A quickie to OZ - AY J QF J BA F & BA J
Jul 15, 2013, 2:30 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: London, UK
Programs: AA 2MM - PLT, BA GGL, SPG Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 6,221
A quickie to OZ - AY J QF J BA F & BA J
Some of you who manage to keep up with my madness would know that at any point in time I have various tickets parked in places throughout the world.
After a trip home at Christmas I had a return set of BA flights booked back to the UK that I needed to pick up. My original plans were to use my current RTW ticket to get me back to Oz in order to do this. However as mentioned in my other report I decided to purchase a relatively cheap AY J fare back home to do this. This report will be about those AY/QF flights to Sydney and the return BA flights of the parked ticket.
The price difference between leaving on a Friday afternoon and the next day was around 600 pounds so I opted to fly out on the Saturday. It was quite odd leaving on a long haul flight on a Saturday afternoon and not having to rush around from work to get to the airport.
I was able to catch a leisurely non-pressured tube ride to Paddington and the Heathrow Express for a quick 45 minute door to door journey to terminal 3.
As such I was a full 3 hours early for my flight. Check in was empty and I walked up to the free Business class check-in agent. He tagged my suitcase through to Sydney, printed 3 boarding passes and informed me I could use the fast track security and that they used the CX lounge.
I made my way upstairs and into the fast track security. The line was reasonably sort but one of the queue monitors opened a rope a directed some of us through to another lane and I was processed even more quickly than I expected. No wands or beeps and no secondary bag check ensued and I was through into the shopping mall in no time.
I went straight on through to the CX lounge entrance and caught the lift up one floor. The agent welcomed me in and typed in my BA number and directed me through to the First lounge.
Inside I noticed they had removed the computer desks and added more seating capacity. The had also installed four of the solus chairs that first made an appearance in the Cabin lounge at HKG a couple of years back.
Solus Chairs CX F Lounge T3 LHR
CX F Lounge T3 LHR
On offer in the food department were the usual noodles to order and one could choose from Shrimp and Pork Wanton Noodles, Dan Dan Noodles or Rice Vermicelli with Fish Cake. The hot buffet had Chicken Wings, Steamed Vegetables, Plain Rice, Kashmiri Lamb Curry, Szechuan Chicken, Malaysian Vegetable Curry, Chicken Rendang, Vegetable Soup and they had Chicken or Pork Congee and Tom Yum Soup on request. They also had salad and fruits, snacks and crisps and a wide selection of alcohol and soft drinks. The bubbly options were Perrier Joluet or Veuve Cliquot.
Buffet CX F Lounge T3 LHR
Drinks CX F Lounge T3 LHR
I grabbed a glass of VC and ordered some Dan Dan noodles before taking my favourite seat in the corner by the windows looking out over the apron.
Dan Dan & Bubbly CX F Lounge T3 LHR
After an hour and a half of surfing and watching the airport life outside the widow I decided to wander over to the BA lounge for a visit.
Inside I was welcomed into the F lounge and I went in and found a quiet area to sit. I grabbed a glass of Pimms from the jug and sat down to surf some more. I noticed a gate had been posted for my flight and it was back up past the CX lounge. I could see my plane from the BA lounge windows.
AY 320 from BA F Lounge T3 LHR
BA F Lounge T3 LHR
I went down to the gate 5 minutes before the time printed on the card and went on into the gate lounge. As usual with T3 lounges your BP and PP are checked and you are then ushered into the gate lounge to wait until boarding. This started about 5 minutes after I arrived with elites, people with young children and business asked to board first.
I made my way down to the aircraft and on board.
Flight AY0840 LHR-HEL Seat 3A
Aircraft: A320
Departure time: 16:10
I took my seat and stowed my bag at my feet so I had easy access to my camera. Newspapers were offered and jackets taken by the crew. The captain announced a flight time of 2 hours and 35 minutes. We pushed back on time at 16:10 and after a long slow taxi took off at 16:25.
Once airborne the crew came out with menu cards and a hot towel and then made a drinks round. I am not sure why they do a menu as it doesn’t have any options on it.
AY J Menu LHR-HEL
Everyone gets the same. I opted for some of the Joseph Perrier bubbly to go with my pretzels.
Bubbly & Pretzels
After the drinks the crew member set about delivering the meal trays one by one from the galley. I opted for some of the white wine to go with my meal. The tray came with everything on it at once and was quite tasty. Bread was offered and extra wine and bread offers were made during the course of the meal. After this tea and coffee were passed around.
Dinner Tray AY J LHR-HEL
After meal service any other orders for drinks etc were only on request.
We landed on time and taxied up to the gate. As usual at HEL with a flight from the UK there was no need to clear security again before my connecting flight and I was able to make my way up to the Finnair lounge to wait. The lounge had some rice and stroganoff on offer as well as some salad items. I grabbed a plate of salad and some sparkling water and waited until my flight.
AY Lounge HEL
After a trip home at Christmas I had a return set of BA flights booked back to the UK that I needed to pick up. My original plans were to use my current RTW ticket to get me back to Oz in order to do this. However as mentioned in my other report I decided to purchase a relatively cheap AY J fare back home to do this. This report will be about those AY/QF flights to Sydney and the return BA flights of the parked ticket.
The price difference between leaving on a Friday afternoon and the next day was around 600 pounds so I opted to fly out on the Saturday. It was quite odd leaving on a long haul flight on a Saturday afternoon and not having to rush around from work to get to the airport.
I was able to catch a leisurely non-pressured tube ride to Paddington and the Heathrow Express for a quick 45 minute door to door journey to terminal 3.
As such I was a full 3 hours early for my flight. Check in was empty and I walked up to the free Business class check-in agent. He tagged my suitcase through to Sydney, printed 3 boarding passes and informed me I could use the fast track security and that they used the CX lounge.
I made my way upstairs and into the fast track security. The line was reasonably sort but one of the queue monitors opened a rope a directed some of us through to another lane and I was processed even more quickly than I expected. No wands or beeps and no secondary bag check ensued and I was through into the shopping mall in no time.
I went straight on through to the CX lounge entrance and caught the lift up one floor. The agent welcomed me in and typed in my BA number and directed me through to the First lounge.
Inside I noticed they had removed the computer desks and added more seating capacity. The had also installed four of the solus chairs that first made an appearance in the Cabin lounge at HKG a couple of years back.
Solus Chairs CX F Lounge T3 LHR
CX F Lounge T3 LHR
On offer in the food department were the usual noodles to order and one could choose from Shrimp and Pork Wanton Noodles, Dan Dan Noodles or Rice Vermicelli with Fish Cake. The hot buffet had Chicken Wings, Steamed Vegetables, Plain Rice, Kashmiri Lamb Curry, Szechuan Chicken, Malaysian Vegetable Curry, Chicken Rendang, Vegetable Soup and they had Chicken or Pork Congee and Tom Yum Soup on request. They also had salad and fruits, snacks and crisps and a wide selection of alcohol and soft drinks. The bubbly options were Perrier Joluet or Veuve Cliquot.
Buffet CX F Lounge T3 LHR
Drinks CX F Lounge T3 LHR
I grabbed a glass of VC and ordered some Dan Dan noodles before taking my favourite seat in the corner by the windows looking out over the apron.
Dan Dan & Bubbly CX F Lounge T3 LHR
After an hour and a half of surfing and watching the airport life outside the widow I decided to wander over to the BA lounge for a visit.
Inside I was welcomed into the F lounge and I went in and found a quiet area to sit. I grabbed a glass of Pimms from the jug and sat down to surf some more. I noticed a gate had been posted for my flight and it was back up past the CX lounge. I could see my plane from the BA lounge windows.
AY 320 from BA F Lounge T3 LHR
BA F Lounge T3 LHR
I went down to the gate 5 minutes before the time printed on the card and went on into the gate lounge. As usual with T3 lounges your BP and PP are checked and you are then ushered into the gate lounge to wait until boarding. This started about 5 minutes after I arrived with elites, people with young children and business asked to board first.
I made my way down to the aircraft and on board.
Flight AY0840 LHR-HEL Seat 3A
Aircraft: A320
Departure time: 16:10
I took my seat and stowed my bag at my feet so I had easy access to my camera. Newspapers were offered and jackets taken by the crew. The captain announced a flight time of 2 hours and 35 minutes. We pushed back on time at 16:10 and after a long slow taxi took off at 16:25.
Once airborne the crew came out with menu cards and a hot towel and then made a drinks round. I am not sure why they do a menu as it doesn’t have any options on it.
AY J Menu LHR-HEL
Everyone gets the same. I opted for some of the Joseph Perrier bubbly to go with my pretzels.
Bubbly & Pretzels
After the drinks the crew member set about delivering the meal trays one by one from the galley. I opted for some of the white wine to go with my meal. The tray came with everything on it at once and was quite tasty. Bread was offered and extra wine and bread offers were made during the course of the meal. After this tea and coffee were passed around.
Dinner Tray AY J LHR-HEL
After meal service any other orders for drinks etc were only on request.
We landed on time and taxied up to the gate. As usual at HEL with a flight from the UK there was no need to clear security again before my connecting flight and I was able to make my way up to the Finnair lounge to wait. The lounge had some rice and stroganoff on offer as well as some salad items. I grabbed a plate of salad and some sparkling water and waited until my flight.
AY Lounge HEL
Jul 15, 2013, 2:40 pm
#2
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: London, UK
Programs: AA 2MM - PLT, BA GGL, SPG Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 6,221
AY Business Class HEL-HKG
Early, as usual, I left the lounge and made my way to the gate. As I got there they announced boarding would commence in 5 minutes. Ten minutes later the flight crew arrived and went on board. One of them stopped to chat to some children in the waiting area. We eventually started to board two minutes before take off time and they invited elites and Business class to board first.
Flight AY0069 HEL-HKG Seat 5L
Aircraft: A340
Departure time: 23:40
I had originally been in 2A but they seat shifted me and blocked the seat next to me when the final config of the aircraft was known a few days ago. When I saw this change I realised it was going to be one of the old Air France birds.
The last time I checked, when in the lounge, the seat next to me was still free.
Jackets were taken and I was offered juice, water or bubbly. I grabbed my bubbly and waited for boarding to complete. Just as they announced boarding complete one of the flight crew’s children took the seat next to me. She then organised with the crew to swap with an Asian guy who had been sitting next to her sister.
Pre-departure Bubbly
An amenity kit of sorts was at the seat, that consisted of a pair of socks, eyeshade and earplugs in a paper envelope with words to the effect that it is a green amenity kit. If we desired anything else we should ask the crew. In the loo there was some hand cream especially designed for Finnair that was blueberry scented and some shaving kits and toothbrushes. The seat was the old AF angled lie flat that had plenty of leg room when in sitting position.
Leg Room AY J
It wasn’t much chop as a bed though.
The cabin manager announced a flight time of 9 hours and 30 minutes. Menus were handed out on the ground and I immediately recognised the attendant on my side as being one who had served me on a flight back from HEL-SIN last year.
We pushed back late at 23:52 and made a short taxi before taking off into the perpetual dusk at 00:02. The crew seemed to take a age to get themselves into gear and the service didn’t begin until an hour into the flight. There was no pre-dinner drinks round and it was straight into the meal that was served all on one tray. I had pre-booked my order and the crew member confirmed that when she had been taking orders after take off.
On the tray was a tiny dessert, some cheese and a small main plate. Wine was offered with the meal and the breadbasket was presented.
Dinner AY J HEL-HKG
The crew topped up my wine with the meal and coffee and tea were offered later. I had to ask for a glass of sauterne that was delivered after I completed the meal. I must say that the AY longhaul J meal experience has been ‘enhanced’ to nothing more than an economy meal and was very underwhelming.
The IFE was pretty rubbish and there was a limited selection of movies, perhaps 15 or so and maybe twice as many CDs that were on demand.
After the meal it was lights out and everyone settled down for some sleep.
The lie flat angled beds weren’t all that comfortable although I did get some sleep during the flight.
Two and a half hours out of Hong Kong they turned on the lights and the breakfast service began. Again the meal was served all on the tray at once and was decidedly economy in nature. The breakfast looked revolting but tasted OK.
Breakfast AY J HEL-HKG
I understood now why AY flights are so much cheaper than other options to Oz out of London.
The meal tray was cleared and the crew disappeared a good 1.5 hours before landing into HKG at 14:46.
We pulled up to a gate that was close to one of the transit points. There was no wait and after a quick security check I was upstairs making my way to the Wing lounge within 5 minutes of doors opening.
I made my way straight up to the Wing lounge and asked if I could get a Cabana. There were none available and they gave me a disc that would light up when they had one ready for me.
I sat down in the lounge and one of the staff immediately asked if I would like a drink. I asked for some sparkling water. She returned later with a glass of Perrier. I downed the glass pretty quickly and was asked if I would like another by the same member of staff. Just as I was finishing the second glass my disc started to flash.
I then went back to the showers area and the agent walked me down to a cabana. I asked if I could get some deodorant and she brought this back to me soon after.
The new Cabana suites are quite spacious and have a bath with shower by the side and a small room with toilet off to the side. They now also do a pressing service. You hang your shirt in a cupboard to the side and press the button to get it collected. I placed a shirt inside and lay down on the sofa for a while and took a quick snooze.
CX F Wing Cabana HKG
CX F Wing Cabana HKG
CX F Wing Cabana HKG
After this I filled the bath for a bit of a soak. Feeling refreshed I collected my things and then went out to the lounge again and down to the Haven restaurant. Inside I noticed the menu had changed since I was last there and the beef dish was no longer there. On offer was the usual buffet offerings and an a la carte selection of:
Roasted Chicken Roulade with Spinach, Pistachio and Barley Risotto
Salmon and Herb Mustard Crust and Orange Sauce
Forest Mushroom Risotto with Arugula and Mushroom Chips
Fried Noodle with Pork and Chinese Chives
I ordered a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon and the Mushroom risotto and went up to grab a bite of salad whilst waiting for the risotto. The food was excellent as usual.
CX F Wing Mushroom Risotto
After I had eaten I went out to the lounge that was quite crowded and sat down in one of the solus chairs. I ordered a Cranbetini and some more sparkling water.
CX F Wing Lounge HKG
Cranbetini CX F Wing Lounge HKG
After I finished this I decided to make my way over to the QF lounge.
Inside the QF First lounge I was able to get a good view of the big bird that was going to take me down to Sydney.
QF A380 at HKG
The QF lounge has some pizza slices, dim sum, salads and some beef dish and rice.
QF F Lounge HKG
I was seated in a seat where I could see the boarding gate and saw them start to board so I headed on out. Just as I walked passed the desk they announced boarding in the lounge. I went down to the gate and was able to walk up to the now quite short J queue.
The full wine list from the AY flight can be seen on my flickr pages (at the end of the pictures)
Flight AY0069 HEL-HKG Seat 5L
Aircraft: A340
Departure time: 23:40
I had originally been in 2A but they seat shifted me and blocked the seat next to me when the final config of the aircraft was known a few days ago. When I saw this change I realised it was going to be one of the old Air France birds.
The last time I checked, when in the lounge, the seat next to me was still free.
Jackets were taken and I was offered juice, water or bubbly. I grabbed my bubbly and waited for boarding to complete. Just as they announced boarding complete one of the flight crew’s children took the seat next to me. She then organised with the crew to swap with an Asian guy who had been sitting next to her sister.
Pre-departure Bubbly
An amenity kit of sorts was at the seat, that consisted of a pair of socks, eyeshade and earplugs in a paper envelope with words to the effect that it is a green amenity kit. If we desired anything else we should ask the crew. In the loo there was some hand cream especially designed for Finnair that was blueberry scented and some shaving kits and toothbrushes. The seat was the old AF angled lie flat that had plenty of leg room when in sitting position.
Leg Room AY J
It wasn’t much chop as a bed though.
The cabin manager announced a flight time of 9 hours and 30 minutes. Menus were handed out on the ground and I immediately recognised the attendant on my side as being one who had served me on a flight back from HEL-SIN last year.
We pushed back late at 23:52 and made a short taxi before taking off into the perpetual dusk at 00:02. The crew seemed to take a age to get themselves into gear and the service didn’t begin until an hour into the flight. There was no pre-dinner drinks round and it was straight into the meal that was served all on one tray. I had pre-booked my order and the crew member confirmed that when she had been taking orders after take off.
On the tray was a tiny dessert, some cheese and a small main plate. Wine was offered with the meal and the breadbasket was presented.
Dinner AY J HEL-HKG
The crew topped up my wine with the meal and coffee and tea were offered later. I had to ask for a glass of sauterne that was delivered after I completed the meal. I must say that the AY longhaul J meal experience has been ‘enhanced’ to nothing more than an economy meal and was very underwhelming.
The IFE was pretty rubbish and there was a limited selection of movies, perhaps 15 or so and maybe twice as many CDs that were on demand.
After the meal it was lights out and everyone settled down for some sleep.
The lie flat angled beds weren’t all that comfortable although I did get some sleep during the flight.
Two and a half hours out of Hong Kong they turned on the lights and the breakfast service began. Again the meal was served all on the tray at once and was decidedly economy in nature. The breakfast looked revolting but tasted OK.
Breakfast AY J HEL-HKG
I understood now why AY flights are so much cheaper than other options to Oz out of London.
The meal tray was cleared and the crew disappeared a good 1.5 hours before landing into HKG at 14:46.
We pulled up to a gate that was close to one of the transit points. There was no wait and after a quick security check I was upstairs making my way to the Wing lounge within 5 minutes of doors opening.
I made my way straight up to the Wing lounge and asked if I could get a Cabana. There were none available and they gave me a disc that would light up when they had one ready for me.
I sat down in the lounge and one of the staff immediately asked if I would like a drink. I asked for some sparkling water. She returned later with a glass of Perrier. I downed the glass pretty quickly and was asked if I would like another by the same member of staff. Just as I was finishing the second glass my disc started to flash.
I then went back to the showers area and the agent walked me down to a cabana. I asked if I could get some deodorant and she brought this back to me soon after.
The new Cabana suites are quite spacious and have a bath with shower by the side and a small room with toilet off to the side. They now also do a pressing service. You hang your shirt in a cupboard to the side and press the button to get it collected. I placed a shirt inside and lay down on the sofa for a while and took a quick snooze.
CX F Wing Cabana HKG
CX F Wing Cabana HKG
CX F Wing Cabana HKG
After this I filled the bath for a bit of a soak. Feeling refreshed I collected my things and then went out to the lounge again and down to the Haven restaurant. Inside I noticed the menu had changed since I was last there and the beef dish was no longer there. On offer was the usual buffet offerings and an a la carte selection of:
Roasted Chicken Roulade with Spinach, Pistachio and Barley Risotto
Salmon and Herb Mustard Crust and Orange Sauce
Forest Mushroom Risotto with Arugula and Mushroom Chips
Fried Noodle with Pork and Chinese Chives
I ordered a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon and the Mushroom risotto and went up to grab a bite of salad whilst waiting for the risotto. The food was excellent as usual.
CX F Wing Mushroom Risotto
After I had eaten I went out to the lounge that was quite crowded and sat down in one of the solus chairs. I ordered a Cranbetini and some more sparkling water.
CX F Wing Lounge HKG
Cranbetini CX F Wing Lounge HKG
After I finished this I decided to make my way over to the QF lounge.
Inside the QF First lounge I was able to get a good view of the big bird that was going to take me down to Sydney.
QF A380 at HKG
The QF lounge has some pizza slices, dim sum, salads and some beef dish and rice.
QF F Lounge HKG
I was seated in a seat where I could see the boarding gate and saw them start to board so I headed on out. Just as I walked passed the desk they announced boarding in the lounge. I went down to the gate and was able to walk up to the now quite short J queue.
The full wine list from the AY flight can be seen on my flickr pages (at the end of the pictures)
Last edited by Moomba; Jul 15, 2013 at 3:17 pm
Jul 15, 2013, 2:52 pm
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: London, UK
Programs: AA 2MM - PLT, BA GGL, SPG Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 6,221
QF Business Class HKG-SYD
My passport and BP were checked and I was directed on down the ramp. As usual with the US and Oz flights there was a security inspection of hand baggage on the ramp before boarding. This was quick and painless and they kept the elite line moving quickly.
Flight QF0128 HKG-SYD Seat 11A
Aircraft: A380
Departure time: 20:15
I climbed the ramp and complained to the crew at the door how they make us work hard to get up to the top deck. He laughed and directed me down to the front of the J cabin.
At my seat the J purser introduced himself and asked me if I would like something to drink and suggested some champagne. I of course accepted this offer. At the seat there was a pillow, quilt and under-blanket for the seat. I pushed all of these into the side bins and also stored my camera and laptop down there. I then threw my backpack in the overhead bin. There was a menu at the seat that I had a look through whilst waiting for boarding to finish.
A crew member arrived with some QF Kangaroo PJs and an amenity kit containing Goletz products.
The great F purser dropped back and topped up my glass of Billecart Salmon. I took the opportunity to take a few pics of the cabin before it filled up. Later the same crew member returned and set down another glass and filled it with the Heidsieck champagne. I asked if he knew if the seat next to me was going to remain free and he said yes they had just closed up. I said that is good as it makes it easier if I need to go potty in the night.
QF J Cabin A380
Bubbly before take off
Legroom QF J Cabin A380
At the departure time the captain announced that we were ready to go but ATC were holding us for a while. It had been raining quite heavily for most of the afternoon. He announced a flight time of 8 hours and 15 minutes.
We pushed back at 20:19 and made a long slow taxi down to the top end of the runway where me made our take off run at 20:42
After take off I checked out the IFE and in contrast to AY and BA there was too much to choose from and I had trouble selecting a playlist of albums to listen to.
QF J IFE A380
The F purser asked me what I would like to drink before dinner and went with the usual Scotch and Dry. He seemed to only serve me on this side of the cabin and then went down the other side so I suspect he was doing so because of my status. Either that or he just liked me. LOL. I am sure it was because of my status. The drink quickly appeared but there was no sign of the usual bag of nuts to go with it.
Scotch & Dry
The CSM dropped by with immigration/customs forms for Australia and welcomed me on board.
A crew member dropped by and asked me what I would like to eat.
I selected the soup and the sea bass. After I finished my drink the table was set and small plate with a bowl of side salad was placed before me and I was offered bread. The soup was delivered soon after and I was offered some wine. I went with a lovely glass of Cabernet Sauvignon.
The soup was tasty and the salad fresh and was served with a small tub of balsamic dressing.
Corn Soup
Next up was the lovely sea bass. The presentation and flavour were like chalk and cheese to the AY longhaul J meals. You can tell from the pictures how different these two airline meals were. I think QF has to have one of the strongest J products on the market, that I have experienced.
Lovely Sea Bass
I opted to go without dessert but was tempted by the cheese plate and inquired about the stickies they had on board. The crew member fetched a glass of Muscat to go with my cheese and it was delicious.
Cheese & Musct
After the meal I grabbed all the bedding from the side bin and set my seat into bed mode. I was able to catch a good few hours sleep that was quite sound. I was awoken by the lights being turned on around 2 hours out of Sydney.
I didn’t get up straight away and wasn’t that interested in having any breakfast. I eventually got up and changed out of the QF J jammies that had been issued to me earlier.
I lifted the blinds and watched the sun come up outside my window.
Sunrise coming into Sydney
I rang the call bell in order to get a cup of coffee about an hour out. The F purser dropped by to have another chat and we talked about the new Dubai route and how they liked that. He mentioned that there was a BA captain up front doing some training on the big birds.
The captain announced our imminent arrival and said that those of us on the left would get a good view of Sydney on the way in.
Views of Sydney
We flew past to the East of the airport and down South before turning to land from the South at 07:15 and taxied up to our gate.
They connected a ramp up to the top door 1 and I was able to thank the crew on the way out down to immigration. The biometric entry system worked well and I went down to the carousel and awaited the bags. The started coming out about 5 minutes later but with a 4 hour layover in HKG my bag was in the bowels of the aircraft and took a while to come out.
I grabbed my case lined up to get out through customs and was quickly directed outside without the need for any further screening. I then caught the train into St James, emerged onto street level, crossed the street and walked about 50 metres to the Sheraton.
Late in the afternoon I caught up with my co-mod and we had a brief training session before heading out to dinner with a friend of matthandy’s at a lovely Italian restaurant that looked out past the Bridge with the Opera House in the background.
I checked out of my hotel at around 11:00 and walked back over to St James station where some women were having a great conflab with the station ticket staff before I could purchase my ticket. This delay meant an airport train was just pulling out as I made my way down to the platform.
I had to wait 15 minutes for the next train and 15 minutes later I disembarked at the domestic terminal at Sydney’s Mascot airport.
Upstairs I made my way over to a QF desk that actually had a person and was called over from the J line very quickly. My bag was tagged and I was given my BP and sent on my way.
Security was almost empty with more people in the express lane than the normal so I joined that one instead. I was through in a jiffy and I made my way up to the business lounge were I was welcomed inside. It was around 11:45 and as I made my way to the window seats I passed the bar that had a sign stating it would be open at noon.
They had some soup and salads available to eat along with some cheese and breads. I grabbed some salad and cold meats and juice.
It had started to rain as I left the Sheraton and by now it was raining quite heavily outside.
A QF 767 heads out in the rain
I don’t know why but I was surprised that there were so many people travelling with small children in the lounge. I am always amazed at how many children fly in Australia compared to other countries I travel through.
QF Business Lounge Sydney
Early again, I left the lounge and went down to the gate. I pottered around watching life at the busy airport and finally they announced boarding. There was a separate line for elites and business and I joined the end before wandering down to the plane.
Flight QF0435 SYD-MEL Seat 2A
Aircraft: A737-800
Departure time: 13:00
I was welcomed on board by the CSM and took my seat next to a Qantas Link pilot. Three other QF staff took seats in the J cabin before we pushed back. I don’t think I have ever flown a QF domestic flight in J that hasn’t had some QF staff up there.
As boarding was slowing the crew came out with water or Strawberry & Apple juice. I took a glass of the juice.
We finally closed up and pushed back 8 minutes after schedule and taxied out and pulled up by the runway. A 380 was being tugged over to the international terminal and was in the row next to us. It pulled up and across the active runway and then a UA 747 landed with a big spray of water. Then some other aircraft down further pulled on to the runway and took off. Another domestic jet landed and finally we were able to pull out on to the runway and took off at 13:25.
It was a bumpy ride out through the rain clouds but once we cleared these it was mostly a smooth ride. The weather also cleared as we headed south and I got some great views of the coast and some snow capped mountains as we flew over the Great Dividing Range.
View of coast south of Sydney
View of the snow capped mountains
Once the belt sign was off the crew came out with a hot towel and then the lunch service began. On offer for lunch was a chicken salad with caramelised pumpkin or the hot dish was bangers and mash. I was offered some sour dough bread or a white roll with my snags but the crew forgot to offer me any wine. As she made her way back up the aisle I asked for some of the Cabernet Sauvignon and she apologised for not offering me any and filled my glass.
The food was great for a 1 hour flight and as usual the wine was superb. On the tray there was also a small dessert of a caramel cheesecake. After the tray was cleared the crew came back to refill my glass of wine again and I didn’t say no.
Lunch - Bangers & Mash
There were people on board who had a tight connection with the QF 9 flight to Dubai and the CSM made an announcement telling them the gate and informing them that the flight would be held for them.
The captain announced our descent and repeated the message about the QF 9 waiting for them.
We landed at around 14:20 and taxied past a MH 330 being tugged around the apron. I made my way off the plane thanking the CSM on the way out. I made my way out to the carousel and waited for the bags to appear. They did so around 5 minutes later and my bag was one of the first dozen or so out.
I then grabbed a taxi to my parent’s house for a few night stay to catch up with them and the rest of the family.
Flight QF0128 HKG-SYD Seat 11A
Aircraft: A380
Departure time: 20:15
I climbed the ramp and complained to the crew at the door how they make us work hard to get up to the top deck. He laughed and directed me down to the front of the J cabin.
At my seat the J purser introduced himself and asked me if I would like something to drink and suggested some champagne. I of course accepted this offer. At the seat there was a pillow, quilt and under-blanket for the seat. I pushed all of these into the side bins and also stored my camera and laptop down there. I then threw my backpack in the overhead bin. There was a menu at the seat that I had a look through whilst waiting for boarding to finish.
A crew member arrived with some QF Kangaroo PJs and an amenity kit containing Goletz products.
The great F purser dropped back and topped up my glass of Billecart Salmon. I took the opportunity to take a few pics of the cabin before it filled up. Later the same crew member returned and set down another glass and filled it with the Heidsieck champagne. I asked if he knew if the seat next to me was going to remain free and he said yes they had just closed up. I said that is good as it makes it easier if I need to go potty in the night.
QF J Cabin A380
Bubbly before take off
Legroom QF J Cabin A380
At the departure time the captain announced that we were ready to go but ATC were holding us for a while. It had been raining quite heavily for most of the afternoon. He announced a flight time of 8 hours and 15 minutes.
We pushed back at 20:19 and made a long slow taxi down to the top end of the runway where me made our take off run at 20:42
After take off I checked out the IFE and in contrast to AY and BA there was too much to choose from and I had trouble selecting a playlist of albums to listen to.
QF J IFE A380
The F purser asked me what I would like to drink before dinner and went with the usual Scotch and Dry. He seemed to only serve me on this side of the cabin and then went down the other side so I suspect he was doing so because of my status. Either that or he just liked me. LOL. I am sure it was because of my status. The drink quickly appeared but there was no sign of the usual bag of nuts to go with it.
Scotch & Dry
The CSM dropped by with immigration/customs forms for Australia and welcomed me on board.
A crew member dropped by and asked me what I would like to eat.
I selected the soup and the sea bass. After I finished my drink the table was set and small plate with a bowl of side salad was placed before me and I was offered bread. The soup was delivered soon after and I was offered some wine. I went with a lovely glass of Cabernet Sauvignon.
The soup was tasty and the salad fresh and was served with a small tub of balsamic dressing.
Corn Soup
Next up was the lovely sea bass. The presentation and flavour were like chalk and cheese to the AY longhaul J meals. You can tell from the pictures how different these two airline meals were. I think QF has to have one of the strongest J products on the market, that I have experienced.
Lovely Sea Bass
I opted to go without dessert but was tempted by the cheese plate and inquired about the stickies they had on board. The crew member fetched a glass of Muscat to go with my cheese and it was delicious.
Cheese & Musct
After the meal I grabbed all the bedding from the side bin and set my seat into bed mode. I was able to catch a good few hours sleep that was quite sound. I was awoken by the lights being turned on around 2 hours out of Sydney.
I didn’t get up straight away and wasn’t that interested in having any breakfast. I eventually got up and changed out of the QF J jammies that had been issued to me earlier.
I lifted the blinds and watched the sun come up outside my window.
Sunrise coming into Sydney
I rang the call bell in order to get a cup of coffee about an hour out. The F purser dropped by to have another chat and we talked about the new Dubai route and how they liked that. He mentioned that there was a BA captain up front doing some training on the big birds.
The captain announced our imminent arrival and said that those of us on the left would get a good view of Sydney on the way in.
Views of Sydney
We flew past to the East of the airport and down South before turning to land from the South at 07:15 and taxied up to our gate.
They connected a ramp up to the top door 1 and I was able to thank the crew on the way out down to immigration. The biometric entry system worked well and I went down to the carousel and awaited the bags. The started coming out about 5 minutes later but with a 4 hour layover in HKG my bag was in the bowels of the aircraft and took a while to come out.
I grabbed my case lined up to get out through customs and was quickly directed outside without the need for any further screening. I then caught the train into St James, emerged onto street level, crossed the street and walked about 50 metres to the Sheraton.
Late in the afternoon I caught up with my co-mod and we had a brief training session before heading out to dinner with a friend of matthandy’s at a lovely Italian restaurant that looked out past the Bridge with the Opera House in the background.
I checked out of my hotel at around 11:00 and walked back over to St James station where some women were having a great conflab with the station ticket staff before I could purchase my ticket. This delay meant an airport train was just pulling out as I made my way down to the platform.
I had to wait 15 minutes for the next train and 15 minutes later I disembarked at the domestic terminal at Sydney’s Mascot airport.
Upstairs I made my way over to a QF desk that actually had a person and was called over from the J line very quickly. My bag was tagged and I was given my BP and sent on my way.
Security was almost empty with more people in the express lane than the normal so I joined that one instead. I was through in a jiffy and I made my way up to the business lounge were I was welcomed inside. It was around 11:45 and as I made my way to the window seats I passed the bar that had a sign stating it would be open at noon.
They had some soup and salads available to eat along with some cheese and breads. I grabbed some salad and cold meats and juice.
It had started to rain as I left the Sheraton and by now it was raining quite heavily outside.
A QF 767 heads out in the rain
I don’t know why but I was surprised that there were so many people travelling with small children in the lounge. I am always amazed at how many children fly in Australia compared to other countries I travel through.
QF Business Lounge Sydney
Early again, I left the lounge and went down to the gate. I pottered around watching life at the busy airport and finally they announced boarding. There was a separate line for elites and business and I joined the end before wandering down to the plane.
Flight QF0435 SYD-MEL Seat 2A
Aircraft: A737-800
Departure time: 13:00
I was welcomed on board by the CSM and took my seat next to a Qantas Link pilot. Three other QF staff took seats in the J cabin before we pushed back. I don’t think I have ever flown a QF domestic flight in J that hasn’t had some QF staff up there.
As boarding was slowing the crew came out with water or Strawberry & Apple juice. I took a glass of the juice.
We finally closed up and pushed back 8 minutes after schedule and taxied out and pulled up by the runway. A 380 was being tugged over to the international terminal and was in the row next to us. It pulled up and across the active runway and then a UA 747 landed with a big spray of water. Then some other aircraft down further pulled on to the runway and took off. Another domestic jet landed and finally we were able to pull out on to the runway and took off at 13:25.
It was a bumpy ride out through the rain clouds but once we cleared these it was mostly a smooth ride. The weather also cleared as we headed south and I got some great views of the coast and some snow capped mountains as we flew over the Great Dividing Range.
View of coast south of Sydney
View of the snow capped mountains
Once the belt sign was off the crew came out with a hot towel and then the lunch service began. On offer for lunch was a chicken salad with caramelised pumpkin or the hot dish was bangers and mash. I was offered some sour dough bread or a white roll with my snags but the crew forgot to offer me any wine. As she made her way back up the aisle I asked for some of the Cabernet Sauvignon and she apologised for not offering me any and filled my glass.
The food was great for a 1 hour flight and as usual the wine was superb. On the tray there was also a small dessert of a caramel cheesecake. After the tray was cleared the crew came back to refill my glass of wine again and I didn’t say no.
Lunch - Bangers & Mash
There were people on board who had a tight connection with the QF 9 flight to Dubai and the CSM made an announcement telling them the gate and informing them that the flight would be held for them.
The captain announced our descent and repeated the message about the QF 9 waiting for them.
We landed at around 14:20 and taxied past a MH 330 being tugged around the apron. I made my way off the plane thanking the CSM on the way out. I made my way out to the carousel and waited for the bags to appear. They did so around 5 minutes later and my bag was one of the first dozen or so out.
I then grabbed a taxi to my parent’s house for a few night stay to catch up with them and the rest of the family.
Jul 15, 2013, 3:01 pm
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: London, UK
Programs: AA 2MM - PLT, BA GGL, SPG Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 6,221
QF Business Class MEL-SYD & QF SYD International F Lounge
After a few days with the folks it was time once again time to head out to Melbourne airport. My brother was able to shuttle me out rather than taking a taxi and it was a good opportunity to catch up with him.
At the airport I got him to drop me off at the Qantas domestic terminal and after saying goodbye I made my way in to locate the Business desks.
Last time I was there I didn’t see one and joined the normal queue instead. The agent informed me the J desks were further down past the security lines. This time I made my way down to that part of the airport only to find no J desks. A queue monitor asked me if I was travelling in business class and I said yes and she said they had moved those desks up to the other end. Anyway she said I could go up to an agent at this ‘service’ line, which I did.
The agent took my passport and printed out my BP for MEL-SYD and SYD-SIN and tagged my bag through. She also gave me a QF fast track pass for Sydney International Immigrations and Security and an Oz immigrations departure card.
There was no queue at security and I was through in a jiffy. I made my way up to the QF domestic lounge complex and handed the agent my BP. The Melbourne lounge is a bit weird, as you need to walk through the QF Club lounge in order to get to the Business lounge. Inside the business lounge an agent viewed my BP again and I walked inside. It was quite busy near the windows but I did manage to find a seat in the ‘quiet’ a.k.a. no mobile phones area.
On offer in the lounge was some juices, a barista making coffee to order, fruit, pastries, toast and spreads and some bircher muesli. I ordered a coffee and helped my self to some OJ.
I headed out to the gate early again and was down at the gate just before boarding commenced. They did do a fast track boarding of elites and business first. I had my BP scanned and walked down onto the plane.
Flight QF043 MEL-SYD Seat 2A
Aircraft: A737-800
Departure time: 12:00
On board I was welcomed by name and directed to my seat. As boarding completed one of the crew came around with a choice of Apple, Strawberry and Pear juice or water. I took the former and it was quite nice. As boarding finished three cabin crew boarded and took seats in the last row of the business cabin. This took the load in J up to 11 of 12.
The CSM announced a flying time of 54 minutes that was quite fast for a block schedule of 1 hour and 25 minutes.
We pushed back at 12:00 on the dot and taxied out to the runway, on the way passing by an MH 330 being tugged around the apron. We took off to the North at 12:10 and were pushing our way through the partially cloudy skies. There were some lovely views of the green Victorian landscape below.
Views of the Victorian Countryside
The belt sign was switched off by 12:13, something you would never see on AA. The crew sprang into action and were out with a hot towel soon after.
Lunch was then served from the trolley. The hot option on todays flight was a seared salmon with mash and a fennel and green olive confit with broccolini. The cold option was a salad with serano ham and roasted almond salsa (whatever that is). I went with the fish and was offered a roll or some sour dough bread. I also asked for some of the tapestry Cabernet Sauvignon when he asked if I would like some wine. He said ah you saw it as I was rolling by. I said I had it on the flight down and it was quite nice. He agreed and poured me a glass to go with the water already on my tray. Also on the track was a small Manna from Heaven dessert consisting of a rhubarb crumble.
Seared Salmon Lunch
After the CSM had finished serving everyone he came back offering tea and coffee and offered to re-fill my glass of wine. I didn’t say no.
The captain announced that we had a strong tail wind and we would be landing soon. The cabin was cleared for landing and we flew in from the South, which made the trip even shorter than having to fly up past the airport on an approach from the North. We touched down less than an hour after take off at 13:02 and were at the gate by 13:09.
I grabbed all my stuff and exited the aircraft making sure to thank the great crew on the way out. The CSM had announced that international connections should make their way to gate 15, which I thought was odd as the bus used to go from gate 1.
Well it turns out they have indeed changed the transfer gate and now the bus ride is a little shorter. At the appointed gate I waited a few minutes before we were asked to descend down to the bus. My onward BP was checked and I made my way downstairs. I was the last person on the bus and the driver closed the doors and we made our way past my BA 777 at its parking stand prior to it being towed to a gate.
Once at the international terminal I made my way upstairs and in another change from the past the bus now dumps people into the check-in area. There used to be a line where you could just go straight into the emigration hall.
I made my way down the fast track line and only had to wait a couple of minutes to be cleared by emigrations. I then went to the fast track security line where the queues were quite short. They were however using the nudoscope. I did my usual protest of this by standing with my arms above my head with my two index fingers pointing to the sky.
Once through I went up to the QF First lounge. I knew my BA flight would consist of a hot meal followed by the ‘oh so first class’ afternoon tea served at 20:00 SIN time. As such I had devised a plan to eat in the lounge at SYD and hold off the main meal until late in the flight.
With this in mind I made my way to the restaurant area and took a seat by the window and consulted the menu.
I noticed that during my transit the BA 777 had also made its way from its parking stand to a gate just below the lounge.
BA 777-300 at SYD
BA 777-300 Tail and iconic Sydney skyline
I took a look at the menu and couldn’t resist the temptation to order some of the lovely salt and pepper squid. It was tender and not in the least rubbery. They really do a great job at cooking the squid here.
SYD F Lounge Restaurant Salt and Pepper Squid
I decided to go with a red as I seem to be going through a red phase of late. I asked for a glass of the Torbreck Shiraz and some sparkling San Pel. After the squid my main course of Thai Style hot and fragrant chicken stir-fry was delivered with a bowl of rice.
SYD F Lounge Restaurant Thai Chicken Stir Fry
The wait staff were pretty lack lustre and didn’t offer to refill my wine or water glass during the meal. I completely forgot about the rice and only noticed it sitting there when I had finished the main.
I decamped to a quiet part of the lounge and grabbed another glass of the Shiraz from the self-service area.
At the airport I got him to drop me off at the Qantas domestic terminal and after saying goodbye I made my way in to locate the Business desks.
Last time I was there I didn’t see one and joined the normal queue instead. The agent informed me the J desks were further down past the security lines. This time I made my way down to that part of the airport only to find no J desks. A queue monitor asked me if I was travelling in business class and I said yes and she said they had moved those desks up to the other end. Anyway she said I could go up to an agent at this ‘service’ line, which I did.
The agent took my passport and printed out my BP for MEL-SYD and SYD-SIN and tagged my bag through. She also gave me a QF fast track pass for Sydney International Immigrations and Security and an Oz immigrations departure card.
There was no queue at security and I was through in a jiffy. I made my way up to the QF domestic lounge complex and handed the agent my BP. The Melbourne lounge is a bit weird, as you need to walk through the QF Club lounge in order to get to the Business lounge. Inside the business lounge an agent viewed my BP again and I walked inside. It was quite busy near the windows but I did manage to find a seat in the ‘quiet’ a.k.a. no mobile phones area.
On offer in the lounge was some juices, a barista making coffee to order, fruit, pastries, toast and spreads and some bircher muesli. I ordered a coffee and helped my self to some OJ.
I headed out to the gate early again and was down at the gate just before boarding commenced. They did do a fast track boarding of elites and business first. I had my BP scanned and walked down onto the plane.
Flight QF043 MEL-SYD Seat 2A
Aircraft: A737-800
Departure time: 12:00
On board I was welcomed by name and directed to my seat. As boarding completed one of the crew came around with a choice of Apple, Strawberry and Pear juice or water. I took the former and it was quite nice. As boarding finished three cabin crew boarded and took seats in the last row of the business cabin. This took the load in J up to 11 of 12.
The CSM announced a flying time of 54 minutes that was quite fast for a block schedule of 1 hour and 25 minutes.
We pushed back at 12:00 on the dot and taxied out to the runway, on the way passing by an MH 330 being tugged around the apron. We took off to the North at 12:10 and were pushing our way through the partially cloudy skies. There were some lovely views of the green Victorian landscape below.
Views of the Victorian Countryside
The belt sign was switched off by 12:13, something you would never see on AA. The crew sprang into action and were out with a hot towel soon after.
Lunch was then served from the trolley. The hot option on todays flight was a seared salmon with mash and a fennel and green olive confit with broccolini. The cold option was a salad with serano ham and roasted almond salsa (whatever that is). I went with the fish and was offered a roll or some sour dough bread. I also asked for some of the tapestry Cabernet Sauvignon when he asked if I would like some wine. He said ah you saw it as I was rolling by. I said I had it on the flight down and it was quite nice. He agreed and poured me a glass to go with the water already on my tray. Also on the track was a small Manna from Heaven dessert consisting of a rhubarb crumble.
Seared Salmon Lunch
After the CSM had finished serving everyone he came back offering tea and coffee and offered to re-fill my glass of wine. I didn’t say no.
The captain announced that we had a strong tail wind and we would be landing soon. The cabin was cleared for landing and we flew in from the South, which made the trip even shorter than having to fly up past the airport on an approach from the North. We touched down less than an hour after take off at 13:02 and were at the gate by 13:09.
I grabbed all my stuff and exited the aircraft making sure to thank the great crew on the way out. The CSM had announced that international connections should make their way to gate 15, which I thought was odd as the bus used to go from gate 1.
Well it turns out they have indeed changed the transfer gate and now the bus ride is a little shorter. At the appointed gate I waited a few minutes before we were asked to descend down to the bus. My onward BP was checked and I made my way downstairs. I was the last person on the bus and the driver closed the doors and we made our way past my BA 777 at its parking stand prior to it being towed to a gate.
Once at the international terminal I made my way upstairs and in another change from the past the bus now dumps people into the check-in area. There used to be a line where you could just go straight into the emigration hall.
I made my way down the fast track line and only had to wait a couple of minutes to be cleared by emigrations. I then went to the fast track security line where the queues were quite short. They were however using the nudoscope. I did my usual protest of this by standing with my arms above my head with my two index fingers pointing to the sky.
Once through I went up to the QF First lounge. I knew my BA flight would consist of a hot meal followed by the ‘oh so first class’ afternoon tea served at 20:00 SIN time. As such I had devised a plan to eat in the lounge at SYD and hold off the main meal until late in the flight.
With this in mind I made my way to the restaurant area and took a seat by the window and consulted the menu.
I noticed that during my transit the BA 777 had also made its way from its parking stand to a gate just below the lounge.
BA 777-300 at SYD
BA 777-300 Tail and iconic Sydney skyline
I took a look at the menu and couldn’t resist the temptation to order some of the lovely salt and pepper squid. It was tender and not in the least rubbery. They really do a great job at cooking the squid here.
SYD F Lounge Restaurant Salt and Pepper Squid
I decided to go with a red as I seem to be going through a red phase of late. I asked for a glass of the Torbreck Shiraz and some sparkling San Pel. After the squid my main course of Thai Style hot and fragrant chicken stir-fry was delivered with a bowl of rice.
SYD F Lounge Restaurant Thai Chicken Stir Fry
The wait staff were pretty lack lustre and didn’t offer to refill my wine or water glass during the meal. I completely forgot about the rice and only noticed it sitting there when I had finished the main.
I decamped to a quiet part of the lounge and grabbed another glass of the Shiraz from the self-service area.
Jul 15, 2013, 3:06 pm
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: London, UK
Programs: AA 2MM - PLT, BA GGL, SPG Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 6,221
BA F SYD-SIN & St Regis Hotel
Once again I made my way to the gate early and pottered around one of the shops near the gate. I could see there were two lines set up, one for F, J & elites and the other for the rest.
They announced a call by name for two families travelling with infants to board first. They then followed up with an announcement for F,J & OW Elites to board through the left hand lane. As they did they were directing people down the second of the two ramps. When my BP was swiped and PP checked the agent directed me down the first ramp that was only being used for F passengers.
Flight BA0016 SYD-SIN Seat 1K
Aircraft: A777-300
Departure time: 15:45
At the door I was greeted and escorted to my seat by one of the crew. They asked if I would like a sleeper suit and then offered a drink and came back with an amenity kit. I of course asked for the champagne.
Amenity & Bubbly
The captain announced a flight time of 7 hours and 40 minutes and we pushed back with 10 in F at 15:44. We took off to the North at 16:04 and made our way out past Sydney outside the window, that I could possibly have seen if it weren’t for the stupid lamp.
The crew came out with a menu for the flight and asked what I would like to drink to start. I should just let you fill in the blanks in these stories and you would mostly get it right. Yes a plate of nuts and a scotch and dry ginger ale were delivered to my seat shortly after.
Scotch & Dry and Nuts
The F purser dropped by and asked me what I would like to eat. I said I would have the soup, salad and the beef but I didn’t want to eat until later as I had just eaten in the lounge. She was fine with this and let me know it would take around 20 minutes to prepare and to let one of the crew know when I was ready.
I sipped my drink and checked out the newest incarnation of the BA IFE on these birds. The Thales system finally brings BA up to the modern era of inflight IFE and left me with the problem I had on the QF flight of too much to choose from.
As usual I was content to listen to music and set up a play list of 100 tracks and set it on random whilst watching the flight map.
The CSD dropped by and welcomed me on board but no chit chat.
After my S&D was empty the crew asked if I would like another and I said I would like a glass of the Shiraz. This was filled a couple of times over the next hour or two.
I watched a movie on the IFE whilst sipping and around three and half hours out of Singapore I asked if I could eat my meal.
The lovely Asian crew member who had been the galley worker during the main service looked after me a treat. The amuse bouche of roasted aubergine and red pepper with some cream cheese and salad leaves was set down. It was nice enough.
Amuse Bouche
Next she asked if I would like my salad or my soup first. I opted for the salad with the creamy garlic Parmesan dressing.
Salad
The mushroom soup was up next and was full of flavour.
Mushroom Soup
I tempted fate by ordering the beef, especially as it was not going to be served at the normal meal time. However I was pleasantly surprised to find it quite tender although a little too done for my liking. You could actually pull the meat apart with a fork. The accompanying sauce and vegetable were all nicely done although the carrot seemed to be showing the signs of exposure.
Steak Dinner
Tender Steak Dinner
After the meal I opted for some coffee. This proved to be a challenge for the crew and they needed to get the galley operator from Biz to give them a hand. Eventually they were able to serve up a nice black coffee. The tray of chocolates had been left on the top end of my seat and I helped myself to a couple of these to have with my coffee.
As I was finishing up my meal the crew started to serve up the second meal, the aforementioned afternoon tea, to the rest of the cabin. I was so glad I had held my meal as afternoon tea has to be my least favourite of ‘things British’ that I have encountered in the food department.
I was offered another cup of coffee that I accepted.
I didn’t write down and couldn’t remember getting hot towel once during this flight.
I asked for an immigrations card and filled this in prior to cabin lock down. We landed at 21:54 and taxied up to our gate. I thanked the crew on exit and made my way down to the immigrations hall that was completely empty. I was processed quickly and went out to await my bag.
The bags started to appear soon and mine was out within the first dozen. I then went out though customs and joined a queue for a taxi. A whole spate of them appeared and I was sitting in a taxi on my way to my hotel at 22:25.
I had emailed the hotel earlier in the day to state I would be arriving late and would need a late check out the following day. At the St Regis the staff took care of my suitcase and I was escorted to the check-in desks. The check in desk agent confirmed my late check out and informed me that they would offer a complementary late check out of 18:00 or I could opt to pay 50 % and stay until 22:00. I went with the former. She also said I could use the spa facilities up until 22:00 to shower if I wished before heading out to the airport. She also said I could make use of the 17:00 – 19:00 cocktails and canapés for SPG Platinum in the Italian restaurant on the second floor prior to leaving for the airport. She also confirmed no suite upgrade but I was upgraded one room level and given high floor that I like.
Up in the room I took a few quick pics and called the butler from some mint tea before crashing for the night.
St Regis Room
St Regis Room
St Regis Room
They announced a call by name for two families travelling with infants to board first. They then followed up with an announcement for F,J & OW Elites to board through the left hand lane. As they did they were directing people down the second of the two ramps. When my BP was swiped and PP checked the agent directed me down the first ramp that was only being used for F passengers.
Flight BA0016 SYD-SIN Seat 1K
Aircraft: A777-300
Departure time: 15:45
At the door I was greeted and escorted to my seat by one of the crew. They asked if I would like a sleeper suit and then offered a drink and came back with an amenity kit. I of course asked for the champagne.
Amenity & Bubbly
The captain announced a flight time of 7 hours and 40 minutes and we pushed back with 10 in F at 15:44. We took off to the North at 16:04 and made our way out past Sydney outside the window, that I could possibly have seen if it weren’t for the stupid lamp.
The crew came out with a menu for the flight and asked what I would like to drink to start. I should just let you fill in the blanks in these stories and you would mostly get it right. Yes a plate of nuts and a scotch and dry ginger ale were delivered to my seat shortly after.
Scotch & Dry and Nuts
The F purser dropped by and asked me what I would like to eat. I said I would have the soup, salad and the beef but I didn’t want to eat until later as I had just eaten in the lounge. She was fine with this and let me know it would take around 20 minutes to prepare and to let one of the crew know when I was ready.
I sipped my drink and checked out the newest incarnation of the BA IFE on these birds. The Thales system finally brings BA up to the modern era of inflight IFE and left me with the problem I had on the QF flight of too much to choose from.
As usual I was content to listen to music and set up a play list of 100 tracks and set it on random whilst watching the flight map.
The CSD dropped by and welcomed me on board but no chit chat.
After my S&D was empty the crew asked if I would like another and I said I would like a glass of the Shiraz. This was filled a couple of times over the next hour or two.
I watched a movie on the IFE whilst sipping and around three and half hours out of Singapore I asked if I could eat my meal.
The lovely Asian crew member who had been the galley worker during the main service looked after me a treat. The amuse bouche of roasted aubergine and red pepper with some cream cheese and salad leaves was set down. It was nice enough.
Amuse Bouche
Next she asked if I would like my salad or my soup first. I opted for the salad with the creamy garlic Parmesan dressing.
Salad
The mushroom soup was up next and was full of flavour.
Mushroom Soup
I tempted fate by ordering the beef, especially as it was not going to be served at the normal meal time. However I was pleasantly surprised to find it quite tender although a little too done for my liking. You could actually pull the meat apart with a fork. The accompanying sauce and vegetable were all nicely done although the carrot seemed to be showing the signs of exposure.
Steak Dinner
Tender Steak Dinner
After the meal I opted for some coffee. This proved to be a challenge for the crew and they needed to get the galley operator from Biz to give them a hand. Eventually they were able to serve up a nice black coffee. The tray of chocolates had been left on the top end of my seat and I helped myself to a couple of these to have with my coffee.
As I was finishing up my meal the crew started to serve up the second meal, the aforementioned afternoon tea, to the rest of the cabin. I was so glad I had held my meal as afternoon tea has to be my least favourite of ‘things British’ that I have encountered in the food department.
I was offered another cup of coffee that I accepted.
I didn’t write down and couldn’t remember getting hot towel once during this flight.
I asked for an immigrations card and filled this in prior to cabin lock down. We landed at 21:54 and taxied up to our gate. I thanked the crew on exit and made my way down to the immigrations hall that was completely empty. I was processed quickly and went out to await my bag.
The bags started to appear soon and mine was out within the first dozen. I then went out though customs and joined a queue for a taxi. A whole spate of them appeared and I was sitting in a taxi on my way to my hotel at 22:25.
I had emailed the hotel earlier in the day to state I would be arriving late and would need a late check out the following day. At the St Regis the staff took care of my suitcase and I was escorted to the check-in desks. The check in desk agent confirmed my late check out and informed me that they would offer a complementary late check out of 18:00 or I could opt to pay 50 % and stay until 22:00. I went with the former. She also said I could use the spa facilities up until 22:00 to shower if I wished before heading out to the airport. She also said I could make use of the 17:00 – 19:00 cocktails and canapés for SPG Platinum in the Italian restaurant on the second floor prior to leaving for the airport. She also confirmed no suite upgrade but I was upgraded one room level and given high floor that I like.
Up in the room I took a few quick pics and called the butler from some mint tea before crashing for the night.
St Regis Room
St Regis Room
St Regis Room
Jul 15, 2013, 3:12 pm
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: London, UK
Programs: AA 2MM - PLT, BA GGL, SPG Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 6,221
BA Business Class SIN-LHR
After a lazy start to the day I went down for the complementary Platinum breakfast. The staff struggle to keep up in the mornings and it was like pulling teeth trying to order something from the ala carte and getting a coffee. I wanted a second cup of coffee to have with a pastry but gave up and went up to my room and ordered one from the butler instead.
No pictures of Singapore as I basically spent the day wandering around the malls along Orchard road. I went back to the hotel empty handed, which was a good thing as I am not sure I could have convinced my suitcase that it would accommodate anything else.
The day somehow disappeared and before I knew it I needed to get changed and check out. After a quick shower and new clothes I packed up my stuff and went down to check out. The bell hop took my suitcase and stored it for me and the agent confirmed I would be able to go up the second floor restaurant to enjoy some drinks.
I was able to connect to the wifi and sipped a few G&Ts by the pool whilst surfing.
At 19:30 I went down to the lobby and outside where the bell hop grabbed my suitcase and the doorman hailed a taxi. After a swift trip out to Changi airport
I made my way into the SATS premium check-in area. My name was checked off the list and I was welcomed inside. The agent processed my paperwork and I there was no sign of an op-up. I had used Avios to upgrade the SYD-SIN sector but on this flight F was showing a maxed out apart from one seat the last time I was able to check.
After exiting the premium check-in I joined a short queue for emigrations. I was through quickly and made my way up to the lounges via the duty free. I had just seen matthandy’s post about the new QF F lounge when surfing at the pool at the St Regis so I decided to check this out first. It was quite busy inside and there were not a lot of free seats. I went down to the restaurant area where I took a seat at the bar looking over the chefs station. There were two cooked to order options including a seared fish with herb salad and a thai style beef stir fry with rice.
I opted for the latter and a glass of the recommended Cabernet Sauvignon. Both were lovely and the meat was very succulent and tender. It was not spicy at although which I found odd for a Thai style dish.
Thai Style Beef
After the meal I decided to decamp to the BA lounge and was surprised to see that it had not been altered at all to put BA’s stamp on it. They took over the space that had previously been the QF F lounge at Singapore. The food on offer was some curry and rice and meatballs with pasta. They also had some sandwiches, cheese and pastries.
I grabbed a glass of water and tried to find a seat. The lounge was quite crowded and by the time the first of the two BA flights to London were called it was very busy indeed with barely a free seat.
I grabbed a glass of red wine and some more water and sat down to wait. Some of the staff were wandering around with plates of deep fried prawns with a small salad. I scoffed on of these down whilst waiting.
When the first of the flights was called I also left to go to my gate.
At the gate there was no premium line for J/F as they have at the SQ gates so I joined the short line. The line split in two for the security checks and as usual I picked the slower moving line. Not helped by the staff that pushed a woman with infant to the front of the line.
I beeped and needed to be wanded before being sent on my way. After that a final BP check before being sent into the lounge. No beep again.
Boarding started about five minutes later with a wheel chair and some families with children. They then made a call for First and Business class. There were two ramps and I went to go down the ramp to door 2L but the agent stopped me and asked me to use 1L as they were still loading the wheelchair passenger. I went on down to the door.
Flight BA0016 SIN-LHR Seat 10A
Aircraft: A777-300
Departure time: 23:05
I was greeted at the door and directed down to the business class cabin. At my seat in 10A and unpacked the stuff I needed for the flight. I then dumped my bag in the overhead. I then sat down and realised how much I hated the Club World cabin on BA.
It is so narrow and claustrophobic and my shoulders hit both sides of the seat. There is also no real place to put the pillow and blanket that can’t be left on the floor.
There is a small drawer to stow some items in that has the headset in it when you arrive. The crew came around with orange juice, water or bubbly and I will let you fill in the blank as to what I chose.
Amenity kits were handed out containing Elemis products, toothbrush and paste, some earplugs and socks and mask. Menus were also handed out on the ground. I started setting up a play list on the IFE system and the captain came on the horn announcing a flight time of 12 hours and 55 minutes. In an all too familiar pattern my headset connection was dodgy and you had to press it in a certain way for it to work properly. This seems to be a common problem on BA, I had to get a new headset on the previous SYD-SIN sector as only 1 ear was working.
The captain stated we had an ATC hold until 23:25 but if we pushed back in the next few minutes this would work out perfectly. This message was then repeated by a crew member in Mandarin.
We pushed back at 23:10 and taxied to the end of the runway where we indeed took off at 23:25. Once in the air the crew came around with a hot towel and one of them took the meal orders.
A hot towel was passed out and then a drinks round was made and yes I had a scotch and dry ginger ale.
Scotch & Dry & Nuts
After this the meal service began. I opted for the mushroom starter that was quite interesting and flavourful. The salad was a salad. Bread was offered along with some wine. The bread was dry and barely edible and I left most of it on the tray.
Mushroom Starter
I opted for the snapper for the main course and it was OK but comparing it to the fish main meal I had on QF it paled. I must say QF must do one of the best J products on the market that I have experienced.
Fish Main Course
The crew on this flight were pretty good although only one of them bothered to raise the stupid blind after they had dealt with me. This raising and lowering of the stupid blind is another irritant of the BA Club World seat.
I declined cheese or dessert but asked for another glass of the red wine I had been drinking. I was listening to my music and reading my book as most others settled in for the night. A bottle of water was given out by the crew before lights out.
Given it was only 17:30 UK time I decided to stay up a little longer. My glass sat empty for an age before I carried it up to the galley and asked for a coffee. The crew said they would put on some fresh for me and bring it to me.
The other crew member dropped by a while later with the coffee and had placed one of the chocolates from the club kitchen on the saucer. A nice touch.
After downing my coffee and reading for another hour or so I felt the need for sleep. My coffee cup was still sitting there so I had to ring the call bell in order to get someone to collect it. I didn’t feel like jumping over the person in 11B again just to get rid of it.
I laid the seat out flat and again remembered reason number xx for not liking Club World. It is so cramped as a bed and it is too short for someone of my height. There is nowhere to put the water bottle and the headset and you spend the night fighting with them as you turn over.
Nevertheless I did get some sleep during the night and was woken by the crew starting the breakfast service at 03:45. I opted for some Bircher muesli and was offered some pastries that I declined. After the starter plate was removed one of the crew came around with a tray displaying the main menu dishes to select from. I went with the Shanghai noodles. Both were quite acceptable although I found it odd that the noodles had scallops and prawns in in that were not mentioned on the menu.
Bircher Muesli
Shanghai Noodles
After the meal I went to change back into my civvies, I had changed into the QF J PJ bottoms after the main meal. As I left the toilet someone exited the one opposite and told the crew he had just been sick on the toilet. The crew locked the door and the passenger went back through the curtain to the economy plus cabin. Nice come up to use the facilities in the business cabin to puke and then put one of them out of order for the rest of the flight. Not long after this the CSD announced that they had placed bottled water in the lavatories as they had run out of water.
The CSD came by and handed out landing cards to those who needed them. There was no greeting of BA elites.
We landed at 05:09 at Terminal 5C and I gathered my things together. They were sending out ramps to doors 1 and 2 and 2 was attached first. The crew didn’t hold business back and I was able to walk off the plane quickly. I jumped onto a transit and made my way over to the main terminal building. It wasn’t as busy as my last two visits and I made my way down to the IRIS gates. I could see one green tick so walked on down. Fifteen seconds later I was through immigrations and on down to the baggage hall.
I check the screen and walked down to the appointed carousel. The screen there was blank and there was no sign of life so I walked back up and checked again. It still said the same number so I went back down and it was still blank.
I then went around to the back side of the pillar and the display there was working and showed the SYD via SIN flight and message that bags would be due at 05:48. It was now 05:35.
At 05:45 the carousel started to move and at 05:47 the first of the bags appeared. Mine came out after a few minutes and I was able to walk on out through the green customs channel.
I decided to forgo the pleasure of a slurpy shower and was in no need of a full breakfast so skipped the arrivals lounge for today. I went down to the HEX line just in time to see a train pull put.
Fifteen minutes later I was on the next train and then on to Paddington 20 minutes later. A quick cab ride and I was home.
Just for PETER01 here is a link to more pictures of the trip
This report is now complete. I hope you all enjoyed the report and if you would like to read about more of my exploits you can find some links below.
My First RTW on OneWorld in F 2006
Passion or Addiction OneWorld RTW in F 2008
Definitely Addicted OneWorld RTW in F 2009
Moomba's Addiction Continues RTW One World in J 2010
A trip across the pond on a 318
Another addiction fuelled RTW in F on One World
Easter in Asia CX F & JL F
And for those that enjoy non-flight specific reports:
Land of the Cherry Blossom Japan by Rail April 2007 (a most underrated travel destination)
Alaska Land & Sea June 2008 (stunning part of the world)
China in Summer 2011
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/20815725-post1.html
No pictures of Singapore as I basically spent the day wandering around the malls along Orchard road. I went back to the hotel empty handed, which was a good thing as I am not sure I could have convinced my suitcase that it would accommodate anything else.
The day somehow disappeared and before I knew it I needed to get changed and check out. After a quick shower and new clothes I packed up my stuff and went down to check out. The bell hop took my suitcase and stored it for me and the agent confirmed I would be able to go up the second floor restaurant to enjoy some drinks.
I was able to connect to the wifi and sipped a few G&Ts by the pool whilst surfing.
At 19:30 I went down to the lobby and outside where the bell hop grabbed my suitcase and the doorman hailed a taxi. After a swift trip out to Changi airport
I made my way into the SATS premium check-in area. My name was checked off the list and I was welcomed inside. The agent processed my paperwork and I there was no sign of an op-up. I had used Avios to upgrade the SYD-SIN sector but on this flight F was showing a maxed out apart from one seat the last time I was able to check.
After exiting the premium check-in I joined a short queue for emigrations. I was through quickly and made my way up to the lounges via the duty free. I had just seen matthandy’s post about the new QF F lounge when surfing at the pool at the St Regis so I decided to check this out first. It was quite busy inside and there were not a lot of free seats. I went down to the restaurant area where I took a seat at the bar looking over the chefs station. There were two cooked to order options including a seared fish with herb salad and a thai style beef stir fry with rice.
I opted for the latter and a glass of the recommended Cabernet Sauvignon. Both were lovely and the meat was very succulent and tender. It was not spicy at although which I found odd for a Thai style dish.
Thai Style Beef
After the meal I decided to decamp to the BA lounge and was surprised to see that it had not been altered at all to put BA’s stamp on it. They took over the space that had previously been the QF F lounge at Singapore. The food on offer was some curry and rice and meatballs with pasta. They also had some sandwiches, cheese and pastries.
I grabbed a glass of water and tried to find a seat. The lounge was quite crowded and by the time the first of the two BA flights to London were called it was very busy indeed with barely a free seat.
I grabbed a glass of red wine and some more water and sat down to wait. Some of the staff were wandering around with plates of deep fried prawns with a small salad. I scoffed on of these down whilst waiting.
When the first of the flights was called I also left to go to my gate.
At the gate there was no premium line for J/F as they have at the SQ gates so I joined the short line. The line split in two for the security checks and as usual I picked the slower moving line. Not helped by the staff that pushed a woman with infant to the front of the line.
I beeped and needed to be wanded before being sent on my way. After that a final BP check before being sent into the lounge. No beep again.
Boarding started about five minutes later with a wheel chair and some families with children. They then made a call for First and Business class. There were two ramps and I went to go down the ramp to door 2L but the agent stopped me and asked me to use 1L as they were still loading the wheelchair passenger. I went on down to the door.
Flight BA0016 SIN-LHR Seat 10A
Aircraft: A777-300
Departure time: 23:05
I was greeted at the door and directed down to the business class cabin. At my seat in 10A and unpacked the stuff I needed for the flight. I then dumped my bag in the overhead. I then sat down and realised how much I hated the Club World cabin on BA.
It is so narrow and claustrophobic and my shoulders hit both sides of the seat. There is also no real place to put the pillow and blanket that can’t be left on the floor.
There is a small drawer to stow some items in that has the headset in it when you arrive. The crew came around with orange juice, water or bubbly and I will let you fill in the blank as to what I chose.
Amenity kits were handed out containing Elemis products, toothbrush and paste, some earplugs and socks and mask. Menus were also handed out on the ground. I started setting up a play list on the IFE system and the captain came on the horn announcing a flight time of 12 hours and 55 minutes. In an all too familiar pattern my headset connection was dodgy and you had to press it in a certain way for it to work properly. This seems to be a common problem on BA, I had to get a new headset on the previous SYD-SIN sector as only 1 ear was working.
The captain stated we had an ATC hold until 23:25 but if we pushed back in the next few minutes this would work out perfectly. This message was then repeated by a crew member in Mandarin.
We pushed back at 23:10 and taxied to the end of the runway where we indeed took off at 23:25. Once in the air the crew came around with a hot towel and one of them took the meal orders.
A hot towel was passed out and then a drinks round was made and yes I had a scotch and dry ginger ale.
Scotch & Dry & Nuts
After this the meal service began. I opted for the mushroom starter that was quite interesting and flavourful. The salad was a salad. Bread was offered along with some wine. The bread was dry and barely edible and I left most of it on the tray.
Mushroom Starter
I opted for the snapper for the main course and it was OK but comparing it to the fish main meal I had on QF it paled. I must say QF must do one of the best J products on the market that I have experienced.
Fish Main Course
The crew on this flight were pretty good although only one of them bothered to raise the stupid blind after they had dealt with me. This raising and lowering of the stupid blind is another irritant of the BA Club World seat.
I declined cheese or dessert but asked for another glass of the red wine I had been drinking. I was listening to my music and reading my book as most others settled in for the night. A bottle of water was given out by the crew before lights out.
Given it was only 17:30 UK time I decided to stay up a little longer. My glass sat empty for an age before I carried it up to the galley and asked for a coffee. The crew said they would put on some fresh for me and bring it to me.
The other crew member dropped by a while later with the coffee and had placed one of the chocolates from the club kitchen on the saucer. A nice touch.
After downing my coffee and reading for another hour or so I felt the need for sleep. My coffee cup was still sitting there so I had to ring the call bell in order to get someone to collect it. I didn’t feel like jumping over the person in 11B again just to get rid of it.
I laid the seat out flat and again remembered reason number xx for not liking Club World. It is so cramped as a bed and it is too short for someone of my height. There is nowhere to put the water bottle and the headset and you spend the night fighting with them as you turn over.
Nevertheless I did get some sleep during the night and was woken by the crew starting the breakfast service at 03:45. I opted for some Bircher muesli and was offered some pastries that I declined. After the starter plate was removed one of the crew came around with a tray displaying the main menu dishes to select from. I went with the Shanghai noodles. Both were quite acceptable although I found it odd that the noodles had scallops and prawns in in that were not mentioned on the menu.
Bircher Muesli
Shanghai Noodles
After the meal I went to change back into my civvies, I had changed into the QF J PJ bottoms after the main meal. As I left the toilet someone exited the one opposite and told the crew he had just been sick on the toilet. The crew locked the door and the passenger went back through the curtain to the economy plus cabin. Nice come up to use the facilities in the business cabin to puke and then put one of them out of order for the rest of the flight. Not long after this the CSD announced that they had placed bottled water in the lavatories as they had run out of water.
The CSD came by and handed out landing cards to those who needed them. There was no greeting of BA elites.
We landed at 05:09 at Terminal 5C and I gathered my things together. They were sending out ramps to doors 1 and 2 and 2 was attached first. The crew didn’t hold business back and I was able to walk off the plane quickly. I jumped onto a transit and made my way over to the main terminal building. It wasn’t as busy as my last two visits and I made my way down to the IRIS gates. I could see one green tick so walked on down. Fifteen seconds later I was through immigrations and on down to the baggage hall.
I check the screen and walked down to the appointed carousel. The screen there was blank and there was no sign of life so I walked back up and checked again. It still said the same number so I went back down and it was still blank.
I then went around to the back side of the pillar and the display there was working and showed the SYD via SIN flight and message that bags would be due at 05:48. It was now 05:35.
At 05:45 the carousel started to move and at 05:47 the first of the bags appeared. Mine came out after a few minutes and I was able to walk on out through the green customs channel.
I decided to forgo the pleasure of a slurpy shower and was in no need of a full breakfast so skipped the arrivals lounge for today. I went down to the HEX line just in time to see a train pull put.
Fifteen minutes later I was on the next train and then on to Paddington 20 minutes later. A quick cab ride and I was home.
Just for PETER01 here is a link to more pictures of the trip
This report is now complete. I hope you all enjoyed the report and if you would like to read about more of my exploits you can find some links below.
My First RTW on OneWorld in F 2006
Passion or Addiction OneWorld RTW in F 2008
Definitely Addicted OneWorld RTW in F 2009
Moomba's Addiction Continues RTW One World in J 2010
A trip across the pond on a 318
Another addiction fuelled RTW in F on One World
Easter in Asia CX F & JL F
And for those that enjoy non-flight specific reports:
Land of the Cherry Blossom Japan by Rail April 2007 (a most underrated travel destination)
Alaska Land & Sea June 2008 (stunning part of the world)
China in Summer 2011
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/20815725-post1.html
Last edited by Moomba; Jul 19, 2013 at 10:52 am
Jul 15, 2013, 3:23 pm
#7
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Manchester, UK
Programs: BA Exec Club
Posts: 152
Great read, thanks. I was thinking of flying AY as an affordable way for 2 of us to get to OZ is reasonable comfort......not so sure now. Are you able to sleep properly in the angled beds? Cheers, Rob
Jul 15, 2013, 7:30 pm
#8
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Kent, UK
Programs: BA Gold, SPG Platinum, Marriott Platinum, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 3,809
You have your trip report up already Moomba, wow! I have no excuses now!
It was great to see you again and thanks for the mod training. Doing so with a glass of Champagne was the best way to do it.
See you next time.
It was great to see you again and thanks for the mod training. Doing so with a glass of Champagne was the best way to do it.
See you next time.
Jul 16, 2013, 4:28 am
#9
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Iver
Programs: BA GOLD/OWE BA Amex Prem Plus Tesco Airmiles Qantas Bronze IHG SPG Eithad
Posts: 2,902
Thanks Moomba for a great TR and so quickly written, it certainly was a quick trip down under, hope you did not get back to UK with too much jet lag. Agree now J seats are really horrible and narrow when so used to F, there certainly is nowhere to stow items such as the bottled water, and often that gets lost in the bed somewhere when turning over. Loved the look of the fried squid and dip at SYD, may just try that next time as a stop gap before getting on the aircraft. Thanks again for a very interesting TR and the photos.
Jul 16, 2013, 11:57 am
#10
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: London, UK
Programs: AA 2MM - PLT, BA GGL, SPG Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 6,221
Thanks Moomba for a great TR and so quickly written, it certainly was a quick trip down under, hope you did not get back to UK with too much jet lag. Agree now J seats are really horrible and narrow when so used to F, there certainly is nowhere to stow items such as the bottled water, and often that gets lost in the bed somewhere when turning over. Loved the look of the fried squid and dip at SYD, may just try that next time as a stop gap before getting on the aircraft. Thanks again for a very interesting TR and the photos.
Jul 16, 2013, 1:31 pm
#11
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Bedfordshire, UK
Programs: BA Gold, Geek platinum
Posts: 2,004
Thanks for the report, I'm glad I'm not the only one to find club world claustrophobic!
Reading a report about Sydney makes me nostalgic, I was only there a couple of months back but would jump on the first plane back if I had the chance!
Reading a report about Sydney makes me nostalgic, I was only there a couple of months back but would jump on the first plane back if I had the chance!
Jul 16, 2013, 1:40 pm
#12
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 3,513
How did I find the st Regis?
I actually had a bad stay there last time. The checkin was rude, no porter to help with luggage and took them 15 minutes to checkin. Did not escort to room. Wifi Internet was average. No table available for breakfast.
Unfortunately no other decent Starwood properties around - the Sheraton is a bit old
I actually had a bad stay there last time. The checkin was rude, no porter to help with luggage and took them 15 minutes to checkin. Did not escort to room. Wifi Internet was average. No table available for breakfast.
Unfortunately no other decent Starwood properties around - the Sheraton is a bit old
Jul 18, 2013, 10:32 am
#14
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: London
Programs: BAEC Gold (thanks to BOB), UA, Flying Blue, Miles & Smiles, Amex BAPP & Platinum
Posts: 392
Thank you for this. I do hope to get to Melbourne one day - I have to see my great grandfather's ship which is now a museum - and you have set the standard for enjoyment of the whole trip! :-: