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It's a Fine Line Between Pleasure & Pain: 4 wacky weeks 2 RTW C, inaugural longhaul Y

It's a Fine Line Between Pleasure & Pain: 4 wacky weeks 2 RTW C, inaugural longhaul Y

Old Oct 10, 2007, 7:35 am
  #31  
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Auckland to Melbourne business class menu

From the Bar

Marinated olives

Roasted nuts

Main Courses

Chicken tikka masala with mustard seed basmati rice
served with smoked salmon and cucumber salad

Spinach and pumpkin cannelloni with tomato basil sauce and vegetables
served with smoked salmon and cucumber salad

Prosciutto with artichoke and risoni herb salad
served with fresh fruit selection

Crusty walnut roll
Sourdough bread

Selection of seasonal cheese and dried fruit

Ice cream and biscotti

Chocolates


Beverages

Champagne

Aperitifs

Campari

Spirits

Bacardi white rum
Chivas Regal scotch whisky
Inner Circle (green dot) dark rum 57.2%
Tanqueray London dry gin
The Glenlivet malt whisky
Wild Turkey 86.8 bourbon
Wyborowa classic vodka

Beers

For your enjoyment we have a selection of premium international and Australian beers onboard today.

Non Alcoholic

Apple juice
Orange juice
Spicy tomato juice
Mineral water
Soda water
Tonic water
Bundaberg ginger beer
Cola
Diet cola
Ginger ale
Lemonade
Solo - lemon squash

Hot Beverages

Grinders coffee
Bodum
Decaffeinated

Dilmah tea
Chamomile
English breakfast
Jasmine green
Peppermint

Hot chocolate

Liqueurs

Bailey's Irish cream
Cointreau

Fortified

Penfolds bluestone 10yo tawny
Rutherglen liqueur muscat

Cognac

Martell VSOP
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Old Oct 10, 2007, 7:50 am
  #32  
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In transit in Melbourne

I had just enough time for a quick shower before my meeting. I'd prebooked one of the suites for the meeting and this was the first time I'd used them. They provide reasonable amenities although in the few free moments I had I couldn't see where to control temperature and so bore with a overly warm room. There are phones, computer, printer, paper and pens, a nice big desk, desk chairs plus some comfy chairs, even a tv and toy box!

By the time I finished up I had run out of time to have a sit down meal in the lounge. So no menu, but I'll try to pick one up on a later transit. Although the food in the lounge is undoubtedly better than in the air, I didn't mind too much. It isn't as if I'm not getting plenty of opportunities to eat. And with several long onward flights to come it isn't as if I need to get to sleep quickly on the flight from Melbourne.

Nonetheless I have a couple of drinks. The champagne on offer is only Veuve and Chandon

And then it is time to board the first of many longhaul flights.
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Old Oct 10, 2007, 7:51 am
  #33  
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Back row centre just above the ice
Melbourne to Hong Kong (MEL-HKG) on Qantas 747-400 business class

It's a full flight but we board quickly, with priority lane for first, business and elite pax. Unlike the title I am not back row centre although I did select a bulkhead centre aisle seat to maximise my chances of an empty seat alongside.

After take off we get an amenity kit, but no pajamas. For some reason this long overnight flight doesn't qualify despite the onward daylight flight from Hong Kong getting pajamas in business (as well as first class). The amenity kit is significantly worse than the last one I got from Qantas. A horrible bag, socks and small eyeshade. Ear plugs, toothbrush and toothpaste. A 3 pack of gooey stuff.

No magazines or newspapers handed out. My seatmate asked about magazines and was told brusquely to help himself at the back of the cabin. When I later walked past I noticed the selection was terrible - just a couple of titles.

We take off into the night. It takes a long time before the IFE is enabled, and it is switched off nearly an hour before arrival the next morning. If other airlines can leave the system on from take off to landing, why can't Qantas?

Dinner shortly after take off, and breakfast before arrival. There is a card you can pre-order meals in order to maximise sleep, or in my case note that I do not want to be woken to eat. By the bottom of the stairs there is also a fridge with wine, beer, juice and water; plus red wines cheese & crackers, biscuits, chocolate and fruit on the table - all self serve.

For only the second time I can remember the Qantas AVOD works reasonably well, apart that is from annoying recurring glitches on the screen (bits of the picture scrambled for a few seconds, every so often).

Passengers continuing on to London Heathrow can keep carry-ons onboard in the overhead bins, including any duty free liquids purchased in Melbourne.

Last edited by Kiwi Flyer; Oct 10, 2007 at 9:27 am
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Old Oct 10, 2007, 9:36 am
  #34  
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Melbourne to Hong Kong business class menu pre-orders

DINE-LATER

To assist in providing you with a flexible dining experience, a pre-ordered menu is available if you wish to dine later. Simply complete this card and hand to your Flight Attendant.

I would like to nominate a time to dine, approximately _____ hours after take-off

I will advise later when I am ready to dine

If I am sleeping, please do not wake me to dine

Name ________

Seat no. _____


Side Salad

Green leaf salad with artichoke and parmesan

Main Courses

Seared blue eye with beetroot relish, sauteed potatoes and silverbeet*

Steamed chicken with szechuan pepper, chilli eggplant and noodles

Veal shank and mushroom pot pie with tomato relish

Dessert

Seasonal cheese hand-selected by Calendar Cheese Company served with accompaniments

Nice Cream prune, almond and vanilla ice cream with brandied fruit compote

Sliced fresh fruit

Chocolates

Valrhona chocolates

Paton's macadamia chocolates

* healthier option


BREAKFAST

Simply complete this card and hand to your Flight Attendant to pre-order breakfast

Orange juice
Apple juice
Berry energiser drink
Toast
Croissant
Apple muffin
Steamed chinese bun
Strawberry jam
Honey
Orange marmalade
Vegemite
Citrus fruit salad
with yoghurt
Toasted muesli
with full cream milk
with low fat milk

Hot Beverages

Grinders coffee
Bodum
Decaffeinated

Dilmah tea
English breakfast
Jasmine green
Chamomile
Peppermint

Milk
Full cream milk
Low fat milk

Sugar
Low calorie sweetener

Hot chocolate

Hot and cold beverages are available at any time during your flight

Express Breakfast

A warmed apple muffin served with your choice of a hot beverage
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Old Oct 10, 2007, 9:46 am
  #35  
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Melbourne to Hong Kong business class menu

SUPPER

Main Courses

Seared blue eye with beetroot relish, sauteed potatoes and silverbeet*

Steamed chicken with szechuan pepper, chilli eggplant and noodles

Veal shank and mushroom pot pie with tomato relish

Green leaf salad with artichoke and parmesan

Dessert

Seasonal cheese hand-selected by Calendar Cheese Company served with accompaniments

Nice Cream prune, almond and vanilla ice cream with brandied fruit compote

Sliced fresh fruit

Chocolates

Valrhona chocolates
Paton's macadamia chocolates


REFRESHMENT

Enjoy a range of snacks and drinks at any time throughout your flight. Your Flight Attendant will be pleased to prepare your selection or simply snack from our inflight bar.

Fresh whole fruit

Mother meg's hazelnut cookie

Chocolate bars


CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST

To assist in maximising your rest, a pre-ordered breakfast is available. Simply complete the breakfast order card for collection by your Flight Attendant.


BEVERAGES

Champagne

Aperitifs

Campari

Spirits

Bacardi white rum
Chivas Regal scotch whisky
Inner Circle (green dot) dark rum 57.2%
Tanqueray London dry gin
The Glenlivet malt whisky
Wild Turkey 86.8 bourbon
Wyborowa classic vodka

Beers

Hahn premium light (low alcohol)
Tooheys new
Victoria bitter

Non Alcoholic

Apple juice
Orange juice
Spicy tomato juice
Tomato juice
Mineral water
Soda water
Tonic water
Bundaberg ginger beer
Cola
Diet cola
Ginger ale
Lemonade
Solo - lemon squash

Hot Beverages

Grinders coffee
Bodum
Decaffeinated

Dilmah tea
Chamomile
English breakfast
Jasmine green
Peppermint

Hot chocolate

Liqueurs

Bailey's Irish cream
Cointreau

Fortified

Penfolds bluestone 10yo tawny
Rutherglen liqueur muscat

Cognac

Martell VSOP
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Old Oct 10, 2007, 9:55 am
  #36  
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In transit in Hong Kong

Walking up the airbridge I got the transit card, remembering that on my round the world in under 60 hours earlier this year tht was denied access through transit security without the card - for the single flight number flights between London Heathrow and Australia/NZ pass through Hong Kong the day after departure and thus the boarding pass has the wrong date on it.

As I'm a fast walker and know where I'm going I get through first. But on the departures level I decide not to turn right to head upstairs for the Qantas lounge and instead head across to The Wing (one of Cathay Pacific's nice lounges, the other being The Pier). While it is about 5 minutes walk away, I figured this way I could be confident of getting a shower. At the entrance there was a gaggle of passengers with some kind of issue that the one and only agent on the desk was trying to sort out. Not wanting to lose the opportunity to shower I tried to head past but the agent moved quickly to stop me and scan my boarding pass. Post shower I notice the time and head back to the Qantas lounge so I don't have to rush to board. I take the short cut by the offices between the 2 wings.

The flight isn't yet ready to board so I headed up to the Qantas lounge. Both first class and business class sections were full, with first class section being smaller and more crowded. I have enough time to arrange another meeting before boarding is called.

Last edited by Kiwi Flyer; Oct 10, 2007 at 10:07 am
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Old Oct 10, 2007, 9:57 am
  #37  
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Hong Kong to London Heathrow business class menu

BREAKFAST

Orange juice
Apple juice
Banana energiser drink
Fruit salad with yoghurt
Toast
Croissant
Almond danish
Steamed chinese bun
Toasted muesli
Potato cakes with grilled bacon and braised beans
Baked egg with roast tomato and basil, smoked salmon and english spinach


REFRESHMENT

Enjoy a range of snacks and drinks at any time throughout your flight. Your Flight Attendant will be pleased to prepare your selection or simply snack from our inflight bar.

Toasted chicken, swiss cheese, baby rocket and aioli baguette

Toasted roast beef, cheddar, caramelised onion and seeded mustard focaccia

or

Create your own toasted sandwich from the following selection
Focaccia or baguette with:
Roast beef
Caramelised onions
Poached chicken
Baby rocket leaves
Mature cheddar
Seeded mustard
Swiss cheese
Aioli

Fresh whole fruit

Luken and may cafe fresh biscuits

Cheese and biscuits

Chocolate bars


LUNCH

Entree

Hong Kong yellow chicken salad with sesame dressing

Main Courses

Herb crusted snapper with roast potatoes and sugar snaps*

Slow cooked chicken and water chestnuts with bok choy and steamed rice

Beef fillet with mint gremolata, fennel caponata and parsnips

Green leaf salad with herb vinaigrette

Dessert

Selection of seasonal cheese and dried fruit

Baked apple and caramel custard tart with mascarpone cream

Sliced fresh fruit

Chocolates

Valrhona chocolates

Express Lunch

To assist in providing you with a flexible dining experience, choose the following menu as an express meal after take-off or nominate your preferred time to dine later in the flight.

Mushroom soup with chive creme fraiche

Hong Kong yellow chicken salad with sesame dressing

Green leaf salad with herb vinaigrette

* healthier option


BEVERAGES

Champagne

Aperitifs

Campari

Spirits

Bacardi white rum
Chivas Regal scotch whisky
Inner Circle (green dot) dark rum 57.2%
Tanqueray London dry gin
The Glenlivet malt whisky
Wild Turkey 86.8 bourbon
Wyborowa classic vodka

Beers

Hahn premium light (low alcohol)
Tooheys new
Victoria bitter

Non Alcoholic

Apple juice
Orange juice
Spicy tomato juice
Tomato juice
Mineral water
Soda water
Tonic water
Bundaberg ginger beer
Cola
Diet cola
Ginger ale
Lemonade
Solo - lemon squash

Hot Beverages

Grinders coffee
Bodum
Decaffeinated

Dilmah tea
Chamomile
English breakfast
Jasmine green
Peppermint

Hot chocolate

Liqueurs

Bailey's Irish cream
Cointreau

Fortified

Penfolds bluestone 10yo tawny
Rutherglen liqueur muscat

Cognac

Martell VSOP
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Old Oct 10, 2007, 9:57 am
  #38  
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Hong Kong to London Heathrow (HKG-LHR) on Qantas 747-400 business class

This flight is less full and most business class passengers on the lower deck have a spare seat alongside, so I suggested my seatmate moves across to the other aisle which he readily does.

Meals are breakfast and lunch - see menu above. While the menu card refers to pre-order breakfast there was no separate card for this, at least not at my seat.

Once again the IFE isn't switched on until well into the flight, and is switched off an hour before arrival.

Unfortunately cloudy most of the way and thus no view of the Himalayas. On the flight path map we seem to have lots of twists and turns along the way.

I catch up on some sleep, watch a couple of movies and some reading.

We got lucky by not being put into holding pattern on arrival, only to spend the best part of an hour taxiing to our remote stand. Door 2L was used and the FAs were letting economy pax out before business and first (in fact blocking business and first) , at least they were until the CSD noticed and put an end to it. I managed to get on the first bus (just).

Last edited by Kiwi Flyer; Oct 10, 2007 at 12:12 pm
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Old Oct 10, 2007, 12:45 pm
  #39  
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Please don't ask me how I've been getting off
In transit in London Heathrow

I'm quickly through T4->T4 security. No one checked I was entitled to use the first/business line though! Then up to the lounge, first for a shower. The spa and showers have just in the past couple of days been rebanded to Elemis (and with Elemis products) but the actual showers themselves are unchanged. I even am reminded the shower head fell down last time I showered here also, but unfortunately not before it hit me on the head. There was no wait for a shower.

Then to the computer room (on departure level opposite concorde room) to sort out an upcoming meeting and then do one online. But first a minor hassle to get the entry code without a boarding pass.

That meeting done I head downstairs to the first class lounge for a bite to eat. But first they need to reissue the boarding pass so that it will work through the gate reader. I notice my status has been lost from British Airway's system and so ask to get that added to. After about an hour of typing, and calling someone to fix stuff, the agent finally manages to reissue the boarding pass.

Somehow my name had gone funny in BA's system, but not in QF's, and the lack of match to my name on frequent flyer card and passport was causing a problem. That explains my difficulty in selecting seats online several days earlier, but does not explain why my name should go funny in the first place. In many hundreds of bookings this is the first one where my name has been corrupted in the system.

That done I can enter the lounge proper. However I do want to check in for the next 2 flights also, due to shortish connection times, and potential risk of being stuck if, as suggested by the agent, I end up needing to check in at the gate. The agent tries and fails and suggests I use online check in (OLCI). This too fails on several attempts.

The agent did make a comment about how she'd never seen such a convoluted itinerary and speculated that the number of connecting flights without stopover might be preventing me from checking in.

So the next couple of transits may not be the stress-free inconsequential times I had hoped for.

Oh yeah - there was a DYKWIA complaining about his missing (or late) bags. Perhaps he'd read this thread? I don't know what he thought he'd achieve by berating lounge agents about it, for more than 30 minutes. If they have to put up with this sort of rubbish all the time they have my fullest sympathies.

Last edited by Kiwi Flyer; Oct 10, 2007 at 2:07 pm
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Old Oct 10, 2007, 1:04 pm
  #40  
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British Airways First Class Lounge LHR menu

BREAKFAST

Starters

A selection of plain or fruit yoghurt (V)

Selection of cereals (V) (H)

Bakery

Hot toast (V)

Selection of pastries (V) (H)

Grilled bacon baguette

Sauteed mushroom and tomato baguette (V)

Scrambled eggs

Accompaniments

Orange marmalade, honey and preserves (V)


(V) denotes that this dish is suitable for vegetarians
(H) denotes a healthy option


REST OF THE DAY

Savouries

Fresh soup of the day served with a variety of continental bread (V)

Selection of freshly prepared sandwiches

Selection of two freshly prepared seasonal salads

Selection of two freshly prepared pasta dishes

Selection of three freshly prepared risotto dishes

Selection of savoury pastries (V)

Fresh vegetable crudites accompanied by a selection of dips

Cheese and fruit

Selection of seasonal fruit (V) (H)

Fresh fruit salad (V) (H)

Selection of cheese with biscuits, celery and grapes (V)

Afternoon tea

Your choice from a range of tea sandwiches and traditional English cakes served with a pot of freshly brewed tea


(V) denotes that this dish is suitable for vegetarians
(H) denotes a healthy option

--
Champagne on offer is Piper Hiedsieck

Last edited by Kiwi Flyer; Oct 10, 2007 at 2:24 pm
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Old Oct 10, 2007, 8:21 pm
  #41  
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Brisbane
Posts: 805
Great to read your report as ever Kiwiflyer. Spending more time in the air than on the ground over such a period deserves some sort of FT award.
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Old Oct 11, 2007, 2:21 am
  #42  
 
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Location: Las Vegas, NV, USA
Posts: 121
KiwiFlyer, you're trip reports are consistently amazing.

Though I do admit I almost get jetlag from thinking about so much flying!
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Old Oct 11, 2007, 7:31 am
  #43  
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London Heathrow to Kuwait City (LHR-KWI) on British Airways 777 business class

I'm not sure how much of this entry I will have time to post as I'm waiting for a delayed flight to start boarding. As I write the delay has been pushed back a further 30 minutes so here goes.

The flight to Kuwait was also delayed as were many departures that evening. At least I had a lounge to enjoy while I waited, and so I spent time catching up on this report and on FT. It is annoying that the T4 lounge computers are in a separate area with limited poor quality drinks (nothing hot for example) and no food. Not everyone who needs to keep in touch has a laptop and so this is a significantly poor environment compared to many other lounges.

I headed out to the gate slightly early so that I could get a decent walk before boarding. At least with the late departure time we got a airbridge and not a remote stand.

The flight was very empty with plenty of seats to spread out over. Boarding was thus quick, but perhaps this was why our flight was chosen to be delayed. We get handed an amenity kit, the new Elemis one, and a menu. This amenity kit has received negative comments on the BA forum but to be honest I don't notice much difference to the old one.

A quick pre-departure drink (choice of orange juice, water and champagne) and a cold wet towel and we are heading out. It amazes me how some airlines manage to do the towel thing well and others badly. I've had towels so dry they are useful for anything, others so sopping wet you get a little stream of water down your front when you bring it up to your face. Some boiling hot needing to wait a moment or two before using, others lukewarm or even cold like this one. For the record I prefer warm to hot and wet without being sopping.

There is no in flight magazine, nor duty free magazine, at my seat or any of the several seats near me. Oh well. With only 19 channels the non-avod system is fairly easy to work out and anyway most of them I have already seen (many times).

A nice supper. They hadn't loaded my preferred or even 2nd choice wines so the FA got one from first class for me ^

Then I fell asleep, waking on descent as they hand out the towels. We fly over a suburb and some sand before touching down at a well spread out but fairly small airport. We haven't made up any time en route, which means my transfer will be interesting.
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Old Oct 11, 2007, 7:42 am
  #44  
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London Heathrow to Kuwait City business menu

DINNER

Starters

Mark Edwards' asian crab salad

or

Mixed mediterranean meze plate

Fresh seasonal salad
served with vinaigrette

Main

Vineet Bhatia's prawn bhuna masala with coconut and curry leaf rice
Prawn in Indian spices with coconut and curry leaf rice

Shaun Hill's lancashire hotpot

Mushroom cappalletti pasta with herb cream sauce

* Main course pesto chicken salad served with vinaigrette

Dessert

Raspberry and chocolate mousse

Coastal cheddar and bleu d'auvergne cheese with garnishes

A selection of fruit

Chocolates


DRINKS

Complimentary bar serving alcoholic beverages and soft drinks is available throughout the flight. See inserted wine list for today's selection.

Ground coffee, decaffeinated coffee or tea

Selection of herbal teas - peppermint, blackcurrant, apple or camomile and honey


CLUB KITCHEN

Between meals, please help yourself to a drink or a tasty snack. Please visit the Club Kitchen and help yourself to the selection on display.

Snack salads, sandwiches, filled rolls and wraps

Fresh fruit salads and fruit smoothies or juice

Choice of luxury cakes

Crisps and chocolate (including organic chocolate)

If seated in the upper deck, you can visit the Club Kitchen downstairs.


BREAKFAST

Starters

Chilled fruit juice

An energising fruit smoothie of mango and passion fruit

Fresh fruit appetiser

or

Greek yoghurt and granola

Bakery

Selection of warm breads and breakfast pastries

Drinks

Ground coffee, decaffeinated coffee or tea

Selection of herbal teas - peppermint, blackcurrant, apple or camomile and honey


WINES

Champagne

Champagne cocktails
Kir Royale
Buck's Fizz

Heidsieck Monopole Blue Top Brut Reserve Champagne

Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve Champagne

White

Innocent Bystander Yarra Valley Chardonnay 2005

Chablis Champs Royaux 2006 William Fevre

Red

Yalumba Barossa Shiraz Viognier 2004

Chateau Arnauld 2004 Cru Bourgeois Haut-Medoc
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Old Oct 11, 2007, 12:00 pm
  #45  
 
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Started reading this thread today. Now I know why PBI/FLL DO is your longest time on-ground.

What was your start date? and when is your end date?
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