kochleffel

QANTAS is announcing changes to in-flight services and the planes themselves to reduce jet lag in its longest flights, those to New York and London, describing the changes as a project to “overcome the tyranny of distance" that makes air travel to and from Australia so difficult.

These include reordering the inflight services, with meals and light-out times set to promote adjustment to the time at the destination, and a wellness area with handles for stretching safely, plus exercise videos. The wellness area requires reducing the number of seats.

I'm very interested in this even though Australia isn't in my current plans. When I fly TATL from the east coast of the U.S., I try to book as late a departure as possible so that I have some hope of falling asleep before it's arrival time in Europe, but then I'm arriving at what still feels like the middle of the night. I have no idea how these ideas could be adapted to flights of that length.

I wonder, too, whether the reduction in seats will make this prohibitively expensive. I'd be interested in replies from FlyerTalkers who travel to or from Australia.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/trave...-york-flights/

og

Why start now when they already have flights up to 14 hrs or more and could do it on those? Sounds like PR spin to me.

Mwenenzi

All airlines have a lot of spin doctors Get the answer you want, just like 99.99% of corporate and govt's.
QF newsroom is a better source than a 3rd party rehash.
QF-->WORLD-FIRST RESEARCH SHOWS WAYS TO REDUCE JETLAG AHEAD OF QANTAS ‘SUNRISE’ FLIGHTS

QF's current ULH's seem to be selling. seats = weight = aircraft range
QF QANTAS TO SAY ‘BUONGIORNO’ AGAIN TO ROME IN 2024

3544quebec

Just put on the noise cancelling headphones and tune to the Alan Joyce Press Conference channel - best white noise to fall asleep to.

Koru Flyer

It is a long road for them to climb, today they have LH and ULH flights - Poor inflight service, poor meals, they do excel on the lights out aspect of it. If anyone can put a spin on things it is QF.

So to reword - Qantas based on its ground breaking research, current expertise, Neil Perry's food, and years of experience of maximising shareholder return, will reduce the effects of jetlag through a combination of hunger, boredom, dehydration combined with 14 hours of darkness to enable passengers to reset their clocks.

No matter what time you arrive you will either be (a) so starved for food and daylight that you will go outside and seek the sun, or (b) be so tired and shattered for a late arrival that you will go straight to sleep.

KF

og

Certainly the case in the 789s and 350s (assuming they will be supplied with crew operated window blinds). But on the 380 you at least have some say in the window shade so long as you have posession.

Koru Flyer

not sure, I was basically yelled at by the cabin crew in F while sitting in 1A for having my window shade open 3 hours into a midday departure. Every one was awake. But she wanted it all shut down and everyone to go sleeps. Not the first time.

og

There are ways and means for getting what you want but some crew lack that basic skill in diplomacy. And this criticism is not just a “QF only” issue. A true diplomat can tell you to go to hell and you look forward to the journey.

angetenar

There is some thinking that given the reduction in seats may have been needed to make the range work out, so the space would have been empty anyways and they finagled something to put into the space. Compare the 238 seats (6 F, 52 J, 40 PY, 140 Y) on the project sunrise A350-1000 to SQ's ULH A350-900 which only has 161 seats (67 J, 94 PY).

Koru Flyer

And think about it, 180 pax all watch the exercise video and then decide they want to stretch in the space of cupboard. Good marketing. SAS also a while back on their 330/340 had an empty space they labelled for exercise. Cannot say I ever saw anyone use it. Cheap use of space, that I am sure crew will find a way to park things there and scowl at passengers using. Giving the turbulence on BA12 the other day, I would be concerned at people congregating without being buckled in for a long period of time.

og

They could abandon the “wellness zone” and instead increase the pitch of Y seats.

Dave Noble

Take a morning flight from the US and arrive in the evening - stay up late and no real impact from the flight - also keep away from alcohol

Koru Flyer

Looking at the pic (which I guess is an impression), it is a awkward spot in front of the RH door. where probably a galley once was/is, now converted into a "refreshment zone". I am sure if they could have shoe horned more seats in or found a way to sell extra legroom seats there at a premium they would have, probably the wellness zone was the last option on the list after all of the revenue ideas ;-)

https://www.qantas.com/au/en/about-u...zone%3Aen%3Ann

Koru Flyer

If flying from the east coast I can highly recommend the route via Japan (JL or ANA). Several obvious reasons but for Jetlag the best is that your first flight is straight over the top so you cover all timezones in as short a period, then the last flight is on the same timezone as AU, so you are basically acclimatising as you fly. Yes it is longer but you avoid US domestic flights, US airports, and gain Japanese service, planes, service etc. Also could do CX, SQ, QR, EK but it is quite a bit longer, and while things are still sorting themselves out price wise it is typically quite cost effective.

Dave Noble

Going via Japan to Europe from the East coast of the USA seems completely bonkers to me