What's you feelings on QANTAS good orbad as an airline

[Jayz]

I opened up a Thread this morning about the medias coverage on a QANTAS storie using the wrong pictures in the news footage.(that ruffled my feathers).

 

. This has bought out a lot of stories and interesting facts on QANTAS and it's affect on other companies in Australia. So I am just wondering what all of your thoughts and stories good and bad on QANTAS. and if you would like to share them with us all !!!!

 

 

 

[XP503]

I love Qantas, for many reasons. Be aware of those who tell you wild stories about this and that.

 

Remember it says a lot about an organization that bags out the competition - usually a sign that something is wrong with their brand.

 

There is no denying Qantas' safety record, service and their exceptional pioneering of air travel in Australia.

 

But this is Australia, famous for "tall poppy syndrome" So it will be interesting to hear what others have to say about this hugely successful global empire......

 

 

[Ultralights]

just another airline to me, used to work for them, got treated worse than a slave, then my job was sold to asia. its become an airline run by accountants and now suffers from the results of that.

 

 

[ahlocks]

I like the glass of plonk they handout on the evening flights.

 

 

[JIMMYTWO]

In the last three weeks,I've had five flights with QANTAS, three domestic and two international and found the service great and the comfort level far better then other airlines I have travelled with.

 

 

[Yenn]

Iv'e flown with alot of different airlines and 40 years ago I swore off Qantas, but there is no airline any better. Their service is good, their planes are fairly good, their pilots are excellent and their safety recor is first class. I recently Googled airline safety and found a site that rated qantas as third in the world, not sure how much credence you could give that site as they had KLM and Lufthansa ahead of Qantas.

 

I wouldn't rate New Zealand, Thai, India as good airlines and some such as Pakistan, Aeroflot as very poor, but Garuda seems to be the one to avoid. I was flying internally in Indonesia once, not Garuda and they were going to take off with a bicicyle in the aisle. When I told the hostie that if they did so I would be contacting IATA, they stopped the plane and put the bike in the baggage hold. Now that is good safety.

 

 

[winsor68]

I love Qantas, for many reasons. Be aware of those who tell you wild stories about this and that.Remember it says a lot about an organization that bags out the competition - usually a sign that something is wrong with their brand.

...

The only thing their practices reflect on are them selves. As I have pointed out I see a lot of VirginBlue aircraft in my job... but I don't work for Virgin. Perhaps you need to clarify your statement because I have certainly clarified mine. This is not something that VirginBlue pushes... they are glad of the competition as long as it is kept fair and it finally is starting to be. This is an industry view held by many and included in that is past Qantas execs and those in the industry from all airlines.

 

 

[Riley]

Observations of some 45 years of international flying (including a lot of Quantas).

 

Quantas Downside: 1971. 1st class seat. Singapore/Heathrow. On unpacking at home found that items had been stolen from baggage. Made report to Quantas London & was essentially told "tough titty - you should have lodged a report at the airport." End result - The big Roo was black-listed for all company and vacation travel for self and employees for 4 years and Quantas couldn't be bothered even acknowledging their banishment.

 

Quantas Upside: 1980. steerage fares. Sydney/Toronto. Ex wife not allowed to board at Sydney due to not having an American transit visa (refuelling stop @ Honolulu) Quantas Mascot staff provided hotel accomodation and facilitated telexed issue of the necessary visa within 12 hours even though the balls-up belonged to the booking agent.

 

Most horrid flight : Air India 1977. New Delhi/ Kuwait. Middle of the night landing in Aden so hard that all the oxy masks deployed and the aircraft shut down on the runway at the end of the roll. Two hours sitting in the dark with no information, no APU, and therefore, no lights or airconditioning. Worst part of all - no alternative!

 

Most enjoyable flight: TEAL (pre-decessor of Air NZ) 1966. economy. Fiji/Auckland. There were more cabin staff than there were passengers and they killed us with kindness and, joy of joys - I was a bachelor!

 

All that said, over the past twenty-odd years when it seems that everybody and their damn dog is flying, on international sectors I've generally found that if the check-in staff are reasonably efficient and the cabin staff keep the masses under control, one carrier is pretty much the same as the next. In short, bad handling of a passenger in any aspect on one sector can poison a carrier's reputation for the rest of time no matter what rabbits they can subsequently pull out of the hat. In almost all facets tho, despite some of their marketing practices, IMHO I reckon we have it pretty good with our National airline. (but then, maybe I spent too much time in the 3rd world jungles??) Best way to avoid airport/airline hassles is "STAY HOME" & fly your own for fun. Cheers Riley

 

 

[XP503]

Riley Qantas does not have a U in it.........

 

It stands for Queensland And Northern Territory Aerial Services.

 

 

[Jayz]

David I think you are fighting a loosing battle with the spelling of QANTAS today

 

 

[dunlopdangler]

I thought this was a recreational flying site....travelling by airline of any brand can hardly be described as recreational!!

 

 

[XP503]

Yes it would appear I am fighting a LOSING battle.

 

You have to laugh at the amount of people that can't spell it though, and all pilots as well....

 

 

[Riley]

Ah, the pain of self-inflicted injuries. I'm limping off to the workshop to whittle a plug big enough to fill the hole I just shot in my foot! Apologies folks. (Perhaps that's why Qantas ignored my chastisement those many years ago - they assumed I was berating someone else?) Cheers Riley

 

 

[flying dog]

OK, quickly.

 

Sunday I was on a flight YSSY - YMML. YMML - YSSY.

 

There Virgin. Back Qantas.

 

All the "domestic" terms applied.

 

Got to the airport WAY early and walked up to the Qantas checking. No checkin lugage.

 

After a couple of steps, I was told I could get either of two earlier flights.

 

I jumped at it. ONE HOUR earlier and at no cost. Yes please!

 

 

[Guest basscheffers]

Absolute worst airline around. Never fail to infuriate me. Some examples:

 

After having to delay my Tahiti-Sydney flight because I had to have my appendix removed there, they did their very best to make arranging my travel home as hard and expensive as possible. Ended up flying via Auckland and the 767 to Sydney had the cheapest nasties seats you can imagine. I actually asked to move because I though my seat was broken. Turns out they were all that way!

 

In Singapore, we're offered a direct flight to ADL instead of our original via SYD. Great! Except that when we get on board we're told they are going to make a stop in Darwin for no apparent reason. End up getting everyone and their hand luggage off, go through security and then wait in the middle of a night for hours before continuing. Via Sydney would have been faster and less painful.

 

Domestic flight ADL-SYD followed by BA flight. At ADL, QF requires pram to be checked and refuses to take the pram off at SYD and checks it all the way to London. (fun, two 3 hour layovers with 9 month old twins and no pram!) At the BA gate in Sydney they ask where our pram is. They feel very sorry for QFs incompetence. "Of course you can take prams to the gate".

 

Moving from SYD international to domestic, we couldn't take the loaner prams for our twins on the bus. "There are prams available in the other terminal". Yes, at the QF service desk, which is the opposite end from where the bus drops you off. Finally getting one in the domestic terminal, its label read: "Do not remove from INTERNATIONAL terminal".

 

Parenting rooms at QF terminals in SYD don't have microwaves to warm up food. Coffee shops refuse to do it.

 

Had some lounge passes, to be used on the day you fly QF. That's literally what it says, nothing about before or after. So refused lounge entry after flying to SYD on QF and before our BA flight to London.

 

Shall I go on?

 

Now I only fly them when I rack up enough points for a freebie on my Amex and Visa cards, would never choose to fly them voluntarily, especially not on long-haul flights.

 

Worst. Long. Haul. Airline. In. Existence. (and I have flown on Air Canada, United and Delta!)

 

If flying with kids long haul, I can't recommend BA highly enough.

 

 

[flying dog]

You want to try Alitalia.

 

 

[Thx1137]

Usually too expensive for me but usually ok otherwise.

 

As for "beware of stories". Same goes for any airline but here is two from me. My most "interesting" flight was with Qantas in a 737 when the wings were oscillating up and down while we were cruising just above the runway at YSSY. I thought we were going to have to go around because we were running out of runway. I had mentioned to my partner that the only way he will get it down without a go around is if he times the swing of the wings. A few seconds later BANG! He timed it well enough but my jaw hurt for a little while afterwards. That is when I gained an appreciation for the strength of an undercarriage!

 

When I oganised a flight for my mother from YSSY to YADL I organised a wheelchair when I booked the ticket. Everyone got off the plane and where still waiting. the polit and copilot leave the aircraft and start leaving the terminal and I am wondering where my mother is. A flight attendant asked me if I was waiting for someone. She said there was no one left on the plane! Weel, I call my mother and she says she is waiting for someone to help her get her bag down from the overhead locker. I mean far out. After that they say "don't organise a wheelchair with the booking because they often forget to tell us", tell the flight attendant when boarding the plane. That didn't impress me either.

 

Personally, when booking my tickets I don't care how wonderful an airline was. I care about how good it is now. From Virgin I have had service that is above and beyond so they are my first choice these days, I haven't with Qantas. As I say, usually they are just ok. (and to those whos experience is the exact opposite, it doesn't mean either of us a "wrong")

 

I remember a US airlines reply to a question about the Qantas safety record that they fly more miles per day than qantas does per year.

 

 

[facthunter]

I would agree with Ultralights. The biggest problem is with management that regard the cheapest quote as the one to go for, with maintenance. You can't tie a contract workshop to a fixed quote and not allow cost adjustments when the engine is stripped and unexpected damage/deterioration is found, can you? Doesn't work with planes (and maybe not a lot of other things too). There is no doubt that this policy has caused trouble. They still have a good pilot standard, and looked after their passengers well during the Greenland/ Iceland? Volcano episode. The race to the bottom for the cheapest airfare has had a bad effect on airline ops. Some clients will go for the absolute lowest fare without going any further. I don't GET that attitude because there are some airlines I would not fly with IF I got the ticket for FREE. Perhaps I know a bit more about what goes on than most, but YOU can get the safety ratings if you want them. Ultimately the public are the only ones who will change this by being prepared to pay a bit more for a better product. I would still fly Qantas currently, but their maintenance record has definately slipped. Management needs to review how they do things in this area. There is constant friction there. Nev

 

 

[Guest ozzie]

read my sigature, Emirates for me OS and Virgin 4 local

 

 

[David F]

Have done the London Sydney half a dozen times London NZ a couple also London Bombay Europe etc. Best was Air Canada Business class excellent service next BA.Did not rate Singapore airlines too cramped (set up for smaller people) Emirates and Etihad ok but prefer to support the locals we are travelling Virgin Atlantic to UK in June will see how they go.Re Qantas safety record its all spin they did have a write off but chose to effect an uneconomic repair to save face.The rest of the marketing guff is all a bit one eyed.Ultralights had a point when he remarked that they were run by accountants I would like to point out not only accountants but irish accountants at that.

 

Dave

 

 

[Russ]

Mate is employed in qantas.........told me recently that the engine dramas have the potential to send RR to the wall. Also said the 380's are back flying, but now only carrying 3rd capacity...........they don't trust the engines at higher power settings.

 

Changing power plants to another makers he says, would cost mega bucks, simply out of the question. Why this trend to go huge payloads / bigger planes / bigger engines etc etcwhen the ol 747 just keeps plodding along......sweet as.