Farewell SIA, Hello QANTAS

[Traveller Joe]

So, after the standard SIA economy ticket to London went up to $2400, I turned my back on them and booked with Qantas for $1480. I've now just booked my seating preferences...for A$100 I got an emergency exit seat and seat 80A (an extra legroom seat).

So, great seats locked in and still S$800 better off than if I'd booked SIA!

My loyalty to SIA looks to be over!!

[a better view]

So, after the standard SIA economy ticket to London went up to $2400, I turned my back on them and booked with Qantas for $1480. I've now just booked my seating preferences...for A$100 I got an emergency exit seat and seat 80A (an extra legroom seat).

So, great seats locked in and still S$800 better off than if I'd booked SIA!

My loyalty to SIA looks to be over!!

but the Qantas stewardesses look like a bunch of wrinkled old slappers

[tell us]

how you feel when you have actually flown with them....
I gave up on BA and Quantas years ago...

[Agent99]

As long as nothing catches fire or falls off the plane you should be fine.

[Fly Roo]

Why fly THE QUEENSLAND AND NORTHERN TERRITORIES AIRCRAFT SERVICE ?

If i were asian, I would pay more and get good service from SIA.SIA does not enjoy technical mishaps, bad food, non existence service and rude crew. SIA is well worth the premium one pays AND IT SHOWS.

Why fly QF?       

[Dink]

Why fly THE QUEENSLAND AND NORTHERN TERRITORIES AIRCRAFT SERVICE ?

If i were asian, I would pay more and get good service from SIA.SIA does not enjoy technical mishaps, bad food, non existence service and rude crew. SIA is well worth the premium one pays AND IT SHOWS.

Why fly QF?       

I used to think that SIA was worth the premium when the price of a standard economy ticket to London was around $2000. A premium of maybe $100-$200 was worth paying.

But with the difference stretching to nearly $1000, that an awful lot of money to pay for 'better' service (and that's assuming that service on Qantas is bad...I don't think it is...it's just a little more inconsistent).

Add in the fact that there have been cutbacks to the service on SIA (for example, paper towels aren't provided any more in economy bathrooms...all you get is tissues which basically disintegrate when you try to dry your hands), and all of a sudden SQ's 'premium' product isn't looking that much better than other airlines.

You might think it's worth $1000 to fly SQ....I don't.

[To Dink]

I am impressed by your loyalty to QANTAS AND THE FACT THAT YOU TRY TO mitigate their rotten performance, ie poor and bad service to non whites, bad food, lousy toiletries, poor quality of ground handling especially in Oz , where Asians are always placed in the back end of the seating plan and served last, if at all. I do not pay money to enjoy crap. With SIA, you get equal treatment and it is not perfect but it sure beats the shit out of QF. It is a million light years ahead of QF! 

[Kafka]

I'm going for a short break to Europe soon, flying with the national airline of Sri Lanka (this is not advertising !), $900 all taxes included ! London is $1000 ! OK, transit time in Colombo on both legs is 7hours, but the price difference is so huge with any other airlines (incl. Qatar & Emirates), I'll give it a try ! I'll let my employer take care of filling up the mileage on my PPS card 

[nottybotty]

I am impressed by your loyalty to QANTAS AND THE FACT THAT YOU TRY TO mitigate their rotten performance, ie poor and bad service to non whites, bad food, lousy toiletries, poor quality of ground handling especially in Oz , where Asians are always placed in the back end of the seating plan and served last, if at all. I do not pay money to enjoy crap. With SIA, you get equal treatment and it is not perfect but it sure beats the shit out of QF. It is a million light years ahead of QF! 

sounds like you had a bad experience on Qantas.

it's interesting that you say that you get equal treatment on SIA...it's a constant complaint of many Singaporeans that the reverse is true, and that caucasian customers generally get a better service.

ultimately, all that matters to me on a longhaul flight is seat comfort. in economy, SIA and Qantas seats are about the same. not perfect, but OK. so, the idea of paying a thousand bucks for a smile from cabin staff and a slightly better inflight meal to me is insane!

[To Notty]

I do not pay money to QF so they may treat non asians well. Or put it another way, I do not pay to be treated as a freeloader, which captures the essence of what QF service is all about. QF is a airline only a anglo should fly in and I very much believe the crew would prefer it that way as well as it shows in their sub conscious movements/behaviour.

[In the pink]

....it shows in their sub conscious movements/behaviour.

"Sub conscious movements" ROFL!!!!  The mental picture is almost too much! Please...please explain a few of these "...movements" though will you? It's been a dreary week so far.

[Really?]

To the poster who replied to Dink.  How can you say that they put the Asians at the back of the sitting plan?  Sometimes you can choose your seats when you book and if not, you can choose them when you check in online.  Are you saying that computers can discriminate?

I agree that the service on Qantas can be questionable at times, but we have had some good flights with them with very helpful staff.  I prefer SIA but as the Dink said, I am not prepared to pay a huge premium to fly with them.  Emirates are offering some good deals at the moment, and as we are not in a rush, I think we will fly to the UK with them in summer.

[To Really]

I have flown the Syd to Melb route countless times and have always ended in seat 64 K OR 65 K OR WHATEVER, despite you saying computer allocation, it is still manual at the airport check in. My fellow asian travelllers also agree with THIS Observation.Perhaps emirates will treat you to some equally bad service as I have experienced  and you will perhaps grow up emotionally?     

[In the pink]

Oh this just gets better and better. "Grow up emotionally" Yeah buddy! This is almost too good to be a wind-up. So come on....tell us about the "sub conscious movements".

[Ginger Mo]

Airlines Recognise the previous seat selections of their regular customers. Perhaps this is a case of the system allocating based on what they believe is a preferred seat - down the back?

The "countless" flights between Sydney and Melbourne would suggest that this chap has some "frequent flyer" status, so it's quite likely that Qantas is just doing its best to look after him.

I do a fair bit of flying and have never noticed the phenomenon of Asians at the back of the plane on Qantas. The occasional huddle of smokers and beer swilling Australian cricket players back in the day sure. But rows of disgruntled Asian passengers? Not so much.