Trip Reports - A Trip in First To Sydney (Mardi Gras) on United

Trip Report – Part 1

The following is an attempt at a trip report. I hope you like it. But if you don’t, too bad.

After months of planning, waiting, and praying (for no United strike), the day came to leave for our 2 week journey to the land where the air is clean, the people are friendly, and the US dollar buys a lot more. No, not Canada. Australia! My partner and I were eager to go to our first Mardi Gras, and then head up to Cairns for some r&r in the tropics. The following is a report of our airline experiences on United (LAX-SYD-LAX) and Qantas (SYD-CNS-SYD). I would love to go into detail about our experiences IN Australia, but I can’t, as this is a family site. Actually, I just don’t have the time. But trust me, Australia is now my most favourite foreign country (yes, even above Italy). The people are phenomenal (I need to get “no worries” printed up on a t-shirt). Some observations about Australia:

1. A burger “Australian” style means “Add beets” – blech
2. If you wear shorts in Australia, apparently you need to where the shortest shorts out there (especially if you are male).
3. The people are gorgeous (men and women alike) and friendly.
4. Vegemite looks and smells like congealed soy sauce. I can’t imagine why they though, “yum, breakfast food!”

Anyway, on to the part that you actually want to read about:

Feb. 26th
LAX-SYD
United Airlines #815
Boeing 747-400 (no, don’t ask what registration number it was)
Departed 10:25 pm, Arrived 7:30am-ish on the 28th

Last April, I used up 240,000 United miles to get 2 First Class tickets LAX-SYD. Although the flight left at 10:10pm, I told my partner we were going to be there 3 hours early. My other half indicated that because we were first class, we wouldn’t have to wait in long check-in lines or anything like that. I told him that long lines were not my concern, it was the desire to be in the International First Class lounge and eat and drink for free that was driving my desire to get there early. So, we zoomed through surprisingly light LA evening rush hour traffic and showed up ready to check in. We get out of the car and he says, “you remembered to bring all of the information that we have so diligently collected over the past few months.” Of course I didn’t. All the articles, the guide books, the brochures, were all tucked away safely at home. Needless to say, he was not very happy with me. Of course, I turned it around saying if they were that important he shouldn’t have made me responsible for bringing them, so really it was HIS fault we didn’t have them. Needless to say, that didn’t go over too well.

So, we went into the check-in area of Terminal 6. There were already people in line checking in for Auckland and Sydney. I looked for the International First Class check-in, and I couldn’t find it. So, we stood in the Biz Class check-in line. The agent looked at our tickets and said, you should go to the first class check in area. I said that would be great if I could find it, and he pointed us to an office to the side. Oh! So we were ushered into the First Class office. Four loud Brazilians were being checked in on their flight. The woman was yelling, “I cannot face left on the airplane”, apparently after the agent tried to give here a seat on the A-side of the cabin. Cannot face left? We were definitely in the first class area now! So, the agent printed out another ticket, and the loud woman seemed satisfied with her new seat – 4J. I looked at our tickets – 4E & 4F, and I, of course, had 4F. The thought of 14+ hours next to this woman made me cringe. Things were not starting out well at all.

The Brazilians left, and we were checked in with no problem. We looked at the clocks on the wall trying to figure out the time difference between Los Angeles and Sydney. “So, if it’s 7pm here, and 2 o’clock in Sydney, is it 2am or 2pm?” “Is it plus 19 hours?” “Is it minus 5 hours plus one day?” We finally figured it out. (If it is 7pm in Los Angeles, it is 2pm in Sydney the next day). The nice agent printed out our boarding passes and our “Arrivals” invitations. I asked how full the flight was, and she said there were about 20 empty seats in economy, and everything else was full.

After the standard shoe check/ body cavity search through Security, we headed straight for the international First Class lounge in Terminal 7. We showed our credentials, and stowed our bags. I think the First Class lounge in LAX is great. You barely feel like you’re at the airport (except for the planes outside the window). They had the usual array of finger sandwiches, salmon rolls, veggies, and alcoholic beverages, to which we helped ourselves immediately. Our Brazilian friends were there, so we made our way to the other side of the lounge (although we could still hear their conversation). So we ate and drank, a precursor to our activities on the airplane. We wanted to watch “Smallville”, but Frasier was on the TV and people were watching it so we supposed it would be rude to change the channel. Oh well.

Finally, at 9:45, they announced they were taking us to our flight to Sydney. They lined us up, checked our passports and boarding passes, and we marched down to Gate 76 in a single file line, much like when we were in Kindergarten. Just as I passed the check-in counter, the agent was explaining to someone that “The first class cabin has checked-in full, so go back to your lowly Business Class seat, scum.” OK, maybe she didn’t use those exact words.

On to the plane we went, and did that left turn off the jetway that I love – the turn into first class. Immediately, coats were hung, drinks were offered, menus handed out, amenity kits offered, and I reacquainted myself with the FirstSuite (I had flown United Int’l First once before IAD-CDG-LAX). We were served champagne, and I browsed through the newspapers. I chose a Wall Street Journal, a Sydney Morning Herald, and an Australian. I like reading the news of the country I’m visiting. Australia had some interesting news. Apparently the government said some refugees had thrown their babies off of a boat. The government apparently was trying to create ill-will against the refugees. Then they admitted they made the story up. And some leader in the Government said that a 14-year old girl who had been raped by a priest really was a predator, and the poor priest had been entrapped. Apparently not everyone agreed with that take on the matter. As I said, interesting (if weird) news.

Prior to departure, something happened that has never happened on any flight I’ve ever been on: The pilot came down to our cabin and discussed the flight with us in person. He told us about the Sydney weather (some showers), the flight time (13+ hours), and how much the plane weighed at take-off (875,000 pounds). He then asked if we had any questions. Well, I was too much in shock to think of a question, and I guess everyone else was too, because nobody asked one. I realized later I should have asked him to turn on Channel 9, because it was off for the whole flight. Anyway, it was a nice experience to have the pilot come down and talk to us. I think they should do that more often.

By the way, if 2 people are travelling together in United First on a 747, I recommend either 4E and 4F (the seats we were in), or 1A and 1J (in the very nose of the plane. Actually, 1A and 1J would be my first choice, because they have a window in addition to being close together. I would discourage seats 5E and 5F, because frankly they are closer to the galley and noisier. If you are a single traveller (meaning travelling alone, not if you are currently unattached) I would STRONGLY recommend against 5A or 5J. I walked past those seats during the flight, and they are practically IN the galley.

Things were looking up: Apparently the loud Brazilians were going to Auckland, as none of them boarded our flight. Whew (although it would have made for an interesting flight, I am sure). We pulled back from the gate around 10:25pm, taxied to runway 35L, and took off to the West and out over the Pacific.

Thus commenced one of the best flights I’ve ever had on any airline. I’m sure people will argue that I should experience Trans-Pac First on an Asian carrier, but since I haven’t, oh well. This was a great flight!

The First Class cabin was staffed by 4 mature (not older) female flight attendants. Some people have said the more mature United flight attendants are more like prison matrons. Well, not these four. Within a few minutes after take-off, they were scurrying around the cabin, offering drinks and taking menu orders. Here’s the menu:

FEATURED WINES
United selects its wines in blind tastings governed by the Office International de la Vigne et du Vin in France.

Champagne
Brut, Dom Perignon

White Wine
Alsace
Pinot Gris 1999 Reserve, F.E. Trimbach
Chardonnay
Sequoia Grove Carneros 1998

Red Wine
Bordeaux
Haut-Medoc 1996, Chateau Latour-Carnet
Merlot
Louis M. Martini Russian River Valley Reserve 1996

REGIONAL WINES
Selected flights to and from Australia

Shiraz
Kangarilla Road McLaren Vale 1999

BEVERAGES
Apertifs and cocktails
Spirits and liqueurs
Beer
Sandeman’s Porto will be offered during the main meal’s dessert.
Starbucks coffee will be available throughout the flight.

TO BEGIN
Smoked salmon and spiced shrimp
Cucumber and onion salad

MAIN COURSE
Filet Mignon with garlic onion ragout
Creamy manshed potatoes and vegetable medley

Roasted duck confit with demi-glace
Sweet potato mousse and green beans

Sauteed halibut with hoisin butter sauce and spinach noodles
Shiitake mushrooms and tomato sesame salsa

THE EARLY SEATING MEAL
If you would like more time to work, relax or sleep, we offer a complete meal served all at once.
Cream of asparagus soup
King crab leg with fennel and haricot vert salad
Eli’s Praline cheesecake

DESSERT
International Cheese Sampler - Double Gloucester, Castello blue and Swiss Gruyere cheese
Ben & Jerry’s ice cream with sundae toppings
Fresh seasonal fruit

MIDFLIGHT SNACK
Please help yourself to assorted treats between the two main meals. Hot sandwiches are available upon request.

PRIOR TO ARRIVAL
Your selected entrée will be served with fresh seasonal fruit and breakfast breads.

Scrambled eggs Benedict with smoked salmon
Hollandaise sauce

Apple cinnamon brioche French toast
Maple cream and Canadian bacon

(That’s too much work to transcribe the menu!)

I, of course, chose the filet. Screw the diet! Then she asked me a surprising question: How would I like it cooked? My mind immediately pictured a chef somewhere in the back working over a grill. “Medium rare,” I told her, dubious that it could be accomplished at 35,000 feet. Hell, Black Angus screws it up half the time. My other half chose the halibut. We were then offered a choice in movies. There was nothing worth choosing, frankly. I chose “Curse of the Jade Scorpion” with Woody Allen & Helen Hunt. My significant other chose “Bandits” with Bruce Willis, Billy-Bob Thornton, and Cate Blanchett (an Aussie).

Wine was offered, and I chose the Bordeaux (excellent). Before too long, the appetizer of smoked salmon and spiced shrimp was delivered on the United china. It was delicious, as was the cucumber and onion salad. I declined the roll (too many carbs – as I drank another glass of wine).

The filet came out and I’ll be darned if it wasn’t medium rare. It was juicy, tasty, and fattening, all the things I look for in a filet. By this time, I was feeling full, and that was BEFORE the cheese and grapes were brought out. After a couple of slices of the cheese and the grapes, the moment I dreaded came: The offer of the hot fudge sundae. I wanted to, but I couldn’t. Yes I could. No, I shouldn’t. Yes I should. No, I didn’t. I passed, and the flight attendant looked like I had slapped her. “You are declining the sundae?” “I’m full.” “But it’s real hot fudge.” “I’m feeling enormous.” “But I have whipped cream.” Arrrggghhh. Meanwhile, my partner in crime had no problems polishing off the halibut (I tried it and it was very good), and ate about half his sundae.

Trays were taken away, and took out my all-important sweats. I took them into the lavatory (no, the first class lavatory is not bigger than any other lavatory) and changed into my sleeping clothes and took off my contacts and deployed my glasses. By this point, my eyes were drooping from being tired, in a food coma, and somewhat tipsy (by the way, “more wine please!”). Whatever it was, I watched the movie more out of a weird sense of obligation than of an actual desire to see it. It was slow, Woody Allen was grating, and I couldn’t wait for it to be over. My other half seemed to be enjoying “Bandits” much more, occasionally laughing. My movie finally ended, and I eagerly changed my seat into the bed. I then went and put my sweats on.

It is very quiet at the front of the plane, and I was out like a light. I think I fell asleep in the middle of thinking “I wonder if I will be able to sleep.” And for about 5 hours, I was great.

I woke up to a very quiet cabin. I looked around and realized I was the only person awake. Almost immediately a flight attendant came by to see if I needed anything – food, water, valium. Just kidding. She didn’t really offer food. I declined, and popped open my Bill Bryson book – “In a Sunburnt Country”. If you ever have visited Australia, or are going to visit, or just like to laugh, I highly recommend this book. I laughed out loud so many times I’m sure I disturbed some people. Whenever I do this, my other half will usually ask, “What’s so funny?” So I’ll read the passage aloud, and he’ll usually look at me like I just arrived from another planet and shake his head. Oh well, I think it’s funny. Fortunately, he was sound asleep.

I was offered the mid-flight snack of a hot roast beef and cheddar sandwich. It sounded really tempting, but considering I was still full from dinner, I declined.

Finally, people started stirring, and I knew we were closer to our destination. My partner woke up, and we chatted with the flight attendant. We told her it would be our first time in Sydney, our first time at Mardi Gras, and our first time in Australia. She went to the back and wrote a ton of suggestions for restaurants in and around Sydney, and recommended getting something to stand on to see the parade (preferably an apartment on the 2nd floor above Oxford Street). She told us about her flight attendant friend’s son and his partner and how much they enjoyed Sydney and Cairns. We thanked her for all the suggestions. As I said, this crew was above and beyond.

Before too long, we were asked for our breakfast choices. Now, normally breakfast is a meal I try to avoid on an airplane, simply because I don’t think I’ve ever had an edible breakfast ON an airplane, even in First. But what the heck? Anyway, we each ordered the eggs benedict, and surprisingly, they were excellent. The fruit was good, the coffee and juice plentiful, and I can now say I’ve had a decent breakfast on an airplane. (The trick is going to Sydney in First Class, I guess).

About an hour out of Sydney (I love the airshow, by the way) I went to change back into my respectable clothes. Coming out of the lavatory the flight attendant yelled, “Sir!” For a minute, I thought I had done something terrible! Then she said, “Would you and your friend like a bottle of wine?” I was surprised (and relieved), and she asked what kind we drank. I said we like merlot, and she said she’d bring it out. Smiling, I told my other half about this exchange and he thought it was incredibly nice. The flight attendant came out with the wine and we thanked her profusely. It wasn’t even really the wine, it was the gesture itself that was touching.

As I said, above and beyond.

So, with light hearts, we descended into a grey drizzly Sydney and landed (along with every other overseas airline). Getting off the plane, the concierge person checked our names off the list and told us where to go for the Arrivals service (which we declined to use, because we just wanted to lug our stuff to a hotel ONCE, not twice). Once through Immigration, the concierge people were at the baggage claim to make sure our luggage came through (and it was pretty much the first few bags on the conveyor belt).

Overall, it was a superb flight. The service, food, wine, and seats were all first-rate. Really, it was the flight attendants that made the difference (as I would find out on our return). I even asked if they would work the March 12th flight back to LAX, but alas they were scheduled to do the March 14th SYD-LAX run. I would unhesitatingly recommend United First to anyone. I feel I got my 240,000 miles worth of value, and in fact, I think it is one of the better points to value deals in the program. My other half, who had never been in overseas First Class before, looked at me and said, “you know, I’m spoiled. I can’t fly any other way now.” I had been in International First Class before, but this was a better experience.

Up next will be my Qantas experience SYD-CNS-SYD. Here’s a preview: It was a surprising disappointment.

P.S. I would like to thank FlyLots publicly for all of his recommendations of things to do and places to eat in Australia. It made our vacation MUCH better.

Thanks for the nice trip report, travellin man. Hope you had a nice time here at Mardi Gras - I know I certainly did! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif Did you make it to the dance party? And did you get your views of the parade? (I'm sure you can answer that much without violating FT's T&C!)

As for your Qantas flight being a disappointment, unfortunately that's no surprise to me. They have no domestic competition now on most of their routes, so I fear things can only get worse. Still, I look forward to reading the report!

This is one of the very best trip reports that I have read. I have Qantas in First and it was excellent. I really enjoyed it . I have great memories of Sydney. Hope you enjoyed your trip

I hope I don't embarrass my beloved Australia on this forum, but the 'leader in the Government' was actually our head of state, our Governor-General.

It's not usually this weird in Australia. Glad you enjoyed it.

This is a First Class report, travellin man! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/thumbsup.gif

I really enjoyed reading it and, should you be so inclined, I'm sure I speak for many others when I ask how about a report on the return trip?! Thanks!!

Wonderful report. Where does one apply to get the "not for children" version?

I'd like to try Australia myself.

Chris

I will be doing similar trip a week from Sunday - SFO-SYD on UA first - so I read your report with interest. I also have SYD-Cairns and Brisbane-AKL on Qantas (one in coach, one in business) so I'm eager to read about your Qantas experience too.

If you have any must see/do finds in Sydney or Cairns/Port Douglas, let me know ... I'm a vegetarian so sounds like we don't share the same food likes, but if you happen to remember any good places to eat with pastas or other veggie stuff on the menu, please let me know. Thanks.

I'm sorry, Mr. Lowe, but my experience after several visits is that it usually and gloriously IS "this weird in Australia." After all, this is a country that built, as a memorial to a drowned prime minister, a swimming pool.

That's a tidbit from Bill Bryson's hilarious and highly recommended book "In A Sunburned Country". I've been giving copies to any of my friends bound to OZ for a couple of years now, and urging them to read it from cover to cover both for a good laugh and for a good understanding of Australia. I'll do the same here to anyone reading this who's planning or dreaming about a trip to Australia. You'll love the book and, like many of us, you'll love the country and the people.

(Bryson's title isn't "Sunburnt", by the way -- that's the word in the similar title of a poem every Aussie schoolchild has to learn, and Bryson changed his title to "Sunburned" for reasons he explains in the book. Hey, believe it or not, us journalists has this thing about accuracy.)

But despite my editorial nitpicking (as Mark Twain once noted, an editor is the kind of person who isn't satisfied until he's spit in the stew) this is a superb trip report and I'll be watching for the continuation.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by travellin man:
I declined, and popped open my Bill Bryson book – “In a Sunburnt Country”. If you ever have visited Australia, or are going to visit, or just like to laugh, I highly recommend this book. I laughed out loud so many times I’m sure I disturbed some people. Whenever I do this, my other half will usually ask, “What’s so funny?” So I’ll read the passage aloud, and he’ll usually look at me like I just arrived from another planet and shake his head. Oh well, I think it’s funny.</font>Dead on travellin man!

I read the book before I went to SYD and after I went to SYD. I knew I was in for something special when i was reading the first page and laughing about how A)australia could just lose a Prime Minister and B)how word of that never made it to me in the states! LMAO http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif

I was in SYD a year ago at this time where I got to experience Mardi Gras and St Patrick's Day at the Rocks (I still have no clue how I got home that night!).

My next trip Down Under will probably be to CNS!!! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

Thanks for the great report!

Travellinman

Great report. Very glad you had a good time and thanks for the compliment, I think helping other Flyertalkers for trips and tips is exactly the reason I am here.

One quick comment. On Qantas (LAX-SYD / MEL-SYD-LAX), the First Class bathrooms are larger (at least they appear so) and have faux stone counters and actually have a window!

Am sorry to hear that the domestic QF flight was disappointing. While nothing to write home about I found QF domestic to be more than bearable and on the particular route you did (SYD-CNS-SYD) I had a cheapo fare and got upgraded and into a First Class Suite so I had a great time!

Can't wait to read the rest of your reports!

Travellin man,

Thank you for the great trip report. I am in the middle of planning my honeymoon in Australia and this report makes me want to elope and go now instead of in October http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

I'm glad you all have liked it so far! Some comments and answers prior to my Qantas experience:

Mad_atta - As my favorite diva Deborah Cox might say, "Absolutely" we made it to the dance party (and "recovery" party too). All I can say is you guys throw one hell of a party! The parade was good too. We ended up standing on milk crates we purchased for $10. After about 2 hours though, my legs were killing me (and this was BEFORE the party) so we left.

catwood (and others) - I'll try to write about our experiences in Australia, but I may have to wait. Let's just say the boys of Australia were very nice.

letiole - "Must-do's" around Cairns/Port Douglas include the SkyRail through the rain forest, the Quicksilver Barrier Reef snorkeling tour, and sitting on the beach drinking a fruity cocktail. A nice restaurant that FlyLots recommended was the Silky Oaks Lodge in Mosman (north of Port Douglas). It was an incredible setting in the rain forest, and the food was very good (and I know that they had non-meat options, I just didn't try them).

Greggwiggins - You know, I debated on the spelling of the title of the book. Since I'm at work, I don't have the book with me so I took a guess. Thanks for the correction!

FlyLots - I'll send you an e-mail with details of how your tips made our trip 100% better. Thanks!

OK, now for the journey on Qantas.

March 6
SYD-CNS
Qantas #770
Departed 12:25pm
Arrived 1:30pm

So, after 6 glorious fun-filled days and nights in Sydney at the wonderful Renaissance near Circular Quay (a fabulous hotel in a great location - I have to give my hotel a plug) it was time to head north. With the demise of Ansett, it really left us one choice of airline - Qantas. I was actually excited to fly the kangaroo tail, as it is just SO Australian.

We packed our 50 pieces of luggage into the cab and headed out to the airport. There was a bus strike, so I was worried the roads would be jammed, and they were going into the city. Fortunately it was wide open going to the airport, and we got there in about 20 minutes, with plenty of time to kill prior to departure.

Armed with my AA Platinum card, we headed to the Biz Class check-in line, which was empty. The agent took our tickets and told us we had been preassigned "desirable" seats. "Great" I said. "Row 70" she said. "Is that in the upper deck?" I asked hopefully. "No, it's in the back," she said. "But the seats are SO far back that there are only 2 seats on the side, an aisle and a window."

Hmmm. As a frequent flyer, I've never EVER had a good seat at the back of the plane. They are either really cramped, stuck next to the lavatories, stuck next to the galley, stuck next to the engines, or some combination of all the above. SO, I asked for a better seat. She didn't have any windows, and she highly suggested that these seats were the best we'd get. So I took Seats 70J and 70K. Our bags were labelled "Priority", and we went through security (a much easier process in Australia).

The first rule of business was to find the Qantas Club that I'd heard so much about. Again flashing the AA Platinum card, we went into the biggest airline club I've ever seen. The domestic Qantas Club I believe runs the length of the terminal. It looked like we got there right after the morning rush, because there were a lot of empty tables with used coffee cups (which were cleaned up fairly promptly). We got chairs by the window and I got to see all the Qantas aircraft. They had coffee and some breakfast snack foods out, but we weren't hungry, as the Renaissance has a Club Lounge that feeds you very well for breakfast.

The Qantas club is fantastic, I must say. It had everything you could want, including a shop that sold postcards (which we took advantage of). I was looking towards our gate to see if our plane had shown up, when this 747 that said "Qantas" on the side, but didn't look like any Qantas 747 I'd ever seen. It had red, yellow, and blue polka-dots on the tail. Where was the kangaroo? I even took a picture of it because it looked like it had graffiti on the tail. My other half pointed out later that it was probably the "artist's" signature, after I claimed how shocked I was that Qantas would allow graffiti on their planes. I guess that made more sense. (Apparently this plane is leased from British Airways and has their hit-or-miss "artist" tail -- this one was a "miss").

I noticed in the Qantas Club that they announced boarding for a flight exactly once. "This is our first and last boarding call for flight XXX to XXX." At my urging we headed down to the gate around 10:20. After all, we were in Row 70, and we needed the overhead bin space that would surely be gone if we waited for the Qantas Club to announce the boarding of our flight.

We got to the gate, and there were about 400 people waiting in the gate area. This flight was F-U-L-L. No wonder they use a 747 for a 3 hour flight. At about 10:35, they announce boarding, and it went something like this:
"Qantas is pleased to announce the boarding of flight #770 to Cairns. Please board through Gate 7." There was no Business Class boarding announcement. No old people or people with children announcement. No frequent flyer boarding announcement. No "Rows 60-72" announcement. I was shocked. So, of course, all 400 people in the boarding area stampede to the one helpless ticket agent standing between them and their overhead bin. Frankly, it was not the best system.

After pushing the little old ladies out of the way, we made our way onto the plane. Let me tell you, it is a LONG walk if you are going to the back of a 747. We found our seats, and you know what? The agent was right, they were OK. We were not near engines, and there were about 2 or 3 rows seperating us from the galley and lavatories. So, I can't complain (about the seats).

We settled in, and waited. And waited. The plane filled up (every seat was taken), and still we waited. The captain came on to say we were waiting for the last bit of baggage (probably ours). We finally pushed back about 30 minutes late and were off the ground about 5 minutes later.

We were informed there would be a lunch service and a movie ("Ocean's 11", which I'd seen but I liked). I was browsing through the Qantas magazine, when something brown whizzed by my face. It was my partners lunch box. The unsmiling flight attendant barely muttered. Oh well, I got mine and looked inside. Egads what a disappointment. There was a sandwich wrapped in plastic, a bottle of water, and a piece of chocolate barely visible to the human eye. Even United does their box lunches better than this!

Well, the sandwich was edible. (roast beef, I believe). I waited for drink service to come. And waited. Apparently it was water or nothing. Sigh. Finally, they came around offering coffee or tea. I requested a Diet Coke, and they said they'd bring it after the coffee/tea service. I knew right then I'd never actually see a Diet Coke on this flight (and I was correct).

Meanwhile, I was attempting to watch "Ocean's 11" on a screen the size of a postage stamp on a wall about 25 rows ahead of me. To make matters worse, the cabin lights were on, and EVERY SINGLE window shade was open. The odd thing was, most everyone was watching the movie. I was able to make out certain shadows, but basically had to listen to the movie without the benefits of actually seeing it.

About 20 minutes prior to the movie's conclusion, the cabin lights were turned off. Thanks.

At least we had a window. I was able to see much of the beautiful Australian countryside go by. As we descended into Cairns, the clouds increased, and we landed in the rain (it would be the only rain we saw for 5 days in Cairns, fortunately).

All in all, it was a forgettable flight, with indifferent/non-existent service. I was surprised, especially after hearing how much better overseas domestic flights are. Frankly, I've had much better experiences in domestic economy on AA and UA. And it is unfortunate because I had really been looking forward to my first Qantas experience.

I'm going to have to post our CNS-SYD report later this afternoon! 2 weeks worth of work is calling me... (no I'm not stringing you along, but we did get to experience Qantas Biz).

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by chexfan:
My next trip Down Under will probably be to CNS!!! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif</font>


http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif I'll take a VB if you don't mind, O' Great Fan of the Chex.

If it's your shout, then along with his VB I'd like a Little Creatures Pale Ale.

Fantastic trip report! Mr. Buster and I will be traveling to Australia in 2 weeks. I was feeling pretty pleased with ourselves for being able to get QF business class award tickets...but now I want to fly first class! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif Oh well, we've never flown anything other than economy internationally, so this will be a tremendous improvement.

Where did you stay in CNS? We have reservations at the Radisson Treetops in Port Douglas, but are starting to rethink that. I think we're going to try to keep any eye out on wotif.com for any last minute deals. Any other suggestions on what to do/where to stay/what to eat?

Again, great trip report, thank you!

travellin man: Thanks for the tips. I just ran out this morning and picked up Bill Bryson's book too.

letiole- be prepared for people looking at you like a weirdo when you are laughing hysterically as you read it!

Chexfan,

I was in Sydney (Mardi Gras) last year this time too! I could have been standing next to you for all I know. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

My boyfriend and I arrived later than we should have, so my view of the parade was not that good. I am only 5'3 and I could hardly see over the massive crowd in front of me. However, I did have a very good time.

Sorry you got that horrible aircraft VH-NLH, an ex-BA B747 that's been leased. We locals affectionately call it 'should've Never Left Home'.

I guess that's just another story of what we Aussies will have to put up with after the demise of AN.

Thanks for the detail, enjoyed.

Fantastic report! I'm a New Yorker transplanted to Sydney and fly AA/Qantas all the time (not enough miles for an F-class trip yet) but you make me almost wish I was loyal to United/Star Alliance!

Very funny too, reading your reaction to the local and bizarre Aussie news, which after a while becomes par for the course.

Good on ya, mate!

-Ironminds (sitting in his Woollahra apartment with the doors and windows open on the sunny garden, drinking an ice-cold VB)

Add me to the list of folks at Mardi Gras this year. It was my last stop on a RTW trip (Cape Town, Hong Kong, Manila, Singapore, Sydney). And I marched in the parade! A friend of mine from Philadelphia is a Sydneysider by birth, and he arranged for us to march near the front of the parade with the Sydney Anglicans. So, if you saw two people carrying the banner and dressed as Bishops, I was one. Oh yes, I was also staying at the Renaissance near Circular Key.

travellin man, great report. I'm going to SYD this summer on a CX 1st award via HKG and will be flying QF to CNS. Did you stay in Cairns or at Turtle Cove? After reading your report I've lowered my QF expectations even further. It'll be a nightmare flying QF steerage after CX 1st.

First of all, Ironminds, I'm bitter that you get to be in Australia drinking VB (my new favorite Australian beer). DKM, were you the one dressed up like the flying nun? We got to ride up in an elevator with two guys, and one of them looked like Sally Field in the Flying Nun on crack. I think I got a picture of you in the parade! AAPlatinum, yes we stayed at Turtle Cove during our visit. It was actually pretty nice (we got one of their ocean-front rooms). You can always hope that the Qantas International economy is better than their domestic product.

OK, so I'm a little later than I thought with the Qantas return report.

March 11
CNS-SYD
Qantas #569
Departed 1:55pm
Arrived 5:30pm

After a fantastic 5 days in Queensland, we really weren't ready to leave, but all good things must end (so they say). So, after all of our purchases, we piled our 52 bags into the car and headed back to Cairns (we stayed at a resort closer to Port Douglas).

Again flashing my AA Platinum card, we head to the Qantas Biz Class check-in line, which was empty. I gave the agent our tickets, and then she looked at us strangely. She looked my partner up and down and asked if he had anything to change into. We were both confused (and I thought it was rather forward of her), but then she said that since the flight was oversold we had been automatically upgraded to Business Class IF my partner had something to change into. (He was still in vacation mode and wearing a tank top and leather sandals). I guess there is a dress code in Business Class (as there probably should be, though maybe not from a resort destination such as CNS).

Well, you've never seen clothes fly out of the suitcase so quickly! He pulled out shoes, socks and a t-shirt and ran to the restroom to change. As he was leaving he said "ask for the top deck." So, I did, and she assigned us two seats in the upper deck, 17H and 17K. I realize I could have asked for a couple of the sleeper seats in the First Class section (it was a 3-class aircraft, but only 2 classes of service), but we both had minimal to no experience in the upper deck. Our bags were priority checked, and we went through security with no problem. (except my other half set off the metal detectors, as usual.)

We went into the Qantas Club. It had the same decor as the Sydney Club, just on a smaller scale. There were the usual array of juices and finger sandwiches. I thought I would be able to send postcards from there, but the woman in the Qantas Club directed me to a mailbox outside the security area, so I had to go through security twice. (Lesson - Send your postcards at Cairns Airport prior to going through security).

They called our flight, and again it appeared there was no real boarding process, just a general boarding call. Of course, we herded in with the 400 other people in the slow-moving, warm and humid jetway. I looked at the plane, and this time we had a proper Qantas plane with the Kangaroo tail. Into the plane, turned right, and then up the stairs. We were almost the first people there and took our seats. The flight attendant offered us juice or water (why no champagne?). He didn't seem too happy, for some reason. We both took juice and fiddled with our seats. The Qantas Business class seats are comfortable. We both thought the upper deck Business Class section was nicer and more intimate than the 7-across Business class below us. As people filled up the Business Class cabin, we noticed sandals and tank tops worn by several men and women. I take it the dress code is applied sporadically? It definitely made us wonder why my partner had to change (it's not like he was wearing a g-string and a toga or anything.)

We pushed back precisely on time, and after a short taxi we took off towards the South. We sniffed and said good-bye to Queensland. I hate saying goodbye. Anyway, approximately 30 seconds after take-off (I am not making this up) while we are in our steep climb out, the Captain turns off the seat belt sign and the flight attendants spring into action. We were probably climbing at a 20 degree angle and banking, and the flight attendants were holding on to the overhead bins. I appreciate the head-start on service, but it seemed a little ridiculous to say it was safe to move about the cabin so quickly!

Although the flight attendants were able to move quickly, surprisingly they didn't come around asking if we wanted drinks (Does Qantas have a problem with people drinking beverages on their aircraft?). About 30 minutes into the flight, they pulled the cart out and asked what we'd like for dinner. (No menu, sorry). The choice was chunks of lamb or a chicken salad. We both chose the lamb, and I was surprised when it was whipped out of the cart.

Let me emphasize, I am not a primadonna, or someone that expects a gourmet meal with flawless presentation at 35,000 feet. Frankly, I was happy we were upgraded at all, thankful for the comfortable seat and personal video screen. However, if I'd have paid for Business class, I would have been slightly upset. The reason is this: I managed to get my tray out, in time to receive a tray of food. There were no tablecloths offered. My tray of food had the FOIL on it. I almost laughed. I've never even had to take the foil off my meal in Economy before.

So, we each gingerly took the foil off the hot tray. The lamb and rice were fine (though small), and the salad was fine. The bread was very good. There was also a piece of chocolate about as big as the eraser of a pencil. But the presentation itself was an "F". A single tray, no tablecloth, and food covered in foil is not my idea of Business class.

He asked us what type of wine we'd want. I asked for a vodka tonic, but that was met with an icy stare that suggested he'd prefer that I'd die. "We're doing the dinner service right now, but afterwards we can get you a cocktail." Oh. OK, then, I'll have a Chardonnay.

We finished dinner, and the trays were taken away promptly. I didn't feel like a vodka tonic afterwards (which was fortunate, because none was ever offered), so I had a couple of re-fills of wine. They did ask if we wanted dessert, which relieved me as I had assumed the microscopic piece of chocolate with dinner was "dessert". There was one choice, which was fine, because it was mango sorbet, which we both like.

During the flight, I watched a variety of Australian TV (Channel 10, or Channel 9 or something like that). I also watched the Australian countryside go by outside my window. I also started a new Bill Bryson book, because the Sunburned Country book had gotten me hooked. (I already know I'll probably purchase every Bryson book out there). It's called "Notes From A Small Island" about his travels through the UK. It's not as good as the Sunburned Country book, but people very familiar with the UK will probably get a kick out of it.

My other half watched that movie with Robert Redford ("Castle" something), and he said it was great. Unfortunately, they turned off the video system prior to him finishing it, which was quite frustrating. You would think they'd have plenty of time to finish the movie on a 3 hour flight, but apparently the video system was started late, and then it was turned off rather early. Oh well, I guess we'll rent the movie to see how it ends. (United did this to me on "The Contender" last year, and I was SO frustrated because it was right at the end where the big confrontation was going to happen).

So we descended into Sydney (and don't kill me, Sydney-siders, but it was smoggy and there were a lot of crowded freeways, and frankly it looked like Los Angeles from the air.) We did the turn over the ocean and landed towards the north across Botany Bay. Our luggage was the first out again (Qantas definitely has good luggage service), and we took a taxi back to the Renaissance for one final hurrah in Australia.

Overall, I did not get a good impression of Qantas from our 2 flights. Maybe my expectations were too high. Maybe it was just bad luck in our flight attendants and service. There were plusses -- the Qantas Clubs were excellent, the baggage service was prompt, and they upgraded us. But there were BIG minusses -- The on-board service ranged from bad/hostile at worst to indifferent at best. The meals were not that good, even in Business. The boarding "process" was terrible. Perhaps internationally Qantas is very good (I've heard as such), but domestically, at least for us, Qantas left a lot to be desired.

OK, my final portion of the trip report will be next -- the return SYD-LAX in United First.

[This message has been edited by travellin man (edited 03-15-2002).]

Can't wait for the next installment. These are great reports! Thanks very much

I really like your trip reports. I look forward to your next one.

Thank you for the excellent reports! Eagerly awaiting SYD-LAX.....!

These are great reports, It's very interesting to read, since I'm probably going to be doing a near identical trip early this summer. Thanks!

Thanks for sharing your trip with us travellinman, I really enjoyed your report. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

That service you got was a domestic Business Class. It is not comparable to the service on an international flight. Just cause its a 744 does not mean a thing these days. Its just a 737 on steroids really. Having said that I have never had a hot meal put on my tray in Business Class with the foil still on it.
Rather sadly the nice things in life here in Oz seem to be going the way of flying in the United States. No more table cloths in Business on short hops etc. CNS to SYD is
a relatively short flight so it seems it falls under these new conditions.

Looking forward to your next part. Thanks.

Great trip report and good to see another Bryson fan. I read a fair number of his books on my trip to Oz a few years back. Can't wait for his next(?) book!

My favourite Bill Bryson is called (in the UK anyway) "Neither here nor there" and is about his travels around continental Europe.

He also has some books about the USA but I am told that they haven't sold well in his home country!!

Stephen

Great trip report. Can't wait for the next leg

Travellin Man,

I've loved your reports. We did Mardi Gras last year. QF Biz over, QF F back, and both were awesome. Your trip sounds like you loved it as much as we did.

My partner and I belive that Australia is one of the most wonderful places in the world; and we met some fantastic people. I am longing to go back after reading your post. Australia is the first country I visited where I didn't feel like a "hated
American", and actually felt welcome.

Part 4 - "It Had To End Someday"

March 12th
SYD-LAX
United #816 (N172UA - I looked)
Depart 4:10pm
Arrive 10:30am

This is the toughest part -- saying goodbye. Australia, if you haven't gathered by now, was an absolutely incredible country to visit. The people, the parties, the things to do, the beaches, and the weather. Everything was perfect. My partner and I remarked that if there was one city we could picture moving to outside of L.A., it would be Sydney. (And I agree, they actually like Americans -- or at least hide their distaste very well).

Our final day was filled with tacky souvenir shopping near Circular Quay (kangaroo jerky and boomerangs, anyone?). I, of course, always get nervous prior to a flight, so I was fairly adamant about leaving to the airport at least 2 1/2 hours before the flight home to LAX.

We put our 54 bags in a taxi and zoomed through the freeways to the airport. The check-in area was not too busy, and this time there was a first class check-in line, rather than an office. Check-in was smooth. I asked for seats 1A and 1J, since we thought it would be nice to have a window as well as be close together. Unfortunately someone had already checked in to one of those seats, so we took our previously assigned seats, good old 4E and 4F.

Both of us were hungry, because we had skipped lunch, but we waited to eat because we knew there would be snacks in the Lounge and we would be fed copiously on the plane. We filled out our Departure cards and headed to Departure Passport Control. Of course, the line was around the block because there were all of 2 people checking boarding passes, departure cards, and passports for ALL of the afternoon international departures, including the United flights to LAX and SFO. (On a side note, I find checking your passport and filling out departure cards rather bizarre in the first place -- what's the point?)

We made it through passport control and securtiy (my other half set the metal detector off AGAIN). At this point I was carrying 5 bottles of wine in my carry-on, and another 2 bottles in my souvenir shopping bag, and my arms and shoulder were about to give out. We walked past the acres of Duty-Free stores in search of the First Class Lounge near Gate 53. We found the elevator, and I was barely able to punch the button. We made it to the Red Carpet Club/ First Class Lounge entrance, and I gratefully dropped my bags at the reception area.

I presented our tickets, and she said, "OH. You're in FIRST Class", as if it was the most amazing thing she'd ever heard. Granted, we are fairly young (27 & 29), but the one thing that annoys me more than anything is people who assume you don't belong (and we weren't even wearing tank tops and sandals!). Oh well, she recovered nicely from her shock and showed us to the First Class Lounge.

The Lounge was decent sized (much bigger than the CDG F Lounge), and it fit all of the First Class passengers for the LAX and SFO flights comfortably). Unfortunately for us, the food was not good (weird tasting finger sandwiches), the champagne was empty, and we were still hungry. We had a quick VB, surveyed the crowd (saw another gay couple apparently headed to SFO), and headed back upstairs for something to eat. Little did we know that there is NOTHING to eat in that section of the Terminal except an Asian food place, and the food you could buy at Duty Free. Oh well, we'd wait until the plane.

We headed back to the Lounge and sated our appetites with a VB. They had called the SFO flight while we were gone, so the lounge was much emptier. There was still the empty champagne bottle. I grabbed the Sports section of the USA Today to check out the NCAA conference tournament results -- UCLA had lost in the first round, boo hoo.

Finally, they announced the flight. We packed into the elevator and headed to Gate 53. They were doing the post 9/11 security checks at the gate, including the bag searches and shoe checks. After making it through the check, we marched through the waiting area, down the jetway, and turned left. This time, there was little excitement or happiness -- we were leaving. I thought I'd be ready to go home after 2 weeks, but I needed at least another 2 weeks. Sigh.

We settled in, and I took my champagne and a menu, and tried to console myself. "Maybe the plane will break before we leave." "Maybe they'll say, excuse us, we'll have to put you up here in Sydney for 3 more days while we fix it." Needless to say, it didn't happen. Meanwhile, the First Class cabin was filling up. A woman walked by, and I really wasn't paying attention, but my other half leans over and says, "Isn't that the girl from Crouching Tiger?" I looked, and sure enough, it was the younger girl (I'm not EVEN going to try to spell her name) from Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon (not Michelle Yeoh). She settled into 1A. So SHE was the reason we couldn't get 1A and 1J.

We pushed back on-time (of course) and after a short taxi behind a Malaysia Airlines plane we took off towards the East. We both unhappily said goodbye to Australia (for now).

Service started promptly. Here's the menu (sorry, but I'm going to skip the wines and drinks. They were much like the flight to SYD):

TO BEGIN
Warm grilled shrimp with chervil sauce
Risotto with Parmesan cheese

or

Smoked ham, salami and Swiss cheese antipasto
Grilled zucchini, tomato, and lemon aioli

Garden fresh salad
Tomato vinaigrette or Caesar dressing

MAIN COURSE
Filet Mignon with a mustard demi-glace
Sauteed vegetable in puff pastry and green beans

Roasted halibut with bacon and portobello mushroom ragout
Rice pilaf with onions and sauteed spinach with garlic

Country roasted chicken with jus lie
Green peas and garlic mashed potatoes

Cheese tortellini with Parmesan cheese
Roasted artichoke hearts and Gorgonzola sauce

DESSERT
International cheese sampler
Tasmanian chedar, True Blue and Camembert cheese

Ice cream with sundae toppings

Fresh seasonal fruit

MIDFLIGHT SNACK
Please help yourself to assorted treats between the two main meals. Hot sandwiches are available upon request.

PRIOR TO ARRIVAL
Your selected entree will be served with breakfast breads, butter and fruit preserve.

Scrambled eggs florentine with Hollandaise sauce
Home fried potatoes and a fresh fruit appetizer

Fresh seasonal fruit plate with creamy yogurt


Well, as good as the service was on the flight out, I can only describe the service on the way back as "business-like". The flight attendants were efficient, but not friendly. They didn't really chat beyond the minimal communication needed to take orders and asking if anything else was needed. They were not bad flight attendants, but I guess the standard had been set too high previously. They were all mature female flight attendants (apparently according to a flight attendant friend, all Australia flights are serviced by the older women).

In any case, I ordered the filet (again). This time I was not asked how I wanted it cooked. I also ordered the Australian shiraz ("one last taste of Australia"), which was excellent. My other half also ordered the filet. The movie basket was passed around. I chose "A.I.", and he chose a movie that he never ended up watching. The reason: As we were fiddling with our seats (again), we discovered that the two center seats can watch the same movie on the personal video system. You just have to change the channel, and you can watch it simultaneously. This was a good discovery, and since neither of us had seen A.I., we put that in to my video player, and both watched it.

As we started the movie, the food was deliverd. The shrimp were wonderful, and the salad was good. The filet was tender and juicy (as expected), and overall it was another great meal experience on United (who woulda thunkit?). This time (Maybe to drown my sorrows), I did partake in the hot fudge sundae. Yum. Bring on the cheese! I was voracious (having not eaten for 10 hours or so).

Our tables were cleared, and as I concentrated on the movie, I could not help but realize how much it sucked. Visually interesting, yes, but it was not engaging and the "story line" was ridiculous. "Are you the blue fairy?" Yech. I might be in the minority here, but I could NOT wait for A.I. to be over. (I didn't have much luck with movies this trip).

Mercifully, the movie ended, and we changed into our sleep clothes. The beds were made, and we settled in. Unfortunately for the man in 3J, his seat would not turn into a bed. The flight attendant disappeared and in a moment returned with a large woman mechanic (do they keep them stored back there?) who began yanking on the seat. They were at it for over a half hour, when I suppose it was determined the poor guy in 3J would have to gin and bear it. (the F cabin was full).

I finally fell into a nice sleep, but unfortunately it was brief. After only about 3 hours of rest, I woke up and could not go back to sleep. I looked at the airshow "4 hours 30 minutes to destination", sighed, and popped open my book. I happened to glance over at 3J, and somehow the guy had gotten it flat and was sleeping (as was the rest of the cabin). The flight attendant asked me if I needed anything. Since she didn't have a sleeping pill, I said no.

After an eternity, (and with about an hour to go in the flight), people were stirring, the sun was up, and we were given breakfast. Again, we both chose the scrambled eggs benedict. Unfortunately, these eggs turned out to be the aircraft eggs I so un-fondly remember. I picked most of them off and ate my "muffin-ham-spinach" benedict.

We descended into a smoggy L.A., and I have never been unhappier to see my home. It was a nice landing and short taxi, and our vacation was officially over.

Over all, the flight was OK. There was not really the first class service I had expected (and experienced on the way out). Maybe I was just in a bad mood. But in any case, overall United lived up to my expecations of what trans-Pacific first class would be. The food, service, and most of the flight attendants were excellent.

Thus, the conclusion of my trip report. This was fun. Hopefully I'll be able to do another one shortly! (and if you have any questions, just ask. I'm sure I missed a bunch of stuff). But if you liked "A.I.", I don't want to hear it. (just kidding).

Thanks, Great report! What a great place Australia is, I was there last year at this time and wish I could go back in time.

What a great trip report over all !! Thanks !

Hope you go soon on your next journey to report from it. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

Thanks guys! I hope to travel again soon (for fun). Unfortunately, my wallet is saying "no".

Where can we sign up to get the adult version!

Great finish. Really makes me look forward to my P class JFK-LAX-HKG-SYD-HKG-SFO-JFK flights on AA/CX -- not looking forward to Y class SYD-CNS-SYD flights on QF.

Great report. Makes me wish I lived there. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif

Awsome Trip Report...infact this was one of the best that I have read!!!

I saw A.I. last summer with my ex girl friend. She was inlove with that movie, and I was like "boooring." I pretended to like it though.

Glad you liked United. One question...did they close teh cabin curtains on your UAL flights?

Awsome Trip Report...infact this was one of the best that I have read!!!

I saw A.I. last summer with my ex girl friend. She was inlove with that movie, and I was like "boooring." I pretended to like it though.

Glad you liked United. One question...did they close teh cabin curtains on your UAL flights?

Yeah, they closed the cabin curtains throughout the flight in both directions. I don't know if they closed them between Biz and Economy, though.

(And you can buy the adult version of the trip report. Just send $5 and a self-addressed stamped envelope to...) http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Alas QF Domestic Business Class may have degraded a bit. I did a MEL-PER and PER-MEL in business on one day a few weeks ago. They have killed linen on that leg as well - it's not just short CNS-SYD length flights.

I do find the disturbingly large number of reports (not just travellin man's) involving rude QF cabin crew suprising. I think I have had 1 bad one - from LAX-MEL where she basically abused me for not trying to get duty free earlier (I was obviously asleep at the time). I have had a couple who needed to get more (or get better if you follow my drift) and usually were pleasent enough when I was super nice to them.

The crew that serves in Business Class are usually amazingly great in Domestic. The guy we had from ADL-PER last year with just 2 business class passengers at the height of the post Ansett backlog and the team on a PER-ASP-CNS Airlink flight come straight to mind.

Maybe I have low expectations of service people?

I really don't notice "bad" flight crews unless they are really bad. I honestly don't need to be best friends with the flight crew, and usually a smile will suffice. On both my Qantas trips, however, I found the service REALLY bad. We were not even asked if we'd like anything to drink on the SYD-CNS leg!

They may be relatively "short" flights (at just under 3 hours, I consider it a moderate-length flight), but I guess I was expecting at "more". And believe me, I'm not THAT picky.

The ironic thing is that the QF flight crews were the only surly Australians we encountered the entire time we were there!

Of course, it is entirely possible we unluckily happened upon the few flight crews that really don't care.

(P.S. - Bers, is there really no boarding process with Qantas, other than "first come, first served"?)

I'm now catching up on my trip report backlog... and what a gem we have here! Thanks, travellin man. I wish we could get the adult version on here too!

Two notes:

A. I've never seen priority boarding on Ansett or Qantas domestic Australian flights.

B. I hated AI too!

Travellin man - thanks for the reports - rest assured that the treip reports DO get back to Qantas management, and are indeed acted upon. Glad you had a happy Muddy Grass, I love it myself. Always glad to take a weekend off work, and Muddy Grass is as good enough reason as any.

As far as Qantas domestic service goes, we are in the same situation here as in the United States - we have a budget carrier operating on vastly lower costs, and Qantas have to match their fares - the result is the lower service standards you experienced, particularly those on your SYD-CNS flight when you were in economy. The dreaded box is something we have all come to loathe, but it is still more than you get on Virgin Blue, the only alternative. And something sub-standard is surely better than nothing, is it not?

As for your CNS-SYD flight in Business Class, I have to apologise - your description of the flight is worse than anything I have experienced, and I mainly do small hops like SYD-MEL and SYD-BNE - both around about an hour. Perhaps it was the crew on the day....

Regardless of this, I am glad you both enjoyed Australia, and we would be glad to see you back - thought about popping back over for the Gaymes in a few months time? http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Dave

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Buster CT1K:
A. I've never seen priority boarding on Ansett or Qantas domestic Australian flights.</font>

It doesn't happen - they are strict enough with carry-on baggage that you do no need to be first on to secure bin space - so elites prefer to stay in the lounge until the last possible moment.

Dave

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by thadocta:
Regardless of this, I am glad you both enjoyed Australia, and we would be glad to see you back - thought about popping back over for the Gaymes in a few months time? http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Dave</font>

Sigh. I'm looking back at my trip report (I had to change screen name from travellin' man because I changed e-mails, lost my password, etc. etc. etc.) and wishing I was going to the Gaymes right now. Don't mind me, I'm just reminiscing about Australia. I hope the folks down unda' right now are going to write a trip report when they get back!

Travellin Man

That was a simply marvellous trip report. Well doen and thank you for those nice words about my home country. It made me proud.

This is the last day of the Gay Games. Due to work committments I have been unable to attend any of the events. I felt sooooo for the participants yesterday as the temp in Sydney yesterday was 37c (and its only november). From all acccounts it has been a resounding success

Come back soon won't you!!!!!!!

Brent

Thanks MrSydney! I have friends that went down there, (and did a little r&r afterwards at my urging), and I can't wait for them to come back.

P.S. You have a great name.

Brent

;-)

I'm so glad you bumped this thread, biztraveller28, because I missed your fabulous report the first time around. I laughed right out loud several times... and it was great to read about you and your BF. I hope my partner & I are as fun and observant when we travel as you two. Well done!

David

Loved reading your colorful trip report...I look forward to the last installment.

:-)

------------------
Patrick A. Inouye

ooops! forgot to read the 2nd page.....

LOL

------------------
Patrick A. Inouye

The best place to watch the parade is from the restaurant bar on the 2nd floor with hugh windows at a corner of the large intersecting street at Oxford. Even chairs were available or you could move from window to window.

For $150.00 a few years back, there were stacks of shrimp, shellfish, beef, etc, etc, on tables to help yourself with waiters going around with hot and cold tidbits to eat. Drinks galore including champagne and wines. The people were all very nice. Many from the States.

No need to go hungry or be thirsthy!


http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Travellin Man.

We may be doing OZ for vacation this July.

When I typed in Australia (search function), your trip report was the first one up. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

I like your style. Very enlightening. At this point we're contemplating UA C seats.

Question for you. Two weeks in OZ, or 1 in OZ and 1 in NZ?

Dan

In 1986 I flew on Ansett between Sydney and Cairns on a 737 and we were served a hot meal; in fact on every leg of our trip.

In regards to the cold QF meal, I am sure it was no better than what Continental serves on a 4 hour flight I recently took from EWR to Denver which consisted of a cheeseburger, cheese nachos which I could not eat, and an unedible hard dark chocolate nougat peanut bar.

I flew in 1986 on QF from Sydney to Los Angeles in Y and in those days it was great. Friendly crews and nice food with big portions. I slept most of the way, which I hardly do on planes.

Most excellent trip report. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/thumbsup.gif One day I'm gonna pack the family off to Australia, hopefully in F. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif

A great report, thanks for the extra descriptions of United First for those of us who don't get to fly like that ourselves.

[This message has been edited by gba (edited 04-05-2003).]