It's been many years since I've done a TR here. I thought I'd come out of TR retirement do one for this trip.

At the end of the Covid pandemic era status extensions, I suffered the ignominy of losing oneworld Emerald status for the first time since 2000 (oh the humanity LOL). Part of that was because Canada (where I lived from 2019 to earlier this year) is not a oneworld-friendly location (so I went Super Elite with Aeroplan instead). But losing access to the F lounges in the oneworld network was too much to bear, so the opportunity to do an AONEx came about and with that I could get back to OW Emerald (QF Platinum) in one RTW.

This is the itinerary:

MEL-SYD QF J
SYD-SIN QF F
SIN-HND JL J
HND-DFW JL F
DFW-YVR AA J
YVR-LAX AA J
LAX-ATL AA J
(ATL-MSY surface sector)
MSY-CLT-YYZ AA J
YYZ-JFK AA J
JFK-LHR BA F
LHR-SIN QF F
SIN-SYD QF F
SYD-BNE-MEL QF J

I'm not much of a photographer, so my TR is likely to be photo-light. But I will see how I go!

First sector: MEL-SYD QF J

This was a short mid-afternoon flight - assisted by strong tailwinds we were airborne for less than 45 minutes. But in that 45 mins, the experienced QF crew was able to offer and serve business class passengers a choice of hot soup (potato and leek), a hot beef pasty or a cheese plate, and their beverage of choice (hot or cold).

I chose the cheese plate and a gin and tonic. The cheese plate was great for mid-afternoon. There was cheddar, a soft white cheese (brie or camembert I guess) and blue cheese. +1 had the soup and said it was tasty. All delivered with a smile and in under an hour. Such a contrast to other places in the world (here's looking at North America in particular).

It was also an example of when QF is good, it is very very good. More on that below.

We spent the night at the Rydges Hotel at the SYD international terminal. The rooms there are clean, comfortable and practical. If we're flying out of Sydney, we always go up the day before. Same day connections are a high risk proposition IMO.

Second Sector: SYD-SIN QF F

We had breakfast at Rydges (a solid buffet, included in the tariff we chose) and then headed over (literally across the road from the hotel) to the SYD international terminal well ahead of the 3pm departure time. Check-in would have otherwise been over in a jiffy, save that as a dual Canadian-Australian citizen, I need to travel to the US on my Canadian passport (as I am not ESTA-eligible being Canadian). The dual thing can - and did on this occasion - cause a bit of a kerfuffle at check-in. But all was well, and we were soon in the QF F lounge at SYD.

Here I can provide a photo:



Once seated, I ordered the more-or-less compulsory salt & pepper squid:



I also enjoyed some champagne and a flat white (the best kind of coffee in the world).

Boarding was on-time, but there was a bit of a scrum at the gate and the far-too-common lack of boarding queue organisation by QF. While there was a separate lane for priority passengers, the entrance was blocked by the sign saying priority passengers board here. One day QF will get boarding right!

Once on board, I settled into my seat, the steward looking after my section of the F cabin introduced himself and I was offered a glass of champagne (Rare Millesime Brut), with some olives and mixed nuts. QF F's greatest strength is the hard product. It isn't the most advanced in the world in the sense that it doesn't have sliding doors or TV-sized screens, but it is comfortable and spacious. The A380 I was travelling on was refurbished, so things were looking clean and in good order.

After take-off, our steward took our lunch orders from the Neil Perry-curated menu (Neil Perry, an Australian chef who is now of some antiquity, has been designing QF menus for a very long time - nearly 27 years). There are some who think his time is done, but there's no signs of him going anywhere. I chose mushroom soup (my experience of years of flying QF F is that the soups are always good, and this was no exception), Balinese duck leg curry, cheese, and praline panna cotta (accompanied by a glass of De Bortoli Noble One botrytis riesling, my favourite sticky). QF F food is, in my experience, solid but not blingy (no caviar). Everything was good, with the duck leg curry particularly delicious. As for wine, I am not especially hung up about vintages and prices (other than for champagne perhaps), so I thought the Flowstone cabernet sauvignon I had with my meal was perfectly fine, and the Noble One was good as always.

Here's today's menu:





A thing that lets QF F down is the inconsistency of crews and service, and today's flight was no exception. The steward looking after me was perfectly nice and pleasant, but I'd describe the service as well-meaning but unpolished. Things were overlooked (I didn't get my side salad and had to ask for the rice accompanying my curry, +1 had to ask for bread, and things did not seem well-coordinated between the galley and the crew doing the cabin service). That said, I had some trouble with my IFE, and the Purser proactively offered some points as compensation for the inconvenience, which was a nice gesture.

As I mentioned, QF's F hard product on the A380 is very comfortable and spacious. A memory foam mattress is provided, and there's a choice of pillows so, if like me, you prefer a firmer pillow, that wish is QF's command. I spent the rest of the flight watching Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan in my comfortable bed. A pre-arrival into Singapore light meal was offered, but I did not partake as I was still full from lunch. I did enjoy what I think will be my last proper cup of tea until my BA sector in late September (sorry USA, you just cannot do proper English/Australian/Canadian tea correctly).

We landed on time in Singapore and headed to the Qatar Premium Lounge, to which we had access because our next flight was in a oneworld business class cabin.

Interested in the details of your planned sector between Atlanta and New Orleans. A seven -hour drive across Alabama and Mississippi doesn't seem to fit the vibe of the rest of this report, although maybe you're a big SEC football fan?

Excellent start - well done. I agree with you re the consistency of the QF F product. I really do like it and I like the food, but it can be hit or miss. Keep up the good work...

Enthused - not too many reports that originate in Oz, and my experiences of QF ex SYD have also been hit and miss, both domestic and international. Not one of the QF bashers because it's fashionable to hate on AJ, but certainly realistic in that QF isn't quite up there like it used to be.

Keen to see how the rest of your trip goes!

This "surface sector" is taking place over ten days or so. We're meeting a NZ friend who expressed a desire to spend an important decadal birthday at Dollywood, Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. Do not ask why a sensible New Zealander would wish for such an outlandish thing. But who can deny a birthday wish? After Dollywood, we're going to Nashville, Memphis, Jackson, Hattiesburg and New Orleans. A "taste of the South" tour, as it were.

I'm not a QF basher (even though AJ and his merry men and women were toxic for QF customers (but not so bad for QF shareholders)) as objectively viewed QF remains a quality airline in global terms and delivers a quality product domestically in Australia. The international product is competitive against the likes of North American carriers, but perhaps not against most of the rest of the world. But there are reasons - particularly if one lives in Australia - where QF will be a rational choice as a carrier as opposed to SQ, a ME or EU carrier.

The legacies of the AJ reign in terms of pretty crappy customer service will take some time (and lower dividends for shareholders in the short term) to mend, and that will continue to haunt QF for the time being.

Third Sector - SIN-HND JL J

Our visit to the QR Premium Lounge at SIN was good. The shower suites were nice (and blessedly air-conditioned), as were the F&B offerings. We just had a couple of snacky things - some bakery and butter (high quality and fresh tasting) and a little charcuterie, but there was an a la carte menu available and, despite the late hour, plenty of people were tucking into it. The ros� champagne was Tattinger, which I cannot pass up, so I had one glass.

Our JL departure was at local time 01:50, so my eyes were rolling back in my head by the time we boarded. The plane was a 767-300, something I'd not flown in a long time. The J cabin isn't the most comfortable for a redeye in which I've ever been. The lay flat seats were a bit too "coffin" style and narrow for my wide shoulders, but I still managed to sleep most of the flight and woke in time to have quite a delicious breakfast.

I chose the Western set for breakfast. While I love a Japanese breakfast when in Japan, I couldn't quite face fish for breakky on a flight. The breakfast was presented on one tray with a hot main dish of an egg souffl�, a rich and creamy mushroom sauce, salad (one of those delightfully eccentric Japanese twists on western breakfast (like spaghetti bolognaise, which I've had at more than one Japanese breakfast buffet over the years)), fruit and yoghurt, a warmed croissant (though without butter and jam) and one's choice of cold and hot beverages.

Here is the menu from this sector:



I didn't use the IFE on this sector, so cannot offer any comments on it. The service from the cabin crew was Japanese polite, polished, professional and friendly - so perfect really!

We arrived on time and were greeted by a JL agent who, in light of a fairly tight connection time, escorted us to our connecting flight - JL12 HND to DFW.

Fourth Sector - HND-DFW JL F

Now this was flying, baby! We were on the brand spanking new A350. It looked to me as though it was this aeroplane's first sector ever. Not a single sign of use! Even the crew remarked on how they were still getting used to everything.

The JL F A350 fit out is stunning. The seats are almost double-bed wide, there are bells and whistles for everything, and it is decadent comfort. I am not sure that my photos do this beautiful bird justice, and there are plenty of video reviews out there for those who wish a better look than I can provide.



The photos don't convey the size of this suite. That screen is a decent domestic TV size! The things I loved were:

1. Personal space and privacy (there's a sliding door which is pretty tall).
2. Somewhere to put everything. The closet in which to hang one's clothes and the dedicated shoe storage drawer are great. The under companion dining seat carry on baggage stowage, while spacious, has a hard ceiling, and I suspect that some folks might struggle getting their carry on inside. My Tumi in the picture fitted - just - in unextended mode and not jam-packed full.
3. Choice of firm or soft mattress and pillow. I am firm mattress and firm pillow person, so I loved having that choice.
4. Great electronic dimming window shades that you control at all times.
5. The huge TV screen. Terrific for watching things like superhero and sci-fi films.
6. Perfect onboard service, food and drinks.
7. A spacious lav, with a Japanese bidet. Pure bliss!

The one thing about which I was not over-enthused was the touch screen controller for the suite and IFE. I worked it out eventually, but I didn't find it especially straightforward to operate. I also couldn't get the complimentary Wifi to work, but +1 informed me that was because I didn't read the instructions properly (which is true). Personally, I find Wifi on aeroplanes destructive of uninterrupted serenity, and I am very glad it was NOT available during my working life as I really valued NOT being connected on long-haul flights. But these are totally minor observations in the scheme of things.

Some folks have observed that JL is fond of an over-heated cabin, but I didn't experience this, and my thermostat runs very hot. A very thin and lightweight blanket was provided (in addition to a duvet), and that was plenty for me. I also didn't use the JL-supplied very nice-looking and -feeling pyjamas, as they seemed far too warm for me. I lounge and sleep onboard aeroplanes in a cotton tee-shirt and a pair of lightweight cotton Shanghai Tang pyjama bottoms (acquired on a long-ago Cathay F flight, before I cancelled Hong Kong because of what the Chinese Communist Party did to it).

The food and drink on offer were exquisite. I chose the Japanese menu and loved everything. There was no set breakfast offered prior to arrival at DFW, but you could order from the "a la carte" menu at any time, and I composed a delicious pre-landing meal (Japanese brochettes, the "light meal" and the vanilla peach tart) from it (I wished I could have tried nearly everything on it!). The coffee was served in a cafeti�re along with an egg timer and instructions from the stewardess about making the perfect brew - such a lovely touch! There were only the two of us drinking the Salon champagne, so we each enjoyed a half bottle. I liked the French Bordeaux I had with my main course and cheese (and the stewardess suggested I try all of the different breads with my cheese, and oh they were good), but I've no idea about how posh it was (and don't really care, because I thought it tasted perfectly fine). With my pudding I tried the shochu on the rocks, and that was a very nice change from a sticky.

I passed the flight watching Avengers "Infinity War" and "Endgame", because I love a super hero flick and the big screen made it an almost cinematic experience, and sipping the delicious "Queen of Blue" tea, which is ceremoniously served as though it were fine wine. I had a few hours of very good sleep on the firm mattress and pillow, and enjoyed perfect Japanese service from the team of stewardesses looking after the F cabin. The purser seemed to take a very active role in the service, making sure the F pax (5/6 suites occupied) were being well looked after. I really didn't want this sector to end!

Here is the menu:

Sector 5 - DFW-YVR AA J

Our layover at DFW was a long one. I am not one for making short connections, especially when travelling with checked luggage. So rather than chancing things to make the morning DFW-YVR flight, I booked the evening flight. The day spent at the AA Flagship Lounge in terminal D was long but not unbearable, and we had a little light breakfast, a very welcome shave and shower, and caught up on admin, napping and reading.

The AA flight to YVR was fine by AA (and North American in general) standards. I found the steward greeting us at the door somewhat irritating, as he persisted in addressing passengers as "friend" rather than "sir" or "madam" or "Honorific [name]". Although I was tempted to do so, I refrained from saying to him that he may not address me as "friend" because first, we'd not been properly introduced and, secondly, I think it is unprofessional and ill-mannered to take such liberties with strangers, particularly in a service setting. Fortunately, the stewardess serving the "F" cabin had more appropriate manners. She did a good job with service, offering full bar PDBs, topping up drinks regularly and checking throughout the flight if there was anything anyone wanted. +1, who has a famously dim view of AA inflight service after a particularly galling flight with them some years ago, was disappointed he couldn't complain about the AA service on this sector.

The meal was a choice of penne with something called "Beyond Meat" bolognaise sauce or mojo (if I heard correctly) chicken. +1 said the penne was fine. I thought the mojo chicken was actually quite tasty - certainly an improvement on the golden chicken I'd previously had on AA.

The flight departed and landed on time and, uncharacteristically for North American flying nowadays, the fasten seat belt sign was not left on for most of the flight.

Sounds like a nice route. Enjoy. I've been to NOLA many times and love it. Some great musical destinations - there is no shortage of people here with opinions on food, entertainment and hotels if you need recs....

Agreed and what a fabulous tour of the South!!! I lived in New Orleans from 99 until Katrina in 05, and go back at least once a year to visit friends who still reside there.

And if you like Dolly Parton, you will LOVE Dollywood! It�s so much fun. Following along and safe travels.

I only wish they opted for the superior 777 over A330s and A380s (also don't get me started on the lame-arse lounge area).

I don't mind their catering, although I wish food would be presented on a tray instead of a box, although I understand the practicality and respect the waste minimisation and optimising of weight. The offerings in the J lounges and Qpub could definitely be better/more authentic to Asian flavours if the Ponytailed One is to be the culinary lead, but that's a whole different discussion...

I love the QR J lounge in SIN! It's the most superior OW lounge offering, just too bad that it's difficult to include the CX lounge on a crawl. Also criminal that in the mornings anyone flying MH doesn't have an OW lounge option until QF/BA/QR open their lounges.