I like the ‘trick’ with the pillows in PE. There is a horizontal slit in the pillowcase. It allows you to attach the pillow to your headrest. It means you can bend the wings of the headrest, or fall asleep & the pillow won’t fall down. Also, the wall into the aisle can drop down. This makes exiting the aisle seat much easier. You can turn in your seat & put your feet into the aisle & stand, without needing to grab the seat in front of you. I prefer the aisle seat for that reason.
I flew VH-OQK Syd-Sin business class last year and it was the best experience I have ever had flying. The staff were incredible, the seat was great and the food was perfect. Before landing I took the courage to ask the flight attendant if I could see the cockpit, and was escorted for see it after the flight, that's a memory I will never forget, and will continue to use Qantas in the future!
@@petet968not necessarily. I’m not a Qantas employee. Or Australian for that matter. I flew from Melbourne to Dallas. The service was nice. Food was great. Staff were extremely friendly and a pleasure to speak to. I asked the crew to view the cockpit but they told me that I couldn’t go mid flight but would be happy for me to go once the flight landed in Dallas. The only 3 things I would complain was the fact that we were delayed by like 30 minutes because of missing bottles of water and the second thing would be the headphone jack wouldn’t work for some reason finally I kinda expected some wifi to be onboard. But it didn’t have it. The plane was a 787-9 registration VH-ZNL if you’re wondering. I would fly Qantas 1000 times over American Airlines
never accept someone putting their tinea ridden yellow toenail stinky feet like that or on armrests. Do what you have to do to get them to move them, and never accept it.
Hi, Paul. Thanks for another great reiview. I flew Qantas Business Class from Brisbane to Singapore on my way home after four very happy weeks in Australia and New Zealand. I found the checkin agent very friendly anf helpful and had lots of symapthy for me when I was feeling very low not wanting to go home. The cabin crew were also very friendly and helpful so as far as i am concerned Qantas are second only to my favourite airline, Virgin Atlantic. Thanks again fro bringing us the video and keep them coming🙃🙂❤
Me and my brother noticed that the scanners in the bag check in areas were made by Xbox when we went to Singapore in 2022. Your doing great work Paul keep it up.
1-2-1 business class layout is outstanding. Premium economy is only worth the cost for me on flights over 4 hours. Under 4 hours, i slum it in cattle class.
There is nothing like watching the flaps & slats deploy at 8:16. I can’t believe you only get a splice ice cream on QF1 , I recall getting a Weiss bar on QF 81 in economy in June’22. I’d like to see Paul do a Qantas vs Singapore airlines review on premium economy, just to compare the two carriers on this competitive route…or at least compare it to the BA product flying in Premium Economy on BA15 /16…
This looked like a pretty good experience. The food looked really delicious, with good sized portions. Buy no wifi and those intrusive seat reclining would have made the flight seems longer for many passengers. Thanks Paul for another great review.
That lounge has a great view. Planes and city. 😍 Thanks for sharing this trip with us... taking pics and making funny faces seems like a reasonable reaction. 😆
Love your review, I didn't expected much from Qantas, particularly when you say no WIFI, tragedy is they don't have WIFI on domestic flights and for some reason premium economy doesn't look inviting at all when I compare to Emirates Premium !! Thank you for reviewing !!
We just flew SYD-LHR-SYD via DXB in economy but with bulkhead seats . We definitely had more leg room than you had in PE , and had free wifi ,at a fraction of the cost of your fare . I can’t justify paying the extra for a slightly better meal , headphones and welcome drink . I can see why airlines love PE , it really is a big earner for them .
Yeah I can't argue with you there. Bring your own headphones and pay for extra leg-room economy seats. Unless you're especially wide then the added width isn't that important.
I flew Qantas premium economy recently from Sydney to South Africa. The whole experience was horrible. The crew clearly didn't want to be there and the food was slopped on the plate like dog food. Never again!
Yep; its the culture of Qantas that is broken and no amount of investment in new aircraft is going to fix it. This airline unfortunately continues to suffer from its head in the sand approach to customer service. So much for the change at the top!
Great video Paul! Wow! 🤩 So glad to finally see the New QANTAS Premium Economy product and on the magnificent Airbus A380! Your aircraft VH-OQB was QANTAS’ second Airbus A380 Hudson Fysh and is currently their second oldest VH-OQA their first plane actually was flying as QF32 a few years ago now when it had the uncontained engine explosion & failures named Nancy Bird Walton after the famous Aussie aviator who passed away in 2009 and was at the ceremony when QANTAS received their first A380 in 2008! 😅I’ll always remember the A380 mostly with QANTAS mostly because of flight QF 32 but also because it was the first ever A380 I ever saw VH-OQB back in 2013 in Seattle when QANTAS used to send an Airbus A380 there I saw the very one you flew on! So cool and a very special memory to me! 📸 ✈️ Also the food looks like a pretty decent step up from Economy as does your refurbished Premium Econ seat! 😎 Also at 11:15 regarding the feet on the window being the pushy American 🇺🇸 I am I’d defend tell the flight attendants and also tell the passenger to PLEASE STOP IT NOW & to move their feet! 👣 That is DISGUSTING 🤢 and would make me sick people do it barefoot in the USA 🇺🇸 In the summer months here when it’s already hot & sticky on a plane & it makes the whole plane smell like B.O. 👃 🤢 Enough of my American rant 😆 Other than that issue what a great video! Cheers mate 🥂 -Caleb’s Aviation
Once Qantas catches up to reality and wifi is installed I feel like it is a great product, I feel they are slowly improving since Covid however the new safety video has had quite bad backlash! Great video as always Paul
Qantas is actually ahead here because domestic flights on their 737's have free unlimited wifi, the A380's don't because international, but it is damn good for flying Mel-Syd
Flew 10 hours in Qantas premium economy in Nov and the new foot rests made a big difference for me. Got a good deal on the flight, which is why I suspect they cancelled the upgrade for my return leg.
Great video as always Paul. Flown QF PE quite a few times in the last 6 months (Work won't pay for J!) and my experiences match your video. I've noticed they have downgraded the blanket provided to you. It used to be the same one you would be given in J, now it seems thinner and doesn't retain warmth as well.
Having meals served on a tray with proper cutlery & having to pay for premium economy for that, which other major airlines do for economy, is a bit of a have as I got no tray, bamboo cutlery & more than likely a dose of Covid from a dirty table for my troubles on a QF1 to LHR flight last October. I was positive by Thursday morning after arriving the previous Monday morning so counting back my suspicions are for that fold out table & food resting on it with the protection of a paper napkin only. Qantas international flights have seen the last of me.
Great report, as always! I have friends in Sydney who have invited me to stay, and my adult children are dying to tag along! But I think it’s too late for me. I always travel premium economy now because I’m very tall and need the legroom. But I’m rather long in the tooth, with many health problems, so flying from New York to Sydney simple isn’t feasible. In my next life, I will make it a priority 😅
Hi Paul….great review and as always very honest and delivered with humour. Flew to Europe recently with Qantas and paid extra for the extra leg room seats which were fantastic…although must say the service on board particularly Singapore to London was awful. Young girls more interested in chatting and giggling with colleagues than providing any sort of service. It’s disappointing because I really would like to support our national airline but when fares are cheaper elsewhere and the service is better it’s hard to justify. Do agree with your comment on loyalty to gain status benefits though is a valid point.
I’ve been a very regular international traveller for the past 12 years averaging 500+ hours per year. For the past six years based in Abu Dhabi. Sadly Qantas is just a discount airline on the international market. There are much better options for service, schedule and aircraft comfort. Premium economy is essentially the old business class and what surprises me is sear design is below par compared to what has occurred in the car industry. I have more adjustment and comfort in my BMW car seat than an airline equivalent. One would think the airline industry could do better.
last trip on Qantas self check in allowed all back packs to be taken on board which filled the overhead stowage and when alighting made for a lot of congestion.
I flew Qantas premium economy from NZ to London via Sydney and Singapore on 30th January this year . After my experience I would prefer to fly Qantas any time. The staff were wonderful from the youngest to oldest. I felt like a queen. Only one meal disappointed on the Sydney to Singapore, where I had to take an economy meal, but the staff did their best to make things up to me. They asked everyone about their trips and remembered everyone's names as far as I could see. Maybe its a bit more but the treatment i got made it worth every cent
I’m finally flying Qantas in both Economy and Business, after 15 years last i travelled with them. The only reason? Company chose them for me and covers the costs. Otherwise no way I will step onboard a flight with them
When I got up to go the the toilet I would ask the person behind to please don't put their feet up. Love the reviews, thank you for the concise information.
Great review Paul! Good that you showed the two different seats as those bulkhead seats are impossible to get unless you're platinum or have a baby with you and need the bassinet.
Although the A380 is no longer in production, I think an airline like Emerites or SIA could make A380s into an Uber luxury plane with all FC seating/suites with bars and showers. On long-haul hub to hub flights. Why not? When you lower the PAX, even with extra luxury, the weight goes down, so the range increases too.
OMG, just when I thought it couldn’t get any better you tell us that the crew actually responds to the call button. That certainly doesn’t happen internationally in cattle class
Interesting... Last time I did QF PEY was in 2019 before the world went to shit. Lol... The seats are definitely nicer. The older ones were similar to the 737 JCL. You know, that lamb shank is similar to what I had on Jetstar JCL on the 787 😅... Hahahahahaha.... I would've just told that guy behind me to stow his feet away. Great to see how the product has changed... Or not. They've just added the napkin beneath casseroles. I've somehow created a reputation for myself as a QF basher with my string of negative videos. But at the end of the day, we just want an airline we all can be proud of. Enjoyed your video!
Qantas in the air is fantastic. The cost is a little over the top compared to all the other airlines flying into Australia and at present I would recommend checking the Emirates codeshare flights as their pricing in premium cabins is thousands less which is quite crazy really. You get the same status points and FF points but save yourself up to a couple of thousand a leg!
Oh how I miss the 747. If you booked the first two rows of premium economy you got business class seats and service for premium economy price. Lived those flights to Thailand. 😊
Appreciate the review as it will take a hell of a lot to ever get me back on any qantas flight…be interesting to see what they’ve done with domestic. I suspect we’re all still cattle
11:06 urgh, I hate when this happens. A similar incident happened with me on Malaysia Airlines’s A350 where a passenger behind me put their feet on my arm rest. My elbow occasionally touched his foot 🤢
Another great review From Paul. Would love to be able to fly anything other than economy. However any flight level is better than not going on a holiday!
Very nice. I think Premium Economy is the way to go in the future. People are getting taller and need more space for sitting and stretching legs especially on long-distance flights
Pre-dramas, Qantas would have been a shoe-in to get my tickets between Heathrow and Sydney. Now? Anyone but Qantas. The decline in operational performance and cost of tickets are prime reasons. But the airline's seeking to impose its politics on the public is another. What a case-study for business schools around the world. Good review, Paul.
Thanks Paul. A good review. As for wifi, I am not personally bothered. I don't fly much, but I suppose for people who fly all the time, no wifi must be irritating. IMHO many people use phones and other mobile devices a little too much. I have lost count of the number of people I have had to avoid who walk around listening listening to music, phoning and texting. You get a bit fed up being the only "adult in the room", or I should say, pavement. It is even worse on the roads, people weaving as if they are drunk, but mostly it is texting. Illegal of course, but some people must have their "fix" of social media. people just crossing roads, totally immersed in their phones, is not uncommon either. But I digress. The seat pitch would probably be a worry for me. In theory, it is for the "night' thing, but a lot of people will rest back even at mealtimes. Still, for short-haul daylight flights, premium economy looks quite good.
Another good review like always. Qantas have not been going so great from a passenger experience point of view as of the last little while… I actually have a model of the exact A380 you flew on for this review!
The question should be- is Qantas any good in 2024? Qantas started to go downhill about 17 years ago. There are airlines out there that offer better service and products
I feel the Qantas premium economy seat is actually very good, there was enough leg room but I think if it had an extra 2 inch it would have been perfect. I flew on it recently and Qantas's premium economy was much better than Cathay's.
Thank you, Paul. As you point out, Q service is adequate and you get what you pay for, but with status, lounge access can make the difference at the start of the journey ( food, drinks and the view of the tarmac) look forward to your next review without funny faces?!
Good work Buddy, seen as though we dont fly too far from home we fly Virgin, Qantas to me is a last resort. Like I’d rather fly qantas than other airlines to their home nations so i can feel like home but otherwise its VA
A solid balanced, informative flight review as usual Paul! Yeah, I find it odd too that I can get free wi-fi on a clapped-out 22yr old Qantas B737-800 on a domestic flight in economy but yet not on a long-haul international flight on their flagship aircraft? And yeah, Qantas's pricing for their premium products leaves a lot to be desired too. Recently booked a return Business Class flight to the US this July [peak season] on ANA for $A8000 (paid full fare, no points or discounts); I really wanted to fly Qantas to experience their Business Class on the A380 however their cheapest equivalent fare to my destination (Boston) was $16500, and most of these "special" fares are already gone for many of the dates I was looking at and it would be closer to 20 grand or more in reality, which is more than First Class on some airlines. My savings flying ANA (which is an excellent product that I have used before, utilising B787's & B777's on the route) is my 3 week's car hire & accommodation costs right there!
We flew business class to Norfolk Island last year. WiFi is supposed to be free, but it wasn't working. I was told by one of the cabin crew, that it was because we were out of range of the satellite. I was later told by a work colleague who's an ex Qantas maintenance engineer that it was because Qantas just don't want to pay for the connection on flights where it's not worth their while. That's understandable, but don't advertise the fact there's WiFi on the flight when there isn't and don't lie to me about the reason for it.
Yeah there's no wifi on international flights outside of Aussie airspace. The A330s do offer it but only over Australia. Once you hit Indonesia then it's off. Norfolk island flights has never had wifi.
@@PaulStewartAviation you did mention their customer service. 😀 We’re heading over there again next month. I’ll be interested to see if it’s the same story.
Flying to Australia from the USA is so FUCKING brutally expensive I do'nt even understand how non-business flyers even do it? Is everyone a bloody millionare these days? I don't get it. Even Premium Economy prices are coming to $6K per passenger. It makes no sense.
It’s true. Aussies are loyal to Qantas, the american options arent great (but getting better) and otherwise everyone requires a layover. We need a stronger Virgin to bring the prices back down.
@@PaulStewartAviation I hate this monopolistic situation. First of all the problem is compounded that one can fly only out of the west coast so departure options are limited. Flying with stops is not an option because it adds too much time going across pacific to Singapore or Hk to fly south. Then it’s a market sector so cornered by Qantas that they’re charging whatever FU prices they fancy and apparently people are paying too (idk how). Idk perhaps Australia doesn’t want USA tourism or what it is. But I find these prices from USA to Australia completely unaffordable and unsustainable. For context one can fly business class to Asia or Europe’s for under $4K a ticket from USA. But for Australia just premium economy is touching $6K. Airlines have a special place in hell I guess.
You were lucky to get that seat. When we booked our flights (SIN-LHR and LHR-SIN) we were stuck down the back of PE in the centre rows. We had no choice of seats, something to do with how the airline treated our booking. It was a MEL-SIN on a B787 and SIN-LHR on the A380, vice versa for the return trip. QF PE is marginally better than cattle class, but at a price point where I don't think that it's worth it. I much prefered VA's PE offerings on its 777s MEL-LAX. More room, a bit quieter, PAX to FA ratio better. Unfortunately, VA, I'm told, doesn't fly these routes any more. As for the lack of WIFi, this didn't really bother us. Most of the time was spent trying to sleep, anyway. I suppose that there are those who'd benefit from it, though.
Fair comments. Yes I’d struggle to justify the cost over getting an extra legroom seat in economy. Sometimes its nice to have a break for the internet too.
Great review Paul. IMO the extra cost of PE is worth it. A lot more comfort, via a much better & wider seat. More recline v an Economy seat. A lot more Seat Pitch v Economy 38” v 31” A pity it’s not 40” which is what their Project Sunrise A350 will have. The first row is the way to go. Even more leg room, and nobody can recline back towards you… The person putting their feet up onto the area on your left is a PIG ! That’s disgusting I definitely would have asked them to put their feet down. I would put something there, to block someone like that, from putting their feet there. Wifi ??? Qantas are waiting for Viasat to launch a couple more Satellites, so that their FREE International wifi, will work everywhere, and with a reliable / secure connection, and with fast speed. Apparently the International wifi offered by other airlines, doesn’t work everywhere / can drop out / can be slow / and it’s not necessarily Free… Is this correct ? Cheers ✈️ 💺
Not a big fan of Qantas even before all the latest news. I found their offering was subpar compared to their competitors,and I never seemed to find a happy aircrew. Perhaps they’re turning around, but I certainly won’t be stumping up my hard-earned to find out.
I always thought PE on the A380 is a great product ( until they doubled the fares after Covid) especially for day flights. Maybe it’s cheaper now. I’ve often been asked to swap seats in there by people who’ve had last minute upgrades from economy and they’ve been sat separately from partners. Tedious.
After watching your video on Qantas premium economy thank God Ifly emirates and when you pull out the foot rest on emirates is actually a lot bigger than Qantas and I know emirates is in partnership with Qantas but emirates always make sure that I fly with emirates and not with Qantas but when it comes to fly to Asia different story I will have to fly another carrier I refuse to fly with Qantas course sometimes I found the crew to be a little bit rude when you asked for help fuse to help you but with emirates I found The crew to be amazing and very helpful and always to make sure your experience on the rail line is good so that’s why if I travel overseas I’d prefer to fly emirates
Traveled Premium Economy from JFK/SYD when it first started and it was excellent and I used it LHR/ Melbourne also great. My favorite is LHR/Melbourne via Perth in Business the best Business class, Compared to BA and Singapore business . Qantas wins on comfort, Plane and Lounges.
Had a horrid flight with them last year so I’ll always try and avoid Qantas, as an economy passenger I’ve had more enjoyable flights with Jetstar and other LCCs so why not save some money while I’m at it.
Alright if you have credit card which gets you lounge access. Also as a tourist rather suffer economy and spend the money saved not doing premium economy at my destination. Call me shrude with my money but still can't justify spending the money. Great if you a frequent flier and can upgrade easier.
Food quality looks a lot better (at least the presentation) compared to economy. Interested to know the actual cost you paid. Looking at flying to Europe again soon and reconsidering Qantas and their PE product. However if it is 3 times the economy price, I don’t think I could justify the additional cost, as I do t think the value is there at present
I’d definitely be wanting to give Qantas a try next trip home, the food looks pretty decent (airlines food offerings have gotten loads better since I first started doing regular trips to NZ back in the early noughties)
Thanks Paul. Excellent review, as usual. I fly very rarely, however my wish (dream!) is to fly at least once in an A380 before they're retired from service. Cheers.
The Qantas wifi situation is really weird. Like domestic 737s and some domestic A330s having fantastic very high speed free wifi available to everyone on the plane. Meanwhile international you have nothing on the a380 and 787, and nothing whilst outside of australias borders on the a330s and 737s
@@PaulStewartAviation true mate. Have you tried the Malaysian A350 SAS configuration yet? Currently on mh148/149 rotation. Also the. AIRNZ wet leased ex Cathay 777 with first class seating sold as business? Worth a try great fun. Currently on Melb to Auckland to Houston. Cheers. Was that the potential Mrs Stewart seated next to you?
One month ago I flew Singapore Airlines (which I love) Premium Economy and unfortunately it was much more Economy that Qantas PE, however it did have WiFi. I would not waste the money with Singapore on Premium Economy in future, however Qantas looked like value for money, albeit no WiFi. Re your neighbour with the terrible foot behaviour, just say rather loudly so at least the rows in front and behind can hear "Would you mind removing your feet as the foot odour is terrible"....
I like the ‘trick’ with the pillows in PE. There is a horizontal slit in the pillowcase. It allows you to attach the pillow to your headrest. It means you can bend the wings of the headrest, or fall asleep & the pillow won’t fall down. Also, the wall into the aisle can drop down. This makes exiting the aisle seat much easier. You can turn in your seat & put your feet into the aisle & stand, without needing to grab the seat in front of you. I prefer the aisle seat for that reason.
I flew VH-OQK Syd-Sin business class last year and it was the best experience I have ever had flying. The staff were incredible, the seat was great and the food was perfect. Before landing I took the courage to ask the flight attendant if I could see the cockpit, and was escorted for see it after the flight, that's a memory I will never forget, and will continue to use Qantas in the future!
Sounds like you work for Qantas.
@@petet968 Nope, run my own business, Vena Rewards. Be sure to keep an eye out for it in a store near you soon!
@@petet968 Why would an employee want to build up his/her courage to ask for a cockpit visit?
@@petet968not necessarily. I’m not a Qantas employee. Or Australian for that matter. I flew from Melbourne to Dallas. The service was nice. Food was great. Staff were extremely friendly and a pleasure to speak to. I asked the crew to view the cockpit but they told me that I couldn’t go mid flight but would be happy for me to go once the flight landed in Dallas. The only 3 things I would complain was the fact that we were delayed by like 30 minutes because of missing bottles of water and the second thing would be the headphone jack wouldn’t work for some reason finally I kinda expected some wifi to be onboard. But it didn’t have it. The plane was a 787-9 registration VH-ZNL if you’re wondering. I would fly Qantas 1000 times over American Airlines
@@ImperrfectStrangercalled a fake comment
never accept someone putting their tinea ridden yellow toenail stinky feet like that or on armrests. Do what you have to do to get them to move them, and never accept it.
Hi, Paul. Thanks for another great reiview. I flew Qantas Business Class from Brisbane to Singapore on my way home after four very happy weeks in Australia and New Zealand. I found the checkin agent very friendly anf helpful and had lots of symapthy for me when I was feeling very low not wanting to go home. The cabin crew were also very friendly and helpful so as far as i am concerned Qantas are second only to my favourite airline, Virgin Atlantic. Thanks again fro bringing us the video and keep them coming🙃🙂❤
Helps me look forward to my next flight! Some great commentary and video footage Paul!
Me and my brother noticed that the scanners in the bag check in areas were made by Xbox when we went to Singapore in 2022. Your doing great work Paul keep it up.
My brother and i
@@halitosis75 Nobody likes a GN! Especially when they make mistakes ( * I not i ) 🙄
Xbox is a brand, it isn't a production company. Microsoft have AI software in scanners.
@@halitosis75My brother and I. Don’t police comments if you can’t comment properly yourself.
1-2-1 business class layout is outstanding. Premium economy is only worth the cost for me on flights over 4 hours. Under 4 hours, i slum it in cattle class.
Cattle Class. Such charisma...
There is nothing like watching the flaps & slats deploy at 8:16. I can’t believe you only get a splice ice cream on QF1 , I recall getting a Weiss bar on QF 81 in economy in June’22. I’d like to see Paul do a Qantas vs Singapore airlines review on premium economy, just to compare the two carriers on this competitive route…or at least compare it to the BA product flying in Premium Economy on BA15 /16…
This looked like a pretty good experience. The food looked really delicious, with good sized portions. Buy no wifi and those intrusive seat reclining would have made the flight seems longer for many passengers. Thanks Paul for another great review.
That lounge has a great view. Planes and city. 😍 Thanks for sharing this trip with us... taking pics and making funny faces seems like a reasonable reaction. 😆
Love your review, I didn't expected much from Qantas, particularly when you say no WIFI, tragedy is they don't have WIFI on domestic flights and for some reason premium economy doesn't look inviting at all when I compare to Emirates Premium !! Thank you for reviewing !!
We just flew SYD-LHR-SYD via DXB in economy but with bulkhead seats . We definitely had more leg room than you had in PE , and had free wifi ,at a fraction of the cost of your fare . I can’t justify paying the extra for a slightly better meal , headphones and welcome drink . I can see why airlines love PE , it really is a big earner for them .
Yeah I can't argue with you there. Bring your own headphones and pay for extra leg-room economy seats. Unless you're especially wide then the added width isn't that important.
Love the video. I went on qantas a330-300 bussnis class i recommend it!
So good to see another flight review from you. All the best for 2024.
I flew Qantas premium economy recently from Sydney to South Africa. The whole experience was horrible. The crew clearly didn't want to be there and the food was slopped on the plate like dog food. Never again!
Yep; its the culture of Qantas that is broken and no amount of investment in new aircraft is going to fix it. This airline unfortunately continues to suffer from its head in the sand approach to customer service. So much for the change at the top!
That’s Australians for ya most miserable workers in the world
Great video Paul! Wow! 🤩 So glad to finally see the New QANTAS Premium Economy product and on the magnificent Airbus A380! Your aircraft VH-OQB was QANTAS’ second Airbus A380 Hudson Fysh and is currently their second oldest VH-OQA their first plane actually was flying as QF32 a few years ago now when it had the uncontained engine explosion & failures named Nancy Bird Walton after the famous Aussie aviator who passed away in 2009 and was at the ceremony when QANTAS received their first A380 in 2008! 😅I’ll always remember the A380 mostly with QANTAS mostly because of flight QF 32 but also because it was the first ever A380 I ever saw VH-OQB back in 2013 in Seattle when QANTAS used to send an Airbus A380 there I saw the very one you flew on! So cool and a very special memory to me! 📸 ✈️
Also the food looks like a pretty decent step up from Economy as does your refurbished Premium Econ seat! 😎 Also at 11:15 regarding the feet on the window being the pushy American 🇺🇸 I am I’d defend tell the flight attendants and also tell the passenger to PLEASE STOP IT NOW & to move their feet! 👣 That is DISGUSTING 🤢 and would make me sick people do it barefoot in the USA 🇺🇸 In the summer months here when it’s already hot & sticky on a plane & it makes the whole plane smell like B.O. 👃 🤢
Enough of my American rant 😆 Other than that issue what a great video!
Cheers mate 🥂
-Caleb’s Aviation
"QF32" was the title of a book written about the experience of the captain of that flight Richard Champion de Crespigny.
Ahhh the qf a380, my absolute favourite! makes qf1 & qf2 soo good tolerable!
As always amazing video Paul thank you so much for taking us on this amazing flight keep up the good work mate
Once Qantas catches up to reality and wifi is installed I feel like it is a great product, I feel they are slowly improving since Covid however the new safety video has had quite bad backlash! Great video as always Paul
Qantas is actually ahead here because domestic flights on their 737's have free unlimited wifi, the A380's don't because international, but it is damn good for flying Mel-Syd
What backlash? I must have missed that one, or forgotten.
Looking forward to watching this and seeing how it compares to SQ premium economy which I flew last year!
Awesome video. Despite me not being a fan of qantas, I really like the way you presented this video. Well done.
Been Economy, Business and First on Qantas but not Premium Economy. My favourite airline. Thx Paul.
Another excellent and very informative review. Always enjoy your vids keep em coming 🙂
Flew 10 hours in Qantas premium economy in Nov and the new foot rests made a big difference for me. Got a good deal on the flight, which is why I suspect they cancelled the upgrade for my return leg.
Great video as always Paul. Flown QF PE quite a few times in the last 6 months (Work won't pay for J!) and my experiences match your video. I've noticed they have downgraded the blanket provided to you. It used to be the same one you would be given in J, now it seems thinner and doesn't retain warmth as well.
Having meals served on a tray with proper cutlery & having to pay for premium economy for that, which other major airlines do for economy, is a bit of a have as I got no tray, bamboo cutlery & more than likely a dose of Covid from a dirty table for my troubles on a QF1 to LHR flight last October. I was positive by Thursday morning after arriving the previous Monday morning so counting back my suspicions are for that fold out table & food resting on it with the protection of a paper napkin only. Qantas international flights have seen the last of me.
Great report, as always! I have friends in Sydney who have invited me to stay, and my adult children are dying to tag along! But I think it’s too late for me. I always travel premium economy now because I’m very tall and need the legroom. But I’m rather long in the tooth, with many health problems, so flying from New York to Sydney simple isn’t feasible. In my next life, I will make it a priority 😅
Hi Paul….great review and as always very honest and delivered with humour.
Flew to Europe recently with Qantas and paid extra for the extra leg room seats which were fantastic…although must say the service on board particularly Singapore to London was awful. Young girls more interested in chatting and giggling with colleagues than providing any sort of service. It’s disappointing because I really would like to support our national airline but when fares are cheaper elsewhere and the service is better it’s hard to justify. Do agree with your comment on loyalty to gain status benefits though is a valid point.
Hi Steve, thanks. it's quite crew dependant. I did QF1 last year and found three sets of the crew quite good but one was pretty poor.
I’ve been a very regular international traveller for the past 12 years averaging 500+ hours per year. For the past six years based in Abu Dhabi. Sadly Qantas is just a discount airline on the international market. There are much better options for service, schedule and aircraft comfort. Premium economy is essentially the old business class and what surprises me is sear design is below par compared to what has occurred in the car industry. I have more adjustment and comfort in my BMW car seat than an airline equivalent. One would think the airline industry could do better.
Bolts are pretty important to the air frame so glad all 23,000 of them were present on the A380!
Some bolts are missing on Boing planes
last trip on Qantas self check in allowed all back packs to be taken on board which filled the overhead stowage and when alighting made for a lot of congestion.
I flew Qantas premium economy from NZ to London via Sydney and Singapore on 30th January this year . After my experience I would prefer to fly Qantas any time. The staff were wonderful from the youngest to oldest. I felt like a queen. Only one meal disappointed on the Sydney to Singapore, where I had to take an economy meal, but the staff did their best to make things up to me. They asked everyone about their trips and remembered everyone's names as far as I could see. Maybe its a bit more but the treatment i got made it worth every cent
I’m finally flying Qantas in both Economy and Business, after 15 years last i travelled with them. The only reason? Company chose them for me and covers the costs. Otherwise no way I will step onboard a flight with them
Im so impressed, you food looked like edible food. Unlike the cattle class mush that is served and mostly returned untouched.
When I got up to go the the toilet I would ask the person behind to please don't put their feet up. Love the reviews, thank you for the concise information.
“Legs filmed with permission”
Not something I’d expect during a Paul Stewart video, but here we are!
My most recent Qantas flight from LAX had a broken seat and broken tv screen so very poor
Great review Paul! Good that you showed the two different seats as those bulkhead seats are impossible to get unless you're platinum or have a baby with you and need the bassinet.
Thanks! 👍
Although the A380 is no longer in production, I think an airline like Emerites or SIA could make A380s into an Uber luxury plane with all FC seating/suites with bars and showers. On long-haul hub to hub flights. Why not? When you lower the PAX, even with extra luxury, the weight goes down, so the range increases too.
OMG, just when I thought it couldn’t get any better you tell us that the crew actually responds to the call button. That certainly doesn’t happen internationally in cattle class
I thought the call buttons no longer operated, thats certainly been my experience across several recent flights.
7 hours, no wifi, bliss. People do need to disconnect. A flight is the perfect place
Interesting... Last time I did QF PEY was in 2019 before the world went to shit. Lol... The seats are definitely nicer. The older ones were similar to the 737 JCL. You know, that lamb shank is similar to what I had on Jetstar JCL on the 787 😅... Hahahahahaha.... I would've just told that guy behind me to stow his feet away. Great to see how the product has changed... Or not. They've just added the napkin beneath casseroles. I've somehow created a reputation for myself as a QF basher with my string of negative videos. But at the end of the day, we just want an airline we all can be proud of. Enjoyed your video!
Qantas in the air is fantastic. The cost is a little over the top compared to all the other airlines flying into Australia and at present I would recommend checking the Emirates codeshare flights as their pricing in premium cabins is thousands less which is quite crazy really. You get the same status points and FF points but save yourself up to a couple of thousand a leg!
I often think Qantas is great as long as the plane is off the ground...pretty much everything else is disappointing!
Oh how I miss the 747. If you booked the first two rows of premium economy you got business class seats and service for premium economy price. Lived those flights to Thailand. 😊
How are you on this here 😆
Appreciate the review as it will take a hell of a lot to ever get me back on any qantas flight…be interesting to see what they’ve done with domestic. I suspect we’re all still cattle
11:06 urgh, I hate when this happens. A similar incident happened with me on Malaysia Airlines’s A350 where a passenger behind me put their feet on my arm rest. My elbow occasionally touched his foot 🤢
Hum....I noticed "Our Flight Home" and legs filmed with permission!! Also...no more jokes being made about being single! Congrats...a great video!
Well spotted 😉
Looks pretty decent
Another great review From Paul. Would love to be able to fly anything other than economy. However any flight level is better than not going on a holiday!
Thanks for watching!
Very nice. I think Premium Economy is the way to go in the future. People are getting taller and need more space for sitting and stretching legs especially on long-distance flights
Pre-dramas, Qantas would have been a shoe-in to get my tickets between Heathrow and Sydney. Now? Anyone but Qantas. The decline in operational performance and cost of tickets are prime reasons. But the airline's seeking to impose its politics on the public is another. What a case-study for business schools around the world.
Good review, Paul.
Thanks Paul. A good review. As for wifi, I am not personally bothered. I don't fly much, but I suppose for people who fly all the time, no wifi must be irritating. IMHO many people use phones and other mobile devices a little too much. I have lost count of the number of people I have had to avoid who walk around listening listening to music, phoning and texting. You get a bit fed up being the only "adult in the room", or I should say, pavement. It is even worse on the roads, people weaving as if they are drunk, but mostly it is texting. Illegal of course, but some people must have their "fix" of social media. people just crossing roads, totally immersed in their phones, is not uncommon either.
But I digress. The seat pitch would probably be a worry for me. In theory, it is for the "night' thing, but a lot of people will rest back even at mealtimes. Still, for short-haul daylight flights, premium economy looks quite good.
another great video Paul
Qantas was my first wide boody Air Craft B747-400 Experience London-Melbuurne ❤
Another good review like always. Qantas have not been going so great from a passenger experience point of view as of the last little while… I actually have a model of the exact A380 you flew on for this review!
The question should be- is Qantas any good in 2024?
Qantas started to go downhill about 17 years ago.
There are airlines out there that offer better service and products
I feel the Qantas premium economy seat is actually very good, there was enough leg room but I think if it had an extra 2 inch it would have been perfect. I flew on it recently and Qantas's premium economy was much better than Cathay's.
Thank you, Paul. As you point out, Q service is adequate and you get what you pay for, but with status, lounge access can make the difference at the start of the journey ( food, drinks and the view of the tarmac) look forward to your next review without funny faces?!
I worked on OQB. Such a massive airplane. Sad to see there is no successor since all the airlines are going smaller for fuel efficiency.
Loved your neighbour helped. 😊. Stinky socks/ feet, nooooo. Yes, i would fly it.😊
Good work Buddy, seen as though we dont fly too far from home we fly Virgin, Qantas to me is a last resort. Like I’d rather fly qantas than other airlines to their home nations so i can feel like home but otherwise its VA
A solid balanced, informative flight review as usual Paul! Yeah, I find it odd too that I can get free wi-fi on a clapped-out 22yr old Qantas B737-800 on a domestic flight in economy but yet not on a long-haul international flight on their flagship aircraft?
And yeah, Qantas's pricing for their premium products leaves a lot to be desired too. Recently booked a return Business Class flight to the US this July [peak season] on ANA for $A8000 (paid full fare, no points or discounts); I really wanted to fly Qantas to experience their Business Class on the A380 however their cheapest equivalent fare to my destination (Boston) was $16500, and most of these "special" fares are already gone for many of the dates I was looking at and it would be closer to 20 grand or more in reality, which is more than First Class on some airlines. My savings flying ANA (which is an excellent product that I have used before, utilising B787's & B777's on the route) is my 3 week's car hire & accommodation costs right there!
Absolutely! Ana/jl are offering pretty decent prices these days
We flew business class to Norfolk Island last year. WiFi is supposed to be free, but it wasn't working. I was told by one of the cabin crew, that it was because we were out of range of the satellite. I was later told by a work colleague who's an ex Qantas maintenance engineer that it was because Qantas just don't want to pay for the connection on flights where it's not worth their while. That's understandable, but don't advertise the fact there's WiFi on the flight when there isn't and don't lie to me about the reason for it.
Yeah there's no wifi on international flights outside of Aussie airspace. The A330s do offer it but only over Australia. Once you hit Indonesia then it's off. Norfolk island flights has never had wifi.
@@PaulStewartAviation The thing is, they actually tell you there is on that flight during one of the announcements.
@@vk4vsp thats dodgy then!
@@PaulStewartAviation you did mention their customer service. 😀 We’re heading over there again next month. I’ll be interested to see if it’s the same story.
Flying to Australia from the USA is so FUCKING brutally expensive I do'nt even understand how non-business flyers even do it? Is everyone a bloody millionare these days? I don't get it. Even Premium Economy prices are coming to $6K per passenger. It makes no sense.
It’s true. Aussies are loyal to Qantas, the american options arent great (but getting better) and otherwise everyone requires a layover. We need a stronger Virgin to bring the prices back down.
@@PaulStewartAviation I hate this monopolistic situation. First of all the problem is compounded that one can fly only out of the west coast so departure options are limited. Flying with stops is not an option because it adds too much time going across pacific to Singapore or Hk to fly south. Then it’s a market sector so cornered by Qantas that they’re charging whatever FU prices they fancy and apparently people are paying too (idk how). Idk perhaps Australia doesn’t want USA tourism or what it is. But I find these prices from USA to Australia completely unaffordable and unsustainable. For context one can fly business class to Asia or Europe’s for under $4K a ticket from USA. But for Australia just premium economy is touching $6K. Airlines have a special place in hell I guess.
Nice video. I don't really care much about WiFi or airline food. As long as the landing at my destination is soft I can cope with all else...
You were lucky to get that seat. When we booked our flights (SIN-LHR and LHR-SIN) we were stuck down the back of PE in the centre rows. We had no choice of seats, something to do with how the airline treated our booking. It was a MEL-SIN on a B787 and SIN-LHR on the A380, vice versa for the return trip.
QF PE is marginally better than cattle class, but at a price point where I don't think that it's worth it. I much prefered VA's PE offerings on its 777s MEL-LAX. More room, a bit quieter, PAX to FA ratio better. Unfortunately, VA, I'm told, doesn't fly these routes any more.
As for the lack of WIFi, this didn't really bother us. Most of the time was spent trying to sleep, anyway. I suppose that there are those who'd benefit from it, though.
Fair comments. Yes I’d struggle to justify the cost over getting an extra legroom seat in economy. Sometimes its nice to have a break for the internet too.
Great review Paul.
IMO the extra cost of PE is worth it.
A lot more comfort, via a much better & wider seat.
More recline v an Economy seat.
A lot more Seat Pitch v Economy
38” v 31”
A pity it’s not 40” which is what their Project Sunrise
A350 will have.
The first row is the way to go.
Even more leg room, and nobody can recline back towards you…
The person putting their feet up onto the area on your left is a PIG !
That’s disgusting
I definitely would have asked them to put their feet down.
I would put something there, to block someone like that, from putting their feet there.
Wifi ???
Qantas are waiting for Viasat to launch a couple more Satellites, so that their FREE International wifi, will work everywhere, and with a reliable / secure connection, and with fast speed.
Apparently the International wifi offered by other airlines, doesn’t work everywhere / can drop out / can be slow / and it’s not necessarily Free…
Is this correct ?
Cheers
✈️ 💺
Not a big fan of Qantas even before all the latest news. I found their offering was subpar compared to their competitors,and I never seemed to find a happy aircrew.
Perhaps they’re turning around, but I certainly won’t be stumping up my hard-earned to find out.
Flew Qantas premium economy once. The special Recaro seats were so uncomfortable I asked was there some problem with my seat not long after take off.
I always thought PE on the A380 is a great product ( until they doubled the fares after Covid) especially for day flights. Maybe it’s cheaper now. I’ve often been asked to swap seats in there by people who’ve had last minute upgrades from economy and they’ve been sat separately from partners. Tedious.
After watching your video on Qantas premium economy thank God Ifly emirates and when you pull out the foot rest on emirates is actually a lot bigger than Qantas and I know emirates is in partnership with Qantas but emirates always make sure that I fly with emirates and not with Qantas but when it comes to fly to Asia different story I will have to fly another carrier I refuse to fly with Qantas course sometimes I found the crew to be a little bit rude when you asked for help fuse to help you but with emirates I found The crew to be amazing and very helpful and always to make sure your experience on the rail line is good so that’s why if I travel overseas I’d prefer to fly emirates
I would have politely asked the cabin crew to have those feet relocated. 11:00
There new product is really good
I'd do anything to fly on an A380
Traveled Premium Economy from JFK/SYD when it first started and it was excellent and I used it LHR/ Melbourne also great. My favorite is LHR/Melbourne via Perth in Business the best Business class, Compared to BA and Singapore business . Qantas wins on comfort, Plane and Lounges.
Turkish Airlines to Europe in economy with extra legroom then Business return is cheaper than Premium Economy return
Great job Paul 🙂
Some great information thanks
"It's amazing that all 4M individual components work together so well, including the 23k individual bolts." Is Paul taking a dig at Boeing? ;)
Great review!
Glad you think so!
Qantas is how we spell Aeroflot in Australia
😂
I really hope i get the opportunity to plane spot at SYD one day!!
"Hygiene products and handbags inspired by the French but probably assembled in Bangladesh". 😂 Love your dry traveller humor.
Yeah but the bags are French and Italian made...
Had a horrid flight with them last year so I’ll always try and avoid Qantas, as an economy passenger I’ve had more enjoyable flights with Jetstar and other LCCs so why not save some money while I’m at it.
Thanks for the ‘nuts and bolts’ of your trip to Singapore….😂😂😂😂😂
Yes the RM Williams 😎
Alright if you have credit card which gets you lounge access. Also as a tourist rather suffer economy and spend the money saved not doing premium economy at my destination. Call me shrude with my money but still can't justify spending the money. Great if you a frequent flier and can upgrade easier.
According to FFT Qantas is no longer spirit of Australia but Savages of Australia!
how would u know its anygood if we dont get told the price waste of time
the price will depend on your dates... check the qantas website...
Flew QF PE Tokyo to Sydney on the 787 using points and thought it was a great experience.. Didn't want it to end!
Food quality looks a lot better (at least the presentation) compared to economy. Interested to know the actual cost you paid. Looking at flying to Europe again soon and reconsidering Qantas and their PE product. However if it is 3 times the economy price, I don’t think I could justify the additional cost, as I do t think the value is there at present
About 3.3k from memory
Nice work Paul, always good to see your work!
Cheers steve!
Always love your videos Paul!
I’d definitely be wanting to give Qantas a try next trip home, the food looks pretty decent (airlines food offerings have gotten loads better since I first started doing regular trips to NZ back in the early noughties)
Thanks Paul. Excellent review, as usual. I fly very rarely, however my wish (dream!) is to fly at least once in an A380 before they're retired from service. Cheers.
The Qantas wifi situation is really weird. Like domestic 737s and some domestic A330s having fantastic very high speed free wifi available to everyone on the plane. Meanwhile international you have nothing on the a380 and 787, and nothing whilst outside of australias borders on the a330s and 737s
Paul the room is tight as for an Aussie bloke when the pax in front has reclined. Awful. However, having PE on the topbdeck makes it quite exclusive
Agreed with both points. Boarding with the J pax certainly makes it a less painful process. I barely had to queue
@@PaulStewartAviation true mate. Have you tried the Malaysian A350 SAS configuration yet? Currently on mh148/149 rotation. Also the. AIRNZ wet leased ex Cathay 777 with first class seating sold as business? Worth a try great fun. Currently on Melb to Auckland to Houston. Cheers. Was that the potential Mrs Stewart seated next to you?
One month ago I flew Singapore Airlines (which I love) Premium Economy and unfortunately it was much more Economy that Qantas PE, however it did have WiFi. I would not waste the money with Singapore on Premium Economy in future, however Qantas looked like value for money, albeit no WiFi.
Re your neighbour with the terrible foot behaviour, just say rather loudly so at least the rows in front and behind can hear "Would you mind removing your feet as the foot odour is terrible"....
Good seat but that leg room is atrocious in the regular seats.
thanks paul another great video keep up the great work