Agreed - I checked in at T-36 (connecting from LHR) a couple of weeks back for the SIN-BNE QF52 with new J seatmap, boarded to find Mk I beds. First world problems though!

Can they tell me at checkin which config it is?

I'm flying QF577 SYD-PER on Saturday and the seat map us currently showing 2-2-2 and I have an "F" seat booked. If I end up on the new config I'd prefer one of the solo window seats.

Are there any tips, or just wait until the day? Thanks.

Only advice is to keep checking the seatmaps

...and proactively pre reserve Even numbered A or K seats or Odd numbered F seats.

Great tip thanks. I've moved Saturday from 4F to 3F (just in case) but my flight in October is already full according to the seat allocation. I've got an odd numbered K there.

I've had a look at the seat map, what is the advantage of off numbered F seats?

Probably not full, but blocked to be available to "hi value" customers who traditionally book much later. Usually these seats become available at T -80 hours, so set your alarm.

The odd numbered F seats are inset towards the middle, away from the aisle, as are the even numbered E seats - but I did not mention them as they don't exist in business class on some skybed equipped 330's.

FWIW, the even A/K seats are against the window - away from the aisle as well.

Ah well no new planes for me on my recent MEL-PER-MEL trip! On the upside the crew were all excellent, the food (esp the Spanish chicken on PER-MEL) was decent and they kept my glass well topped up with Margaret River vino, so I was pretty happy!

I just flew QF577 SYD - PER on an old A330-200 with 2-2-2 config in J. Does QANTAS seriously fly these overseas and expect to be competitive?

The legroom was the worst I've experienced in J (except for Euro Business, but that is for much shorter flights), the seatback TV screens are poor and several didn't work on my flight. The highlights were the Australian relaxed, friendly and personal service and the empty seat in between the middle two seats. It was obviously originally 2-3-2 (what were they thinking?) and the middle seat has been turned into an empty table space.

I know TK does 2-3-2 but the legroom is far superior.

The food and wine were also pretty good.

My next QF577 has a new business seat map - hopefully it stays that way.

You bet they do. On the SYD-HNL route, they are the best offering. The competition is HA and JQ. These make the SkyBed Mk 1 seem brilliant.

So much luck of the draw. Thu 9th Jul's QF777 MEL-PER was new config.

No they don't, if it was, as you suggested, the 2-3-2 layout sold as 2-2-2. Only used domestically on relatively short sectors.

Dave

No they don't, that is not correct information. The bird/s as described are domestic use only.

It is the business config in the same as Jetstar's business class which they were hoping to get away with before Virgin stopped it with their competition.

I stand corrected. My early reading missed the 2-3-2 reference. I saw the 2-2-2 and linked this with the SkyBedMk1 - which is a world away from what sydunipete got.

By "a world away" I presume you mean better - it would certainly be hard to be "a world away" worse.

Just wondering if anyone had tried getting an on departure upgrade for these new business suites. I'd been thinking it was too risky to pay for a seat with <50% of the birds fitted. But after check in you could go to gate and ask if this plane has the new seats? I've never done an on departure upgrade but it says it works right up to 20 mins before gate closes? Just figured it would bring some certainty to the situation. Flew the A330 economy for the first time and had decided not to go business. Of course it had the new seats.

I did actually like my economy especially having a spare seat next to me. The mini ipad was a really good way around the TV issue I thought, but I do wonder, if it's not bolted down if a few might be tempted to walk with it.

I understand that it only works on the QF wifi network - but then again, if locked phones can be unlocked by enthusiasts, perhaps iPads can go the same way?

Presumably this was on a 332, not a 333? My recent 333 trip SYD-BKK in Y was a refurbished aircraft (QPB) but no iPad, just a nice modern PTV in the seatback.

Yes 332

ALL QF's 330's to get lay flight Business seating - Including Domestic
 

QPI has reentered service making 5 333's QPA/B/C/D/I and 5 332s EBA/B/J/S/V - getting there !

5 of 10 330-300s and 5 of 18 (eventual) 330-200s.

My feel is that we should be at 8 330-300s by end of the year (two months each for QPE,QPF and one month for QPJ), and all 300s done by April (depending on whether QPG,QPH take one or two months).

The -200s will take a little bit longer to be complete but the count should be about 10 by end of year, and finished by June/July.

(Assumes pattern of one 300 and one 200 in the hanger which has been broadly correct)

Do keep in mind that the BNE/NRT is (advertised to be) permanently new config, so it's really 4/9 333s for the other routes.

Going to be going between SYD and PER quite a bit in Feb next year. Are there any particular flights to book to be guaranteed lie flat? I know red eyes are meant to be guaranteed but as we know its a horrible flight to take. Any others going to Sydney that are usually the new flat bed? I know its a broad question!

Many thanks

It would be nice if qantas made that info available. It's nice knowing what you're getting rather than lucky dip. From what I read here maybe half the fleet will be done by the time you fly. 50/50! Better odds than currently.

Yes, it'd be "nice" if they did that, but hardly likely. If they advertise that QFxxx has the new seats and a last minute sub brings on an old config, can you imaging the fuss that'd create?

Flightradar24 web version or theqantassource jet tracker will show you regos (and fitouts) for flights over the last 7 days/ month plus. At the moment nothing is guaranteed

Nothing is gauranteed, even on the day.

Just flew QF577, SYD-PER. Plane was new configuration in Business. Very nice product. Food and service were top notch. Entertainment system was have problems.

Only advice- if you want to sit next to someone special, get the first 3 rows, for aisle/aisle. Otherwise they don't match up. Mrs BlueZebra had 4E, which was one row in front of me in 4A. And on our 30th wedding anniversary trip!

.

I was on QF571 last week in Row 3J and my wife was in 3K which looks on the seat map to be side by side across the aisle but was in reality one row behind me.

They would save a lot of time and effort and discontent if they would simply renumber the window seats to be what everyone expects them to be.

I assume you were in 3F ( there is no 3J). They probably don't want to renumber so as to make substitutions between -200 and -300s easier. The seats are more aligned in the -300.

You are right we were originally booked in J&K (was showing old config at the time) but I was actually in F.

When can you tell you will get the new config? On check in? Boarding? Any earlier?

By viewing the seatmaps you can see what is scheduled.... but of course this can change at any time up till boarding

Hoping to do an on departure type upgrade with points from econ to biz domestic but will check in the lounge and hopefully they can confirm the configuration (surely once the incoming plane hits the gates it shouldn't change!), otherwise, does anyone know if the arm rests go up on the 4 across? Fingers crossed there's a chance of one or the other given it's a red eye. Is it still the same amount of points to use as classic reward upgrades? (Classic reward upgrades have closed for the flight)

Damn. 3 days out and my QF577 seat map has changed from new config back to old config.

Fingers crossed for a last minute change. (Is anybody from scheduling reading this forum? If you are - a shiny new one for Saturday's 577 would be nice thanks.)

I am on QF61 late Dec and prior to flight time schedule change seat map was show new config and now it is showing old config - I thought the BNE/NRT was guaranteed new config? When I made original booking in May it was old config, so at this point has changed from old to new back to old....

Nothing seems guaranteed the new config, and always need flexibility for last minute changes.

QF61 has had it more often than not - 25 out of last 30 services, and last 9 straight based on Qantas Tracker at theqantassource.com

Has anyone had any difficulty charging devices on the new business suites? Like apple?

I have an upcoming flight on the 333. Original seat config was shown as the new version (T-6 months). At T-3 months it swapped to the old config. At T-1 week it swapped to the new config. :). But of interest, the "auto seating" on first booking was 2EF. We moved to 2K and 3K. Upon change to the old config, I selected window/aisle seats. Then upon reversion to the new config our original 2K and 3K seats were reassigned (even though our profiles say aisle/aisle and we seem to be automatically assigned centre block seats to is satisfy this profile request).