Overall thoughts and impressions
Check in process and boarding: Both were quick and smooth – no problems.
Lounge: I preferred the BA lounge @ LHR (mostly because you could get a hot dish made to order) and it didn’t seem as crowded as the Qantas lounge @ SYD
Service: I would give a slight edge to BA (maybe that had more to do with the fact that the business cabin was smaller on the 777, so it seemed like you were getting more personal attention?) but the service was fine on all four legs – no complaints there.
Food: I preferred BA slightly, but I was really under whelmed by the food on both carriers (especially QF). You get metal knives on BA but plastic on QF – what’s up with that?
Seat and cabin comfort: the A380 seat felt a bit wider (21.5” according to seat guru) and you had more space to walk around while the seat on the 777 (20.0”) was a bit narrower and the cabin felt cramped – edge to QF.
Sheraton on the Park, Sydney (minus the view of the park)
Other flights and around New Zealand
SYD-CHC: EK in Y
Flight number: EY418
Departure: 09:15
Equipment: B777-300
I had no complaints about anything on this flight except that I found the seat to be really narrow, which reminded me of the uncomfortable seats on Air Transat. Luckily, no one was sitting next to me so I could lift up the armrest and stretch out a bit.
I guess I’m not the only one
http://www.airlinequality.com/Product/Yseat-EK-2.htm
The pleasant FA was good enough to bring me a dish from the front of the plane.
Mt. Hutt (about an hour and a half outside of Christchurch)
The Remarkables (45 minutes from Queenstown)
Coronet Peak (25 minutes from Queenstown)
Queenstown to Christchurch on Air New Zealand
Flight number: NZ5080
Departure: 10:20
Equipment: (not sure, it had propellers)
THE END!