One more RTW hurrah... oh whY not!

[TIKIS]

Great work Keith love everything about your report,and the f lounge at syd looks great luckely for you it wasen't full.Was there any type of inflight movies shown on the overheads or just flight status ect i can't understand why qantas would put such an aircraft like the 763 no new fabric no ptv on this run, if i was qantas i would be using the a330 for sure.Keep up the great work.

[soak01]

Great trip report. Not having flown QF for many years, always wondered what the QF Y experience was like between SYD and HNL, certainly seems better than the Jetstar alternative.

As others have said pity though that QF persist with such an outdated aircraft on the route. Even NZ have updated or are in the process of updating their 763's which operate the AKL/HNL route with ptv's.

Looking forward to reading about the rest of your trip.

[KeithMEL]

Great trip report so far - keep up the good work. I think I'm lost with a bit of the lingo... Flounge, Blounge & QP... what are they?

Look forward to reading about the rest of the trip!

Sorry mate.
Flounge - First class lounge
Blounge - Business class lounge
QP - Qantas Pub, aka Qantas Club (also in reference to international biz lounges, and domestic lounges which are not Blounges)

[KeithMEL]

.Was there any type of inflight movies shown on the overheads or just flight status ect

Entertainment on Q was shown on the main screen, and I was in a v good position for it. However I didn't really pay much attention so I don't really know what was shown - it looked like they started with a short feature, followed by a movie, then another short feature (i think i recognised Friends, Kath&Kim and Thank God You're Here). And so on. Sorry for being so vague but I really wasn't paying attention.

There are rumours that QF is replacing all international 763 routes (HNL, CGK, MNL) with the shiny new 332s soon but I hadn't been able to verify those rumours - it'd be awesome if true though.

[KeithMEL]

Oh yeah, forgot to mention that we had to transfer from gate to immigration on a bus at HNL. The amount of time taken aside (and really it's nothing compared to what I've experienced at toilets like Mother O'Hare or MEL on a Sunday night with no express lanes in operation), the airport has a v nice, resort style laidback feel with open air walkways. I wasn't at all stressed during the entire process. Probably was still on a high after the wonderful-as-usual Qantas service.

Last nite in Honolulu, out for food soon and more drinkies. LA tomo. Will try to update within the next 3-4 days.

[Nick C]

Great TR so far!

Are second helpings allowed for the meals at the Flounge? The portions look awfully tiny to be a snack.

[KeithMEL]

Are second helpings allowed for the meals at the Flounge? The portions look awfully tiny to be a snack.

Yeah was offered seconds, in fact you can eat as much as you want. But felt quite full for some reason - the dessert was v filling.

The idea is that F pax won't overeat and become too full for the onboard meals. Or at least that's the official excuse given. Makes sense if you ask me, considering that some flights feature a degustation menu. For those that want to eat more in the Flounge and go to sleep or work onboard, they are free to order as much food as they'd like. Though I hear the service can be slow when the place is heaving (such as during the evening QF/BA departures to Europe).

[flo]

gosh mate, your lingo ... "Flounge", "Blounge", "W@nk@ Platinum", "Qantas Pub"... lol. Anyway, enjoy your Flounges, mr. WP and tell me about them when you are in Vienna!

[KeithMEL]

Anyway, enjoy your Flounges, mr. WP and tell me about them when you are in Vienna!

I am no WP, given I've not voluntarily credited anything to QFF since Dec 2005. QF doesn't like me as much as I'm only a "partner emerald" in their eyes.

Though this year I did struggle to decide between QF WP (relatively easy to gain status; good status benes on QF) and AA EXP (relatively good earn/burn; fairly good status benes on AA which I do fly a reasonable amount of to make 'em useful - 8 upgrade certs are certainly a draw), and in the end my desire for better value redemptions won out.

[jhm]

W@nk@ Platinum

[...]

AFAIK someone came up with it at a QF FT or AFF (can't remember which) DO over too many bottles of Hahn's Premium; no idea how why he chose those specific acronyms

Indeed! Wasted P@sshead sounds more apt to me.

[planemad]

I had my first of many glasses of bubbles for the day - the Devaux Blanc de Noir...... love the v invitingly musky bouquet, followed by the delightful honey and biscuity themes, and finishing up with a lingering hints of strawberry....

Switched to Veuve yellow after 3 glasses of pinot ...the Veuve seemed to be a bit more fragrant than usual, and went down a lot smoother with plenty of creamy characters with hints of mocha.....

I then wandered over to the lounge area, decided to order my first glass of Moet for the night in the name of comparison. And it reaffirmed my stance - Moet NV is so not worth the money it retails for. It's pleasantly quaffable (lemon and lime characters are dominant)....

Love it when you go all lyrical over champagne [B]KeithMEL[B]. Looking forward to your series of TRs! Hic.

[phaleesy]

No updates on HNL and marines yet?

[KeithMEL]

No updates on HNL and marines yet?

Marines? Wha?

All in good time...

[KeithMEL]

Review of W Honolulu-Diamond Head here.

Next: Honolulu

[Kiwi]

Though I hear the service can be slow when the place is heaving (such as during the evening QF/BA departures to Europe).

They are consistently slow when it is quiet too. The trick I find is to have the meal just before boarding is called rather than when you first get into the lounge. Still, rather annoying that I feel I have to alter the timing of meal to suit them instead of suiting me.