Qantas has announced that it’s making some changes to its first class, representing “a new chapter” for the oneworld carrier’s most premium experience. However, when one of the things that you’re highlighting is the introduction of dine on demand (in international first class!), then you can’t help but scratch your head a bit…
In this post:
Qantas unveils “a new chapter” of first class
Currently, Qantas exclusively offers first class on its small fleet of Airbus A380s. The airline has announced a series of changes to its first class product, which will progressively be rolled out between late 2025 and the middle of 2026.
For one, Qantas is introducing new Aesop amenity kits in first class, with three collectable designs. The new kits will include Aesop hand balm, Aesop hand wash, Aesop lip salve, Aesop toothpaste, eau de parfum, eyeshades, a toothbrush with reusable cap, and 3M earplugs.
The amenity kits will be accompanied by new navy Qantas-designed pajamas, and loafer-style slippers, for inflight comfort.
The airline is also updating its food and drinks, with new dishes from Qantas Creative Director of Food and Beverage, Neil Perry, serving up dishes from Margaret restaurant. New menu items will include the following:
- Margaret’s tartare of yellowfin tuna with gochujang, toasted sesame and baby cos
- Roasted Wollemi duck with orange caramel, crisp Chinese greens, golden sesame and jasmine rice
- Crumbed Margra lamb cutlets with shaved fennel, pine nuts, rocket, salsa verde and lemon
- Neil Perry’s Gran Torino Torta Di Verona with Amaretto and toasted almonds
The airline highlights how it will also offer dine on demand to allow for maximum rest, as if that’s not a standard in virtually every first class cabin in the world. The new dining experience will be paired with Bollinger La Grande Année 2015, alongside Pommery Cuvée Louise 2006.
Here’s how Qantas International CEO Cam Wallace describes these updates:
“Our customers fly First because they value the quality in every detail. On longer flights, a fine dining experience, premium amenities and complete comfort really matter, so we’ve focused on improving each of these areas. Our incredible Cabin Crew have been undergoing inflight trials and an intensive training program. It is great to welcome new premium partners onboard and we look forward to delivering this new experience for our First customers.”
My take on these Qantas first class updates
All of these changes to Qantas first class sound positive. I’m a big fan of Aesop, and at a minimum, the new Qantas first class slippers look super comfortable.
That being said, I can’t help but chuckle a bit at the way that Qantas is hyping this. A new design for the amenity kit and pajamas marks a “new chapter” for the product? And the airline is now promoting how it’s going to start offering dine on demand in first class, “as part of the Flying Kangaroo’s ongoing focus on jetlag mitigation and inflight wellness ahead of its groundbreaking ultra long-haul Project Sunrise flights?” Like, even American offers dine on demand in first class, which… that’s not exactly a high standard.
Qantas’ A380 first class is a perfectly nice product, and I find most Qantas flight attendants to be friendly, and the food and drinks to be reasonably good. That being said, I’d consider this product to be mid, as the kids say nowadays, and I don’t rank it among the world’s best first class products.
So I’m happy to see these improvements. When Qantas introduces its new Airbus A350-1000s for Project Sunrise flights, I hope the airline takes its first class soft product to the next level.
Bottom line
Qantas has announced some changes to its first class soft product. The airline is rolling out new amenity kits, new pajamas, and new slippers, and is also updating its food and drinks. This includes new dishes from Neil Perry, plus updates to the champagne that’s served.
I’d consider these all to be very minor updates, but I guess something is better than nothing.
What do you make of Qantas’ first class updates?
I don't get the 'launching' of Dine on Demand. It is already a thing.
I have flown QF half a dozen times over the past two years in First. On the longer flights (eg London - Singapore or Sydney to LA) I have always been asked when I want to eat.
Maybe its just something new for the shorter sectors (eg SIN-SYD)?
I would love to know what Neil Perry has over Qantas - he...
I don't get the 'launching' of Dine on Demand. It is already a thing.
I have flown QF half a dozen times over the past two years in First. On the longer flights (eg London - Singapore or Sydney to LA) I have always been asked when I want to eat.
Maybe its just something new for the shorter sectors (eg SIN-SYD)?
I would love to know what Neil Perry has over Qantas - he must be privy to some skeletons in the closet of the board members. Qantas catering is DIRE. Uninspiring, boring, certainly not 'contemporary' as they claim to be.
Surely your first class rankings need updating. The hard product pn Qantas is as good as most of the products on your 'top 12' list and (unlike say, Emirates and Garuda) is actually available.
In practice, you already can dine on demand in Qantas first. If you ask the crew to hold something back for you, they'll do it (in my experience).
However, the *big* problem is the wine list. Not that most airlines...
Surely your first class rankings need updating. The hard product pn Qantas is as good as most of the products on your 'top 12' list and (unlike say, Emirates and Garuda) is actually available.
In practice, you already can dine on demand in Qantas first. If you ask the crew to hold something back for you, they'll do it (in my experience).
However, the *big* problem is the wine list. Not that most airlines invest in wine anymore, but on QF1/2 recently (i.e. Qantas 'flagship' route) they were serving a $24 (AUD) bottle of sauvignon blanc in first. That's just sad.
So no changes to the lousy hard product. And on the handful of changes to the soft product. It's not even made. It might be in the lower third of first class products of her on the planet.
Personally I find QF First class to be better than Lufthansa First Class which you do put in the top products.
LH cabins are super dated. I don't find their food or amentities particularly amazing. Their seats are definitely weak. Service from LH doesn't seem to be notably better than QF either.
I feel like people have a tendency to curve QF and other OW airlines down since LH First has more "exclusivity" in terms...
Personally I find QF First class to be better than Lufthansa First Class which you do put in the top products.
LH cabins are super dated. I don't find their food or amentities particularly amazing. Their seats are definitely weak. Service from LH doesn't seem to be notably better than QF either.
I feel like people have a tendency to curve QF and other OW airlines down since LH First has more "exclusivity" in terms of its lounges vs the Qantas F lounges are just OWE accessible lounges.
Ben: have you taken any Marketing classes? I ask because you seem surprised with all the hype coming from airlines and hotels lately when they announce new products/improvements. You said the same about Delta a few weeks ago. Not saying I disagree with you but all they are doing is called Marketing. It is all about fluff, perception and BS, that’s what marketing professionals do. Like it or not, that’s their job.
You can tell he has extreme subjective bias. Whenever one of his preferred airlines rolls out a new change, he'll praise them to high heavens saying how great it is.
But if it's popular to bash an airline like Delta to engagement farm, then he'll be like "Delta is so delusional for using marketing terms". Or for hotels it'll be Marriott, like "Why is this Edition using PR photos and descriptions to brand itself?"
Like...
You can tell he has extreme subjective bias. Whenever one of his preferred airlines rolls out a new change, he'll praise them to high heavens saying how great it is.
But if it's popular to bash an airline like Delta to engagement farm, then he'll be like "Delta is so delusional for using marketing terms". Or for hotels it'll be Marriott, like "Why is this Edition using PR photos and descriptions to brand itself?"
Like if his editorial angle was about consumer fairness and expectations, then fine, but it's really not. He just chooses to flame and praise certain things because it's popular and gets clicks.
lol hilariously dumb comment. as if ben hasn't posted numerous posts laughing at united/LH/etc. in addition to Delta/Marriott/everyone else. if its silly, he calls it out. i understand its hard for weirdos like you and timmy to be impartial though, but i guess people just have weird emotional attachments to companies for some reason
If you weren't so obsessed with Tim (you brought him up, no one else did), you would realize that the actual point is that it's dumb to make articles like this, when all companies do marketing and use language like this. It really has no material impact.
Like it or not, that’s Ben's job.
Like it or not, people will comment about how pointless it is.
In your linked trip report, you mention that they say you can done "anytime" in QF F. Was that not dine on demand which would mean that isn't a new feature? Or was it just a good crew?
Dine*
@Lucky this is classic Qantas. Announce future improvements with a subtle acknowledgement of being subpar today. “We’re a bit sh!t now, but soon we will be less sh!t”
Really SSS, crude nonsense, yes?
While the seat itself is mid, the colours, finishes and trim are still gorgeous just like on CX. Anyone see a resemblance between the two?
And unfortunately by the time Project Sunrise takes off, their upcoming First Class would be mid by then.
I don't think it'll be "mid". What other product is on the horizon that will eclipse it in 2027? We're already almost in 2026. It's coming out in a little over a year.
The QF F seat looks remarkably similar to the JAL F seat, which has been praised to high heavens and should remain the gold standard for quite some time. Maybe CX's Halo Suites? Aside from that I'm not sure. Allegris First Class is a bit of a flop.
It's still a conventional cubicle-like design, nothing creative; I would've expected something like fully enclosed rooms and suites.
Aside from CX, I'd say SQ and whatever EK and QR come up with on their 779s. I'd even argue AFs new La Premiere as it's fully enclosed with curtains.
I've always had great crews in QF F, but still crazy there is no wifi on the 17.5 hr flight from dfw-syd.
Aesop is good stuff.
"What do you make of Qantas’ first class updates?"
Lipstick on a pig.
Go on Willy, I will bite …. what colour is your lipstick and why do you define QF as a “Pig”?
Fact: No U.S. airline (for example) can hold a candle to QF.
Fact: QF has never suffered a fatal air crash passenger death since 1951.
Seriously now Willy, what do you know about QF that the rest of the aviation world does not?
This piece has nothing to do with US carriers or passenger deaths since 1951, so it's not entirely clear why they're mentioned. The way I read it was Ben discussing changes to the QF FC product, which is hardly competitive from an inflight-service standard. Nothing is innovative in their old or new offerings and the FAs are simply okay on their best days in first. They're aggressive in wanting to make beds (on two occasions...
This piece has nothing to do with US carriers or passenger deaths since 1951, so it's not entirely clear why they're mentioned. The way I read it was Ben discussing changes to the QF FC product, which is hardly competitive from an inflight-service standard. Nothing is innovative in their old or new offerings and the FAs are simply okay on their best days in first. They're aggressive in wanting to make beds (on two occasions I've come back from the lav to find a seat turned into a bed; this was not anticipatory service (as I wasn't ready to sleep), this was a rush job, not sure why - LH has been guilty of this as well) and somewhat responsive to requests, but never enthusiastic about it.
My last QF FC flight was late 2024 SYD-SIN, and I've since switched all my ex-Oz international flying away from QF and over to SQ (or EK / EY, depending on the destination).