FLIGHT#28
Qantas Airlines #32
Singapore (SIN) – SYDNEY (SYD)
Date: Feb. 8, 2011
Departure: 09:30
Arrival: 20:20
Length: 07:50
Miles flown since start of trip: 54,459 mi.
Aircraft: Airbus 380-800
Seats: BUSINESS 17CD (upper deck)

Today’s flight is a tale of firsts:
1. The first time on an A380
2. The first time flying Qantas
3. The first time to the Australian continent

For years I have read about the A380 and wondered what it would be like to travel in her. I’ve read hundreds of articles and seen even more pictures. We specifically came to Singapore in order to catch the Oneworld Alliance’s only A380. Today was going to be very exciting for us!

This flight is the twenty-seventh in our year long adventure traveling through all six continents as part of our son’s fifth grade of schooling. The full trip report of our year of travel can be found at:
My Son’s Fifth Grade Year, 97,737 miles, 40 flights, 6 continents, 16 countries

Three nights in Singapore is too little. We just didn’t have enough eating opportunities. We did eat well and often though. The highlight for me was some Shanghai dumplings. I love that liquid center of goodness.

We called for a 7:00 am cab to get us and our FIVE big bags to the airport. Our dedicated readers will know that this is down from SIX big bags. But every time that we call a taxi, we still have to ask for a station wagon or van so that we’ll all fit in.

CHECK-IN:
I had tried to check-in online but once again wasn’t successful. We are not having much luck with online check-in during this trip.

Qantas Business Class uses a wonderful shared Premium Check-In Area located at the rear of the Departure Hall. I love this concept. We were welcomed in and seated in front of a desk. I love not having to stand there as they process us. It turned out that we were there for about twenty minutes so it was nice to be seated.

Today’s ticket to Sydney was part of our Oneworld Round-the-world ticket in business class. From Sydney I booked some el-cheapo Qantas economy class seats to continue on to Melbourne. The agent happily checked the bags all the way through.

The snag came when she couldn’t find our Australian visa. She asked me about it and I confessed that I didn’t think we needed one. She let me know that everyone except Kiwis need a visa. GULP. Why hadn’t foreseen this? It turns out the reason was that you can easily get one at your departing airport. The agent offered to take my credit card and passports to the Qantas customer service desk to process the visas while we waited in the premium lounge. About ten minutes later, she returned and we finished with the check-in process. LOVE THAT! The check-in lounge even offered some candies and water while we waited!


Entrance to the Premium Sats Check-In Lounge


Lots of airlines us this lounge


A lovely bouquet greeted us


Me sitting at our check-in desk. The orchid on the desk looks like I’m wearing it in my hair. I’m gay but not that gay!

LOUNGES:
From the check-in lounge you feed directly into a Fast Track security queue. Soon we found the Qantas Business Lounge without any trouble. We had so enjoyed the food in the lounge in Bangkok a month before and were looking forward to this one.

Unfortunately, the food offerings at this lounge were minimal. While not as bad as their American cousins, it just didn’t suit me. I had some fresh fruit, chicken sausage and a hash brown triangle. It filled me up but that’s about it. The lounge was not crowed in the least for this continuation of the LHR-SIN-SYD flight. My family was settled in and had no desire to join me in a lounge crawl over to CX. I told them I’d see them on board and off I went.


Entrance to the Qantas/British Airways Business Lounge


A nice empty lounge


Corbin near the TV


Sad looking drink area


Basic morning offerings


My QF breakfast selections from their lounge

The Cathay Pacific lounge was quite a distance from the Qantas lounge but finally I found it located upstairs near a shopping area. The escalator drops you right in front of the entrance desk. At first they really didn’t want me to come in since they don’t offer any boarding announcements but in the end let me in.

The lounge was entirely open to the departure lounge and felt more like an airport restaurant than a quiet lounge. The food buffet was wonderful. They offered pastries/croissants, noodles, congee and a variety of dim sum. I tried a few different things and I was very happy. I sure wish dim sum would become the world’s breakfast. It’s so delicious certainly beating an Egg McMuffin ANY DAY!


Entrance to the Sky View Lounge used by Cathay Pacific


Lots of empty seating areas


Warm noodles, pastries and muffins


Pastries, noodles, congee and sandwiches at this bar


My selections from the CX lounge