Qantas Zed (or other options to SYD)

[CesnaCaptn]

I fully recognize that Qantas is a foreign carrier and that arguably this thread could be moved. I highly doubt there are many Qantas employees on this board, nor would they know what it's like to use Zeds on their own airline.

Now that this disclaimer is out of the way, I was wondering what people's experiences has been nonreving down under. My family of 4 is planning to visit some friends down there. Our first choice is to try to get on the QF A380 out of LAX.

Is regular economy the only class available or is premium economy ever assigned to zed users?

I assume I call Qantas the day before to list. Do they give good load info, or is it the usual, "show up and see what happens" attitude?

If QF looks horrible, how is it jumpseating on UA and DL? Does the need for a visa interfere with the ability to jumpseat?

 

[Full of LUV]

I fully recognize that Qantas is a foreign carrier and that arguably this thread could be moved. I highly doubt there are many Qantas employees on this board, nor would they know what it's like to use Zeds on their own airline.

Now that this disclaimer is out of the way, I was wondering what people's experiences has been nonreving down under. My family of 4 is planning to visit some friends down there. Our first choice is to try to get on the QF A380 out of LAX.

Is regular economy the only class available or is premium economy ever assigned to zed users?

I assume I call Qantas the day before to list. Do they give good load info, or is it the usual, "show up and see what happens" attitude?

If QF looks horrible, how is it jumpseating on UA and DL? Does the need for a visa interfere with the ability to jumpseat?

Cesna,
I Zed'd there last year with my family (total of 5). We went downunder on Qantas and back on HAL.
You don't need a VISA for downunder, just an ETA. They are good for any airline (and like 6 months) so the airline doesn't actually check before you arrive because you can get it there just at much more expense than ahead of arrival. There were some places doing ETA's for free last year electronically.

I didn't list with Qantas ahead of time, just brought my ZED tickets to the counter 2 hrs before departure and it was no issue. FWIW, I've heard that the Qantas flights (service and amenities wise) are night and day better than the JETSTAR, so I'd avoid jetstar unless you have no other option.

We meant to come back via Qantas, but it was full and there was room on a HAL flight which took the ZED coupons no problem.

I wanted to go to NZ but Air NZ doesn't do zed, only ID90 and they are expensive, like over $300 each way per person, so it is much cheaper to go via SYD to NZ.

Oh and I called Qantas before down and back and they gave good load info before I went to the AP. The flight back was good, but a HAL jet had a crew issue and HAL filled up the Qantas flight with their pax until they could leave the next day (the flight we got on).

Great trip, hope your friends weren't in the floods!
LUV

 

[graseby]

You can check it on www.flyzed.com

 

[Dan Roman]

If you are going in March or later, Hawaiian goes to daily HNL to SYD. The lax flights can be a difficult one to non rev on, but when SYD goes daily I would think your chances would be good out of HNL. The really nice thing about going through HNL is you get to SYD in the early evening which makes the time zone thing an easy transition.

 

[dojetdriver]

Is regular economy the only class available or is premium economy ever assigned to zed users?

I assume I call Qantas the day before to list. Do they give good load info, or is it the usual, "show up and see what happens" attitude?

I've take QA a couple times, they've always given me the numbers.

I wanted to go to NZ but Air NZ doesn't do zed, only ID90 and they are expensive, like over $300 each way per person, so it is much cheaper to go via SYD to NZ.

Take QA, they run non stops from LAX to Auckland, I've taken them twice. The times I've purchased ID's on AZ, they were over over $500. The ZEDs were just over $200

 

[dojetdriver]

If you are going in March or later, Hawaiian goes to daily HNL to SYD. The lax flights can be a difficult one to non rev on

Try to get to SYD our of SFO if possible. Those flights in general aren't carrying as much cargo so a payload weight restriction isn't as likely.

 

[OCP]

Did this in November. I can non-rev on both Delta and United, but they were both over sold, and United kinda screwed the non-revs that were trying to get on but actually holding the flight until after it was supposed to depart for about 10 ticketed people, who never showed up anyway.
ZED on QF was great. We knew about 30 min ahead of dept if we had a seat or not. Got on the A380 with no problem. They will not upgrade you, but the back of the 380 is pretty comfortable. Really good entertainment selection.
Get your paper ZED ticket, and they want you to call and list with Qantas. They'll tell you the load when you call.
As stated above SFO is usually lighter loads, but no A380.
United is the worst choice, as they have not updated those 747s since they were new. So no per seat entertainment or anything.

 

[SWAdude]

QF will not upgrade you. You can list 48 hrs in advance. It depends on who you get on the phone if they give you the numbers. The A380 has a great entertainment system. Other than that it is just a big airplane. ZED was around $300 ish RT. QF can get your visa for your visit at the ticket counter at LAX. Would recommend you file for it on your own. Your passport has to be good for 6 months past your travel dates for Australia.

Flew back to LAX on DL. A far more comfortable ride IMHO. You can list far in advance for DL if you wish. DL has no local phone number in Australia.

Good luck and enjoy Australia! Great place to visit. Bring lots of $$$ ;-)

 

[OCP]

DL has no local phone number in Australia.

Not true. There is one. I had to use it. I don't remember it, but it's pretty easy to find. Go to the ticket counter in SYD and they'll give it to you. If you need a ZED fare the Delta ticket counter isn't very helpful. The Delta office is downtown Sydney and you need to go there if the counter won't help you for a paper ticket.

Go here http://www.pprune.org/fragrant-harbour-19/
and you can ask for a load check. Plenty of QF pilots on there.

 

[SWAdude]

I stand corrected. I could not find a local phone number for DL in the phone book while visiting SYD.