Fly'nAAgain

This is my first trip report so your comments and criticism will be welcome. I've always enjoyed reading report from other FTers like tom911 and Seat2A (among others) and hope that someone will enjoy the tale of my long trip from DC to Australia. I didn't take photos of the AA segments except for my LHR-ORD lunch so I apologize for that but I did get snaps of most of the remaining meals along with a couple of other touristy photos.

The set-up
A close friend of mine was getting married in Australia so I decided to burn off some miles and join the festivities...who can turn down roast lamb, good wines and a beautiful setting (East Coast of Australia).

330 days from my desired travel date, I tried to secure an F award headed West but nothing was available so I was forced to travel East on the initial legs. I purchased a cheap ticket for the DCA-ORD-LHR rt (upgraded to C with a eVIP) and was on miles from LHR-Oz and back.

I was excited about the chance to sample the T-5 with all I'd heard and seen about it as well as the chance, as it turned out, to notch several firsts: first visit to T-5, first visit to the much lauded HKG CX lounges (I went to the Wing), first ride on an A330, first CX flight, first visit to the new QF Dom Business lounges and my first A380 sighting.

27 October, 0230
The day finally arrives...and early too!

I think my alarm clock has survived the slightly colorful abuse I gave it when it went off to start my day. I rolled out of my warm bed, laced up my running shoes and went out for a quick 3 mile jog before showering, packing and heading to DCA to catch my first flight in this long awaited journey.

DCA was fairly quiet when I arrived to check in @ 0600. AA has recently installed new self-check machines that allow international travelers to use them versus requiring an agent for check-in. I never felt this was much of an issue for me (my AAdvantage status allows me to use the seldom jammed FC desk for check-in) but I found that this new capability made for an even faster check-in process. I had my boarding passes, my bags were tagged (no premium tag for some reason), dropped @ the X-ray machine and I was past security in less than 10 minutes ^. My experience with TSA is almost always quite good @ DCA and this morning was no exception. Thanks guys.

A minute later I was @ the Admirals Club and although I had a minor issue gaining access since the desk agent didn't realize I was on an international journey, that was quickly sorted and I was soon seated enjoying a coffee. DCA has recently refurbished the Admirals Club and I must say that they have done a fantastic job. It was always OK but it is now larger, much more open and provides a far better experience than before. Good job AA! Boarding time for my short DCA-ORD flight soon arrived so I headed out to the gate to truly begin my journey.

AA 209 DCA-ORD
0655-0755 (on time)
I boarded @ 0640 and was one of the last FC passengers to arrive to a fully booked cabin (16/16). Pre-departure beverages were offered. I pre-selected seat 6F in the hopes I'd see the National Mall area on departure and I wasn't disappointed. Even though it was still fairly dark, I had a great view of the National Mall as we climbed to our initial cruising altitude. The sunrise was quite beautiful which is something I always enjoy...at moments like that I truly feel blessed to experience the wonder of air travel and to see so much of the world.



The continental breakfast was fairly normal AA FC fare consisting of a fruit plate and choice of either a bagel or a biscuit along with a beverage of choice. I requested a Bloody Mary (it's always Happy Hour somewhere in the world!), a coffee and the biscuit which quickly arrived after the hot towel was offered. Service was quick, friendly and professional...the hot biscuit and nice fruit plate hit the spot. Drinks were kept topped (yes, I will have another Bloody Mary or 4 ) and we were soon in the arrival flow to ORD. The captain greased the MD-80 onto the ground and we were on the gate 5 minutes early. To the Flagship lounge.

The ORD Flagship Lounge
IMHO, this lounge is well sited for most international departures. Every time I've visited, it has only required a short walk to my departure gate. The offerings were pretty nice...there was a fruit selection, some pastries, cereal, and a wide assortment of self serve beverages. I was struck later on my journey at the disparity between what AA offers and what I saw in other lounges. I was really looking forward to my visits to the CCR, Wing and the QF F lounge in SYD.

I had a pastry, a couple of coffees and browsed the Chicago papers while calling home and sending a few e-mails. I work with quite a fun crowd and their responses to my slightly exaggerated e-mail about the free massages, porter service and rose petal covered path elicited quite a few exceptionally funny and mostly unprintable responses .

Time for boarding all too quickly arrived and after thanking the staff, I departed from the back lounge exit for my ORD-LHR flight.

IndyDavid

Great start! Can't wait to hear more. Thanks for sharing.

Fly'nAAgain

AA 90 ORD-LHR, 27 Oct 08
1005 - 2230 (scheduled)
1023 - 2220 (actual)

I apologize that I do not have photos of this segment. I simply forgot about my camera until we were nearly to London.

I boarded the 777-200 which was to carry me across the Atlantic at around 0945 for our scheduled 1005 departure...pre-departure beverages were served. I quickly settled into my seat.

I'd pre-selected seat 10B so I'd be close to the front of the J-cabin and stand a good shot @ my first meal choice assuming the crew followed normal FEBO procedures. I ended up across the aisle in 10D after trading to accommodate someone who wanted to sit next to a business associate in 10A. In the days leading up to the flight, a once very open J cabin had quickly filled and was at capacity. I normally enjoy window seats but will now stick with aisle's when flying in an NGBC equipped aircraft since the window passenger doesn't have an easy time exiting when the aisle seat is in pretty much anything beyond a sitting position.

After everyone was on-board the Captain let us know our departure would be slightly delayed so that the maintenance crews could finish fixing an issue with the main landing gear brakes...seemed like a good idea to me. We finally pushed back @ 1023 and took off @ 1034 and began our journey across the Atlantic ocean. We followed what appeared to me to be a normal routing across, neither abnormally North or South.

The cabin crew swung into action once they received the all-clear from the flight deck. They were quickly in the aisle taking drink and meal orders for our International Flagship Lunch (typical spirits and non-alcoholic beverages were available but I didn't transcribe them below).

Menu

Champagne: Pommery Brut Champagne
White Wines:

• Joseph Droughn St Veran, Burgandy

• St. Supery Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc

Red Wines:

• Clos de la Font Chateauneuf-du-Pape

• Freemark Abbey Napa Valley Merlot

Sherry: Emilio Lustau Sherry
Dessert Wine: Grahams Vintage Port


To Start
Choice of juices: Orange, Tomato, Apple
A selection of fine traditional and herb teas
Fresh seasonal fruit
Yogurt
Cereal served with seasonal berries

Breakfast Breads: An assortment of warm breads

Main Course

• Asparagus Omelet: Asparagus omelette and prosciutto filled omelet accented by a red pepper coulis, served with potato cakes and apple chutney

• Cinnamon French Toast: Cinnamon flavored french toast enhanced by yogurt maple sauce, topped with candied apple compote

• Turkey Swiss Panini: Grilled Italian bread filled with turkey and Swiss cheese, offered with sun-dried tomato mayonnaise and a hearty potato salad

Mid-Flight Snack: Saga blue and Jarlsberg cheese accompanied by seasonal grapes and walnuts

Light Meal: (offered prior to landing)

To Start: Warm mixed nuts
Main Course

• Pork Tenderloin: Pork medallions served over corn cakes topped with barbecued onions, offered with cole slaw

• Sesame Crusted Shrimp: Jumbo shrimp sauteed in sake and crusted with sesame seeds, served chilled on a bed of greens with Asian vegetables, wonton and Asian-style dressing

Bread Basket: Assorted gourmet breads

Dessert: Apple crumb cake


I had a Bloody Mary which was quickly followed by my brunch choice of the Asparagus Omelet. I found the omelet to be quite tasty and was very satisfied with my choice. Drinks were kept topped and once the trays were cleared, I began to explore the on-demand IFE.

I like the new set-up on AA's 767s and 777s. The screen isn't as large as some other airlines but they have a good variety of movies, TV and music along with the standard flight map. I guess the selection is on par with the Qantas and BA systems I sampled later in the trip but slightly lags the CX IFE. Either way, it is a great improvement over the previous generation and was more than adequate for me although I admittedly listened to music on my iPhone and read between napping.

I'm also a fan of the NGBC seats. Most of my travel these days is domestic so I don't get to ride in them often but during the past couple of months I've recently sampled them to/from Hawaii and to/from London on this trip. They are a great improvement on the old seats and IMHO provide more than adequate room (I'm about 6' 1") and adjustability. I find these seats very comfortable for sitting and sleeping (the slight angle doesn't bother me). The retractable arm rest was very convenient but it was a little difficult to retract/raise due to a sticky latch. There is plenty of storage available although I did notice a very minor difference between the 767 and 777 seats...the magazine slots on the 777 has a somewhat flimsy door whereas the 767 does not...made little overall difference to me in the end.

The snack was delivered somewhere around the mid-point of our flight and it hit the spot. I had a glass of the white Burgundy and found that it went very well with the snack.

About 90 minutes before arrival, the FAs began the second meal service. Drink orders were taken (I had another glass of the white burgundy) followed by our choice of meals. FEBO worked out for me again as my first choice (the Pork) was in plentiful supply. I quite enjoyed this offering...nicely done and tasty. The coleslaw was also very nice although it had a very onion-y taste which made me exceptionally thankful for my ever present supply of Altoids. I sampled one of the new rosemary bread sticks and enjoyed that as well. The crumb cake was cold and was acceptable to satisfy a small sweet tooth but it was nothing to write home about.

Trays were cleared and the FAs readied the cabin for a slightly early arrival into LHR. The captain made up quite a bit of time during our fairly choppy ride across the Atlantic ocean (we saw speeds up to ~650mph) which was nice. We were soon on the gate, disembarking and into a deserted arrivals hall. After a very brief wait, I was able to quickly retrieve my bag and was then on my way to the Heathrow Express platforms for the short trip into a cool and dry central London.

I really like the new HEX capability for scanning a pre-printed boarding pass. For those who haven't tried this, it works as advertised...simply book/pay for your ticket, print the boarding pass at home and when the conductor comes around during the ride, show them the printout and all is well. They stamped mine for some reason and had to type something into one of their scanners but it is an improvement over the older system where you had to stop by a kiosk and retrieve a pass. If you are able to plan ahead and can print your pass before departing form home, this will save some time.

There was no wait for a taxi upon exiting Paddington so I was quickly on my way to my lodging for the night (the RAF Club...booked courtesy of a good friend). I've never stayed here before so I was curious to see the facility and found it to be very nice overall. They have a fantastic aviation art collection that is all over the building which I spent a fair amount of time examining. They also have free wifi as well as a small computer lounge which I put to good use checking in for my BA flight the next day. Once that task was complete, I headed to bed for some much needed rest.

My overall impression of the flight was good. My only comment is that while the crew got the job done efficiently they lacked warmth which detracted slightly from my overall experience...not a really big deal though in the end. The seats were good, my meals were good, I never had to go ask for a drink refill and liked the new IFE so I'd say that AA is doing a pretty darn good job in the International J-class wars. My last non-AA J segment was on QF and while I think they have an much overall better product I find AA has improved their game.

Fly'nAAgain

28 Oct 08, Central London

I spent some time this morning/early afternoon walking around central London enjoying some fresh air, a paper and coffee. It was soon time to retrieve my luggage, change for my flight and catch a cab to Paddington station. The driver dropped me off across the street from the station - a first for me - but I understand that this enables them to pick up another fare more quickly than a drop off @ the normal spot. The walk to the platform was slightly longer than that from the normal spot but again, the weather cooperated so I was not bothered by the alternate drop off. I only had a short time before my HEX train departed for LHR. For my HEX segments, I booked Express Class which doesn't offer tremendous leg room but for a short trip I think it is just fine.



After we arrived @ T-5, I quickly found my way up to the check-in level and headed to the FIRST check-in counters (Zone J at the far end...barely visible in the photo below).



I was impressed with T-5. It is open, airy and didn't seem crowded but that could be due to the time (early evening ~1700). I also noticed that the check-in and security lines were short so I'd guess that BAA is indeed getting PAX in and thru check-in pretty quickly. My first T-5 experience was good so far but I was curious to see if my luggage would make it to Oz.

In a past job, I traveled to Australia frequently and during an 18 month stretch, my luggage and I arrived at my final destination at different times and on different flights 5 of 6 trips. All of these connections were on what I'd call normal routings to Oz (generally Westbound flights from DC) but my "luck" made me slightly curious as to whether I'd be shopping for clothes upon my arrival in CBR. I must note that my Aussie friends actually had a minor celebration on the one trip where my luggage actually arrived with me...but on that same journey, my co-workers bag went DCA-JFK-BRU-JFK-LAX-SYD-CBR (we skipped the jaunt to BRU) and arrived at our hotel 6hrs before we left Oz. On the way home his bag went to exotic points unknown and finally showed up at his DC home 9 months after we arrived back in DC with many good stories to tell. Sadly my co-worker had since moved to California.

The BA employee screening passengers at the F check-in entrance escorted me to a friendly young lady after confirming that I was either in F or was a OW Emerald-equivalent. Check-in formalities went smoothly and I was on my way to security in around 5 minutes. The line was fairly short and I found the somewhat maligned staff to be relatively friendly and the equipment to be more than acceptable. Most of the delays appeared to be fellow passengers who weren't prepared (ex: liquids not out, passport/BP not ready). After passing security, I used a few minutes to wander through the duty free shopping before walking to the CCR entry.

I was again screened by a courteous employee and began to explore the lounge. Before this trip, I read multiple reports on the CCR which I found most helpful and thus won't bore you with another photo tour or description. Some items of note were the previously reported somewhat slow dining room service (it was) as well as the amusing noises that the showers make (loud and umm "interesting"). The spa complex is very nice and the showers were just what the doctor ordered...the sounds they make have to be heard to be believed since the various videos I've seen do them justice.

Some random pictures from the CCR...


The massive roof supports


A look down the terminal


Security as seen from the CCR


A look across T-5 toward the Duty Free shopping area

I spent the rest of my CCR time enjoying the wide variety of available reading material as well as snacking and drinking a glass or two of wine. As boarding drew near, I made my way over to the B gates. There is nothing remarkable about the short journey...just follow the ample signage and the transfer is a snap. I had a reasonable walk to my departure gate where I found a long economy line and a shorter but quickly moving F, J and OW Sapphire / Emerald line.

I'm always amazed at how entitled some of us appear to become when we travel in premium cabins and tonight provided me an example of this. As I began to enter the premium line, I was cut off by a 30-ish looking, attractive woman in an impressive pair of heels (not quite Posh Spice-class but close), a skirt that didn't appear to lend itself well to long distance travel and pulling a nice Tumi rollaboard. She gave me quite a frosty look as I stepped aside to allow her easy passage as she mumbled something about flying in Club. I had a chuckle at her look when I was greeted by name and escorted toward my seat and she was directed to the right.

BA 31 LHR-HKG, Seat 1A, 28 Oct 08
2025-1615+1 Day (on time)

The very pleasant FA escorted me to my long anticipated residence for the next ~12 hours, 1A on this 747-400. I've never been able to enjoy this most exclusive of seats and was looking forward to giving it a try...it was quite a different experience than I've had before in F. The privacy, sense of isolation, the nearly forward view, etc., etc., made the experience quite enjoyable. It is a different sensation to feel the aircraft pivot behind you when it is turning. I admit that I have not yet tried the A380 so for me, I find the 747 to be queen of the skies.

I accepted the offered PJs, amenity kit and glass of bubbly with the accompanying cashews. A gentle rain had begun falling but somehow it only added to my sense of calm and relaxation.



From watching the crew, I could tell that I was in for an outstanding trip down to HKG. They attended to the full F cabin with friendly professionalism and seemed able to anticipate what each passenger wanted. After the doors were closed, normal announcements followed and we pushed back on-time. During the taxi out, I had a laugh with one FA as she nearly fell into my lap when the Captain turned unexpectedly. She said this was all part of the service...it made me laugh and set what I felt was a great tone.

Following take-off, I changed into my PJs and the crew offered to hang my clothes for me. They were in the cabin serving beverages with some very tasty canape's (I selected a Woodford Reserve Kentucky Bourbon and coke). I fired up my iPhone and began to enjoy some good music as others in the cabin were served their drinks.



The cabin crew then took dinner orders from the following menu (I won't transcribe the wine list at this time due to time constraints but may add it at a later date):

Starters

• Chicken liver pate with plum compote and oven baked brioche
• Wild mushroom risotto (BA classic choice)
• Seasonal soup (white bean and oregano with crisp herb croutons)
• Autumn salad (fresh autumn salad with choice of creamy grain mustart dressing or classic french vinaigrette)

Main

• Traditional chicken pie and roast new potatos with thyme and lemon (BA classic choice)
• Catch of the day
• Shaun Hill's braised lamb shank w/roast shallot and red currant jus, celerac mash and buttered cabbage
• Poached salmon w/salad a la grecque

Dessert

• Warm blackberry and apple crumble w/vanilla ice cream (BA classic choice)
• Liam Tomlins baked apple with candied autumn fruit, nuts and cream anglaise
• Quince and ginger fool served in a tuille basket

Cheese plate

• Selection of British cheeses
• Basket of fresh fruit

Snacks

• Warm bacon roll
• Ravioli w/four cheese filling served w/cherry tomato or creamy pesto
• Selection of biscuits
• Selection of cheese and fruit

Assorted beverages


I chose the braised lamb and requested a glass of the available Hollick Reserve Chardonnay.


In prep for my meal, my FA set my table and we continued our friendly banter. She soon delivered my meal choices and I eagerly began to eat. The lamb was perfectly done and the accompanying items complimented it beautifully as did the wine. My glass was kept topped as I continued to enjoy my quickly disappearing main course. After I finished my main, I had a few quiet moments to enjoy the twinkling European lights below my windows and the superb Aussie wine before I ordered the blackberry and apple crumble. My FA said that I'd made the lottery pick with my choice and I soon discovered that she was right.



The crumble was the best dessert that I've ever had on an airplane bar none (I'm a huge fan of AA's hot fudge sundae's). BA, you've outdone yourself on this one! My FA said that this was a very popular choice and I can see why. After basking in thanks from my sweet tooth, I enjoyed a cheese plate (forgot to snap a picture) with some more Chardonnay. Before my flight, I had read that BA would only allow F PAX to choose either a dessert OR the cheese but I was able to get both.

After my table was cleared I read for a while and when I felt tired, I reclined the seat and drifted off. I slept for several hours and after waking enjoyed a pot of tea and some biscuits as I continued reading my book and listening to my iPhone. It was soon time for breakfast so I ordered the mushroom omelette, a sweet pastry and a pot of English Breakfast tea from the menu below.

Starters

• Chilled fruit juice
• Fruit smoothy
• A selection of cereals
• Fresh seasonal fruit plate

Bakery

• A wide selection of breakfast pastries and rolls

Main

• English breakfast of scrambled eggs, Glouster Old Spot bacon, Cumberland pork sausages, sauteed mushrooms and grilled tomato
• Creamy mushroom omelette
• Blueberry pancakes with autumn fruit compote and maple syrup butter

Beverages

• Twinings tea (good assortment available)
• Coffee (regular, decaff, espresso, cappuccino)

My table was set and my requested choices were delivered.



I quite enjoyed the omelette. The eggs were tasty, it was quite filling and was another in a series of well done airborne meals on BA. After finishing, I went to change back into my street clothes as the moving map showed that we had slightly over an hour before we landed in HKG. As soon as I sat down in my seat, the FO came on the intercom to let everyone know that we would be on the ground in about 40 minutes versus the hour that the map showed due to our expedited routing to the arrival. Once he finished his announcement, we began our initial descent and as promised, he had us on the ground (smooth landing) in almost exactly 40 mins. After we stopped at the gate, I collected my belongings, bid the crew a fond farewell and stepped off the aircraft enroute to the famous Wing.

Next stop following a 4hr stay in the Wing: HKG-MEL on CX 135 in F.

Overall impressions: Outstanding flight! This crew made me feel welcome, they anticipated what I wanted, I found their service to be professional and friendly...exactly what I hoped for. The food was also very good. The BA F product may be a step off the pace of some new F products out there (SQ and QF A380 F perhaps) but it is still quite good. The seat was quite comfortable, provided good privacy and had ample room. I was also impressed with the ground handling @ LHR...it made the pre-flight routine seamless. The CCR is also very nice.

aSiAnRiCk

Thank you for the report. Really enjoy it ^

gba

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows CE; IEMobile 7.11) Sprint:PPC6800)

Nice report, I'm looking forward to the rest!

tanzaniancane

I have really enjoyed reading about your travels and look forward to the rest of your report! Happy flying!

dcmike

Great report so far! I have to say, these reports often make me gawk in wonder at how pretty some of the food is presented and think how well certain airlines do in their prep and service, but I've never actually been hungry until I saw the crumble and heard your description!

rkaradi

great report so far, BA F sounds fab^, would love to sample it sometime.

Moomba

I think you are confusing this with Club World where cheese or dessert is offered. I have always been able to have cheese and dessert in First on BA.

Great report. I look forward to hearing about the rest of your trip.

azj

It seems odd to me that there was no Asian meal option of the LHR-HKG segment. Does this particular HKG flight traditionally cater to primarily western travelers? Great report.

Fly'nAAgain

29 Oct
HKG-MEL (CX F)

I had a much appreciated, leisurely 10 minute or so walk from my arrival gate to the CX Wing. I was really looking forward to spending some time there in order to see what all of the fuss is about...is this really the best lounge in the OW network as some seem to think? Before my trip began, I hoped that my roughly 3 hour visit would provide me enough evidence to make a personal assessment on this weighty topic. After the Wing, I would visit the SYD QF First Class lounge on my departure from Australia and my research would be complete.

As I stepped off the Wing elevator and walked toward the FC area of the lounge, I was impressed as I liked the open feel and good ramp views. After the screener checked my boarding pass and gave me a very courteous welcome, I entered the FC area and began to explore. As with my CCR visit, I'd spent some time looking at what others had said as well as at their many pictures (tom911 has a fantastic set of Wing photos on his smugmug site) so it was fairly easy to get oriented. I wandered around the fairly crowded lounge taking note of the Cabana's, Library, restaurant, seating areas, etc., etc., and found them to be very nice. After my long journey, I wanted a shower to help feel a little more human...the fantastic staff quickly provided me a towel and an open shower. The shower rooms were large and well appointed...I really like the rainfall shower.

After showering, I walked around the crowded lounge looking for an open seat and eventually found one. I sat down and requested a pot of tea with some biscuits from a staff member (sadly, I just didn't feel like a meal). My requested items quickly arrived and I sat back to enjoy my book. The staff checked on me several times and were happy to bring me some wine and a selection of cheese slightly later in my stay. I explored the library area and leafed thru several of the periodicals that the Wing had on offer. About an hour before my flight, I decided it was time to wander to my gate (Gate 60) since I assumed it would take a little while to walk down there but just as I was about to leave the lounge, I was paged. When I approached a staff member at an information podium, she requested my boarding pass and checked to see what the issue was. It turned out that CX didn't show me as checked in despite my BA-issued BP that I'd obtained @ LHR. She quickly sorted out the problem, provided me with one of the new CX, tri-color BPs and I headed for my gate.

It turned out that I did indeed have quite a long walk. I forgot to check my watch to see how long it took me to make my way from the Wing down to Gate 60 but it was a while. I passed the Pier entrance and found myself wishing that I'd spent some time there. By the time I arrived @ my gate, boarding was well underway and there was a very long line of economy passengers (easily 75 people) waiting to present their BPs to the checker as well as their pre-boarding bag screening. All of this made me very thankful that I could use the empty Business/First lane. I confess that I felt a little guilty as I walked to the BP checker at the end of my empty lane and presented my BP. As soon as she saw my BP, she waived someone from the ground staff over and said something to her. The ground staffer asked me to follow and she took me to a security officer who waived away another passenger approaching his table. The security staffer checked my bag, thanked me and I was then escorted to the aircraft door (1L on this 3-class A330-300). She wished me a pleasant flight and I stepped into somewhere I'd long wanted to visit - the First Class cabin on a Cathay Pacific aircraft.

CX 135 HKG-MEL, A330-300, B-HLS, Seat 2A, 29 Oct 08
1920-0730+1 Day (on time)

I said "good evening" to the purser as she checked my BP...she welcomed me aboard and rather curtly said "Second row". Nice (especially the second row part) but I did find it surprising...I anticipated an escort based on past BA and QF experiences. One of the other FAs standing behind her in the galley looked up and appeared quite surprised so I surmise that it's normal to escort FC pax to their seats. No worries - I turned right toward my seat and the surprised looking FA followed me. As I dropped my bag, he apologised and offered me pajama's, menu's, an amenity kit and a pre-departure beverage. I thanked him for the champagne that he soon brought to me, continued to settle into my seat and survey what would be the full (8/8) cabin. My first impression was mixed.

The A333 cabin was spacious, I found the seat comfortable and I had plenty of storage available (two side lockers similar to 747 upper deck lockers) but overall, it wasn't what I hoped. Compared to the BA 744 I'd left 3 hrs earlier, the cabin was clean enough but looked somewhat tired and I found the seat significantly less private than either BA or QFs F offering. I know this sounds like I'm splitting hairs but there was simply something ever so slightly lacking in the cabin. I understand that CX and QF are beginning to treat the HKG-MEL (perhaps -SYD as well?) route as something of a second tier Int'l route on which they'll offer J and Y only so this aircraft may be as good as it gets until the QF 744's return. No matter, I was grateful for the flat seat complete with excellent legroom and plentiful storage as well as what I hoped would be good service from the male FA who had assumed primary responsibility for my care. I shoud note that we also had a female FA aboard serving the F cabin and she also helped me a few times.

Forward doors were closed after the pax boarded, we pushed back on time and after a somewhat lengthy taxi, we began to roll down the departure runway. The aircraft soon rotated and began climbing to our cruising altitude as the cabin crew prepared themselves for the upcoming dinner service. They were soon in the cabin taking drink orders so I requested a glass of the French Chardonnay (Bouchard Pere & Fils Mersault Les Clous 2005) and sat back to contemplate what I was going to order from the extensive F dinner menu.



Caviar, Balik, Champagne

Starters

• Roast butternut squash bisque with crayfish
• Traditional Caesar salad

Main Courses

• Roasted blue cod with red pepper sauce, mashed potato and mixed vegetables
• Pappardelle pasta with lamb ragout, asparagus and carrots

Chinese Favourites

• Sea conch and chicken soup
• Cold plate - marinated dried bean curd with chilli
• Hundred treasure duck
• Double-cooked beef slicces with dried bean curd and peppers
• served with steamed jasmine rice and stir-fried Chinese vegetables

Cheese and Dessert

• Bavarian Blue, Gruyere, Arenenberger, French Brie
• Fresh seasonal berries with ginger syrup
• Mango mousse
• Warm cherry clafoutis cake served with vanilla ice cream and raspberry coulis
• Sweet red bean soup

Tea and Coffee

Pralines and Cookies

Snacks

• Braised beef shank with noodles in clear soup
• Braised sliced pork with preserved snow vegetables and choy sum in noodle soup
• Plain congee with assorted garnishes
• Ice cream

I requested some caviar and salmon to start and the crew soon arrived to set my table. I really like the nice touches (ex: the card with a personal note) and saw that while the cabin may not be quite as nice as the BA F cabin I'd so recently left, that the service was going to be stellar. The FC FAs were doing everything they could to ensure the F passengers had a good flight. I watched as the appeared to tailor their pace and level of interaction to the desires of each passenger. Well done!

I'm not a huge caviar fan so I requested only little bit to which the FA smiled and promised to bring me only a small amount. When my beautifully presented plate arrived, she'd given me more than I really wanted but after sampling the offering, I was glad she'd given me what she had. The caviar was light, delicate and a real treat...I loved it and could have eaten a great deal more. I found it went well with my wine. I'm a huge salmon fan and found that the CX offering was superb - not at all "fishy" with great flavor and texture.



After the caviar and salmon, I was happy to see the squash bisque with crayfish arrive. I love crayfish and was anxious to sample the squash bisque complete with some of my favorite crustaceans...I was very happy with my choice. The creamy bisque, complimented by some pepper, was very, very, slightly sweet and went extremely well with the perfectly done crayfish. The combination may sound odd but the components came together wonderfully. I'd be happy to order this dish the next time I fly with CX...it was phenominal. By this point, I'd switched to the Aussie chardonnay (Helen's Hill Yarra Valley Chardonnay, 2006) and was very happy with the combination.



For my main, I chose the Pappardelle pasta with lamb ragout, asparagus and carrots. It strikes me now as I type this TR that this makes 2 lamb dishes in a row as I had lamb enroute from LHR to HKG on BA...hmmm. The lamb arrived, I eagerly tucked in to find that I'd made a good meal choice once again. The lamb was well seasoned, perfectly cooked and was nicely complimented by the pasta and gravy...and another glass of the Aussie wine.



By this point, the wine and lack of sleep were beginning to hit pretty hard so I requested some ice cream with tea to finish my meal. The FAs brought out the cheese board for me (very impressive offerings and a nice touch in contrast to the BA pre-plated cheese offerings) but I simply needed some rest at that point so I had to decline and was quickly asleep. The seat was as comfortable as the BA offering and but I just didn't sleep well for some reason. I also noticed that in an attempt to keep light from the dark cabin, the FAs secured the curtain into the galley area onto the bulkhead by it's velcro strip. This did a great job keeping the cabin dark but made for a few funny moments when I needed to visit the facilities as I had to pass through the well secured curtain and into the galley to reach the lav.

I awoke for good about 90 minutes before landing, just as the crew began preparations for breakfast. I spent some time pondering what to choose and settled on the dim sum with a pot of tea and a pastry to complete my meal. I really enjoy dim sum so I looked forward to trying CXs' breakfast offering...I was not disappointed with my choice.

Starters

• Orange, apple or grapefruit juice
• Forest berry smoothie
• Fresh seasonal fruit
• Natural or low fat fruit flavoured yoghurt
• Assorted cereals

Main Courses

• Eggs - freshly scrambled, fried or boiled served with your choice of Lyonnaise potatoes, broiled bacon, Nurnberger sausage or vine ripen tomato
• Assorted Chinese dim sum
• Congee with abalone and meat balls
• Baked barbecued pork pie

Bread basket

Tea and Coffee



My table was soon set and the food quickly arrived as other passengers also enjoyed their morning meals. I enjoyed the dim sum enough that I almost requested another serving but decided to refrain since I had a couple of hours in the QF lounge where I anticipated eating a snack.

After I finished my meal and my table was cleared, I freshened up and sat back to enjoy a few minutes of reading as the crew prepared the cabin for landing in Melbourne. I thanked both FAs who'd served me during the 9 hour flight...they did a superb job and I wanted to let them know that their efforts were appreciated. As we got closer to landing, I noticed the female FA fawning over the passenger sitting in 1D. He must have been a very frequent passenger or someone famous (I didn't recognize him) as she spent a lot of time with him and was exceptionally deferential. I wonder who he was...

Shortly before arrival, the captain came over the PA and made the normal pre-landing announcements. We were soon on the ground, parked at the gate and I was quickly enroute to customs and immigration. The immigration staff in MEL were the same as I've experienced in SYD - friendly, thorough and professional. After a few quick questions, I received my arrival stamp went to see if my luggage had arrived with me in Australia. My bag was the 7th one down the chute, I was soon in line for customs and passed through with no issues...off to the domestic terminal to check-in for my CBR flight.

The walk from the international to the domestic QF terminal is a little bit long but to be honest, I really enjoyed the chance to stretch my legs. One thing I did notice is that the route to the domestic check-in area is either not all that well posted or I was just too tired and missed the signs. I found myself in the international area and was quickly directed to the nearby domestic counters. Apparently this happens fairly often as I shared a laugh with the QF ground staff when they commented on how often they get asked for directions. The land side of the terminal(s) that I saw was fairly decent but was nothing special. Once I found the domestic J counter, I re-checked my bag and was presented with my MEL-CBR boarding pass. I also asked for directions to the QF lounge and was soon on my way there after passing security.

Next stop: Following a short stay in the new QF Domestic J lounge, QF 848 MEL-CBR (30 Oct) in J, 737-400.

Overall: A good flight. My first experience on CX was a bit of a mixed bag...a slightly lacking cabin environment but superb service and good food. I'm a little on the fence about CX at this point but remain anxious to sample their offerings on a longer, more premium international route. The A333 was a nice jet but I personally prefer the 767 for what I perceive to be a smoother, more quiet ride on a generally similar aircraft. I was very comfortable on this flight but it was clear that CX do not see this route as a premium one in terms of equipment.

Fly'nAAgain

30 Oct, MEL-CBR

I soon found the Dom QF lounge complex in MEL and was directed through the standard lounge to the Business Class Lounge by the friendly staff. Lounge entrance is available to those in Int'l F/J, Dom J, or OW Emeralds (and QF equivalents) so this is a nice perk for travellers. I asked the J lounge staff for a shower kit and was soon on my way to freshen up. For some reason, I found it quite amusing that QF had branded the toilet paper roll that they placed in the shower room...so I took a pic. Not so sure now why it was funny.



After a much needed shower, I found an open seat near a window to drop my bag and began to explore. The lounge offerings seemed to be about the same as in the normal QF lounge as did the available amenities (computers, TVs, reading materials, etc). The main benefit appears to be a much quieter and less crowded lounge which seems to mean less competition for the food and beverages.

I settled in and took a couple quick snaps of the ramp area.


My ride from HKG-MEL preparing for it's return home


Some of the wide assortment of aircraft in MEL

I spent most of my 3 hr stay reading the available Australian papers, snacking, e-mailing and surfing on my iPhone via the available wifi. The lounge staff were around frequently to ensure the tables were cleared as well as keeping the area in a general neat appearance. At some point, the departure boards were updated to show a small delay for my flight (30 mins) reportedly caused by the inbound aircraft getting delayed enroute. As my new departure time neared, I collected my belongings and headed for my gate, passing through the fairly busy "normal" lounge area.

Boarding was just underway as I arrived so I went straight aboard and settled into my seat for the short flight to CBR.

QF 848, seat 3F, 737-400, VH-TJX
Sched: 1040-1145
Actual: 1115-1215

I've not flown on this particular QF 737 variant before so I was quite curious to see what it held. The cloth covered seats offer pitch that appears similar to what AA offers on their 737-800s in F and I found the aircraft to be clean and the crew to be quite friendly. J was loaded at slightly over 50% for this short flight so almost everyone had their own seat which was quite nice. We pushed back about 30 minutes late due to the inbound aircraft arriving late, the Captain taxied into position and after a short delay, we were off.

I'm always impressed by the service level on QF and this was no exception. Keep in mind that this is only a 1hr flight but QF finds time to offer a snack to everyone aboard. In J the cabin crew offered each passenger a plate of finger sandwiches and I believe Y received a small snack box. I'd love to routinely experience this on a US domestic carrier on such a short flight but todays' fiscal realities probably preclude them offering such service.

I finished my snack and spent the remaining minutes watching the coutryside pass below me as well as flipping through some of my personal reading material. The Captain was on the intercom making the normal arrival messages in what seemed like minutes and we were treated to a smooth arrival into CBR.

I was quite happy to be back in town since I've always had nice visits. My luggage was soon available on the carousel and after obtaining the keys to my rental car, I began trekking to the new parking area. In the year since I was last in CBR, they've begun a large improvement project at the airport and the immediately surrounding areas. The rental cars are now a bit further away, traffic is re-routed on airport property and the local highway is also enjoying some expansion. Quite a change!

I drove to my hotel (the Griffin Hotel, located in Kingston) and after checking in I spent the rest of my day unwinding.

Up next is a 2hr drive to the coast and a reunion with some good friends.

Overall: Another good flight complete with sterling in-flight care from QF staff.

ijgordon

I think you really need to try out CX's new F product. AFAIK it's only on the 777-300ERs and some 744s. That being said, I think that most F products in a 744 would compare favorably with an F product on an Airbus because the 747 nose zone ambiance is unparalleled. I think if you compared BA F in a 744 with even Old CX F in a 744, you'd prefer CX. The CX window seats themselves are a little less private than BA (because they're angled in on BA but more flush with the cabin sidewall on CX, a la QF.) But CX old F only has 12 seats, vs. 14 for BA/QF so it's generally a less crowded environment. CX new F has only 9 suites in the 744, hugely spacious and very private, so a different league altogether!

But in any event, thanks for the detailed trip report & pics!

Fly'nAAgain

ijgordon,

Thanks for your kind words. I'm all for trying out another CX flight and may do that in the coming year depending on work and other obligations. I've heard nothing but raves about their "true" longhaul services which is why I'm on the fence about what I experienced from HKG to MEL. It just didn't wash with my expectations but as you state, I'm certain that the 744 product is superb. If I can swing it, I'll file another report.

Thanks,

Fly'nAAgain