Some months ago British Airways had a good fare on sale in economy to Singapore and Bangkok. As the fare was the same and I fancied a cheap side trip, I chose Bangkok as it is further (more miles ) and has more cheap options for the side trip.
A quick check of my multi-page itinerary for the next 12 months that I carry with me for easy reference (its hard keeping track of 100 odd booked unflown flights), showed a gap over a long weekend that worked in nicely with the sale dates and had availability. A few clicks and I was booked.
In the intervening period I had lots of travel and time to ponder which new place I would go to on the side trip. I'll explain more later.
Time for lunch. I'll post some more when next I can.
Apologies the next instalment will have to wait a bit longer. Dang OLCI isn't working so I have to come up with a plan B for a tight connection tomorrow.
Auckland to Sydney (AKL-SYD) on QF 767 (domestic config)
After meeting up with KenF for dinner and drinks, and going to a few more places after KenF retired to hotel, I awoke to the chirp of my alarm after barely 2 hours sleep. Ack I probably shouldn't have gone to those extra places. A quick shower, take something for my building hangover, chuck the last few items in my rollaboard that weren't already there from the previous trip a few days ago and staggered out the door.
I took the bus to the airport. For once the driver asked if any customers were going to domestic terminal, and on the deafening silence skipped the drive to those terminals and headed straight for international.
I roll into the deserted premium check in area, well deserted other than a couple of check in agents and several immigration officers chatting. Pick up the couple of boarding passes and pay departure tax (credit card only for Qantas - no use (for now) for that $25 I'd put in my pocket to pay it (oops - thinking of NZ etc which accept cash payments).
I was too tired to notice that my seat had moved up one row. Earlier, before seat auto-allocation by Qantas, I'd deliberately selected an aisle seat in the second row of economy for the extra legroom and still quick exit. Qantas have moved me forward to the bulkhead, but at least I was still in the middle block of 3 = some chance of an empty middle seat.
The immigration guy processes me quickly and put the pre-cleared sticker which enabled me to bypass the main immigration line upstairs. That saved a couple of minutes, but at peak times it can save 30 minutes.
Security is slow. Again I lost the line roulette and pick a slow one. This time I manage to avoid the "random" manual search which has recently started for international flights. Then past the duty free shops, with a quick glance to check this week's super specials, and up to the lounge. I'm welcomed back to the F side as usual.
I grabbed a fruit smoothie in shot glass and some water, checked emails and waited for the flight to be called. When I realised the time I headed out to the gate before a call was made. Boarding was underway by now with huge queue at the BP reader, but the gate agent made an announcement for Chairmans Lounge, Platinum, Gold, OW Emerald, OW Sapphire and Business class pax to approach her at the desk. So I took her up on the offer and waltzed past the big queue, into the airbridge and boarded. Despite the odd looks from some other pax I was glad I did for it ensured my rollaboard was in the overhead bin by my seat. Something that not everyone else was able to manage.
As it turned out one of the few empty seats was the middle seat next door. After boarding was completed the CSD offered me a pair of seats at the very rear of the cabin. I thanked him for the offer but declined. I don't see a big difference between empty seat alongside as a pair or as a row of three, and I'd rather be near the front for quick deplaning and maximum F lounge time. While the offered seats would have had a bit more legroom than my bulkhead seat, I didn't mind for this shorthaul sector.
Breakfast was a choice of a sugary cereal or a greasy egg tomato and sausage, neither particularly appealing.
The movie on the main screen was the movie listed for the second half of the month (instead of the first).
I tried but failed to sleep.
We had a fairly straight in approach, which is unusual for me at Sydney. Must have struck it lucky. The taxi to the gate was short and quickly off and to international transfers. A continuation flight to Melbourne must have just arrived before us as transfers was the busiest I have seen it. Fortunately all the screening stations were manned and processing efficiently so it did not take long to get through. I did my usual trick to avoid the explosives test, went up the escalator and headed for the new Qantas F lounge.
(Not that I have anything to worry about re traces of explosives, I just seem to get picked for the test more often than not so I wonder what I am doing wrong )
At most stations in Australia they do continuous screening. So make sure they are busy when you walk past them, by either being very quick gathering your stuff from xray (my well practiced swoop ), or fumble a bit putting things into pockets (amazing how the plastic baggy refuses to fit back into that side pocket ).
If they aren't doing continuous screening (eg just come back from a break) try not to catch their eye.
The only time this doesn't work for me is when I am the only passenger doing an int->int transfer (eg at Adelaide in April).
I forgot to mention that no one at transfers asked for onward boarding pass or ticket. Now I see how some FTers try to visit a lounge on arrivals in SYD (all lounges in the international terminal are airside).
For the second time in less than a week I was lucky enough to visit a brand new (opened late May) first class lounge. Being their hub I was expecting good things despite the tired old lounge that was replaced.
Entrance is just before the business class lounge on the mezzanine level, ie where the old first class lounge used to be (ignoring the temporary location for the past 18 months or so). Outside the entrance a bouncer or three checks boarding passes for eligibility. Hopefully eligible passengers without a boarding pass are still okay to enter and get boarding pass issued inside.
Inside is a lobby area with several comfy chairs and a green wall. Not sure why anyone would want to sit in this area to be honest, as no amenities here and lots of foot traffic (so hardly an area of tranquility). Then up the escalator or lift (one escalator was out of service already!) to the main lounge level.
At the top of the escalator another check of boarding pass, which they swipe to enter in the computer. Then I'm free to explore. I notice the QF first class passengers who checked in at SYD are escorted into the lounge and given a brief guided tour. I presume they are asked if they've been here before first.
The lounge is, as expected, similar to the new first class lounge in MEL. It is much larger however, although not as big as I anticipated given Qantas' SYD-centric route structure.
There are nice showers by the left hand side bathrooms, no slow door entrance per MEL. Watch out the shower room has been serviced - the first 3 I went into had not The bathroom is minimilast and was lacking hand towels when I used it (with no air dryer either this is bad form). A second set of bathrooms are behind the lift.
There are a few computers in a work area between dining area and bathrooms. These were not as obvious as the main business center (eg not signposted) and seemed less well used. The main business center is to the right on entry, with about 8 computer stations. The only phones available for use in the lounge that I could see were in the designated meeting rooms and on the desks beside computers. In peak times I think there will not be anywhere near enough computers or phones.
There is a largeish library just past the business centre. It had a reasonable selection of books, and limited selection of newspapers and magazines. The only copy of the Australian Way (Qantas in-flight magazine) was the previous month's edition!
The dining area is nice. The tables closest to the windows are in high demand. Service however left a bit to be desired. They were noticeably favouring certain customers to the near exclusion of anyone else, but even for those lucky ones not up to the standard I'd expect for service marketed as top notch. How you might ask? Slow service - most passengers waiting for a flight will be in a hurry. Waiting 40 minutes for first food is not good. Not asked for drinks. Had to ask for water. Not willing to recommend anything(!) A list of items on the menu that were not available. Not at all proactive or attentive - many of us had to get up from our table and go to them to ask for a drink refill. And so on. Rather disappointing, and hopefully just initial glitches rather than here for good.
The breakfast menu is on until midday, then all day dining menu. Personally I'd prefer all day menu to start earlier. Some customers will have body clock on different time to local and appreciate different food than breakfast at 1130 for example.
Some snacks were available from by the coffee machine and drinks (non-alcoholic + beer) fridge. Wine put out only when all day dining starts (ie midday), but available on request at the bar.
I had a reasonable transit time, partly to try it out and partly to reduce annoyance of rushing through a tight connection. I had time to sample some of the amenities, get annoyed by the frequent requests for my boarding pass, book some future trips and catch up on FT. Overall it was a more pleasant transit than I'd have gotten in the old lounge.
I forgot to mention that no one at transfers asked for onward boarding pass or ticket. Now I see how some FTers try to visit a lounge on arrivals in SYD (all lounges in the international terminal are airside).
If successful in doing this, how would you then get back landside?
Sydney Qantas First Class Lounge Beverages Menu (dining area)
WINE LIST
White Wine
Knappstein Three 2006, Clare Valley, South Australia
Cape Mentelle Semillion Sauvignon Blanc 2005, Margaret River, Western Australia
Meerea Park Epoch Semillion 2005, Hunter Valley, New South Wales
Giant Steps Chardonnay 2004, Yarra Valley, Victoria
Dominique Portet Fontaine Rose 2006, Yarra Valley, Victoria
Champagne
Moet & Chandon Brut Imperial
Veuve Cliquot Ponsardin
Moet & Chandon Rose
Red Wine
Yering Station Pinot Noir 2005, Yarra Valley, Victoria
Meerea Park Shiraz Viognier 2005, Hunter Valley, New South Wales
Torbreck Cuvee Juveniles 2005, Grenache Shiraz Mourvedre, Barossa Valley, South Australia
Parker Estate Terra Rossa Cabernet 2004, Coonawarra, South Australia
Dessert Wine
De Bortoli Noble One 2004, Riverina, New South Wales
BEVERAGE LIST
Aperitifs
Campari, Cinzano Blanco, Noilly Prat
Spirits
Glenlivet 18yo Malt Whiskey
Chivas Regal 12yo Scotch Whiskey
Johnnie Walker Black Label
Bombay Sapphire Dry London Gin
Tanqueray Gin
Wyborowa Single Estate Vodka
Bellvedere Vodka
Bacardi White Rum
Inner Circle Dark Rum
Bundaberg Dark Rum
Wild Turkey Bourbon
Jack Daniels Bourbon
Cuervo Tequila
Beers
Cascade Light, Cascade, Heineken, Crown Lager, James Squire
Digestives, Liqueurs and Ports
Bailey’s Irish Cream
Cointreau
Drambuie
Tia Maria
St Agnes 5yo Brandy
Martell Biscuit VSOP
Grant Burge 20yo Tawny
Morris Liqueur Tawny
Morris Liqueur Muscat
Morris Liqueur Tokay
Harvey’s Bristol Cream Sherry
NON ALCOHOLIC
Range of freshly squeezed juices
Orange Juice, Apple Juice, Tomato Juice
nudie Passionfruit and Orange Energiser Drink, designed by Neil Perry
nudie Mango and Passionfruit Juice
nudie Strawberry and Banana Juice
San Pellegrino Acqua Panna Natural Mineral Water
San Pellegrino Sparkling Mineral Water
San Pellegrino Chinotto, San Pellegrino Limonata, San Pellegrino Aranciata Rossa
Ginger Ale, Lemonade, Cola, Diet Cola
HOT BEVERAGES
COFFEE
ESPRESSO COFFEES USE THE PREMIUM GIANCARLO BLEND FROM GRINDERS COFFEE
) and has more cheap options for the side trip. 
)
).
The bathroom is minimilast and was lacking hand towels when I used it (with no air dryer either this is bad form). A second set of bathrooms are behind the lift.
