I flew to LAX and from LAX last year 3 times. I can confirm both boarding in Sydney was a nightmare (people don’t listen and just rush forward) and at LAX it was a nightmare also. All flown on an A380 so the mass amount of people was crazy. P.s. surprised at the catering compared to most Middle East carriers and even the drink selection in first. Although I laughed very hard when you got seconds of the cake haha.
That boarding procedure was a real abortion job of Qantas,enjoyed your up front & honest awesome flight review dude.,everything was well explained by you in this video.I still think that Singapore Airlines is one of my favourites though i couldn't fault them,was well worth the money spent.
Really great review - looks like you had a great time in Qantas first. Would love to try it one day on the A380... and maybe even the A350! Thanks for sharing
Thank you for watching! As I'm sure you know, SQ have quite a few different Business offerings depending on aircraft but I definitely get your point. Remember this is quite an old product at its core, the new A350 cabins look promising.
Thank you for this Qantas first class review.Qantas first on the A380 are still WAY BEHIND Singapore and Emirates in their ambiance and features of the seat compartment ,the service and the food and beverages.
Cheers, thanks for watching! I think the issue stems from the fact the seat is still the same basic design from when they launched First on the A380 many moons ago. Keen to see how the new A350 compares!
@@LeisureFlyer Had a great experience in the 1st class lounge. The food/service was very impressive. The spa treatments were a very nice touch. There was still a large hoard surging forward to board but we were escorted us to out seats on the plane by one of the friendly Qantas team members. We dined together which was nice but even though the bed was superior to Business i still didn't sleep much as it was still the afternoon in Sydney. The return flight from LAX we slept as it left just before midnight. :)
@@__PJ__ ah, the sleep on the way over is a critical part for me, that way I can hit the ground running once I land in LA (usually it's a morning arrival). Then try to power through the day and adjust to USA time as quickly as possible! Sounds like you had a good flight, cheers for reporting back :)
Yep, I've had ice cream scoops in a bowl on Air NZ Business and it was softened enough to be edible without needing a knife to cut through as well. Handing out a tub is a bit meh. Qantas is not my first choice of airline and this First Class product is definitely not world leading, but it IS a step up from QF Business and my particular flight was enjoyable overall. Thank you for watching and commenting, I genuinely appreciate it :)
Hahah good spot ;) Splurged for the occasion, I get a car to/from the airport anyway as my mate has a transport/limo company but it's usually something like a BMW/Merc/Audi etc.
I was considering Qatar First, Singapore Suites or Qantas for my next flight to Sydney. I know which one I wont be booking. Thanks for your video. Really helpful
Singapore Suites for sure!!! I have a video on the SQ A380 and 777 for both Suites and First so have a look at those as well if you want to get an idea of what I thought of those. Thank you for watching :)
Qantas needs to lift its game and stop ripping customers/Aussies off. Given a choice would you fly First with Emirates or Qantas ? I’ll take Emirates anyday. Both planes do or did fly direct to Dubai at one stage.
Both the EK hard and soft products are a level above QF. Qantas did fly to Dubai for a while, but moved the London route back via Singapore and dropped Dubai in the process I believe.
That catering looked aweful. I know you said it tasted ok, but seriously. Compare that to other first class videos. And not to have your first choice...in First Class???
I've definitely had better food in Business Class on other airlines (and I mean, the steak I had was literally the same as QF Business offering). Heck, even Air NZ Premium Economy has very good food in my opinion. Not having a meal available is a shame in First, but at least some effort was made in coming up with an alternative. I'll post the video eventually but I actually had my preferred meal not available on Singapore First as well. I was ok with it until I saw another passenger having that meal... so clearly they just didn't have enough despite only being a 4 person cabin. Thanks for watching too :)
@@LeisureFlyer I can imagine that it isn't cookie cutter and it shouldn't be considering it's a first class product!! But it kind of feels like it's sitting in between other airlines' business and first.
It's definitely better than other Business but not up to SQ F. I haven't flown EK F to compare but it looks night and day from what I've seen. Thanks for watching! :)
In every port that QANTAS travels to, they have their own service engineers. They do not join the gang. They have their own services at each port of call.
$19,000 for a first class return trip LAX/SYD and I may not even get good eggs? Hmmmmm... tough one. I love looking out the window so that seat wouldn't work for me. Thanks for the video
There's a bit of a wrap around shell but that's about it. Definitely open to the aisle which isn't so bad on the A side, but would be much worse if you sit In the middle or opposite side.
As a regular first class customer, I have sadly given up on Qantas. Their first class products isn’t up to par with Emirates or Singapore airlines. The cabin is always full, the seats aren’t private enough,the amenities kit is woeful compared to the Bvlgari one from emirates. Also the food isn’t what it used to be, it just doesn’t wow me anymore.
It's a shame they didn't properly update the F cabin during the refurb. However, I am keen to see how the A350 goes once it comes out. Will you give it a go?
@@LeisureFlyer when it arrives yes I will definitely give it a try but they have a lot of redemption before I become loyal again. Just booked Singapore First class today, so it’s definitely their loss and I’m a paying passenger not using points.
Nice, enjoy! I love Singapore First/Suites. Not the best bed but the service definitely feels more premium and personalised in my opinion. Where are you flying? 777 or A380?
Thanks for sharing your experience. To me, Qantas may end up winning the worst first class ever passenger's award. Imagine what it is in coach ... I wonder when Qantas comes up with real first class services. My opinion is the best first class ever shall remain the Air France La Premiere suite.
First time I've watched your reviews and yeah, a good solid performance. You've a new subscriber. Wishing you well for your channel. 932 subs as of April 6 2023.
Informative review. Thank you. I now know I won't be booking with Qantas in first class. TBH, these videos confirm my assumptions about forking out money for products that prove to be poor value. Glad you had your cakes and ate them too.
I stumbled across this video thanks for sharing what happens at the pointy end of the aircraft, that many of us dream of occupying if we won the Lotto. Obviously you have the means and the money to travel first class, so good on you. Have you flown on the 787 dreamliner in Business class in row 3, 7 or 11 (window seats) that offer more privacy? All the best with you future travels. I'm off to LA in late June 2024 on the A380, its a great aircraft, so is the Boeing 787 Dreamliiner, will be catching that home from Honolulu mid July 2024, economy only for this jet-setter lol but have seat 71D on the A380, the best economy seat with extra legroom and an emergency exit row seat in economy on the dreamliner lol. I look forward to your future videos.
Hello! Thank you for the comment and support, much appreciated :) Yes, I have a video on the QF 787 in Business as well, you can find it on my channel if you want to have a look at how it was. On my flight, I had row 10K which was the bulkhead + proper window seat. I think this is the type of seat you want to see. How are you getting from LA to Honolulu? Just a domestic ticket? A380 can't be beaten in my opinion, and the ones running to LA are now updated as well with refreshed cabins for all classes so you should be sweet! I haven't flown the 787 in economy but apparently the foot nets are a good feature?
ugh..very little about this flight looked appealing. the food reminded me of buffet food left out to long. I live in New York and when I fly back to Australia to see family it's Air NZ business premier or Cathay first class. the 3 times I have had a Qantas experience over the 20+ years left me always underwhelmed, they just don't seem to get it. Thanks for vid though!
Yeah, as I mentioned to someone else who pointed out the same thing, I meant it as in "the difference cannot be downplayed" if that makes sense? (Rather than, the praise cannot be too much). But I definitely see I could have worded it better. Thanks for watching!
No worries (and sorry for being a pedant)... Great review. I'm due to fly this in the opposite direction (LON - SYD via LAX) in a few months - looking forward to it. @@LeisureFlyer
It's all good lol. The video blew up more than I expected and a few people commented on the under/over bit. If anything, it's amazing that anyone watches that far 😂 Thanks for watching and enjoy the flight, it's definitely a comfortable way to travel@@mikosh08
I flew QF 380 F a few times pre pandemic. One thing is for sure the food still does not look good. You would think Qantas could serve an amazing meal like EK.
Thanks for watching! I meant it as in "the difference cannot be downplayed" if that makes sense? (Rather than, the praise cannot be too much). But I see your point, thanks for pointing it out.
Great review mate, tempted myself but i have Qatar A380 first class booked already. Appears won't be missing out on much then with the qantas side of things 😢. That Maggie Beer icecream was the same that I had on a 737 biz from Sydney to Perth 😮
Cheers! Thank you for watching. I haven't flown Qatar yet but from all accounts it's definitely a step above the QF offering in terms of service / food etc. Would love to hear your thoughts once you've flown!
Cheers, thanks for watching! It's an EWB Ghost (current gen). My mate has an HC company so usually I get a car to and from the airport, but this time I figured I'd go for something more special than the usual BMW 7 or similar.
Appreciate the video. Very informative. From what I’ve seen from other first class products out there, I feel Qantas could do much better with their product. The design of the seat looks so outdated with that grey upholstery. The food looked terrible. The presentation was so dull with no love. I’d fly Emirates, Singapore or even air New Zealand before I spent thousands on Qantas. It’s a shame that such an iconic brand is letting itself go. Perhaps that’s the issue, that the brand has been so loved for so long that the experience gets lost or diminished and it’s more about just dollars.
First of all, thank you for watching! I found it strange that when the A380 went through refurb, all cabins other than First received new seating. New Eco/Premium/Business, but First only got some new seat covers on the old seat. The new A350 First looks promising and hopefully it delivers at a new level. FWIW I highly rate Air NZ service. Again the existing seat isn't that great, but the food has been good across all flights I've had with them. I feel Qantas definitely rests on its laurels but without more local competition, that's all we have as our major national carrier!
Great video showing me many reasons why not to fly Qantas A380 in first or any class. I have been lucky to fly Emirates first class in the A380 and there is absolutely no comparison. Starting with the lounge in Sydney. The view is good but the selection of drinks and food is way inferior to Emirates business lounge. Now the flight. Qantas seat looks bad. No window view. No privacy door. No shower. No bar to have a few drinks at. Very average food and drink selection. Emirates and Qantas are not in the same league. Why waste money on Qantas when you can have the real deal.
100% I wouldn't put Qantas First in the same league as Emirates First (especially on A380 vs A380). From what I've seen, the QF F lounge in Sydney is often packed with FF Status members. That's fair enough, they've worked for it. But when the airline only offers a handful of First Class seats on a few routes, you wouldn't expect a First lounge to be so busy. Like I said in the video though, I was happy with how QF First compared to QF Business. Definitely a step up. Thanks for watching!
Thanks for watching! Singapore is always great as an overall product, but the Etihad Apartment was an amazing "wow" experience with the seat and shower.
It is now two minutes from your publication, and quality is only 360p. It takes time for RU-vid to process your file to higher quality. Please set your file to "private" when you upload it so that it is not visible to audience while the file is being processed. Once higher quality is available, you could change it from private to public so that everyone else could watch it.
This standard doesn't compare with Asian and middle-east carriers. Particularly the boarding and food. Even Lufthansa drive you to the gate from the dedicated fiirst terminal.
Very informative video - however, the first class cabin/service/food hardly seems worth the 5-figure airfare. (P.S., I agree with you about the seat placement being so far from the window(s).)
Great video, haven't seen anyone review QF F for ages. Really needs that upgrade ASAP, very tired and overpriced IMO. Find the service inconsistent - some gems and a lot of...not gems.
this is a great review, ive always wondered what its like in first class as i'lll never be able to fly first, only premium, so this was very entertaining to watch thanks... ;)
Cheers! Thank you for watching :) TBH the A350 looks promising. Keep in mind that this A380 seat has been around for a while, the recent updates were fairly superficial compared to the major updates in Business Class etc.
My personal favourite is Singapore Airlines, but in terms of Australia (east coast) to USA, anything via Middle East is a substantial extension of flying time, like 30hrs or something instead of 14. Thanks for watching!
@@ThePhilShow Don't worry, it's a great seat! Just hit/miss with the service which seems to be the general consensus with QF overall tbh. Enjoy the flight!
Great video! I'm flying to the US in a few months and was going to fly Business (which I've done before), but after seeing this video I think I'll treat myself and fly First Class.
@@LeisureFlyerWhat car service did you use? I am flying out of Sydney soon in first and would like to use the same one you used as I see they also offer a Porter. Was the Porter part of the car service? The car look like a Rolls-Royce, was it? As I'd really like to use that service as it looked quite nice.
@@mikea79 The Porter is offered by Qantas First. The day before your trip you'll receive an email with details about arranging the curb side meet. If you're flying QF First, you'll get this service even if you get dropped off by friends or in an Uber. The car was from Astra Chauffeur Drive / Limousines, RR Ghost. Usually I just get a 'normal' car like a 7 series or Audi A8 etc. but I decided to splurge for this particular day. Enjoy your trip!
Yeah, as I mentioned to someone else who pointed out the same thing, I meant it as in "the difference cannot be downplayed" if that makes sense? (Rather than, the praise cannot be too much). But I definitely see I could have worded it better. Thanks for watching!
Fantastic video, and thank you for sharing. Overall, this product looks highly outdated. Outside of the spaciousness of your seat, the food looked arguably inedible and incomparable to even American Airlines international business class, which is also nothing to write home about, save for what looked like decent food offerings in the lounge. I'd rather fly Emirates through Dubai and onto Sydney. Even if Emirates disappoints, I'd rather be able to shower it off mid-flight. Thank you again for this informative post! I'll book my travel next month to Sydney not on Qantas.
Thank you for watching! Indeed, the seat is quite old and has only had a refresh with new materials. But I'd have to disagree with the food aspect. I flew AA out from LAX to SYD and the food was absolutely horrendous compared to QF out of SYD. But in general, catering out of LAX has never been amazing I've found. That being said, I don't think the QF First food is any better than the Business offering (as my mate got the same meal on a flight to DFW). EK is definitely a level above, but it's quite a scenic route to get from USA to Aus via the middle east 😂 Then again, in First.. who cares right? Let me know how you go :)
The windows are so far away with a very thick side wall. Might be a bit claustrophobic for me. Might be nicer to have the seat reversed with the big console placed on the aisle.
Thank you! I appreciate you taking the time to watch :) Pricing for a return ticket at the moment is about $25kAUD or something like 330k Qantas points. Unfortunately (or fortunately.. depending on how you look at it) Qantas heavily favours their Platinum and Platinum One FF, so finding a reward seat for First Class on such a popular route is basically non existent as a non-status member.
Can't believe they bothered to re-do that upstairs lounge. Never seen anyone use it. They should've put in Toilets or brought business class further forwards and used some of the space at the created at back for a better area (a la Qatar/EK)
I don't think anyone used the old version, but my flight was pretty busy with people in the lounge after the lunch meal service. I agree, the area at the back would be better as you can have some windows and natural light to make it feel nicer. Thanks for watching!
Great review of the flight. I have a question... with the amenities kit and pj's are you allowed to keep them or not? Seeing how much it cost to fly first class. Thanks for a great video. Happy travels.
@@fionacarroll8639 Yep same in Business. You can keep the PJs and amenity kit, but the business amenity kit isn't particularly exciting. The PJs are great to wear around home though!
@@LeisureFlyer awesome, thanks for answering my question. I have asked this on other You tube channels and you are the only one to answer me. Looking forward to watching more of your videos.
A good review young man BUT cattle boarding was an embarrassment. You didn't mention cost?? Qantas has never made it to a 5 Star Airline, l wonder why? First Class at Qantas should be more than a good lounge. Cheers
Thank you for watching! Indeed the boarding was chaos, and seems to be a recurring theme for Qantas flights I've taken. Personally I don't pay too much attention to "airline ratings" as they can be biased (and bought), but I definitely understand your point. From my experience, Qantas has never had that final polish or edge that someone like Singapore Airlines offers. Pricing for a return ticket at the moment is about $25kAUD or something like 330k Qantas points. Unfortunately Qantas heavily favours their Platinum and Platinum One FF, so finding a reward seat for First Class on such a popular route is basically non existent as a non-status member.
I was acting conceited, the joke/sarcasm may have been missed so don't take it seriously lol. FWIW they're like $30 eBay and I've seen them at Vinnies as well from people who have donated them. Thanks for watching btw :)
Thanks for sharing. Yep your right about the steak in BC. Had it on my flight with them. Sorry but this is a really poor FC. Lack of privacy. More on Emirates A380 BC if you pick the right seat just less room. Or Qatar. Emirates FC makes this look like amateur hour. Given how expensive FC is I wouldn't be happy. Just my opinion.
I would argue First class passengers aren't treated particularly special on the ground. Look at Lufthansa for instance, where First class passengers have an entire terminal to themselves and are chauffeured to the plane instead of mixing with the plebs holding BusinessFirst or heaven forbid Economy tickets!
Whilst not the most personalised or luxurious ground experience, it IS something, which is good for QF (and definitely well ahead of QF Business experience). I haven't had the privilege of flying LH F out of FRA, but even flying LH F out of JFK was one of the best ground experiences I've had.
This is a good review. I noticed that all the seats in the a380 have been refurbished. The TV Screens are in HD. In the video (16:18) I also liked it when Qantas used an A330 to LAX from BNE.
Did you mean to say the difference between business and first can't be understated? Or did you mean it cannot be overstated? It seems you think highly of first when compared to business and therefore, I think you meant to say the difference cannot be overstated.
Hi Colin, as I mentioned to someone else who pointed out the same thing, I meant it as in "the difference cannot be downplayed" if that makes sense? (Rather than, the praise cannot be too much). But I definitely see I could have worded it better. Thanks for watching!
The foodconcept looks cheap ! In first class there is no excuse if your food selection in not available!!! If you pay premium price you should get Premium service !!!
Yes, you would *think* that in First Class you would be able to get your preferred meal. The doubling up on the same meal for J/F is a bit of a let down too IMO. Thank you for watching :)
It's definitely better than QF business, but yeah in the scheme of things there are very competitive business class products out there. Thanks for watching!
