TheInvisibleHand

FT members, hoping some of you can share your experience and of course opinion!
Scenario: traveling with spouse, and 3 children (oldest 7, youngest 2) Sin to Mel overnight. It will late departure in both instances, and price is virtually identical. Will there be a noticeable difference in (dis)comfort with EKA380 v QFA330? I have flown EKA380 trans-Tasman solo and hated it (prefer the QF737!) but that is a completely different scenario given flight duration and the absence of kids etc. I haven't flown international A330 Y for five years or so.
All else being equal, I have a preference for QF given WP status and more experience with the airline but I am not concerned about status credits or FF points.
Thanks in advance!
TIH

og

AFF?

I'd prefer the 330 because of the 2 4 2 seating. But how you'd fit the family into that seat combo might be a challenge.

TheInvisibleHand

Haha - oops! Thanks og on both accounts
Edited!!!

mel737

First things first, well, what is WP?
EK are known for their plane swap, from A380 to 77W or from 77W to A380. Pros and cons listed below:
QF:
Pros: 2-4-2 offers comfortable space for pax and better crew.
Cons: Outdated entertainment and little recline.
EK:
Pros: Superior entertainment with ICE (Your child won't sleep! ) and better recline.
Cons: 3-4-3 seats makes harder aisle access if in left/right; the seat is also pretty tight if your plane swapped to a 77W. Not to mention some FA are disinterested and unfriendly. (I've flown EK 77W in Trans-Tasman Y to know those fact.)
Anyway, know my fact and go book yourself.

serfty

WP = W@nker Platinum

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/qanta...-qf-board.html

lokijuh

Flown both the flights you are talking about in last year, and wow the QF flight (QF 38?) was great as it was only first week of it's operation, and the economy cabin was virtually empty. I believe loads are much stronger now.

That aside, definitely prefer the EK A380 to the QF A330, my feeling/hunch is that seats seem slightly wider and there also seems to be more legroom (a hunch backed up by seatguru figures FWIW). Plus it seems quieter. Configuration might be easier with 3-4-3 you could take 3 + 2 and don't have anyone climbing over a "stranger" to get out (vs taking up 3 seats in middle four of the 330).

Also with the family, EK leaving one hour earlier (assuming you are talking about QF 38) may make a difference. (if you are talking about QF36, the earlier hour again may suit better). I wouldn't buy the comment "better crew" on QF, both can be very inconsistent, had fantastic and abysmal crew on the route on both carriers (incidentally matched by abysmal SQ crew too on the route in more recent months).

Also from what I hear treatment of WP's on QF and EK metal is similar - certainly as a SG, I find little difference in my treatment by the two carriers. If you are on commercial ticket though and want to book the EK flight, if the cost is the same, take the QF code on the flight to get status credits, status bonus and more points.

Also I guess there's always a chance of being swapped to 77W, but note the A380 has been consistently operating on the route since March last year, and AFAIK there hasn't been a time in that 10 months where there's been an equipment swap.

number_6

All of the QF a330s have been recently refurbished (to add J lie-flat suites) and this has upgraded the IFE as well as the Y seating. I think it is now better than EK on both counts, but I haven't flown Y on either in their current config. WP get decent recognition on EK but QF will usually do more for you, fwiw. Luggage seems to come out much faster for the QF A330 than the EK A380, at least the one time I arrived on QF just after EK had landed, and QF was much faster. So no compelling difference but QF is better on most counts. EK really focuses on their F/J revenue.

serfty

Not "ALL" ... Two have not been refurbished.

TheInvisibleHand

Terrific - great input thanks lokijuh! I can actually get QF36 for almost same price as QF38 (<$40pp different), so 8pm departure might just seal the deal...
Has anyone experienced the refurbed Y cabin? Travelling in five months so hopefully entire fleet will be done by then...
FWIW I acknowledge comment re: A380 and luggage. I'd add disembarkation is a PITA on that plane too.

lokijuh

Looks nice, nice new screens. IMHO, all smoke and mirrors, doesn't seem any more comfortable to me - leg room is still same old 31" seat pitch. Space won't be such of an issue if travelling with young children I assume.

number_6

The entire fleet is done for your route The 2 left in the old higher-density config are dedicated to SYD-HNL-SYD where they need the extra seats due to high demand on that route. The new seats are slimline so more comfortable and giving more leg space for the same pitch (the base slides); not unique to QF, the better airlines are refurbing their planes with this seat technology but it isn't used by EK on their A380s (yet).

lokijuh

My experience completely contradicts this. I flew down to MEL on refitted QF 330 and back on the EK A380, three days apart. EK was much more comfortable to me. More legroom and wider more comfortable seats, it felt like stepping half way up to PE... FWIW I'm 6' tall and have fairly broad shoulders.

Although I do realise though each person has a different experience, therefore I'm willing to acknowledge some may find the QF A330 more comfortable. That's why it's difficult to say which is best!

tmac100

Yup, agreed. I have flown EK A380 DXB-KUL and SIN-DXB and despised the seating arrangement/fit. No place for my feet. I am 6'5"

My sons have flown the AF A380 JFK-CDG and hated it for the some reason(s) as me. They are around 6'3".

Obviously YM (M/W) V

azj

Sorry to pile on the OP's question but... any thoughts to the same scenario of the OP but in Business class?

I'm considering both EK and QF for MEL-SIN in J class. 380 vs. 330, chauffeur vs. no chauffeur, no status with either, though I can credit QF miles to my AA account.

This particular trip I'll be flying QR and EY, so I was kind of thinking it might be "fun" to try EK as well. Two pros to the QF flight though, is earlier arrival in SIN = a wonderful dinner and good nights sleep before onward travel the next day. There's also the option to splurge on F for the EK flight. Hmmm...

Thoughts?

eoinnz

As a group of 5 on the A330 you could try and get one of the few rows of 3 towards the rear of the aircraft.

This way you could have a row of two and a row of three and not have to share with anyone else.

Here are the seatmaps

http://www.qantas.com/travel/airline...-333/global/en
or
http://www.qantas.com/travel/airline...-332/global/en