ANstar

If flying J, I would be choosing QF over LAN any day. At least with QF you are guaranteed Skybed - LA still use cradle seats on some of their A340's

austgap

Number_6 has just mentioned that it has been cut, including a couple of other routes SYD-SFO and SYD-EZE

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/qanta...l-hkg-lhr.html

Kiwi Flyer

If the LA refit hasn't finished yet it must be very close to being finished.

grov

A recent post to the LAN forum: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/other...j-lax-lim.html advised that all LAN 340s have now been converted.

Aisle Seat H

http://www.businesstraveller.com/new...-london-hong-k

"During the summer months Qantas has decided to withdraw first class from three long-haul routes owing to the downturn in traffic.

According to the industry publication Air Transport World, Qantas will not offer a first class cabin between July 6 and October 31 on flights between Sydney, San Francisco and Buenos Aires in addition to its Melbourne-Hong Kong-London service...

Qantas expects to operate its B747-400s on the London-Hong Kong-Melbourne route with the existing business, premium economy and economy seating. It's not clear whether first class will remain empty or whether Qantas will accommodate some of its favoured business class passengers in the premium cabin with the more spacious seating (but with business class catering and so on) at no extra cost" ^^^

ajnz

Semi-related, I've noticed QF5/QF6 have been operated with 3/4 class 744s regularly lately, resulting in much overselling of Y and a lot of op-ups in to J and F-operated-as-J.

PSICA

As I mentioned in my other post earlier, I had QF29 booked from Melbourne to London in First. Originally they changed my flights to CX which I was happy with.

I had a call saying that QF have cancelled my MEL-HKG in First for 18th September, and also that CX have cancelled the other flight that I was booked on. I was offered business class from MEL-LHR instead.....

Unfortunatley I have cancelled my plans to fly QF, this has meant that on July 9th and July 11th, they have also lost out on a First Class booking, as this was the outbound section of the ticket, which ended MEL-HKG-LHR.

I now have a return ticket from London on SQ in First, and on two of the sectors I will be flying in their A380 in the "suites".... Hopefully SQ still keep their aircraft flying in First... CX have cancelled many of their HKG-LHR sectors in First, and left me with no options.

Please Qantas, keep flying First, there are passengers out there that will fly first....

Dave Noble

But how many will pay for 1st? If there are v few ppl prepared to pay money ( rather than awards or upgrades ) then it isnt surprising if they suspend 1st

Dave

LHR/MEL/Europe FF

Or the alternative is that they keep the first cabin but charge more realistic prices.

Based on space alone, a QF F seat (rather than all the extra service) could be around $6600 to the UK (calculations below).

That would be a fairly easy price rather than $16k.



calculation based on 52 economy seats in the nose of a 747 @ 1800 a seat return = $93600, divided by 14 seats in F cabin.

PSICA

Agreed, many other airlines have reduced their fares in First, an example of this is MEL-LHR o/w on Qantas is $12,000, SQ in First is $7000 OW. Other Airlines are offering 2 4 1 deals etc... Fares from London to MEL have also reduced including QF. So why not from Australia?

sxc

If this ends up being a more permanent move, and QF is going to physically rip out the F class seats, I wonder if QF is also planning to put in flat bed skybeds a la A380?

BD1959

... Back to that old chestnut: points spend is revenue, agreed not cash but revenue all the same. I expect QF have done some very astute forecasting, but I'd have thought that in this financial crisis era ..... even if the majority of customers in F are on awards, wouldn't QF be better recognising that additional revenue ... would be interesting to see what their model predicts customers will be doing with points if not redeeming on QF ...

Redeeming elsewhere, perchance?? (lost revenue!!)

BD