CX vs QF Business Class

[winfred]

Have anyone compared/discussed the CX new business class vs QF?

I have been flying CX's in their new business class seats but is causing me to have claustrophobia. I have not been on QF international business class seats for over 1 year and is keen to know people's opinion and assist me in deciding on my MEL-HKG-MEL trip later this year.

Thanks in advance.

[simongr]

Can. Worms. Open.



This topic is often discussed and the consensus is that "it is all down to personal perference".

Personally I prefer CX staff, I like the solitary nature of the CX seats and I like the lie flat seats.

As QF now have lie flat on the A380 the benefit of CX over QF on some routes diminishes (although as you can now get F seats with J service on QF on some routes if you have QF status that flips again.

For me though the biggest gamble on QF is the service and the food. CX is consistent for me and QF is a rollercoaster.

Now I wait for a number of others to join in and vehemently disagree

[drron]

Having just had my first flight on the upper deck on a CX747 I can only say i will try and avoid it in future.I am nearly always travelling with mrsdrron and this set up is just terrible for couples.i also found the seat uncomfortable-quite narrow and I like to curl up to sleep-no way i could do that in this seat.Also the fact that you face away from the window adds to that claustrophobic feeling.
Although the CX service is very good i have not been impressed as much with the food-I put it on par or just a little better than QF.
Of course it is personal preference.I for one find the AA international F the best seat to sleep in-have never been in QF F though have experienced BA and CX.

[2muchplastic]

A colleague recently described the seat as "feeling like being in a coffin", which summed it up pretty well for me.
I don't mind the QF Skyslopes at all, and while I find I'm treated better as a OWE on CX than I am as a WP on QF, my preference is for the QF product.

[NM]

The scotch is better on CX

Agree with drron about travelling with a partner.

[codash1099]

I'd take QF over CX. I didn't rate CX's service in J on my last 2 flights with them as anything out of the ordinary. Because I was asleep, they didn't give me any US landing cards and even when I asked, they only gave me one of the 2 required.

I also noted a strange food schedule. Arriving at YVR at about 10 pm, their pre landing meal was breakfast!

As a single traveller, I don't mind the herringbone arrangement but the seats are definitely narrow.

[dajop]

It is all down to personal preference.

My opinion is that, despite their narrowness, I'd rate CX's fully flat new business ahead of the sloping beds on QF. Still better to lie flat when sleeping than at an angle, after all I don't sleep at home on a slight angle to the floor. This, obviously will differ for the new seats on the QF A380. Another factor is direct aisle access from every seat, no climbing over or being climbed over. With these last two points in mind, for a day flight the QF seats might be better though.

The herringbone design doesn't bother me, even when travelling with my partner, and it doesn't bother me facing away from the windows (which let's face it, usually have the shades shut for most of the duration of long haul flights anyway). Still like SQ's new J better than either though.

[QF009]

Can. Worms. Open.



This topic is often discussed and the consensus is that "it is all down to personal perference".

I think this is the only bit where simongr and I can agree upon.

Whilst at the end of the day I think both QF and CX are very good airlines in the grand scheme of things, on the whole I personally have had exemplary experiences on QF and have found them better than CX in most aspects. QF's product is simply superior in every conceivable way, especially the all-Australian wine lists, the inventive mod oz cuisine and the personable crew which I rate as the best in the industry. CX just seems clinical and generic, and at times OTT. Whilst once upon a time I think the 2 hard products are similar, the claustrophonic and anti-social nature of CX's new J kills it for me and I now find the QF skybeds I and II far superior.

The only exception with CX I've found is if you get the Sri Lankan or Fillipino crew, then they are excellent and rather on-par with QF crew.

[Lindsay Wilson]

Whilst I have used either product for a while, I'd have to agree that consensus here. Letters from readers of Business Traveller Asia Pacific have lambasted the product with the "claustrophobic" feeling, de-personalisation of travelling couples or business groups. CX trot out the phrase that it was done with a lot of feedback from their regular travellers, but I don't know anybody who was contacted. Of course, CX are not about to admit that it has been a failure yet, but loss of revenue will be the yardstick that they should be measuring (from their regular fliers).

[winfred]

The CX seating arrangement was very good as I travelled with a colleague last week MEL-HKG-CDG. If I was on QF, I would have to entertain him or do some work with him during the 22 hrs flight.

I intend on taking my wife and 2 kids (5 yo & 10 mths) to HK in Dec and the CX seating arrangement will be a big problem.

I have been flying CX for over 20 years MEL-HKG-MEL and have to admit that service standard has slipped in the past few years.

Are the Qantas seats flat but at an angle? Any idea when they may upgrade their seats?