Singapore to Melbourne on Qantas 747-400 business class
The delivery flight for SQ's first A380 (and the first for any airline) was due to arrive today, but I was unsure what time. I thought it may have arrived already (for it was now early evening) and so I looked out for it when we landed and taxiied, with no sighting. As I had a bit of time before my onward flight I decided to wander across to T2 and check out the A380 gates. Again no sighting. On the way back to T1 I noticed the skytrain for T3 was now operating openly in test mode, albeit with no passengers allowed.
At the nice Qantas lounge I had a shower and then just enough time to check/sample the champagne (Joseph Perrier) and my messages before heading out to the gate. Through security quickly and past the passport check. At the gate desk they were checking boarding passes manually rather than scanning them in. The agent took a long time looking at my record. Was this to be an op up? (I'd previously noted the availability looked like the flight was oversold.) Alas, after an unreasonably long pause, it wasn't to be but I'm of course happy that I'm not stuck in a middle seat way down the back. Boarding was chaotic. Despite only calling for the very last economy rows (plus elites/premium pax free to board at any time) there were 2 huge queues with nearly everyone standing in them. It took a fiesty agent to fight her way through the mob and lead the passengers who had just come from the lounge.
A quick pre-takeoff drink. Breakfast orders are taken before departure and water bottles handed out. With the flight time expected to be a short 6 1/2 hours I am glad the dinner service is quick. As is my habit on such flights (when I had insufficient time to eat in the lounge) I have the first course of dinner and skip breakfast in order to maximise sleep.
The service is a bit off. No amenity kits handed out (to anyone). Some seats (including mine) missing menus on boarding. I was never addressed by name in the entire flight. Unusually for QF there was also no visit by the CSM. The dinner service was erratic - not everyone got offered everything they should have. No hot towel before landing.
This is a recurring problem with Qantas, in my view - when they are good they can be great, but sometimes they do disappoint.
On arrival the door 1L is open very quickly and I walk fast to immigration, trying hard not to stumble along the way due to my bleary vision and sleepiness. Quickly through and no questions about my short stay here. Then I'm first through xray and one of the first through domestic xray (no need to take liquid baggy out ^ ). I wasn't sure the domestic Qantas Club would be open this early (for it is still not yet 5am), but they were. After checking in for 2 more flights I grab a shower before getting a coffee and checking out FT.