Despite 1000 posts my first trip report on FT (have done a few previously on AFF). Report was written predominately for an Australian audience so has more focus on the BA, CX and AA legs.
Lost 2,120 Qantas Scs at the end of July (on year rollover) and had the remainder of a DONE4 RTW trip (which I bought in Oct 09 from KHI to get home from this trip -
http://www.australianfrequentflyer.c...uck-20022.html.
Traveling as a Qantas Platinum (oneworld Emerald). Photos from combination of a pocket Nikon Coolpix S210 and my Blackberry 9700 (mostly in plane shots). Couple of mentions of the APEC Card (a card designed for business travellers from countries of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation that provides a pre-approved Visa (for most) and priority immigration for 21 countries)
Had planned a European trip for August but then a September bucks/stag/bachelor weekend in Macau came up so I combined it into a 20-day RTW trip. Booked an ex-TPE Business Saver to get home to Sydney and planned to throw away the final two segments (TPE-HKG-KHI) of the DONE4
Routing
SYD-LHR-GIB-LHR-JFK-MIA-DFW-ANC-ORD-BOS-LAX-HKG-TPE-HKG-SYD 
Sydney Qantas First Lounge
Arrived at airport about 2.5hrs early. Dom roll-on and Samsonite suitbag - no issues in carrying it all on. I checked the suitbag for every other flight.
First lounge relatively quiet. Had a great special bug salad with Bollinger, then the minute steak with a Clonakilla Shiraz, and finally a special pavlova with Noble One.
(unfortunately the AFF tag got ripped off somewhere from ANC-HKG and I lost half the Plat tag too.)
For the menu friends, current Qantas First all-day dining menu as follows
Entree – Jamon Iberico with salad of green apple and baby figs; Haloumi and watermelon with olive, almond and mint sauce; Buffalo mozzarella, heirloom tomatoes and pedro ximenez vinegar; Ceviche of ocean trout with avocado, lime and chille; Salt and pepper squid with nuoc cham
Main – King prawn and pork stir fried with chilli jam; Grilled fish of the day with peperonata and saffron aioli; Red curry of duck with pineapple, grape tomatoes and fragrant basil; Sous vide lamb with spring vegetables, pumpkin puree and 20 year old balsamic; Ranger valley 300 day grain fed tenderloin with anchovy butter and chips
Signature sandwiches – Club with organic chicken, slow roasted tomatoes, schulz bacon and aioli; Beef burger with schulz bacon, gruyere, zuni pickle and tomato chilli relish
Sides – Bowl of chips; Our signature mixed leaf salad; Wild rocket and parmesan salad; Seasonal greens with colonna lemon oil
Cheese and dessert – Seasonal fruit plate; Strawberries and cream; crème renversee with orange salad; Grundoring ice cream selection; Cheese (hand selevted by Will Studd) mauri taleggioo, midnight melon and stilton
Champagne – Veuve A Devaux Blanc de Noir; Tattinger Brut Reserve; Veuve Clique Ponsardin; Bollinger Special Cuvee
White – Carlei Green Pinot Gris 2010 Cardinia Rangers Vic; Heemskerk Coal River Riesling 2008 Coal River Tas; Cockfighters Ghost Semillion 2009 Hunter NSW; Yerring Station Chardonnay 2007 Yarra VIC; Matua Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2009 Hawkes Bay NZ; Rockford Alicante Bouchet 2010 Barossa SA
Red – Carlei Green Pinot Noir 2008 Yarra VIC; Parker Coonawarra Estate Terra Rossa Merlot 2005 Coonawarra SA; Clonakilla Hilltop Shiraz 2009 Young NSW; Torbreck Woodcutters Shiraz 2007 Barossa SA; Parker Coonawarra Estate Terra Rossa Cabernet Sauvignon 2003 Coonawarra SA; Chapel Hill Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 McLaren Vale SA; Penfolds Seventy Six Shiraz Cabernet 2009 Koonunga Hill SA
Dessert – De Bertoli Noble One 2007 Riverina NSW; Stella Bella Pink Muscat 2010 Margaret River WA
QF031 SYD-LHR
SYD 1615 - LHR 0635+1. Fligh time 23.20. Seat 13A
A380-800 VH-OQD.
Had picked a Wed flight on an A380 about 3 months earlier on the basis of a high A-class number, 2 days out was still showing A4 but then dropped to A0. Was not looking good for the upgrade and it ultimately didn't come through.
Australian crew on SYD-SIN were professional, although diappeared somewhat during the flight. Did not stock the front bar near the lounge unlike previous SIN legs.
Ate the Corn chowder entree and Fish mulloway main. Fish was particularly good. Only recorded one wine - the Seppelet Drumborg 2008 Pinot Gris
Dinner
Entree – Sweercorn Chowder with Garlic Croutons; Salad of Fresh Goats Cheese, Toasted Walnuts and Beetrot Relish
Main – Seared Suzuki Mulloway with Black Olive Butter, Steamed Potatoes and Asparagus*; Chinese Braised Duck in Lu Shui Saunce with Fragrant Rice and Gai Lan; Lamb Fillet with Mint jus and Roast Vegetable; All with Green Leaf Salad with Herb Vinaigrette
Dessert – Seasonal cheese hand-selected by Calendar Cheese Company served with accompaniments; New Cream Pineapple and Coconut Ice Cream with Mango Sauce; Sliced Fresh Fruit
Chocolates – A selection of Kennedy and Wilson chocolates
Refreshments – Toasted Flat Bread with Char Grilled Eggplants, Red Capsicum, Marinated Artichokes and Hummus; Toasted Baguette with Poached Chicken, Greuyere, Caramelised Onions and Aioli; Kingfish, Caper and Dill or Pie with Tomato Relish or Create your own
At Singapore
First lounge empty. No problem getting a shower. Did a walk round the Business lounge - looks much more modern than First with some of the new age lounge treatment, particularly the back bar (although it was empty). Business lounge actually had greater food choice (inc a pasta) and the First lounge unlike last time I went through did not have food being brought out.
Predominately British based crew on the SIN-LHR leg were much more bubbly and friendly. Very visible in the cabin, particularly for what is effectively a predominately sleeping flight for most. Absolutely no problem to hold my meal for a couple of hours to approximately 7pm UK time.
Supper
Main -Toasted Foccacia with Slow Roasted Tomatoes, Olive Tapenade, Emmental and Rocket; Sicilian Style Sea Bass with Pine Nuts and Currants, Couscous and Sugar Snaps*; Hainanese Chicken with Jasmine Rice, Asian Greens and Young Ginger; Red Wine Braised Lamb and Rosemary Pot Pie; All with Green Leaf Salad with Red Capsicum and Cucumber
Dessert – Selection of Seasonal Cheese and Dried Fruit; Banana and Hazelnut Syrup Cake with Double Cream; Sliced Fresh Fruit
Chocolates – Chocolate Dusted Triffles
Refreshments – Toasted Focaccia with Slow Roasted Tomatoes, Emmental, Tapenade and Rocket; Toasted Baguette with Smoked Salmon, Cream Cheese, Dill Pickles and Spinach; or Create Your Own
Breakfast – Via pre-order card
Had the Salad and hainan chicken which was quiet tasty.
Only downside to both flights was the looped news service. After ten minutes of ads to watch the news - got a morning edition from 6 Sep - two days old - pre election. Very pissed off after the ten minutes that you can't fast forward.
Long walk to customs, 2 min wait and I was clear by about 650.
At Heathrow decided to use T5 arrivals so went down to basement, took HEX to T5 then up to Arrivals (note you can only access from one of the lifts closest to the coffee shop (the other goes to BA offices). After walking to station, then waiting for train it was now 715. BA dragon wasn't sure if I could gain entry so checked the bible which listed QF31. Then struggled to put in the details - eventually just let me in.
Got a shower booth easily and had a quick shower. Got a call at 730 that my driver was downstairs so just time for a quick breakfast then out. The BA T5 arrivals breakfast was so so, eggs pretty limp so if doing ever again would just use the AA T3 arrivals. Nice juice and a decent auto machine cappuccino.
London
Good time in London catching up with friends. Included my first visit to Bricklane and the crazy restautant spruikers and a visit to the Tate Modern and Richard Branson's nightclub Kensington Roof Garden.
BA490 LHR-GIB
LHR T3 0800 - GIB 1155. Flight time 2.55. Seat 2A
A319-131 G- EUPT
Arrived at T3 at 610 via car service. Only took about 35min from Tower Bridge at that hour and far simpler than public transport.
New Terminal 3 exterior fitout looks good - bathed in a purple light at dawn and an efficient drop-off zone.
Massive Virgin Atlantic logo in their part of the building. AA has its own exterior premium check-in. BA / Qantas behind at F with a nice First check-in area that was unused.
Whilst I had time to explore the other oneworld lounges (although presumed Cathay unlikely to be open so early) I settled for Galleries First. Fast Track was not so fast with only one dedicated scanner. The Blue Door was working. Impressed with the Galleries First lounge, much better than the old. Limited selection of hot breakfast items on the waiter menu - bacon & egg sambo was the popular choice and reasonable (although no bbq sauce!). About ten items on the lunch menu but most were easy cook options (eg burgers and pasta).
Some Lanson in the champagne bar, so I partook.
All the oneworld lounges in T3 are very close. Cathay upstairs at C pier, BA galleries at F and AA at G.
A319 plane to Gibraltar left from Gate 24C (a bus gate) so down to the holding pen area which includes 24A thru E. Promptly scanned in as the three buses arrived, then onto the plane.
A319 with Club Europe convert seats. Interestingly J was 10 rows which is quite a lot in an A319 and totally full. Seats showing their age and a pretty average hot breakfast.
Young guy on the plane dressed in sharp suit, vest and striped shirt listening to his ipod and carrying a clearly marked cream cotton diplomatic mail bag with a security tag. I would have thought in the days of encrypted emails this was superfluous but obviously not!
Cloudy day so not much to see as we tracked over Bay of Biscae then over Spain.
Unfortunately was cloudy on arrival and I was on the left so didn't see the Rock, however we were no more than 1m above the water before the runway appeared and we touched down. Saw the rock once we turned around before being towed to the gate.
Gibraltar terminal is old and small - a new two story much larger terminal is under construction along with a tunnel under the runway (at the moment the border is effectively the runway and cars and pedestrians cross it when the planes aren't taking off or landing). The Gib locals remain cautious about the new terminal - one of the local airlines tried GIB-MAD and GIB-BCN without success, and relations between Gib and the La Linea govt remain strained. Threats of border tolls and go slows on the car border.
Gib itself is a cool little town with a cobbled pedestrian only Main St (watch, electronic, alcohol and perfume shops abound due to the lack of UK VAT). The old wall is still there although land reclamation has substantially increased the foreshore which now includes a nice port area and casino.
Did the cable car to the top of the rock which was a great view and saw plenty of tourists being attacked by the monkeys (if you have a plastic bag in view you will be jumped on very quickly)
Was staying with family in Sotogrande - a large development that includes the Valderrama golf course (prior host of the Ryder cup) and Club de Golf. Is the centre of polo in Spain.
Also went up to Ronda in the hills which is a historic town split by a massive gorge. Took the train up which is a great little journey through a number of very picturesque valleys and towns.
BA491 GIB-LHR
GIB 1245 LHR T3 1435. Flight time 2h55m. Seat 2A
A319-131 G- EUPT
Check-in at the cramped Gib terminal only opened about 90 min before the plane. A Monarch flight to Europe was leaving about an hour before. There is a public landside lounge upstairs and outdoors with a great view of the rock. Club Europe check-in relatively painless (although stuck behind a man in a wheelchair whose wife was arguing vehmanently that they wanted Row 1 not Row 6. Longish queue at security as well.
Gib airport nothing to write home about. Airside is a double gate area with a few small shops. Small door to the lounge that had 1960s decor. One waiter providing bar service and a couple of muffins and nuts but no hot food.
Aircraft flying back was the same A319 as I cam over and I sat in the same tired seat! BA crew was amazing and very bubbly - helping the aforementioned passenger swap to row 1 and also helping a family and nanny sit together. Plane had arrived about 35min late and after a quick turnaround we left about 25min late.
Hot lunch with two seafood choices (due to accidental loading) and a cold spanish meats salad. I had the cold meal.
White wine choice of an Argento Chardonnay and an 09 Nobilo Sav Blanc (NZ). Champagne was Pommeroy.
Transfer at LHR
Transfer very painless. Off the plane at T3, walk to flight connections. 30 second later a bus arrives and the 3 of us get on!
In Galleries First within 15min thanks to quick bus and fast track. Tunnel under the runways between T3 and T5 is massive.
Connections brings you to the North end of the Terminal but I headed to the South to get into Galleries First.
Galleries First (first visit) impressive. Dining menu was the same as T3 so I had some pasta (had run out of spaghetti so penne instead). Only about 25min in the lounge then over to T5B. Another quick visit to the lounge whilst I sat near the window above my gate and waited for the queue to clear.
Waited at the gate for 15 min whilst two bags were offloaded for no-show transit pax.
BA115 LHR-JFK
LHR T5 1700 JFK 1950 7h50min Seat 61K
747-400
Upper deck window seat. Service usual BA efficiency. Snoozed a bit but tried to shift into NY time zone.
Menu
Starters – Traditional prawn coktail; Parmesan mousse with courgette (v)
Main – Fillet of beef with horseradish sauce, yorkshire pudding and roast potatoes; Braised chicken in a sweet pepper sauce and tomato sauce; Penne pasta with porcini mushrooms and truffle sauce (v); Chilled main course salad of tandoori spiced salmon
Dessert – Lemon and amaretti gateau with lemon creche fraiche; Cropwell Bishop Stilton and St. Paulin cheese with savoury biscuits; A selection of fruit; Chocolates
Wines
Champagne – Lanson Bluck Label Brut NV; Charles Hedsieck Brut Reserve NV
White – Rully 2007 Chateau de Rully Burgundy (France); Chablis 2008 Domaine Jean-Marc Brocard Burgundy (france); Mount Riley Savignon Blanc 2009 Marlborough (NZ); Old Well House Sauvignon Blanc 2008 Western Cape (SA)
Red – Cahteau Lamothe-Cissac 2004 Haut-Medoc (France); Chateau Pey de Pont 2004 Medoc Bordeaux (France); Villa San-Juliette Merlot 2007 Paso Robles California (USA); Cline Cellars Ancient Vines Zinfandel 2007 California (USA)
Had a few issues coming into New York due to weather. We circled over Maine for almost an hour and were within five minutes of having to divert to Boston before we finally got landing clearance.
Landed over an hour late. With APEC card walked straight down a crew line and was served immediately beating most of the locals and luggage was fourth off.
Fortunately decided that given the wild weather it would be better to take the train so took the airtrain to Jamaica. The LIRR was close so took the E train into Manhattan. As it turned out this was a very fortunate decision, Queens motorways were jam packed with trees down everywhere due to the storm / tornado. LIRR track also blocked.
New York
Good time catching up with people - lunches and dinners all about. Highlights were walking the new highline path (from meatpackers to 20th) and soon to be extended up to 30th and the Intrepid Air and Space Museum (recently covered by another report). Also Grays Papaya hot dogs and a visits to a mates place with a rooftop with brilliant central park views. Did a walk around the WTC site – the Freedom Tower is beginning to take shape
Also went to 230 Fifth which is an awesome rooftop bar at about 27th with 360 degree views of the city.
Stayed at Affina Dumont on East 34th on a Priceline deal. Whilst ranked as a 4* hotel it is barely. Fairly tired and small foyer, although has a kitchen and microwave so may be good for some.
Stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn JFK also on a Priceline deal on the final night. Decent enough hotel with free wifi, free shuttles in the morning (direct to terminal) and a 24hr gym.
AA1165 JFK-MIA
JFK T8 0710 – MIA D 1020 3h15m
Boeing 767-200, Seat 3J
Arrived at JFK around 545 for my 710 flight. Took 15min to check-in as the agent had to see a supervisor to get baggage checked to ANC (JFK-DFW-ANC).
Flight departed from Gate 36 (Satellite) but stayed main terminal to access the flagship lounge. Decent food choices including eggs, bacon, sausages, mixed veges as well as plenty of fruit and cereal. Only 3 ppl in the lounge at that time.
On boarding greeted by a Boeing 767-200 3-class but operating in 2-class format. I had selected 3J in the front 2-1-2 cabin so a true American F seat. Acres of leg room and an in seat massager (not as good as the qantas skybed mk1 but probably on par with mk 2).
Given the early start I quickly reclined and dozed through breakfast service. Flight was gogo equipped. Easy to login and super-cheap for relatively frequent flyers - $9.95 for single flight or $30.95 by the month. As I had slept half the flight I didn't partake and just read the free articles$ Flew down the Jersey Coastline which was great viewing on a near cloudless sky.
Looking at the magazine showed only two admirals club lounges in MIA and as arriving and departing from Concourse D went there. Tired looking blue and green lounge - similar to what I remember from 03. Had to ask for a drink chit - disappointing. About an hour before flight with a gate change to D33 (close to E Terminal) I went for a walk and saw a airport map showing concourse E that showed a flagship lounge.
Tucked at the start of E concourse up some stairs behind a bathroom is a lovely little Flagship Lounge. Will apparently close at end of September with a new Flagship opening in D concourse in a revamped section of the AC. Better food than what I ever saw at LAX FL with four salads, soup, spannacota and a good drink selection. Volunteered a t-mobile card which I gladly accepted.
