical. Have fun!

I second that, they do still have an excellent safety record. However, what is very sad from an Australian point of view is that they have shifted maintenance of their aircraft off shore and since then these troubles have started. It is the usual issue--trying to maximise profits.

Six of us are planning to fly to Australia in December and have no hesitation in using Qantas. Mind you we may all take separate flights to spread the risk around.

LOL, Colduphere, by December will you become Hotdownhere?

Susan we know it will be hot but the family rule is that we never go anywhere in December without our skiis. Hopefully the helpful Australian immigration official can point us to the nearest ski hill.

And another problem on Tuesday; this time a fuel fault requiring a diversion to Fiji. These problems are really worrying and totally unprecedented in Qantas's admirable history:

http://au.news.yahoo.com/latest/a/-/...ght-to-divert/

"A spokesman for Mr Foley said that plane had replaced another aircraft on the journey from Sydney, because the first had a technical fault."

Mr. Foley is not helping Qantas.

Well at least the latest scare wasn't an engine

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...-25-000ft.html

Stewardesses and hostesses? Insteresting...

Yeah, some variety at least, air-conditioning fault this time, but it speaks to the continuing problem of off-shore, unreliable maintenance...

Geez, here's yet another Qantas incident from just today:

http://au.news.yahoo.com/latest/a/-/...-new-incident/

Spoke too soon about variety, back to engine troubles! The denial here is as worrying as the mounting list of incidents.

I am flying with them yet again in September this sadly forced to use LAX as SFO flights will be gone. May trips on the old rattle trap 747 so How is the 380? what are the best seats in economy? Has anyone done the upgrade you can do 7 days before flight? is it worth it? Anything you can tell me appreciated.