Qantas - World's Worse Airline - Or 2nd Best ?

[Kerryd]

Well, don't know about Quantas, but I think it would be hard to beat Air Canada for the crappiest service of any major airline. As Cdnvic mentioned, the unions have such a stranglehold over every aspect of the airline, not only is it expensive, but the service is exceptionally poor. So poor that it appears Air Canada didn't even make the list mentioned in the OP.

I recall one flight (Narita - Vancouver) where we experienced a little bit of turbulence. So little that my drink wasn't in danger of spilling. The aircrew all strapped themselves in and wouldn't get up until every thing had clamed down for at least 30 minutes ! The next little bit of turbulence we hit, they did the same. I ended up with my (empty) dinner tray in front of me for over 1 1/2 hours. In fact, during the entire flight, I got served 1 drink, they served 1 meal, and eventually collected the empty trays. That was it for an almost 12 hour flight. (and that flight was over $400 more expensive than the same trip flown on Japan Airlines).

I even found the service on Ariana Afghan Airlines to be better (though the food was sort of questionable).

Emirates is pretty good, and cheaper than Thai in most cases (on the routes I fly anyways). The Emirates Business/1st Class check-in in Dubai is excellent (no standing in line with the rest of the herd, they even have their own Immigration counter). The Business Class lounge is the best I've ever seen (even has small bedrooms, free of charge !).

I took Gulf Air (out of Bahrain) to Bangkok in April. Not too bad, and quite a bit cheaper, but the airport in Bahrain is in bad need of expansion and renovation.

I'll be flying China Airlines from Bangkok to Vancouver and back in July. Last trip (same route) was quite a nice trip, though I had a couple of long lay-overs each way. China Airlines had the cheapest flight I could find for the period I'm travelling. One thing nice with them, when I checked in on my return flight to Bangkok, I had 56 kgs of luggage and they didn't charge me a cent for excess baggage ! (cute stews too)

On the Taipei - Bangkok leg, I was upgraded to 1st Class !

I then took a Thai flight from Bkk to Dubai. Thai charged me 400 baht per kilo for 30 kilos excess baggage ! 12,000 baht !

Edited May 31, 2007 by Kerryd

[think_too_mut]

Well, don't know about Quantas, but I think it would be hard to beat Air Canada for the crappiest service of any major airline.

I can see several reasons for that.

In Oz, US, Canada, being a flight crew is not a big deal.

In Singapore it still is. In Thai even more.

In Oz, the taxes take a good deal of the flight crew income.

In Singapore, it negligent. 100K $ SQ captain takes home more than 180k QF captain.

In Singapore, the airline may advertise for flight crew "to be young, handsome with some modeling experience, body dimensions too".

In Oz, if you did that, you taken to court.

In Singapore, they say "as a flight attendant, you have to leave when 32 years old".

In Oz, if you said that, you are at the court again and probably makes you unemployable after.

My most hated airline - United - is spotless with safety, with their 2800 flights a day. So meticulous with the most important thing that they have lost the sight of what the Emirates do with cabin illusions. Still not a bad thing.

Not that Emirates have some Middle Eastern secret we don't know of - their fleet has been made, maintained and piloted by the westerners.

The traveling public may oversee that and think that we, who made the planes, are incapable to serve some coffee and cookies aboard.

The West, has cut it down to the bones - we guarantee you wont meet your death when flying with us but don't complain too much about the coffee.

The trouble is - low cost airlines do just that.

[tw25rw]

It was in 1976, over former Yugoslavia. The whole Manchester United team got killed.

Lol, now who's talking nonsense..

[tw25rw]

Sept 10, 1976 - Hawker Trident

Oddly, that was the day I left Sydney, aged 9, to live in London.. So I was probably in the air over Europe at the time.

[tw25rw]

My most hated airline - United - is spotless with safety, with their 2800 flights a day.

I take it you are joking..

Spotless record... Apart from 9 people being killed when a big hole blew out of the side of a 747 over the Pacific..

Or 111 people killed when their DC10 crashed on landing at Sioux City.

And numerous others not including Sept 11.

[torito]

Qantas rejects 'worst airline' label

On the domestic front, Qantas scored 67 per cent, with consumers labelling the service "arrogant and aloof", while Jetstar scored just 62 per cent.

Spot on.... Qantas cabin crew are almost as obnoxious as your average Australian Immigration officer.

Qantas seem to recruit all the unfriendly Aussies they can find....

Spot on!

[tw25rw]

Spot on.... Qantas cabin crew are almost as obnoxious as your average Australian Immigration officer.

Qantas seem to recruit all the unfriendly Aussies they can find....Spot on!

I agree with this too. I thought it was just me that gets grilled because of the BKK and Amsterdam stamps in my passport. And I constantly fret over some forgotten and buried food item that may be in my bag, waiting to be found by the sniffer beagle.

Thankfully, the impression of a police state diminishes rapidly once you leave the terminal.

[TBWG]

Remind me of the BA crash... I can't remember one, though I know BOAC had some..

Hi TW

If my memory serves me right they had a mid air collision with an Inex Adria DC9 somewhere over Eastern Europe. Air traffic control problem.

I also seem to recall them killing a lot of passengers on the ground at Leeds/Bradford airport when the pilot taxied a burning aircraft into the wind.

TBWG

PS Prior to BA formation BEA lost a Trident at Staines.

[jetjock]

The Flight Attendants and Passenger Agents are the main contact that customers have with an airline. If they are bad then the whole airline experience is bad from the passenger point of view. Unfortunately with unionized airlines which are based on the seniority sytem, many of the FA's and PA's hang around in their jobs long past the time they have burned out and have any feeling left for the passengers. It is common these days to have FA's well into their 60's and 70's still working after 40 or 50 years on the job. Many of these old timers with a poor attitude also have a heavy influence on the younger newer FA's that seems to rub off very quickly. Most major airlines in the US and other countries that have been around a long time are a prime example of this phenomenom. Non unionized FA's (like Singapore) and new airlines FA's do not seem to have this problem since non unionized can easily get rid of their personnel problems and employees of newer airlines have not been around long enough to burn out and develop a hardened attitude.

We used to say on United that a poll was taken among the Flight Attendants and they were asked the question " What one thing could United do for them to make their job better and more enjoyable ? The answer that came back was to "Get rid of the passengers !" Unfortunately that answer would probably be true for FA's on most airlines today.

[Krub]

I've only been in their economy, but I find it ordinary in terms of service and poor space/comfort. 31" seat pitch doesn't cut it and means that I just will not fly them long haul. Their business class is very expensive relative to Thai, meaning that I overlook them automatically. I would consider BA premium economy, which Qantas don't have, but otherwise put BA in the same box.

I agree about Aus customs and immigration as well.. Welcome to East Germany..

I only have had pleasant experiences with Australian immigration and custom both at Sydney and Melbourne.

The only unacceptable thing are the more than 1 to 2 hours long lines upon arrival early morning at Sydney airport, this is why I like Thai's arrival in the evening when the Sydney airport's arrival is empty.

[Krub]

T

We used to say on United that a poll was taken among the Flight Attendants and they were asked the question " What one thing could United do for them to make their job better and more enjoyable ? The answer that came back was to "Get rid of the passengers !"

That's sums up my feeling when i have to fly UA

Even if the other airlines crew think the same at least they have the decency not to show it !

[think_too_mut]

It was in 1976, over former Yugoslavia. The whole Manchester United team got killed.

Lol, now who's talking nonsense..

My bad. Can't remember who of the celebrities was among the dead, somehow mixed it up with another disaster.

[ercorn]

I have flown Qantas London-BKK-London about 4 years ago and they were 2 of the worst flights I have had.The food I couldn`t eat the service was bad and on the way back to London they woke everybody up 6 hrs before landing gave every one a coffee or tea they explaned to us that according to their research doing this will help us overcome jetlag.I will never forget an airhostess waking up the lady next to me and giving her a muffin and orange juice, mega funny took the hostess about 5 minutes.Also added to this there the seats are only a little more comfortable than the seats at Lumpini park.

Anyway never again.

[jingjoe]

I fly Qantas domestic a LOT, they are always top notch (just not as bubbly and enthusiastic as Virgin-Blue). The service and attention in Qantas Biz class is bloody awesome.

No surprise to see Jetstar come last, while fine for the price on the domestic routes, The International route (Aus to bkk/sgn/hkt)... is a complete shit-show. (Nice to know Qantas still doesn't fall outta the sky).

But what about longhaul jingjoe ? Try flying the " kangaroo route " ( via Singapore )

on Qantas and then on SIA and I will bet any money you would have to the LEVEL

OF SERVICE and POLITE CABIN CREWS are incomparable on SIA

I can only comment on what I know, which is why I specifically refered to Qantas domestic & Jetstar Int. only. I love the cheaper (than Qantas) economy deals on SIA, and their in flight service is hard to fault.

My next trip to LOS in September is out of Cairns via Honkers in economy. I'm already worried, being 6'2", everything I read & hear said tells me it'll be a VERY long 7 hours on the A330. I'm already convinced I should have flown out of Brisbane on SIA instead... time will tell.

[sgunn65]

Unless you have travelled on Air India you have not experienced how bad an airline can be!!!!!! And unless you have complained to Air INdia in the UK you have not experienced how badly but brazenly they can lie.

[jingjoe]

Spot on.... Qantas cabin crew are almost as obnoxious as your average Australian Immigration officer.

Qantas seem to recruit all the unfriendly Aussies they can find....Spot on!

I agree with this too. I thought it was just me that gets grilled because of the BKK and Amsterdam stamps in my passport. And I constantly fret over some forgotten and buried food item that may be in my bag, waiting to be found by the sniffer beagle.

Thankfully, the impression of a police state diminishes rapidly once you leave the terminal.

Well... I'm an aussie, and I also find Aussie customs officers a fkn pain, but I appreciate the fact that they take their responsabilities seriously.

You (tw25rw) are just the sort of person that quarantine/customs protects us from... i.e. unintentionally importing items that could turn our relatively pristine agriculture & livestock industries into a British equivalent.

So yeah getting through aussie airports can be a pain, but it's little wonder they're so pedantic when they're protecting the country from tens of thousands of people per day, that, just like you, constantly fret over some forgotten and buried food item that may be in my bag can't be bothered.

[tw25rw]

You (tw25rw) are just the sort of person that quarantine/customs protects us from... i.e. unintentionally importing items that could turn our relatively pristine agriculture & livestock industries into a British equivalent.

So yeah getting through aussie airports can be a pain, but it's little wonder they're so pedantic when they're protecting the country from tens of thousands of people per day, that, just like you, constantly fret over some forgotten and buried food item that may be in my bag can't be bothered.

Err, beg yours?

I was with you up to that point.

[tw25rw]

My bad. Can't remember who of the celebrities was among the dead, somehow mixed it up with another disaster.

The Man U thing was in 1958 and killed 8 players and ended the careers of some others. The plane was an Airspeed Ambassador.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Munich_air_disaster

[jingjoe]

Err, beg yours?

I was with you up to that point.

Oh come on, read it again... which part don't you get?

[tw25rw]

Err, beg yours?

I was with you up to that point.

Oh come on, read it again... which part don't you get?

That you assume that I'm the kind of person customs are there to protect against, ie a smuggler - if inadvertantly - because I wonder if there's something I've forgotten that may earn me a fat fine whilst queueing for an hour to have my bags x-rayed. I also worry about drugs being put in my bags when I go through BKK, but it doesn't make me a smuggler.

You also assume I'm British, the ultimate insult.

[jingjoe]

1. Paranoia aside, you should know what's in your bag.

2. If you don't, then you would be in the good company of many thousands of otherwise law abiding visitors that get caught, because.... they don't know what's in their bag.

3. This doesn't make you a bad person, simply a person that couldn't really give a shit about aussie quarantine, or the reasons for it's serious enforcement.

4. When caught, you will cop a lecture and threats of fines, and eventually walk away with a warning and without your food items.

5. Before your next visit to Australia, you will take the time to know what's in your luggage so you don't have to suffer this indignity again.

6. I checked, and don't see any reference by me, suggesting you're British, however seeing as you're located in London, you should have some idea of the potential dangers to local flora & fauna by accidental importation of foodstuffs from your country of residence.

7. If nothing else, Aussie customs are (in my experience) consistent in their pedantic treatment of travellers be they aussie or not.

8. It's interesting to note that most references to aussie customs that I've heard and read are similar to ours (they're slow, thorough and pedantic), so perhaps their method is having a positive educational effect.

Peace.

[tw25rw]

1. Paranoia aside, you should know what's in your bag.

2. If you don't, then you would be in the good company of many thousands of otherwise law abiding visitors that get caught, because.... they don't know what's in their bag.

3. This doesn't make you a bad person, simply a person that couldn't really give a shit about aussie quarantine, or the reasons for it's serious enforcement.

4. When caught, you will cop a lecture and threats of fines, and eventually walk away with a warning and without your food items.

5. Before your next visit to Australia, you will take the time to know what's in your luggage so you don't have to suffer this indignity again.

6. I checked, and don't see any reference by me, suggesting you're British, however seeing as you're located in London, you should have some idea of the potential dangers to local flora & fauna by accidental importation of foodstuffs from your country of residence.

7. If nothing else, Aussie customs are (in my experience) consistent in their pedantic treatment of travellers be they aussie or not.

8. It's interesting to note that most references to aussie customs that I've heard and read are similar to ours (they're slow, thorough and pedantic), so perhaps their method is having a positive educational effect.

Peace.

I'm Australian. I know all about Australian customs and immigration. I've never suffered any "indignity" other than being regularly searched including the contents of my laptop.

Like I said, I worry about whether I've forgotten something. It's just a comment. I don't need advice on the subject, ta.

Edited June 1, 2007 by tw25rw

[Jimjim]

I've heard South African Air is quite horrible as well.

[jingjoe]

I'm Australian. I know all about Australian customs and immigration. I've never suffered any "indignity" other than being regularly searched including the contents of my laptop.

Like I said, I worry about whether I've forgotten something. It's just a comment. I don't need advice on the subject, ta.

hmm, now I can see why they look twice at you.

[gummy]

Strange to me to get such a bad rating. I always fly Quantas in preference to BA from BKK/UK/BKK. Always find BA staff so arrogant and the standard of cleanliness also leaves a lot to be desired, especially the last 10 years, compared with Quantas. It must be a problem though judging from the reports in the other classes but I only fly 1st so for me compared to other airlines ( BA and Thai ) I find them far superior. I also consider that the aggrevation factor of changing planes should be considered should you choose a non-direct flight.

[tw25rw]

Strange to me to get such a bad rating. I always fly Quantas in preference to BA from BKK/UK/BKK. Always find BA staff so arrogant and the standard of cleanliness also leaves a lot to be desired, especially the last 10 years, compared with Quantas. It must be a problem though judging from the reports in the other classes but I only fly 1st so for me compared to other airlines ( BA and Thai ) I find them far superior. I also consider that the aggrevation factor of changing planes should be considered should you choose a non-direct flight.

Not surprising if you always fly first.. It's like a completely different airline.. You get to sleep, while those of us up the back sit through every minute of the misery wide awake!

[tw25rw]

For me, the worst aspect is definitely the lack of space. 31" seat pitch is not good enough on long haul, plus their seats are narrow. If they had a premium economy, like BA, I would consider using it. Actually, I think premium economy standards should be the minimum these days.

[Krub]

Strange to me to get such a bad rating. I always fly Quantas in preference to BA from BKK/UK/BKK. Always find BA staff so arrogant and the standard of cleanliness also leaves a lot to be desired, especially the last 10 years, compared with Quantas. It must be a problem though judging from the reports in the other classes but I only fly 1st so for me compared to other airlines ( BA and Thai ) I find them far superior. I also consider that the aggrevation factor of changing planes should be considered should you choose a non-direct flight.

Thanks to my job paying for the tickets I also fly mostly F class.

I found the seat layout of both BA and QF in the nose of the 747 was very cramped compared to the likes of SQ or TG who notonly have less seats but also bigger toilet/crew galley area to make it a real F experience.

Add to that the gentle smiles and the ground check-in/lounge facilities and you have a no contest !

[Jockstar]

I like Qantas. Have flown them many times. I even have a frequent flyer card. They are by far better than BA and a few others. Maybe not the best but cetainly not the worst.

[Sporting Dog]

I flew back from SIN to perth with QA a couple of weeks ago. The plane was fairly new, the staff competent and friendly if you didn't ask for anything, surly if you did.

However they were much better than a couple of years ago when I decided to never use them again if I had a choice. (I used FF points this time - their FF club is shit too).

Their plane was better than Thai which always seem to find the oldest plane for the Perth route - but Thai service is better.

The best and cheapest is SIA and they're my carrier of choice.

I flew to SIN-BKK with Tiger who were cheap but you suffer and I'll not use the super cheap carriers again for any flights over 2 or 3 hours.