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  • #3639
    Kiwiwings
    Participant

    https://www.qantasnewsroom.com.au/media-releases/qantas-and-emirates-partnership-update/

    I think I’m too angry to type!!!

    Not sure if March 2018 means 1st of March i.e. I’m impacted or, some other time in March. Obviously hoping for the latter.

    I’ll miss the A380. If I was going to geek out on a personal trip then I guess I’d head down to Christchurch but I’m not sure I see that happening.

    Brisbane gets a bit of a bum deal with only 2 extra return 737 flights a week which is nowhere near as nice as a daily A380. Melbourne gets lucky with the A330. I’ve come to the conclusion the only way you can get out of Oz if you miss those 6-7pm Qantas departures is that you’ll be routed through Melbourne. Whether you’re flying from Perth, Sydney or Brisbane – that just seems to be the only way out. The red eye from Melbourne to Auckland is brutal. I booked it once thinking it would be empty and imagined lying down flat across rows – but I swear it was so full you’d think everyone was flying home for Xmas! Hope the A330 takes that spot.

    I guess the one good thing I can think of is that now people can upgrade with their Qantas points on the A330 whereas you had to use them for a full award flight with Emirates flights booked via Qantas. The downside is you’ll be competing against all the Aussies (and other kiwi QF flyers etc) but there’s loads of them. There’s likely more Platinums than there are NZ Elites and when Aussies can sign up for credit card bonuses for 10’s of thousands of Qantas points this really puts kiwi’s at a big disadvantage 🙁

     

    It’s been a while since I’ve flown QF’s A330 Y but I’m pretty sure I’ll prefer NZ’s wide bodies. I saw a sign by Qantas taking a dig at NZ’s seat + seat & bag fares yesterday saying “we won’t let you fly hungry”. Ha!

    Qantas have no PE on the A330 so NZ wins there.

    Qantas business suite is pretty nice and the catering is a bit better than NZ as well. Qantas offer some NZ wines internationally but not domestically. I prefer NZ’s inflight entertainment. And there’s no substitute for the NZ lolly. It’s just such a great small but significant touch for me. Just the like the in-app coffee offering – love it!

    I wonder if these new changes will kick Qantas into gear to upgrade their Auckland lounges. I hope so.

    Anyway, I think I’m going to go to my room and cry myself to sleep now.

     

     

     

    #3680
    GlobalTraveller
    Participant

    This is really disappointing. What else can you say 🙁

    #3716
    Adam Jobbins
    Keymaster

    I’ve done a few EK A380 flights between MEL and AKL and it’s probably the best economy experience I’ve had trans-tasman. Back when I was QF gold, I’d book them over Qantas any day – in fact having flown trans-tasman a few times in business class on the QF 737’s, I think I’d rather a bulkhead seat in Y on an EK A380.

    These days I usually only fly NZ anyway, but sad none the less.

    #5086
    Kiwiwings
    Participant

    I’ve certainly found my Qantas and NZ flights quite full since the changeover. It’s been a busy period for me so I’ve been tired (= grumpy) and less tolerant of jam packed flights. I guess it’s good for the respective companies business.

     

    I decided to fly more VA and finding the experience better. Economy X with a middle seat free (not many people want to pay for the middle seat) has just been bliss. Trans tasman cost is $59 which I realise seems excessive given you can purchase a twin seat with Air NZ for $29 or so but I would have been declined on at least one of the flights given it was THAT packed! I figure I’d also have to get to the airport early to purchase the seat if available rather than risk it later. And I’m not sure what happens if I purchase a twin seat with Air NZ but someone has pre selected the seat next to me or they’ve already seated someone next to me. I’m guessing I’m the one that would have to move elsewhere. I wish Air NZ would let you somehow show an interest in paying for a twin seat at the airport or even prior in the app. They should know how many seats are available and they can maybe leave 2-5 seats available for purchase and farm the rest out for twin seat.

     

    Anyway to avoid that hassle, currently I think flying with VA is worth the extra. The knock on effects from EK leaving the route have been crazy.

    #5116
    Kiwiwings
    Participant

    And looks like the Emirates flights from Auckland to Dubai are no longer bookable via Qantas and you can’t earn status credits to Qantas. Can’t even redeem Qantas points on the EK flight. Basically get routed to Australia to fly Emirates onwards.

     

    Painful. I reckon this relationships days are numbered.

     

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