Why can't Qantas improve their on board products to gain back their customers from its rival airlines ?

I know it would be expensive for Qantas, but how come they couldn't improve their on board products to gain back their customers from its rival airlines ? wouldn't this be a better option ?

Agreed. Qantas have nothing on airlines like SQ or CX. They are obviously trying to improve their 747-400ER fleet by fitting them with their A380-style long haul product, but I don't think this goes far enough. They really need to review and improve both the quality, and the consistency of their service standards. I wouldn't say Qantas service is bad, but I would say that it is inconsistent. Occasionally you will get flight attendants who address you by name in the business cabin, sometimes you get "g'day" or "Hi, how are ya?" - not really appropriate for the money one spends on a business fare. 

A colloquial tone of communication with passengers on CX does not occur (at least in my experience it doesn't.). At Qantas, I would almost go as far to say that it is almost common place. Also, sost of the time when you ask for something on Qantas, the FA's generally behave as though you've just asked them to do you a huge favour. This may sound pedantic, but again, if you've payed over $7k to fly to Hong Kong, you'd expect the staff to happily help you out.

QF are not a patch on CX at all.  Even when in economy, CX staff are always more polite and friendly.  This is especially true if you have QF Platinum.

 Yeah i think they do need to improve the quality and standards of their service

Maybe I have been lucky but QF longhaul is great. I am platinum and do very little domestic flying but find their J product on the A380 and the new 744 great. The food and wine is way better than CX/SQ and EK. Their lounges in SYD and MEL are the best in the region, try the EK lounge in DXB it's dreadful, crowded and hot - it is commonly refered to by expat's as the zoo. Okay the QF crew do not always address you by your surname but I like their overall  friendliness.

Agree that QF staff are hit and miss. I think they need to review their catering contract in business as it all looks nice on paper but seems to hold little flavour once in the air. I think Mr Perry might be getting a little too relaxed in his consultancy role and we might benefit from someone new in the kitchen. The wines are great though - wouldn't change those.

I think they do need to improve their onboard products just a bit though

funny how all the comments focus on service, when the question was asked about product

i think Qantas's on board products are pretty alright, compared to some so called 5 star airlines. For example, MH old old planes. Improvement point: definitely the service!

In terms of Product Qantas is easily able to beat most of its competitors (unless you get stuck on the limited 767 international routes).  I am based in Adelaide and the only QF international route is the 3 times weekly flight to SIN.  This is on the A330/300 which is fitted in a Buisness/Ecconomy config.  In Business you have the Skybed Mark I which is extremely comfortable for the 6 hour day flight to SIN, and more than adequate for the return Red Eye.  Compare this to the 'regional' international business class on Sinagpore who fly the route daily, which only offers the old school SQ recliner.  Even on MEL/SYD to SIN QF offer the Skybed II which provides a fully flatt bed with (?) 60" of pitch, which for a 6 ft tall person is better than the lie flat beds tha SQ offer on the A380 and some 777 services.  The SQ flat bed is super wide, but you have to hide your feet and head in a tiny cubby hole to sleep and the seets are so wide that many passengers need pillows to prop them up so they don't slide around in flight!  Perhaps SQ were anticipating a new obesity epidemic......

The only airline that produces a superior business product to QF in every sense is the NEW Cathay business (which if you read all the data is actually a first class product!) and that only flies to SYD at the moment.

QF are the only airline that offers Premium ecconomy to Europe/Asia and America from Australia and the product they offer on 747/A380 is essentially the same.  It is far superior to BA's 'ecconomy plus' offering and is a better overall package than Virgin Australias long haul premium ecconomy.

QF have also managed to resist the Middle East/Asian trend of making their cabins glow strange colours,  covering them in fake wood, pastel plastics and glowing mirrors.  The QF A380/7474 product has a classy refined and modern look without being over done (BA/Cathay/SQ are also pretty good at keeping their cabins classy).

 Thanks for that but if there as good as you say they are then why are they loosing money then ? and why isnt heaps of passengers flying with them?

Well if qantas was that great  in product dont you think more people would be flying with them ?

Sadly, the lower cost basis and network extent of some carriers trumps the quality of the QF product.  As harsh as it is to say, an Asian based QF International would enable them to sell tickets at the same price as competitors and open up a host of new routes.

I guess at the end of the day the product is not the problem here, it is the limitations of being an end point carrier and having a highly unionised workforce.  The fact that some members of parliament still think they can controll Qantas using the 'Qantas Sale Act' is amusingly paradoxical, given that the act 'sold' qantas to the public, ending governent direction.

I think current group stats indicate a >80 load factor on QF International.  Key routes such as the Kangaroo and Pacific routes have always been full when ive caught them, upgrades can be very hard to score!  This suggests loads are reasnoble, so again i think its the way the airline is run, in terms of the cost of doing so, that makes it unprofitable.

Regardless of why side you are on in the Qantas industial dispute, its hard to see how bad blood with the people who are the 'face' of your busines is a good idea.  For years I only flew Qantas because of how good their staff were.  It pretty clear these days you are often dealing with Qantas staff who don't want to be there anymore. 

Yeah that is very true i guess product is ok, could be better but the staff do need to improve on service i think on the international side. The domesitc and regional cabin crew have been wonderful in my recent experinces