For context, I’ve been a Qantas Platinum member in 2023–2024 while based outside Australia, and have since dropped back to Gold in 2025–2026.
Over the past few years I’ve flown quite a mix of cabins and airlines for both work and personal travel, including business class on Qatar Airways and Qantas, premium economy on British Airways, Qantas, United, and American Airlines, as well as a fair amount of economy travel within North America on United and American.
What I’ve noticed recently is that when flying business or premium cabins with both Qantas and Qatar, the onboard service sometimes feels a bit distant. In some cases, crew interactions come across as though basic requests like water, extra wine, or late-night food service are an inconvenience.
I’m not sure if this is a broader trend across airlines over time, or if it’s more related to specific routes, crew rotations, or individual experiences I’ve had (since I do sometimes recognize crew on repeated legs).
My expectation in premium cabins has always been more of a “we’re in this together” service approach rather than feeling like requests are burdensome. I’m wondering whether this perception is outdated or if other airlines are noticeably different in this regard.
Would be interested to hear others’ experiences across different carriers and cabins.
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