Continental/United to Sydney
Jan 18th, 2011, 10:36 AM
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Continental/United to Sydney
Does anyone have experience flying Continental code share with United Airlines from San Francisco to Sydney? Most people I know have used Quantas, but would love the Continental mileage if no one has had a terrible experience. Thanks!
Jan 18th, 2011, 11:23 AM
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Just flew United from Sydney to SFO. Their planes do not have TV screens on the back of each seat, only overhead. Qantas does. I don't know if the TV screens would be worth the $300 additional it would have cost us to fly Qantas, however.
The food was awful and the seats were very cramped, but that might be the same on Qantas!
It's a long flight and was extremely uncomfortable!
The food was awful and the seats were very cramped, but that might be the same on Qantas!
It's a long flight and was extremely uncomfortable!
Jan 18th, 2011, 02:07 PM
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I would pay the money to fly Qantas out of the US if it was to be on the A380 Super Jet because its sooooooo much better than the 747.
Here is a flight test for the Qantas A380 from London to Sydney ( a trip I have done and agree with the writer about wholeheartedly )
..................................................
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
Here is a flight test for the Qantas A380 from London to Sydney ( a trip I have done and agree with the writer about wholeheartedly )
..................................................
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
Jan 18th, 2011, 02:15 PM
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I've flown both Qantas and United (coach) to Australia, but from LAX not SFO. (Although I doubt there's much difference in the experience.)
Qantas is a much more pleasant flight because you have the individual screens for inflight entertainment (movies, TV, games). Also, I found the food better on Qantas and the flight attendants to be friendlier than those on United. Flying United wasn't a TERRIBLE experience, but just not nearly as pleasant as Qantas. (Note: I did fly business class on United once from Sydney to LAX and that was pretty good.)
Also, if you know the kind of planes that each flies on that route, you can go to SeatGuru and check out their seat width and pitch to see if there is much, if any, difference in the "spaciousness" of seating.
Qantas is a much more pleasant flight because you have the individual screens for inflight entertainment (movies, TV, games). Also, I found the food better on Qantas and the flight attendants to be friendlier than those on United. Flying United wasn't a TERRIBLE experience, but just not nearly as pleasant as Qantas. (Note: I did fly business class on United once from Sydney to LAX and that was pretty good.)
Also, if you know the kind of planes that each flies on that route, you can go to SeatGuru and check out their seat width and pitch to see if there is much, if any, difference in the "spaciousness" of seating.
Jan 20th, 2011, 05:57 PM
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We flew Air New Zealand both ways. I had no complaints at all about the airline. After we left LAX they started serving New Zealand / Australian wines, no charge. We were even in coach. I wonder with all of the cut backs if they still do it. The Air New Zealand coach seats had a little more room than the US air lines.
Jan 21st, 2011, 10:32 AM
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Qantas is the way to go. I just booked SFO-Syd-Cairns-Alice Springs-Perth-Adelaide-Melbourn-SFO on Qantas for $1703 (9 flights) September 15-October 15th. I think that was a fair price for the 9 flights and while I hate having to use LAX it was better than flying to Huston to fly back to Sydney. It was great when I could just get on Q at SFO.
JMHO on United it is impossible to hear or think due to the noise and the overall service is not as good as Q.
JMHO on United it is impossible to hear or think due to the noise and the overall service is not as good as Q.
Jan 21st, 2011, 07:47 PM
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I flew business class United, Rome-Washington 2 years ago. The service was poor, the condition of the aircraft was unsatisfactory and my wife's seat did not recline. We did have the TVs in the back of the seat in front but mine did not work and we were presented with the wrong menu. Despite this our orders were taken and obviously not filled. "Sorry sir, we'll have to see what we have left." I though good, we will get something left from first. No. Also the preflight drinks ran out before they reached us and no effort was made to get back to us once we were in the air.
I did find one crew member very helpful in Chicago when their automated check in was not working for us as we were connecting to an international flight [they had not thought of that in their programming] and another staff member shouted at me to "Put down that phone." This was the one that the machine had directed me to pick up.
We had other issues too.
My complaints each time, excepting that one person in Chicago, were not handled very well at the best and were sometimes rudely dismissed. Compensation offered was unusable and I think that it was designed that way.
I'll not fly United again unless there is no bus.
And I'll repeat this story.
I did find one crew member very helpful in Chicago when their automated check in was not working for us as we were connecting to an international flight [they had not thought of that in their programming] and another staff member shouted at me to "Put down that phone." This was the one that the machine had directed me to pick up.
We had other issues too.
My complaints each time, excepting that one person in Chicago, were not handled very well at the best and were sometimes rudely dismissed. Compensation offered was unusable and I think that it was designed that way.
I'll not fly United again unless there is no bus.
And I'll repeat this story.
Jan 21st, 2011, 08:04 PM
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In economy, either Qantas or Air New Zealand are head and shoulders above United on all counts.
Most US based airlines seem to have thrown what little customer service towards business class customers (although based on AlanJG's report, that may be spotty as well.) Economy on United has been reduced to a flying bus with no concern for comfort or service. All purportedly sacrificed to the elusive lowest cost.
The alternatives to Australia, either Qantas or ANZ, I find quite nice in economy. Not spacious of course, but in the many flights I've taken between the US and Australia before moving here permanently, the level of seat comfort, personable service and in-flight amenities has been infinitely better. Ironically, Qantas is almost always the low price leader, despite United's rationale for running bare bones.
One I don't know about - yet - is V Australia. Part of the Virgin system. It's a recent arrival and I've noticed it has often been showing up cheaper than Qantas, but I've not yet had the chance to try them.
Most US based airlines seem to have thrown what little customer service towards business class customers (although based on AlanJG's report, that may be spotty as well.) Economy on United has been reduced to a flying bus with no concern for comfort or service. All purportedly sacrificed to the elusive lowest cost.
The alternatives to Australia, either Qantas or ANZ, I find quite nice in economy. Not spacious of course, but in the many flights I've taken between the US and Australia before moving here permanently, the level of seat comfort, personable service and in-flight amenities has been infinitely better. Ironically, Qantas is almost always the low price leader, despite United's rationale for running bare bones.
One I don't know about - yet - is V Australia. Part of the Virgin system. It's a recent arrival and I've noticed it has often been showing up cheaper than Qantas, but I've not yet had the chance to try them.
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