Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Qantas/BA: These Are My Favourite Things (QF A380 J, BA 777 J, QF 744 F)

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Qantas/BA: These Are My Favourite Things (QF A380 J, BA 777 J, QF 744 F)

    "Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens;
    Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens;
    Brown paper packages tied up with strings;
    These are a few of my favorite things.

    ...

    When the dog bites,
    When the bee stings,
    When I'm feeling sad,
    I simply remember my favorite things,
    And then I don't feel so bad."


    -- My Favourite Things, Oscar Hammerstein II and Richard Rodgers

    Later this week, I will be continuing my DONE4 which now takes me to NZ, the Middle East and Europe. All part of what-was-then a superb value oneworld 4 continents RTW ticket I'd commenced out of MNL in July, with the exception of the QF F flight which is an AAdvantage redemption to position me back to MEL at the end of the trip to "suspend" the DONE in Europe.

    However, due to forseeable time constraints, this TR will unfortunately have to be scaled down and I will not have the time to write up long, rambling prose like the few I did last year. Instead, I'd be selective, and hope to present to you, dear reader, my eagerly anticipated experiences on 2 of my all time favourite carriers: Qantas and British Airways.

    Flights:

    SYD-(SIN)-LHR, Qantas, Business
    LHR-(AUH)-MCT, BA, Club World
    MCT-(AUH)-LHR, BA, Club World
    LHR-(HKG)-MEL, Qantas, First

    The QF A380 experience most unexpected, as I didn't think QF would open up the A380 for RTW ticketing (which isn't the most lucrative source of revenue). I'm holding out for New Generation Club World for the BA 777 flights between London and Muscat, but even then, its predecessor, New New Club World is still an experience to savour. And the QF F experience, a treat to be had after giving up my precious AAdvantage miles, a reward to be cherished after hours of scouring Sabre, qantas.com and ba.com for Award availability in First on QF - F availability was easy, but F availability on QF the whole way through without having to combine with the other oneworld carriers was tough and involved some tweaks to my itinerary.

    As always I also hope to provide some insights into some of the accommodation I'd experience along the way.

    Hotels:

    Starwood:
    Westin Auckland
    W Istanbul
    Sheraton Belgravia, London
    Westin Grand Berlin
    Le Meridien Munich
    Westin Palace Madrid
    Sheraton Diana Majestic, Milan
    Le Meridien Budapest

    Others:
    Shangri La Muscat
    Hotel Josef, Prague

    Look out for these reviews in the appropriate hotel sub-forums.

    Next: QF31 SYD-(SIN)-LHR J
    All opinions shared are my own, and are not necessarily those of my employer or any other organisation of which I'm affiliated to.

  • #2
    Ah a back to back special Superb!

    Comment


    • #3
      This coming weekend, I'm staying in the Westin Grand Berlin again (but this time as a PLT) - will let you know how it goes.

      Comment


      • #4
        I'd be shocked if you get NNCW on the LHR AUH MCT route as these have the very early model 772's, but you never know. A colleague was complaining about them being a flying dormatory last month. Still it's a nice daytime flight going out.

        Comment


        • #5
          Looking forward for more to come!

          Comment


          • #6
            Im sure your plans are all set in stone, but did you consider staying at The Chedi in Muscat ? Beautiful hotel.

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally posted by KeithMEL View Post
              Others:
              Shangri La Muscat
              Hotel Josef, Prague
              Could our *wood boy please explain why he's gone for non *wood properties in these locations? Muscat specifically. Am looking into Oman myself at the moment and you know that tart always insists on his SPG stays!

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by phaleesy View Post
                Could our *wood boy please explain why he's gone for non *wood properties in these locations? Muscat specifically. Am looking into Oman myself at the moment and you know that tart always insists on his SPG stays!
                The Sheraton Muscat is closed for renovations. I was recommended The Chedi or the Shangri La. The latter was cheaper and seemed to have a nicer beach so I went for that.

                I wasn't aware that the Sheraton in Prague is already open!! I found the Hotel Josef on designhotels.com. *off to change res*

                There are places where I conscientiously avoid SPG - Tokyo and Singapore are good examples. And before the W Hong Kong opened I've often tried to stay on the Island near LKF. Unless I really can't forsee myself making up the stay credits in any other way...
                Last edited by KeithMEL; 16 January 2009, 08:12 AM.
                All opinions shared are my own, and are not necessarily those of my employer or any other organisation of which I'm affiliated to.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Looks like your first flight today will be on time.
                  ..

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Yep. I was able to get BPs and my bag tagged for all 3 flights - AKL-SYD-LHR-MCT. Happy, happy. I didn't get a "have you gone mad?" look at check in so I musn't be totally daft after all. Or a certain AKL-based SQTalker has conditioned the staff v well. I can forsee spending lots of Flounge time in showers...

                    Only minor irritation is that some jobsworth on the phone mucked up my nicely pre-allocated seat on SYDLHR a few days ago, and I couldn't get it back at check in as someone else had taken it. Will try again at the SYD Flounge. Still, I've got an aisle seat.
                    Last edited by KeithMEL; 16 January 2009, 08:22 AM.
                    All opinions shared are my own, and are not necessarily those of my employer or any other organisation of which I'm affiliated to.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      I don't know what you mean. The last time I checked in at the QF premium lobby it was for a simple AKL-SYD-PER-SYD-JNB and it was a year ago since I checked in for something like AKL-SYD-CNS-TSV-MKY-ROK-GLT-BNE or AKL-MEL-LHR-BRU-LHR-LAX-SYD-AKL
                      ..

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Originally posted by Kiwi View Post
                        I don't know what you mean. The last time I checked in at the QF premium lobby it was for a simple AKL-SYD-PER-SYD-JNB and it was a year ago since I checked in for something like AKL-SYD-CNS-TSV-MKY-ROK-GLT-BNE or AKL-MEL-LHR-BRU-LHR-LAX-SYD-AKL


                        Anyhoo, I'm sitting in the SYD Flounge now and pleased to report that the lovely SYD First Hosts most professionally rectified the seating situation. Whilst not exactly restored to exactly the same seat, I'm now at least in a much nicer part of the cabin (mini area with only 2 rows at the back).

                        I can also see the plane I'm meant to board from the Flounge - VH-OQC, "Paul McGinness" if any of our resident aviation enthusiasts are interested.
                        Last edited by KeithMEL; 16 January 2009, 12:54 PM.
                        All opinions shared are my own, and are not necessarily those of my employer or any other organisation of which I'm affiliated to.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Could we have a mini TR of Muscat please? Looking forward to the pics.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Some nice bubbles from QF ^
                            ..

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Inaugural Qantas A380 Service to Singapore and London Heathrow

                              Sector - SYD-SIN-LHR
                              Flight number - QF31
                              Class - Business
                              Equipment - A380 ("VH-OQC/Paul McGinness")
                              Seat - 25B


                              To be back on the airline which offers an experience that's second to none? Ace.
                              To sample a brand new product on the same airline? Double Ace.
                              To be on an inaugural service for the first time in my life? W00t!

                              [flashback]
                              So it was back in October that I noticed the 16 January launch date of the Qantas A380 service on the LHR route, and this coincided with my trip. I had to decide between losing a day in Istanbul and giving up the rare opportunity to sample the Skybed mk 2. I concluded that whilst Istanbul will always be there (bar Armagedon *knocks on wood*), D or award availability on the Qantas A380 isn’t as much of a certainty. The flight was showing only a single seat available in D as it was. So carpe diem as they say – a quick call to the AA Around The World desk to change my itinerary and I was all booked on the Big Fella.
                              [/flashback]

                              The first hint of something special was when the cheerful ladies at the SYD Flounge congratulated me and everyone else on the same flight for joining the inaugural. We were also told that we had a vantage point from the Flounge if we wanted to take pictures of the plane, as our departure gate was simply below us and our birdy was already parked there. Sure enough, the Flounge was indeed spotters galore and even a member of the media filmed the plane from the Flounge restaurant.







                              I’d arranged to meet up with adrian of AFF, so it was nice to have someone to share the Flounge experience with. A visit to the Flounge is not complete without pigging out at the restaurant, though I was going to take it easy after having had a full meal on the trans tasman (I’d originated the journey in AKL), and I wanted to save some room for the onboard meal. So a fruit platter for me it was.

                              my attempt at being a quasi health nut

                              OTOH poor adrian was flying onwards to HNL with the Big Orange Star and was determined to fill himself up prior to departure – it was only fitting that his onestar experience be preceded by a five star experience a fellow oneworld emerald is accustomed to.







                              I decided to leave for the gate a little earlier in case there was something special going on there, but alas the only form of celebration was a private function in the QP. Took a few pics of the rather well-organised boarding area.





                              Not much movement at the gate and boarding doesn’t seem to be anytime soon, so I headed back to the Flounge for more champers. After downing a few glasses of the rather yummy Devaux Blanc de Noir, the boarding call for QF31 finally came and the lovely SYD First Host encouraged us all to “keep the cameras rolling.”

                              A handful of actual FCL pax were whisked off to the boarding gate by one of the First Hosts, whilst us second class Floungers tried our best to keep up. It seems like half the plane enjoys priority boarding these days, since whY+ pax also get that privilege. The First Host escorted the FCL pax past the queue and got them boarded ahead of everyone else, whilst the rest of us were left to fend for ourselves; this is a great perk for actual FCL pax I reckon, after all the rest of us who got into the Flounge via status are only entitled to the oneworld/QFF priority lanes.
                              Last edited by KeithMEL; 20 January 2009, 04:33 PM.
                              All opinions shared are my own, and are not necessarily those of my employer or any other organisation of which I'm affiliated to.

                              Comment

                              Working...
                              X