SYD-AKL QF or LA
 

Given the recent downgrades of equipment on the SYD-AKL route (no more 743 and no more 767 with 1/2/2 configs) I am contemplating on using LA instead of QF on my SYD-AKL leg. I will be connecting from NRT-SYD and the timing of LA seems to be better anyway.


Has anyone travelled on this route before and what can I expect in terms of service and the seat?

In terms of luggage I THINK CX can tag it all the way from HKG-NRT-SYD-AKL. Although I am not 100% sure whether the KA interlining will cause any problems?

Dave
I would go for whatever is more convenient for you. LA J on that leg is not the same as LA J AKL-SCL but is still good. Having said that the service and food on that segment can be abit awry sometimes.

Don't fly Lan for the treatment - fly it for the cost :)

Food wise, Qantas will win. Seat wise I don't mind the Lan seats. Staff wise Qantas wins, Schedule wise Qantas wins.

No difference in cost if bought under QF code ;) which I suspect is the case here (throughfare).

One thing to be aware of is LA on time record is not good (at least lately). Can be significantly delayed, and I've seen a few days where they drop the AKL-SYD-AKL legs altogether. Presumably pax are put on QF & NZ flights, but if those are full may get delayed and/or downgraded.

I agree with Kiwi Flyer. I once tried this and the flight was canceled last minute and I didn't know about it until I reached SYD airport. LA (I think) only have 2 a/c that can manage this route, so all manner of issues can arise that can cause delays. As you will be coming from NRT, I doubt you would be impressed if your final leg was canceled or you had to hang around for hours waiting to be accommodated on alternative airlines.

You can get some advance warning of a cancellation or delay (up to 24 hours) by checking the AKL departures board (and arrivals).

LA now my favoured Trans-Tasman Airline
 

I have done the LA Trans-Tasman in J, solely for cost and SC.
I like them, get to practice my poor Spanish.
The seats are quite good, not Skybed but I find them better than Dreamtime and much better than Millenium which is perfect for this segment. They have AVOD, they do not issue noise cancelling headphones. (Note I noticed in the QFF email I received today that QF will update their Trans-Tasman offerings including premium headsets).
Food wise SYD-AKL is two half sandwiches, different types, and fruit. My TA never managed to get the vegetarian meals sorted. Nice Chilean wines, but there was one bottle of Argentinean as well.
Customer Service, can be hit or miss depending on load but they do answer the call button.
I have not had a flight cancelled or delayed, in fact have been early arrival, maybe has something to do with boarding calls made 1 hour before departure time. QP SYD does not make the call until 30 minutes or less before the flight and there generally is no line at the gates.
Oh my biggest gripe. Out of SYD my flight never gets credited but out of AKL it always automatically gets credited after 2 days. Why?:confused:

I have only travelled in F on lan syd-akl and although the french champagne was excellent the offerings was a bread roll with some letttuce cheese ham and tomato

and a bucket of icecream
My husband was in J and said he got much the same:(

the girls in F were also very lazy.
especially that there were only 3 Pax in F

Well hopefully after a good meal at the QF F Class lounge (which I should have NO trouble getting in as a CX DM) I don't have to concern too much on the catering of the flight. The J Class seats should be better than the Millenlium seats?

Better recline and pitch and AVOD I would say definitely.
I do not know if LA has its crew do the Trans-Tasman before they fly back to Chile or they finish at AKL which may contribute to their "relaxed" cabin service as they are waiting for the long haul back home.
I am interested on how you find LA over QF.

So I have booked my first LA flight in J for under $1000 AUD inc taxes through my TA.

Any suggestions on the best seat?

LA crew do AKL-SYD-AKL as a day trip, then overnight before returning to Santiago. Sometimes two nights depending on what day.

Soon be a thing of the past (when LA moves to daily). Then again, sometimes they get a bonus day off when LA drops the AKL-SYD-AKL flights in a bid to make up 11 hours or so.

I just did this trip very recently. Was a good choice as on the way over I was op-upped to P and had seat 2D which is the middle seat all on it's own. The seats are the old style recline flat seats (not suites) but comfortable enough. The J seats are a super version of the Dreamtime seat with additional recline and greater seat pitch.

Food was basic, a sandwich and fresh fruit on the way over, even in P and cereal or a sandwich for breakfast on return in J. The wine was excellent, staff friendly and this represents great value for money if you don't mind the early departure which I needed anyway.

Noise cancelling headphones in both P and J with PTV's. My plane didn't appear to have AVOD as movies where on a loop.

By far the pick over QF trans tasman J, especially for the $$$. Was late on the way over by 30min and late on the way home by 30min. This puts them in the same class as QF by my book for trans tasman. This was my first trip in an A340 which completes my set of now having travelled in every modern western widebody PAX aircraft (A300/310, 330, 340, 767, 777, MD11 and 747).

AKL domestic QC now has free wireless access and I got a ride on AirNZ due to cancelled JC flight. Gosh those NZ 733's are uncomfortable, don't understand how you NZ'ers put up with them.

You obviously missed out on Mother as the other wide-body (one of the few) and whilst technically an aircraft, she was a good old bird that saw many a PAX.