cmtlatitudes

A couple of weeks ago I unexpectedly nabbed an available AA award in the F cabin, for a QF flight in June, LAX-MEL.

It wasn't until yesterday I realized that LAX-MEL flights on the A380 aren't actually resumed formally on the schedule. That's it's only six A380 flights scheduled between June 6-17th. Regular LAX-MEL A380 flights will not resume again until possibly December (per the article I came across). It probably should have tipped me off, that there were 4-5 flights with F awards available only over a two-week period out of nowhere. But just figured it was seasonal, going into Australia winter, and the MEL flights weren't full just coming back to the schedule. It did surprise me how long those June F awards sat available with no one grabbing them up though. I even wondered if I was missing something obvious everyone else knew about them. LoL.

My question is: should I expect the June flight to be full First service & amenity soft products? Or is it more likely to be Business soft product, but seated in the F cabin?

The QF fare pricing for F and J suggests a differentiation, but I'm not sure if QF may price F accordingly simply based on the hard product alone? Or even if there is that much of a difference in the soft products normally.

I'm in process of making this trip decision or not. It's extraordinarily bad departure timing for me in every way possible. A massive number of things to move, delay, schedule around, and scramble to take of prior. That isn't going well. Pretty much the only reason I'm still considering how to work it, is that it's an A380 F award. I recognize an F Qantas award on AA is almost impossibly hard to come by. I don't take my good fortune lucking into coming across one for granted. I hate like the dickens the thought of giving this ticket up, as there's no guarantee I'll come across one again.

That said, the timing is just so incredibly bad that I'm considering everything now. Including what to likely expect soft product wise from a flight that's not really in service and established again on the route. It seems more like a two-week exception or fill-in (and only 6 days out of those two-weeks).

​​​​​​​Based on a different thread here, I realize also QF's F lounge at LAX isn't slated to open until June 22nd soonest, so I'd be missing that part of the entire QF F experience that I'd been looking forward to as well.

Mwenenzi

With QF only the A380 has first class. The B787 and B330 do not.
Have never read of QF operating the A380 without F. Or business class passengers seated in first, with business class service. But it may have happened
Aircraft swaps on the AU<---->USA route have happened.
Looking at week starting 13 June LAX- MEL First class offered non stop Tue Wed Fri But not offered from non stop from 19 Jun.
Going the other way MEL-LAX in first for week starting 13 Jun offered non stop on Mon Wed Fri Sat, but nothing from 18 Jun.
When is your flight? Possibility Aadvantage (QF) could put you on LAX-SYD (first) SYD-MEL (bus)

og

IIRC it may well have happened. I think it was discussed on another fora and was possibly done on introduction of the 380 to cover last minute subs with the 789. As for when it happened (or whether it still happens) others may be better placed to comment.

number_6

It will be real F service on the A380 and catering out of LAX is ok (but markedly worse than the SYD/MEL F catering). Also due to late night departure the meal is lighter, officially supper instead of dinner. If the F lounge is not re-opened, you will not get F lounge food but often QF will cordon off a part of the J lounge for F pax, and have some better drinks available upon request -- but you have to know to ask. Actually they even do that in the SYD & MEL F lounges, with some special bottles kept under the bar for those who know what to ask for
There is some chance of a last minute aircraft substitution given the thin A380 fleet, so if this trip is an inconvenience for you then maybe best to cancel. Most likely QF won't put it back into award inventory, but it might go for an upgrade (or more likely for staff travel).
If QF is still serving the steak sandwich snack, then that is the best food on the flight If in doubt, stick to whatever Penfolds wine they have (it wont be 707 and probably not even 407, but some chance for St. Henri which is quite good). Pre-covid QF had a good wine stock at LAX, presumably it hasn't disappeared and only gotten better.

hansyuwiwb

You will receive the full F service. QF93/94 has a total of 6 operations in 4 cabin configuration. Cash tickets are being sold for F cabin for those 6 services

cmtlatitudes

Thanks everyone, for all the replies. Sorry for the long hand post; am having trouble getting the multi-quote to work this morning for some reason.

I only have AA miles unfortunately and there are no alternate F awards right now in city combination on any dates. At least that I can tell using AA's search engine (very painful lately) and Expert Flyer.

The dates were a known issue for me when I grabbed them. But I was so excited seeing the 4-5 QF A380 F awards over a two-week period, I picked the furthest one out available to try to make it happen anyway. I completely appreciate what a true unicorn this award ticket is.

My ticket is actually LAX-MEL-BNE. I tried for MEL-DWN or MEL-ASP but they weren't available in J. BNE was however. There's ~ a two-hour layover MEL-BNE. Hopefully that'll be at least enough time with customs & immigration to check out the F lounge in MEL for a quick breakfast beverage lol. But I haven't even looked at lounge details on landing yet.

Yes, I'm also concerned about a last-minute aircraft substitution. Originally June 3rd was also on the 380 and that's already been substituted. I really want to fly the A380. In spring 2019 I nabbed an F award for LAX-MEL on the 380 and planned the trip of a lifetime to southern and eastern Australia, including two weeks in Tasmania and five days in Kangaroo Island. For February/March 2020. The tragic fires derailed the Kangaroo Island plans and Covid derailed the rest.

I know I'm incredibly lucky to have an F A380 award from LAX once, let alone twice. Especially on an AA award. So haven't given up on trying to make it work yet. But if there were aircraft substitution, maybe even day of, I'd probably cancel, spend a few days around LA, and fly home. This is a very rare case where I'd be traveling for the flights rather than the trip.

hansyuwiwb

If aircraft is swapped out you aren’t going to get anything from QF. They will put you in J if that’s the case. You can ask AA to refund you the mileage difference which they will do.

you can’t visit the QF first lounge in MEL as your next destination is domestic and in all Australian airports the Intl and Dom sides are physically separated. They have exit immigration control just like continental Europe and most Asian countries, so you won’t be able to get to the international airside without a departing international flight.

However QF has a dedicated first lounge in LAX that you will have access to. It’s very nice and the menu is substantively the same as those in MLE &SYD

Enjoy!

Mwenenzi

It is a 4 minute walk and up 1 level from MEL T2 international arrivals to MEL T1 domestic departure. Even if a little late 2:00hrs will be OK. Anyway will be a later flight MEL-BNE
QF94 has a good on time performance https://flightaware.com/live/flight/QFA94
Given QF94 has a scheduled arrival at 06:00 it could/will be busy at T1 security and in the QF business lounge.

MEL--->https://www.melbourneairport.com.au/...formation/Maps
QF lounge--> https://www.qantas.com/au/en/qantas-...ness%3Aen%3Ann
Routes-->A map from Great Circle Mapper - Great Circle Mapper

og

You’ll be using the T1 Domestic Lounge in MEL (won’t get into the International T2 F Lounge unless on an International flight). The bar opens at 12:00 so your choice of breakfast drinks will be limited.

cmtlatitudes

Thank you for the info about the lounges. Bad news on all fronts. But thank you, this helps!

I'll be ok if they swap out the aircraft, even day of, as far as points go. The award is through One World partner AA. AA's policy now is to fully refund award miles canceled anytime before a flight.

The dedicated F lounge at LAX isn't to be opened until a week after my flight. 😯 It looks like no F lounge on departing LAX or arriving MEL.

cmtlatitudes

The bar opens at Noon??? 😮😮😮😮

og

yes for the MEL QF T1 Domestic lounges but from distant memory the T2 International QF lounges bars are open for breakfast

Schwann

Out of curiosity does the MEL F lounge offer the restaurant style table service when it opens or is it buffet only?

I'm not sure if it'll even be open when I fly (November) as my flight to ZQN isn't around the time of the flights the lounge currently opens for.

hansyuwiwb

Qantas first lounges now offer table service like pre-covid.

QF international J lounge is now reopened so J pax are now directed there, not to the first lounge anymore