Well, anat0l , Master QF WP and I had fun getting here this afternoon.

I had picked up Master QF WP from school and we were at the BNE QC briefly before anat0l turned up, so we adjourned to the J Lounge. The QF App was already showing a 20 minute delay on our 4.15pm scheduled flight, but that was fine with a 45 min connection and we kept eating. Then it extended to 30 mins, then 40 mins delay and finally there was a cancellation. We immediately went out to the service desk only to be told that the system was automatically re-booking everyone and to keep refreshing the App. We did let them know that we were connecting to HBA (and met another pax who was as well).

After another 10 mins back inside, everyone from QF627 was told to come back out to the Service Desk. The Supervisor was talking to both the service desk people who were re-booking people as well as us. We saw the other HBA pax and the Supervisor immediately told us as a group that they were looking to re-book us onto VA. Perfect. Their flight as leaving at 5.10pm and it was 4.30pm now. The Supervisor was talking to somebody in Operations and arranging us to be transferred to VA706 (the direct BNE/HBA). I advised him that we were all HLO and he told us to get up to the VA Lounge to get us on the flight.

So off we went from one end of he Terminal to the other. We then had issues as none of the VA Lounge staff knew anything about the re-booking until I showed them the booking in the QF App had changed from the QF flight to VA. They then recovered the booking reloc in their system just as boarding was being called. Thankful to my VA Plat status, we were on and in Economy X (Row 3) and she then organised the other pax (Silver on VA) and anat0l (Gold). It at least got us reasonable seats.

Not surprisingly, both anat0l and I had Ferrero Rocher chocolates for the flight crew on both our QF flights (he trumped me with 2 x 24 packs versus my 2 x 3 packs), so he agreed to give a tray to the VA Lounge Angels and then we left for the flight. We boarded and anat0l allowed my son to give his next tray to the flight crew. I gave mine to the flight crew. Needless to say, we all got good service and all the crew seperately thanked us (but I made sure they went back to anat0l as well). One of them gave us some Pringles and Honey & Soy chips for free. I hope they gave something to anat0l

We have checked into Rydges and decided to chill in our room rather than go and find the dinner group. Given its 2.9kms (42 mins walking), we'll get an Uber to Salamanca Markets (via Hungry Jacks for breakfast as breakfast here is $35 for the two of us). We'll be leaving ~7.30am jumpjam