As you said, the frequent flyer experience hasn't been revealed yet. Still can't see if there are points seats available on Emirates routes. Hope they don't take too long to get those into the system. 

Did anybody have any luck making a (dummy) booking? I tried SYD-AMS and vv, but SYD-AMS did not price (no fare found) and AMS-SYD only came up with QF codeshare (BA flights via SIN).

SYD to MAN or MXP shows up via DXB EK codeshare.

These two seem to be the only Euro cities listed from what I can see

Tell a lie - Paris is now showing too.

Systems must have kicked in this afternoon as this morning was showing as AF codeshare via SIN.

BCN is also showing in a mix of direct via DXB or change at LHR with BA.

Still waiting for BHX to show (just for personal reasons!)

i guess we will have to have some patience... Did you compare the price of bookings (via EK and via QF site)? Is thee a price difference?

Ok,

SYD to BCN - OUT July 22nd, BACK July 28th

QF @ $3168 (QF1 + EK185, EK186 + QF2)

EK @ $2340

Also noted that selecting EK186 as QF 8186 adds $6 to the ticket price.

Also Also noted, that on the EK website, one flight is QF2 on the return - so EK are selling Qantas tickets.

Thanks for the info. The good news is that via EK you could select a QF codeshare (crucial if you want to earn sc) for only 6aud extra.... However, as said earlier, anxiously awaiting where prices will drift to, no doubt they have to come together else nobody will book via QF site. Wonder what the revenue model will be for this partnership.

I looked at SYD-DXB:  QF wants $2058, while EK wants $1817 for the same dates. Also noted that EK is not yet selling the QF codeshare.

My biggest fear, EK has some pretty decent fares in premium classes but I doubt that these fares will be available as QF codeshare and am almost certain QF will be wanting a hefty premium to have their flightnumber attached to an EK operated flight.

Not sure if EK will sell QF codeshares via their website if the flight is on EK metal. Why would they offer e.g MXP-SYD with a QF flightnumber if it is operated by EK entirely?

I was referring to EK selling seats on QF1/2 or 9/10 with their own flight number. Not sure if this was part of their agreement or not?

Ok, just the other way around. I thought it was part of the agreement that EK will sell the QF operated flights under EK flightnumbers.

Any suggestions on the eat, rest & sleep pattern once QF flies via DXB?

What's ideal about flying via SIN is that the first and shorter leg is primarily in daylight and you get an uninterrupted 12-13h sleep on the longer leg in the evening (hopefully with turbulance over the Caucasus to rock you gently to sleep).

Flying via DXB, you'd be landing at DXB just as you're dozing off at 0200h AEST and be served supper on the 7h hop to LHR, feeling quite ferral touching down at LHRat  0600h GMT.

Any thoughts?

@TheRealBabushka I have a question rather than offering any thoughts, viz. how the heck do you manage to get 12-13 hours of sleep on a flight? ;-)  The best I've ever done is 5-6 SYD-LAX

@Agfox LOL

I just do! Good eye shades, ear plug and a hoodie top as suggested by John @AUSBT. Does the trick. Melatonin tablets helps too - not the crappy homeopathic remedy you get in Australian pharmacies but the real thing you can get very cheaply from the US.

I find it helps too to be kitted out ready for sleep i.e. cotton pyjamas as the plane is taxiing. That way you get the G-Force from the take off to help knock you out.

Some of my best snooze I've had have been on Qantas across the pacific and on the SIN/LHR sectors.

Ironically I sleep better in economy class! Go figure!

@TRB Thanks for that information. Do you request cabin staff wake you for meals?

It depends. On early evening flights I tend to get them to serve mains and pudding all up so I'm off to Z land sooner. For late evening flights I tend to eat in the lounge before departure. If on a longer transit, I prefer to eat in the lounge upon arrival and so sleep for longer. But if I was flying economy, I tend to skip meals - no economy class meal (especially on QF) is worth waking up for!

Cotton PJs and a light hoodie top are my absolute saviours for getting sleep on a long-haul flight.

Also, where I can, I try to avoid airlines whose home bases are in hot, humid countries unless I know their aircraft have air nozzles. A 25°C cabin is a horrible thing to try to sleep in if there's no air movement, and the Gulf/ASEAN carriers tend to keep their planes at "fan oven roasting" temperatures.

Take the EK413 to DXB (now scheduled for 21.45, will be rescheduled to 21.10) and have dinner and sleep afterwards. Wake up early morning DXB time after at least 8 hours of sleep and tak a connecting flight to LHR in the morning. You can dooze of a little on that second leg, but should be well rested once you arrive in LHR around 12.40 and easily be able to get through the day!

So basically opt to fly on EK metal.

So if you're a OW Sapphire/Emerald but not a QFF, can you still use the EK lounge in SYD/MEL and DXB if you're flying in Y and your flights are booked as QF flight numbers?

Indeed, fly EK all the way. Ofcourse you bring up the drawback, I think you are not able to use the lounge as EK is not part of OW and OW rules state clearly that you must be flying a OW marketed AND operated flight.

I was thinking of this when deliberating whether to credit all my mileage to EK Skywards. Reason I did not go for it is that I would not have OW status, which I now have with my QF Plat status. However, it seems that EK earning is much more generous as you do not have to keep in mind codesharing, can fly a QF flightnumber and get points (although how much you accrue is still a bit vague).

BA, AY & MH beckons....

Any idea if the QF 747 for MEL/SIN is the refurbished one?

Don't forget QR......

I believe it is not a refurbished bird on MEL-SIN route unfortunately, however, not 100% sure. Maybe the John has more info on the current status of refurbishment and which routes these birds fly? I know it is SYD-DFW, SYD-LAX, SYD-SCL, BNE-LAX and BNE-SIN.

Sorry, KG — I've got no insider info there. I'd just be peering at the data.flight24.com rego list and comparing it to the ones that have been refurbed.

Thanks John.

I wonder to what extent the use of the non-refurbished 747 is a tactical move to mitigate the exodus of MEL traffic to BA/AY.

SQ is my preferred option.CX is the other should I go to Europe again depending on where I am headed.

In Response to the flying via Dubai Thing I would like to say I have done the trip via Singapore out of Adelaide to London but on Singapore Airlines.The First Sector I remember left Adelaide just before Noon on the way over arriving just before 6pm Singapore Time meaning a daylight hour flight and a very pleasant just under six hour wait at Changi Airport allowing me enough time to get a drink,walk around the place for a while and get some time to read in the transit lounge the guide book I was carrying on Great Britain continuing onwards on the overnight to the UK I got a good amount of sleep even though I was located just in front of a man going on his own to the UK and behind some rows with families with small children allowing me enough time to get some decent entertainment and reading done too that I missed out on the shorter sectors.I wouldn't even suggest flying via Dubai when the changes take places in a few months.If you have to Try the Reindeer Route through a Qantas Hub Singapore,Bangkok,HKG or Tokyo stopover if you have the time and continue via Helsinki through to the UK It works out overall a little shorter and for your safety a much better option.

I'm very interested to know what the forward bookings and load factors are like for QF9/10 & QF1/2 post 31 March!

Funny to see a British Airways ad at the end of this article.