stevejnr

Hi,

I am looking at booking an award flight on QF463 (A330-200) or QF479 (737-800) in business class.

Flights are only 15mins apart and both have availability - is there any real difference between the two?

Travel is at end of April and there will be 2 of us travelling together if that makes any difference.

Cheers in advance,
Steve

thom1033

This is purely my personal opinion, but having been on both I'd take the 737. The time I rode the A330 SYD-MEL it had the Mk1 Skybed seat which was in tatters with the padding worn very thin. It was pretty uncomfortable for me and it's too short of a flight to gain any value from the slanted almost lie flat seat. The 737 has a standard recliner (similar to US domestic first class) that I found far more comfortable.

Just my opinion.

moa999

Depends... If you can get one (well at present there is just one) of the refurbed A330-200s, then it is definitely better. As is a SkyBed I.

Otherwise its much of a muchness, although many do like the more spacious feel of the widebodies.

seat_4D

To be perfectly honest for a 90 minute biscuit run I would save my 32,000 points and $65 in fines and look to upgrade a longer flight in the future.

Then as travelling as a pair take the A330 and select the Window / Aisle combo.

The food on these flights is not worth the points expense, nor is the beverage service. The flight isn't long enough for the comfort difference to kick in.

If your heart is set on flying J, then take the 737. Smaller cabin = faster service. Liklihood of the "new" leather interior. You aren't going to have time to recline let alone sleep, so presence of a skybed is worthless.

Just my opinion of course

og

The back row of J on the 738 will most likely be served at the top of descent (on a short SYD-MEL flight). This is especially the case if some self important DYKHIA in row 1 keeps asking for top-ups of the wine, wants a nice chat with the FAs and spends forever choosing things and stuffing around - ignoring the fact that those behind are hungry and thirsty.

Cedar Jet

To me it would have much more sense to focus on the A333's first then the 332's rather than both at the same time? Further, it's totally illogical the 380's are being bypassed. I'm guessing there is wisdom to this madness somewhere in the ivory tower in Mascot.

moa999

Not really.
QF also needs refurbed 332s to match VA domestically.
And Internationally mostly to SIN vs SQ and HKG/PVG vs CX, and somewhat to CGK v GA. Less competition for MNL and HNL.

The Int 330s have the SkyBed I (Sloping), the A380s and the refurbed 747s have the Skybed II (Flat, but with an inclination to droop), hence the 330s being done first - the SKyBed II is still an acceptable (albeit not leading) product - and the oldest A380 is just over 6yrs old so not time for an interior refresh yet.

I would fully expect that once the 330s are done, there may be yet another seat (SkyBed IV) and it will be rolled out to the A380s and most likely some 787-9s

You can't do an entire fleet at once (and indeed this 28 plane subfleet is taking 2-years to overhaul) and the A330 refurb was the most needed.

seat_4D

Very true, and something I too have experienced. Equally though if it is a battle to get fed in row 3 of a 738 I would dread row 6 on an A332!

VH-RMD

How very dare you!!!

stevejnr

I totally agree, but availability is not there in economy and I'll be booking with BA Avios (cost in J is 9,000 + £7 per person or 4,500 + £7 in Y).

Have also booked MEL-PER in J for 20,000 Avios each + £7.90

At the moment I have a decent number of Avios so don't mind spending them if there's no extra tax - here in the UK the tax (and surcharges) when flying in premium cabins soon adds up.

stevejnr

Thanks for all the responses - we are booking on the 737 and will try to avoid row 3!

JClasstraveller

Seat selection opens up at T-80.

If you have some status, you may be able to select better seats earlier (at booking or subsequently) of course.

seat_4D

If you have points and want to burn them, then burn them!!

seat_4D

As QF Silver / BA Blue you may struggle to avoid row 3 (it is often hard to as a QF WP if the cabin is full of WP WP1 and CL) remembering there are only 8 chairs forward!

stevejnr

I'm sure we could cope if we ended up in row 3 - I never mind these 'Champagne problems'!!!