Qantas 747 Business Class San Francisco - Sydney
Qantas Business Class Lounge, Sydney Airport
Qantas A330 Business Class Sydney - Auckland
Holiday Inn Auckland Airport - Review
The Pavilions Hotel, Christchurch - Review
What We Saw In Christchurch
Hilton Queenstown Resort and Spa - Review
What We Saw In Queenstown including Doubtful Sound Tour
Avani Metropolis Hotel, Auckland - Review
What We Saw In Auckland
Oceans Mooloolaba - Review
What We Saw On The Sunshine Coast
Brisbane Marriott - Review
Qantas 787 Business Class Brisbane - Los Angeles
This last international flight segment was actually the first one booked because I found three business class seats on the same flight back from Brisbane. I wanted to give D (the birthday girl) a treat since she usually flies economy and I was hoping that this would incentivize her to try to fly business class in the future but I'm not sure it worked.
When we arrived at the gate for our 10:10 AM flight our lovely bird was waiting for us, a Boeing 787-9. D ended up getting selected for secondary screen but in the end she was able to be one of the first on board so I guess it worked out for her.
We boarded through door 2L and turned left into the business class cabin.
I'd assigned myself seat 7A, a window seat on the left side. These seats were identical to those on the A330 we flew between Sydney and Auckland so I won't go in to great detail here. If you select a window seat, pay attention to where the armrest is as they alternate. Odd rows have the arm rest between the seat and the aisle making them more private and making it easier to look out the window.
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| Seat 7A (left) has the armrest on the aisle side and an easier view out the window than seat 8A (right) has. |
At the seat was the duvet, mattress pad, menu, breakfast card and a bottle of water. The mattress pads had the "shoulders" built in which keeps it from sliding around on the seat, even when seated upright. Brilliant job, Qantas.
We got another set of pajamas, identical to the ones C and I got on the way down. That's ok with me. I really like them and wear them at home.
A few minutes later the crew brought around headphones. They worked and I have no complaints that they're not Bose or some other name brand.
We were also handed amenity kits with the same contents as the one from the trip down. I like how they match the masks to the fabric of the kit's bag. (Did you know these eye masks also work as COVID-19 face masks? Just turn it upside down so the flap covers your nose and you're all set!)
I'm always amazed when premium cabins don't have air vents. This plane did have them though I was fortunate that the cabin was always at a pleasant temperature and I didn't need to adjust them.
We pushed back on time and I started watching movies on the IFE system. This is about the only time I watch movies so there are usually several I haven't seen. I also love watching The Big Bang Theory as I never watched it while it was airing. About an hour after push back we were given a snack list and a choice of beverage. I boldly selected water.
About an hour after that it was time for lunch. Here's the menu:
I selected the salad as my starter. I really wish the dressing had come on the side as I typically use less than most folks. While it tasted fine, there was just too much of it for my liking.
The beef filet was not bad at all. It was served medium and while I prefer my steak medium rare, it was still tasty. The potatoes and peas were quite good.
For dessert I selected ice cream. I guess I'd hoped the pre-packaged treats were only on the short haul flights but nope, it was an ice cream sandwich.
The rest of the flight was spent napping and watching movies and TV. The crew checked in often enough but was not intrusive, which I appreciated. Since we were landing in Los Angeles around 5:30 AM, our final meal on board was breakfast. When we boarded the plane we'd been given a card to make our selections. I knew I wouldn't be very hungry after a filling lunch and I usually prefer a cold breakfast anyway, so I kept mine pretty light. Here were the choices:
I selected the OJ and hot tea to drink, the granola and toast with berry jam.
Despite leaving just a smidgen late, we arrived a little early and that's when I learned that LAX does not allow deplaning until 6 AM so we had to sit on board a bit.
With Global Entry I was able to get through Customs and Immigration in no time flat. My flight to Memphis via Chicago was on United, which is not a Qantas partner. I wasn't sure it would work but thankfully when we reached the baggage re-check station I was able to check my bag with United there instead of having to lug it from the Tom Bradley International terminal over to Terminal 7.
C and I said goodbye to D, who lives in the LA area and boarded our flight to Chicago on a Boeing 737. We were served another breakfast although I wasn't really hungry. Once we landed I bid C farewell and was brought back down to earth by having to fly a CRJ-700 for the final segment of this trip. But the flights were uneventful, just the way I like my air travel to be.
Final Thoughts
While it was great to get in one last flight (my 12th segment this trip!) on a 747 on the way to Australia, it was nice to have more modern equipment on the flight back. The staff was friendly and efficient; I have no complaints. Will be happy to fly Qantas to or from Australia any time!
We had a great time Down Under despite not having the best weather everywhere. Christchurch and Mooloolaba/Australia Zoo were high points for me. I hope to re-visit them at some point. Not sure if we'll get to have a big trip in Fall 2020. Fortunately we were already planning to stay domestic with 10 days in Hawaii so we'll see if things are "normal enough" by then.
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