Qantas First Class
 

Well, it took some time, but I have enough miles to fly first class from Tampa to Sydney. It will be on American to Los Angeles and Qantas to Sydney. I know AA, but never flew Qantas. What can I expect in First class? This is just in planning stages,so what about business class(it would save me 20000 miles)? Any info would be great...<BR>Thanks

I haven't flown First Class on Qantas, but have flown Business Class a few times London-Sydney. Seats are pretty comfotable, with electronic controls for foot-rest, head-rest, lumbar support etc. I think it compares well to other long-haul business class services, although not as good as the recently upgraded BA & Cathay. <BR><BR>If you go Business, the exit rows on the upper deck are the best seats and I always try and avoid the lower deck business class seats as I find it a lot noiser down there.

Good luck in trying to get award first class tickets! We had enough miles for our trip, also, and I began calling as soon as I was told that the flights would be in the American system. No luck! Qantas didn't make any First Class seats available to American. I grabbed the business class seats for the flight. I then tried for a few days for other days and could never get any first class seats for those flights either. <BR><BR>Even for our return flight from Sydney, I couldn't get a Sydney to LA flight in business and I called American the night before they were supposed to go into the system. And, for our flight from Cairns to Sydney I voluntarily downgraded to coach as there were no business class seats available and the flight that we wanted wasn't available in any class.<BR><BR>Getting these tickets was a nightmare. I was calling every hour on some days and on others setting my alarm clock for 3:00 a.m. or 5:00 a.m. to see if the flight was in their system yet. I am glad that I didn't wait until our return date to book the entire itinerary as we would have never gotten the earlier flight days then.<BR><BR>There are only 14 seats in first class. I don't think Qantas makes that many available to any of their partner airlines and keeps them for their own customers instead. Good luck!

Andrzej<BR>Just returned from Sydney to LAX via business class (FF mile from USAir). Qantas Business Class is great and better than my experience of Business Class on United or American (to Europe). The food was better and more importantly the customer service was more friendly and attentive. Food service was dinner at 11 pm breakfast a couple of hours before you land and snacks in between if you don't sleep (foccacia bread sandwiches, fruits, breads and cheese). The priority tags they put on your check ins actually work (unlike United) because we were always one of the first bags out! In LAX they had separate bag carousels for First/Business then from coach. On a fully loaded 747 this saved us a lot of time as it allowed since we were one of the first in line through customs and immigration. Outgoing we had Exit Ailse upper deck (way more legroom) - return we had lower deck rear seats. I prefer lower deck because it is quieter and cooler. Even the flight attendants told me that 90% of people request upper deck but the lower deck is quieter and cooler. No exit aisle in the lower deck due to the set ups. The seats were all electronic controlled with individual pull out TV screens (like most Airlines) and although not quite as comfortable as first class definitely an upgrade from coach. If you find it difficult to sleep chose first if not business is perfect. 20,000 miles still gets you an upgrade or two domestically so save it if you can. The lounge in LAX sucks for business but the first class lounge is nice. The lounge in Syndey is the best I've ever seen anywhere (they have showers!) and they plan on moving to upgrade! A very good experience that was a cut above the US airlines I've been on lately.

I did get first(premium)tickets round trip. (Sorry Joan, not sure why it did not work for you, maybe high season, etc...)I only had to change my plans by couple of days each way. I'm flying in early September and returning late September. Still would like to know what to expect from first class cabin on Qantas. I will probably never have a chance to fly first class internationally again, so I would like to take full advantage of the experience. Thanks everybody for all the info so far.

Qantas 1st class ain't bad not the best but not the worst either. Very similar to BA's 1st class for the service but the seat cushion are not as soft as BA's. You will have your own flat-bed-seat suite so that you can lie flat down for sleep.<BR><BR>Food is ok, a little below par in comparision to other airline's 1st class. You can order your a la carte meal at take of and you can eat when ever you like. Wines are moderate type, mostly Australian, as well as the champange(no Dom here). In flight entertainment is via a small lcd screen(5") with channel selection as well as an inseat VDO player(if they work).<BR><BR>For a look try: http://members.tripod.com/~Cassiopee/sleepersintroduction.html<BR><BR>Cheers,<BR><BR>

I guess that my pick would be the airline that is the safest, mostly friendly, has the best facilities at airports, and can accommodiate my needs with a minimum of fuss and that would not be an American airline. If you are flying to Australia I can see no reason why you would be served Dom Champagne and not an Australian one. The previous pompous answer is one reason that Qantas would be my choice - because someone like my fellow countryman (read previous poster) would not be on it - hopefully. <BR>Just take a look at the USA airlines VIP lounges compared to the lounges of Qantas throughout the world - no comparison and neither is the friendly outgoing service either.

Most Qantas lounges outside of Australia are in fact British Airway's lounges. Qantas passengers get to use them since BA and Qantas have signed an agreement. Qantas first, business and economy are definitely lower grade or quality in all aspect when compared to BA's. If you have a choice stick to BA but on your route you don't have much of a choice.

Well I don't agree with the previous writer regarding BA. I have just returned from Australia to which I flew BA economy to HK then Qantas to Sydney in economy and Business back on both airlines. BA have the little oval seats where you sit facing another person with a fan between you. In fact although you can lie further down in these seats I found that they were rather hard and I did not like the idea of eye balling someone I didn't really know most of the time ( ok if you are with someone) so I am not a big fan of that seating. <BR>There was no difference between the two airlines in economy I found unless you actually paid for the economy plus arrangement and then thats not economy then is it? <BR>I have had the pleasure of flying Qantas first class and BA first class and although there was not much between the two airlines themselves I always like the company of the friendly Aussies more than anything. Also I feel happiest on an airline with the best safety record. Finally I love Australian wine and food and will go for that all the time.

I have a friend who is a Qantas flight attendant and she says that if a passenger become too bossy she would spit in their food.<BR><BR>Only an Australian or somebody without a proper upbringing will prefer an Aussie wine or sparkling wine over the French's. Gee.. look at the price difference, let say a bottle of Petrus to a bottle of Henchke: Hill & Grace - that should tell you something!

Drew: I don't believe you are the type that would actually have a friend, let alone a Qantas stewardess one. <BR>Whether or not you like or think Australian wine is good, the rest of the wine drinking world does and they are the ones that matter - you are a nothing.

I'd love to fly 1st class or business class and am now searching for a way to do just that on my NEXT trip to Australia. I will love drinking Australian wines because the people there ARE very friendly and very pleasant and not at all like many Frenchmen. I loved my time in Australia and hated sitting in the coach seat but that's minor compared to all that we did. I'd like to say Thanks for making my holiday better to all of the very, very nice Australians we encountered. God willing we'll be back and we'd love for you to come visit America - we do have a lot of nice people too.

Thumbs down for Qantas.<BR>I have flown most all of the international carriers, and I would have to say that I find Qantas to be the least satisfactory when it comes to customer service, certainly not comparable to any of the US carriers. Qantas personnel are very arrogant. I hope my negative experiences are isolated instances and have not been shared by others. Any airline should be given the benefit of the doubt. I recently attempted to use mileage to upgrade, and was told by Qantas it would be over a year before seating became available. (travel to Sydney).Therefore, I went to great efforts to make a reservation months in advance for acceptable coach seating. Qantas reserved the seats. Several days before the flight, I called to confirm and "surprise"! My assigned seats had been reassigned to someone else, and nothing left was available except center seats. When I called Qantas on this, I was told, by a senior supervisor, that Qantas seating is always on a "request basis" only. There was no change of aircraft nor exigent circumstances, and Qantas refused to tell me why my seats were taken. I would really like to know why. Needless to say, the trip was ruined. I hope no one else has shared a similar experience.

Could the previous writer please set out details of his experience i.e. dates and in particular which country did he speak to Qantas representatives. Were they American based Qantas service staff or Australian based Qantas service staff and in which city.<BR>I ask this because we do have a standard we try and adhere to but unfortunately we do not have as much control of our staff in foreign countries as we do in Australia and knowing where we have been let down is the first step in rectifying a problem.<BR>Thanks<BR>Shelly

As a travel agent specializing in Australia I have flown Qantas, Air New Zealand and United many times to Oz. Qantas wins hands down, NZ second and UA a very very very distant third. Keep up the good work QF, I've got 28 clients on you this summer!

I am not as worried whether the seat of an aircraft has velour covers or the colours are in vogue. I am more concerned about which airline has the best safety record. It aint BA, Singapore Airlines or an American airline.

you are more likely to die on the way to the airport than on a plane. also, being white and living in oz you will have more chance of getting some form of skin cancer and die! much bigger risk then flying. if we are all so safety concious we wouldn't be here!

Sad to say, but I have also had a likewise abysmal customer service experience at that described by the previous writer with Qantas. The seating on a "request basis" only is a nightmare for those of us who travel internationally on a frequent basis. I also had my seating canceled which was selected weeks in advance, and was not advised. Apparently, I was bumped out of my seat at the whim of a Qantas agent. One only has to read the Australian Financial Review during the past week to hear what the Australians think of Qantas.<BR>The headline on June 6 read "Qantas Service is the Pits."<BR>The headline on June 3 read "Top Payers Unhappy with Qantas Service."<BR>It is a shame that the name "Qantas" has become synonymous with "arrogance" and "poor customer service."