Several months ago, Qantas started taking delivery of the Airbus A321XLR, a plane that the airline is using in a somewhat unusual way. Qantas is primarily intending for this plane to be used for domestic operations, to replace the Boeing 737-800. However, the airline is now already scheduling this aircraft on one rather long international…
Continue reading: Qantas A321XLR Makes International Debut, And Travelers Won’t Be Happy
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Yes, many people have their own devices to watch content but I still think it’s ridiculous not to have any seat-back screens on such a long flight.
Lame. Currently, QF flies a330 with lie-flat on SYD-MNL; to down-gauge to recliners for an 8.5 hour redeye is no fun at all. For an a321XLR, QF should've copied B6 and AA with lie-flat suites up-front.
The only other nonstop is a similarly cheaply fitted A321 from PAL, so QF is placing this POS configuation on this route quite strategically
The XLR, the most overrated plane in history. Nobody wants to fly a narrowbody long haul, and now that there's a pilot shortage, higher overall labor shortage, more slot constrained airports, etc., the economics don't make much sense either. Long and thin was a nice thought, but in practice doesn't work well. Probably lots of order cancellations coming.
XLR (and narrowbodies) are just fine. But, they need to put lie-flat, not recliners, up-front.
The simple solution to this conundrum is …. choose a better alternative. Pay peanuts, get monkey business. Alternatively, put up and shut up.
Agree A321 XLR are fine but they need lie flat beds and seats screens but for Qantas those are not arriving until 2028.
@jay, your comment is right up there, look who is on the QF board of directors, Doug Parker former HP, US, AA CEO
They should not sell business class on these flights, premium economy at most. I can't see many people paying business class fares for this product, and those who end up on that flight should certainly succeed in getting a fat compensation after filing a complaint with Qantas.
PR has a flat bed in business class, nothing luxurious but you can still get a decent nap in them. No question they are much better than the recliners on QF, and likely way more attractively priced.
I imagine this choice was made with the knowledge that they had trouble filling the A330 front cabin profitably on this route. Since a lot of the Philippine economy is based on foreign work and remittances, I suspect this route's biggest demographic is price-sensitive VFR travel.
If I recall over summer when I did ANC/ORD on AA that was blocked at around 8 hours or so. An A321neo and no blankets and pillows in first on over an overnight flight. Did at least get a full hot meal. Seems about the same-no flat bed or IFE on an 8 hour plus flight.
Obviously this is a lower yield destination , but It’s got more to do with Qantas not having enough a330 aircraft. They have been trying to acquire more a330-300 aircraft second hand and have had the Finnair wet lease arrangement going on.
Still scratching my head as to why they haven’t ordered a330neos as that seems like the perfect option for APAC routes.
Qantas happily sold business class on 737s Perth to Singapore for years. They have no shame.
Ahh… oneworld… treatin’ Keys well, it seems… also, summer in Alaska… mosquitoes the size of your hand. If it were winter, you’d really need that blanket.
You know things are so bad when even Australia's Executive Traveller website (which sold its soul to Qantas a long time ago) has to concede that pax are not gonna be happy riding this on medium haul routes up to Asia which in previous years were served by 787, 767, and 747 back in the day.
Well said. I gave up on QF years ago when it became evident the Irish Idiot was hell-bent on 'transforming' Qantas into a glorified LCC. These days, QF (and subsidiary JQ) are LAST on my preference list. I'd happily give money to foreign carriers like Singapore, Qatar, Malaysia, Air Niugini, Solomon Airlines, Etihad and Phillipines rather than support an airline which is living on past glory and slick sentimental marketing.
QF took a downward turn under the Irish Idiot Alan Joyce. Doug Parker only came onboard years after the damage was done.
It seems ITA's a321 flat bed product is the only current one that's deemed really correct for international long haul on a 321.
It really challenges whether the XLR can be competitive as the only accepted business class product requires 20% more space than AA's herringbone layout and 100% more space than QF's recliners. And no one flying long haul has selected this less efficient reverse herringbone product.
QF have Chairman's Lounge/Club which is exclusive for politicians, CEOs and celebrities. They leverage it in a major way, and thus get most of those travel budgets. It's why they can 'stiff' pax with a toilet ratio of 90:1 (on the first 3 XLR's), ordered because Allan Joyce was out of control with a supplicant board. The fourth and further XLR's have 3 dunnies in economy, but still crap recliners in J. The 16 eventual long haul flat bed XLR's are years out, not even seating selected.
And what about carriers in the US selling the forward cabin as First. They should be sued for false advertising. Its beyond pathetic
To the article writer ... did you by any chance write about the changes to QF FF? I didn't see anything. So many positives and well received overall. Probably too much to expect.
Subconscious racism it seems.
Philippines is not a first world nation, so those travelling to and from Manila are used to substandard comfort.
Then again, Philippines Airlines have also used A321 equipment on their scheduled services to the East Coast of Australia in the past.
Perhaps that set the precedent?
The A330s only have 28 (I think?) business class seats so with the increasing frequency to daily that will be the same number of business seats available on a weekly basis.
You should try the BA flights to Cairo on the A321 Neo with a standard European "Business Class" with regular economy seating and an open middle seat for 6 hours.
Is it the longest narrowbody ever operated by Qantas? How about the 707 flights to LAX and LHR?
Qantas is dishonest. They should marketed it as C, not J class. Less confusing would be to market it as premium economy. Not surprising, because Australia is a sh*thole country but only slightly so. It's kind of racist. It was settled by a bunch of convicts, so they actually did well, being only slightly, not big time sh*thole
It's an interesting test case for Qantas. Narrow body in domestic configuration, meh. There are other options. Random date in early November, QF doesn't charge much more via Sydney, SYD-MNL on an A330. Cathay is comparable in economy and two-thirds the price in business, A350 to HKG then A330 to MNL. Still oneworld if that's important to you. Let me think about which to choose. That'll take about two nanoseconds.
China Airlines and Singapore are more than CX but still less than QF.
Derek. You’re a moron.
Years of drug abuse is showing.
Unfair to label an entire continent just because a couple of girls (or guys?) didn’t want to go home with you.
I fly Sydney to Perth often but no premium economy for 4 to 5 hour flight. Australian government should let international airlines pickup passengers for Sydney and Melbourne as they continue onto NZ and USA.
There's no denying that they are racists. But be happy that you found your husband there, Mike.
If the manila route from brisbane return for bussiness class doesnt have flat bed even as a brisbanite i will take flight out od sydney QF 19 to manila and QF 20 return on the larger older plane that has flat beds. I feel they will doom QF97 and QF 98 as a revolt for that stupidity i wont be using it as use this exact route twice per year business without a flat bed is insanity in my opinion. Gold member of over 10 years is not good enough
They are competing with Cebu Pacific as well with their economy section so that’s not hard to beat in comfort. I’d be going PAL as it is more comfortable.
@derek.....Australia is the greatest country in the world. We are utterly blessed to here. Paradise.
For 89.84771% of passengers it will make absolutely no difference if they fly the 321 or 330...
Long(ish) haul I fly business. The lack of a screen and decent seats is a deal breaker.
This strategy didn't work for VA flying CNS-HND. I'm surprised QF are even trying it. There's no way I'd book them over PR with this offering, and I certainly wouldn't pay a premium for it.