Easter in Oz and NZ - Qantas C/Y, Air NZ Y, Jetstar Y, AA Y
Apr 4, 2017, 2:05 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: London - SW4
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 320
Easter in Oz and NZ - Qantas C/Y, Air NZ Y, Jetstar Y, AA Y
It's 5 in the morning here in Melbourne and I'm wide awake... jet lag is always fun. A few months ago I decided to cash in my AA miles and switch to collecting Avios (not sure why, in hindsight...). There was saver business availability on Qantas JFK-LAX-MEL and - given my love of anywhere warmer than London - I went ahead with it. The QF JFK-LAX tag is one the the most unique domestic US flights, only available for those continuing to Oz (correct me if I'm wrong). The plan is to spend 6 nights in Melbs, 6 in Sydney, 2 in Queenstown, and 1 in Auckland. I've never been to Australasia before, so I'm quite excited for the rest of my time here. To get to JFK from London, I flew BA in WTP to IAD, then AA DCA-ORD and ORD-LGA to see some family. Won't be reviewing them as little has changed, besides the obvious BA cost cutting... sigh. I'm writing this report vaguely live, but I have to get some revision done whilst I'm here and obviously don't want to spend all my time inside, so no promises on how it'll come along. Please do let me know if you've any tips for here!
Overall Thoughts - Qantas Business JFK-LAX-MEL
Soft Product: Fairly good - food was tasty, as will be shown in pictures. The timing of the flight(s) is a bit of a tricky one. Would prefer the LAX-MEL flight to leave a couple hours later. As it's such a late one, there is only a supper service (for those who desire it). Dinner on the JFK-LAX sector was full, but there was nothing before arrival. LAX-MEL had a light supper and then a full brekkie. Both were fairly tasty, but there seemed to be large gaps of time without decent food options. Maybe I just eat too much... Alcohol selections - menu will come - were good, although I disliked both the Shiraz and Pinot Noir on offer. Service itself on JFK-LAX was phenomenal. David never failed to address me by name and was genuine, helpful, and friendly. LAX-MEL was much more standard, BA Club World-like. Friendly, but nothing was above and beyond. The crew did their job and were professional, but little touches were lacking. The Jack Spade amenity kits were stylish but standard - socks, eye mask, lip balm, moisturizer, toothbrush/paste... Overall, I enjoyed the flights, especially compared to Club World (my usual comparison).
Hard Product: I was quite pleased with the seat. Although not the most private or spacious, it was very comfortable for sleep. On QF's longhaul flights, I'd say that is most important so cannot fault them there. The blanket was nice and the additional mattress topper helpful. Both planes had air nozzles, which I enjoy. The entertainment selection was pretty good as well, but the interface and menus were not intuitive in terms of categories etc. The toilets were very small and empty for business class... not a major issue, just a bit surprising.Overall, impressed and satisfied with the hard product.
Ground Experience: Probably the most disappointing aspect. Qantas use the BA Galleries lounge in T7 at JFK. I'd rate it a notch below the LHR and IAD BA lounges, and a bit above domestic US lounges. Fine, but crowded and the food was lacking (even what was there was not very nice). I did not get to use the lounge at LAX, as boarding had begun before I was off the first plane. A severe oversight is that, theoretically, business passengers are meant to eat in the lounge at LAX; hence, the abbreviated meal service. However, JFK-LAX-MEL leaves a 1:10 connection, if the first flight is on time (it rarely is, and wasn't in my case). There is also no arrivals lounge at either SYD or MEL... for an airline with many longhaul flights arriving in the morning and quite high fairs, a bit disappointing. Nothing too horrific, as these are all first world problems, but did not feel particularly premium. Likewise, baggage delivery did not reflect priority tags.
JFK T7 - Check-in and Galleries Lounge
My parents had been in NYC with me to celebrate my sister's 26th a bit early (Gotham Bar and Grill was fantastic, side note) and were kind enough to drive me to JFK from Brooklyn. Traffic was a bit heavy, but what can you expect. Check-in fast fast and friendly and security very quick. I headed to the BA Galleries lounge, where I quickly set up shop. Unfortunately, the wifi was hit or miss, so I didn't have the productive time I had envisioned (I've got exams in a month and am woefully underprepared). Alas, I had a quick bite to eat and a few drinks. Apologies for the lack of coverage - the lounge is well covered in other TRs. There was a mediterranean spread of under-roasted vegetables, stale bread, and bland hummus, in addition to the three types of sandwiches. The sandwiches are alright, but again not particularly great. There was also a fairly standard selection of biscuits, but I could not find any proper desserts of sorts... would have been nice to have a cake or something of the sort. The drink selection was alright... I had a decent french red. The prosecco on offer was not particularly nice and there were no glasses out for quite a while (understaffed, overcrowded lounge). Some of the alcohol selection was alright but some was particularly bottom-shelf (red label, for instance). The lounge was certainly above domestic US standards, but not even to other BA lounge standards. As I mentioned, I did not take many photos as the lounge has been well covered - my apologies. I spent quite a bit of time in the lounge as the flight ended up leaving 30 minutes late - all the staff were nice and it was pleasant enough, but did not seem ready to cope with the current demand.
My brand new, 52-page passport (tip: check your pockets before you do the wash).
Just some pictures of the lounge. It very quickly filled up. Again, apologies for no pictures of the food/drink selection.
And there's the first bit... should try to get the QF flights up today, and might post some pics from Melbs. More to come! Thanks in advance for reading/commenting.
Overall Thoughts - Qantas Business JFK-LAX-MEL
Soft Product: Fairly good - food was tasty, as will be shown in pictures. The timing of the flight(s) is a bit of a tricky one. Would prefer the LAX-MEL flight to leave a couple hours later. As it's such a late one, there is only a supper service (for those who desire it). Dinner on the JFK-LAX sector was full, but there was nothing before arrival. LAX-MEL had a light supper and then a full brekkie. Both were fairly tasty, but there seemed to be large gaps of time without decent food options. Maybe I just eat too much... Alcohol selections - menu will come - were good, although I disliked both the Shiraz and Pinot Noir on offer. Service itself on JFK-LAX was phenomenal. David never failed to address me by name and was genuine, helpful, and friendly. LAX-MEL was much more standard, BA Club World-like. Friendly, but nothing was above and beyond. The crew did their job and were professional, but little touches were lacking. The Jack Spade amenity kits were stylish but standard - socks, eye mask, lip balm, moisturizer, toothbrush/paste... Overall, I enjoyed the flights, especially compared to Club World (my usual comparison).
Hard Product: I was quite pleased with the seat. Although not the most private or spacious, it was very comfortable for sleep. On QF's longhaul flights, I'd say that is most important so cannot fault them there. The blanket was nice and the additional mattress topper helpful. Both planes had air nozzles, which I enjoy. The entertainment selection was pretty good as well, but the interface and menus were not intuitive in terms of categories etc. The toilets were very small and empty for business class... not a major issue, just a bit surprising.Overall, impressed and satisfied with the hard product.
Ground Experience: Probably the most disappointing aspect. Qantas use the BA Galleries lounge in T7 at JFK. I'd rate it a notch below the LHR and IAD BA lounges, and a bit above domestic US lounges. Fine, but crowded and the food was lacking (even what was there was not very nice). I did not get to use the lounge at LAX, as boarding had begun before I was off the first plane. A severe oversight is that, theoretically, business passengers are meant to eat in the lounge at LAX; hence, the abbreviated meal service. However, JFK-LAX-MEL leaves a 1:10 connection, if the first flight is on time (it rarely is, and wasn't in my case). There is also no arrivals lounge at either SYD or MEL... for an airline with many longhaul flights arriving in the morning and quite high fairs, a bit disappointing. Nothing too horrific, as these are all first world problems, but did not feel particularly premium. Likewise, baggage delivery did not reflect priority tags.
JFK T7 - Check-in and Galleries Lounge
My parents had been in NYC with me to celebrate my sister's 26th a bit early (Gotham Bar and Grill was fantastic, side note) and were kind enough to drive me to JFK from Brooklyn. Traffic was a bit heavy, but what can you expect. Check-in fast fast and friendly and security very quick. I headed to the BA Galleries lounge, where I quickly set up shop. Unfortunately, the wifi was hit or miss, so I didn't have the productive time I had envisioned (I've got exams in a month and am woefully underprepared). Alas, I had a quick bite to eat and a few drinks. Apologies for the lack of coverage - the lounge is well covered in other TRs. There was a mediterranean spread of under-roasted vegetables, stale bread, and bland hummus, in addition to the three types of sandwiches. The sandwiches are alright, but again not particularly great. There was also a fairly standard selection of biscuits, but I could not find any proper desserts of sorts... would have been nice to have a cake or something of the sort. The drink selection was alright... I had a decent french red. The prosecco on offer was not particularly nice and there were no glasses out for quite a while (understaffed, overcrowded lounge). Some of the alcohol selection was alright but some was particularly bottom-shelf (red label, for instance). The lounge was certainly above domestic US standards, but not even to other BA lounge standards. As I mentioned, I did not take many photos as the lounge has been well covered - my apologies. I spent quite a bit of time in the lounge as the flight ended up leaving 30 minutes late - all the staff were nice and it was pleasant enough, but did not seem ready to cope with the current demand.
My brand new, 52-page passport (tip: check your pockets before you do the wash).
Just some pictures of the lounge. It very quickly filled up. Again, apologies for no pictures of the food/drink selection.
And there's the first bit... should try to get the QF flights up today, and might post some pics from Melbs. More to come! Thanks in advance for reading/commenting.
Apr 4, 2017, 2:37 pm
#2
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: London - SW4
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 320
QF JFK-LAX-MEL Part 1
The first of the two flights - the tag to LAX was meant to leave right past 6pm. There was a bit of a delay, but nothing too bad. I had selected a seat upstairs as, even though 1A was available, the days of the 744 are numbered. It was a great choice as the service was phenomenal. I've got a few pictures from the flight - excuse me for the quality of some of them.
QF 14 JFK-LAX C 15A B744
Scheduled: 18:10-21:00
Actual: ~18:40-21:20
Some pictures of the hard product, not my actual seat. I definitely realise that this isn't the most private, spacious, or luxurious seat out there. That said, it is very comfortable. For 23 hours in the air, I'd take that over any amount of bling.I'll let the photos (sorry for the quality!!) can do most bit of the talking.
The screen and tray table were in the centre console. The TV wasn't particularly big or anything, but did the job. Actual content was very good, I thought. The tray table was a bit cumbersome to use, but did the job. As on upper decks, there were storage lockers at the window seats. The seats had a massage function which, although I couldn't figure out how to change the intensity etc properly, I quite enjoyed.
Menus were presented on the ground, along with amenity kits. Orders were taken and pre-departure drinks of OJ, Champers (Duval Leroy), and water were offered. I gladly took a glass of champagne, to continue with the theme of over-indulging whilst in transit. I do again apologies in advance for the number of selfies the solo travel necessitates.
The drinks list was the same as the next flight, so I'll only post it once.
The menu looked quite alright for a rather short flight. It was much more comprehensive than the second flight. Planned, I know, but still a bit unsure as to whether or not it's the best system. To start, I ordered the soup. Perhaps I'm a bit picky, but I don't really enjoy fish so the only/obvious choice was the cannelloni.
The classic Tommy selfie face...
We took off fairly quickly after settling in, and nuts and drinks were offered about 30 minutes into the air. The service on this leg was fantastic - no glass was ever nearly empty and everything was offered proactively. I had a glass or two... or three (can't really recall
) before dinner.
Beautiful day in the City.
The first course was served perhaps an hour into the flight. As I mentioned earlier, I had the soup. It was quite tasty - very good food to be served on an airplane. Some warm sourdough with garlic was offered and was a delicious accompaniment to the soup. I switched to the Shiraz at this point and did not enjoy it. Of course I still drank it, but was not a huge fan.
The flow of service was very good, and I fairly soon received my main course - the cannelloni. It was nice, although on the dry side. The tomato sauce was very flavourful and helped with the dryness, but there was far too little of it. Would order again but probably not as my first choice. Switched to the Pinot Noir and - again - did not like it very much. My palate is not refined enough to know whether the wine wasn't nice or I just didn't like it, but oh well.
Lastly, I had the white chocolate and strawberry trifle, with a glass of Australian dessert wine. Definitely the best course. I love white chocolate so am a bit biased, but the strawberries cut the dense top layer and the almonds provided a lovely bit of texture. Would have gladly had another (or even two more), but figured I ought to not waste calories at this stage in the game.
Dinner ended a bit less than 2 hours into the flight, which left a good amount of time. As my film (The Heat... perfect comedy for a plane) ended, I went to sleep. I rarely do so if it's early, so that's a reflection of the comfort of the seat. I woke up with about an hour to go. David very happy made me a very nice (plunger!!!) coffee and kept it full, which was appreciated. The snacks were limited (chocolate, crisps, etc) but were nice and proactively offered. The flight landed slightly after schedule, and was a very nice way to start the trip to Oz.
QF 14 JFK-LAX C 15A B744
Scheduled: 18:10-21:00
Actual: ~18:40-21:20
Some pictures of the hard product, not my actual seat. I definitely realise that this isn't the most private, spacious, or luxurious seat out there. That said, it is very comfortable. For 23 hours in the air, I'd take that over any amount of bling.I'll let the photos (sorry for the quality!!) can do most bit of the talking.
The screen and tray table were in the centre console. The TV wasn't particularly big or anything, but did the job. Actual content was very good, I thought. The tray table was a bit cumbersome to use, but did the job. As on upper decks, there were storage lockers at the window seats. The seats had a massage function which, although I couldn't figure out how to change the intensity etc properly, I quite enjoyed.
Menus were presented on the ground, along with amenity kits. Orders were taken and pre-departure drinks of OJ, Champers (Duval Leroy), and water were offered. I gladly took a glass of champagne, to continue with the theme of over-indulging whilst in transit. I do again apologies in advance for the number of selfies the solo travel necessitates.
The drinks list was the same as the next flight, so I'll only post it once.
The menu looked quite alright for a rather short flight. It was much more comprehensive than the second flight. Planned, I know, but still a bit unsure as to whether or not it's the best system. To start, I ordered the soup. Perhaps I'm a bit picky, but I don't really enjoy fish so the only/obvious choice was the cannelloni.
The classic Tommy selfie face...
We took off fairly quickly after settling in, and nuts and drinks were offered about 30 minutes into the air. The service on this leg was fantastic - no glass was ever nearly empty and everything was offered proactively. I had a glass or two... or three (can't really recall
) before dinner.Beautiful day in the City.
The first course was served perhaps an hour into the flight. As I mentioned earlier, I had the soup. It was quite tasty - very good food to be served on an airplane. Some warm sourdough with garlic was offered and was a delicious accompaniment to the soup. I switched to the Shiraz at this point and did not enjoy it. Of course I still drank it, but was not a huge fan.
The flow of service was very good, and I fairly soon received my main course - the cannelloni. It was nice, although on the dry side. The tomato sauce was very flavourful and helped with the dryness, but there was far too little of it. Would order again but probably not as my first choice. Switched to the Pinot Noir and - again - did not like it very much. My palate is not refined enough to know whether the wine wasn't nice or I just didn't like it, but oh well.
Lastly, I had the white chocolate and strawberry trifle, with a glass of Australian dessert wine. Definitely the best course. I love white chocolate so am a bit biased, but the strawberries cut the dense top layer and the almonds provided a lovely bit of texture. Would have gladly had another (or even two more), but figured I ought to not waste calories at this stage in the game.
Dinner ended a bit less than 2 hours into the flight, which left a good amount of time. As my film (The Heat... perfect comedy for a plane) ended, I went to sleep. I rarely do so if it's early, so that's a reflection of the comfort of the seat. I woke up with about an hour to go. David very happy made me a very nice (plunger!!!) coffee and kept it full, which was appreciated. The snacks were limited (chocolate, crisps, etc) but were nice and proactively offered. The flight landed slightly after schedule, and was a very nice way to start the trip to Oz.
Apr 30, 2017, 10:57 am
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: London - SW4
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 320
Just an update - my apologies for taking my time. Just wanted to say that I will finish this, but have been at home for a while and there have been a few family issues. I'll be going back to London to sit exams, but then should have time to work on this. Oz/NZ were fantastic, so hopefully it'll be interesting once it's all done.