NRT-SYD compared with HKG-SYD in J

[Homer]

I am starting another DONE4 in September going to the US, UK, Europe and then Asia. I've never been to Japan and plan to spend a week there at the end of the trip in early October.

Is there much difference between QF's J product on NRT-SYD compared with their J product on HKG-SYD or SIN-SYD? I had a feeling that there was a difference (eg older planes/seats) and so I am currently flying NRT-HKG-SYD in order to get home. However if I'm wrong about this then I would prefer to fly directly from NRT-SYD.

If you've flown both routes in J then I would appreciate your comments.

 

[simongr]

QF do run some 763's SYD-NRT which use the old Dreamtime seats. Personally I would not fly these if I had a choice - othe rpeople think they are fine for a daytime flight.

The other option flying SYD-NRT is the Skybed Mk 1 equipped A330 which I think is a great aircraft and still seems to have the new aircraft smell - large overhead luggage storage as well. It is my favourite 2 class aircraft.

 

[Homer]

The other option flying SYD-NRT is the Skybed Mk 1 equipped A330 which I think is a great aircraft and still seems to have the new aircraft smell - large overhead luggage storage as well. It is my favourite 2 class aircraft.

I've never flown on a 2 class A330 (though I have flown a 2 class 744). If this was your choice simongr, would you fly NRT-SYD or route via HKG?

 

[simongr]

If I could get on the A330 I would go direct without any question. The only change would be if I had spare segments to fly and time to kill and was chasing SCs.

 

[Homer]

If I could get on the A330 I would go direct without any question. The only change would be if I had spare segments to fly and time to kill and was chasing SCs.

I will have spare segments but not really any spare time. As for SCs, I will easily requalify for WP by the anniversary in November but I won't earn enough extra SCs to make partner gold so I suppose I should fly direct as well. Just no chance of an upgrade to F on that two-class A330...

 

[simongr]

Hmm - just rechecke your routing and you are flying NRT-SYD rather than SYD-NRT which does put a spin on it... Given you have an overnight flight anyway NRT-HKG-SYD might be an option.

You could get CX549 at 3PM from NRT-HKG connecting to QF128 if you wanted to burn points to upgrade to F - mind you then you would sleep through a lot of the F benefit.

Personally I would still go NRT-SYD direct :shock: unless I had other motives as mentioned above.

the cabin on the A330 is small in terms of pax so has a more spacious feel to it. you can guarantee an aisle seat with no pax climbing over you as well as the arrangement is 2-2-2...

 

[Homer]

You could get CX549 at 3PM from NRT-HKG connecting to QF128 if you wanted to burn points to upgrade to F - mind you then you would sleep through a lot of the F benefit.

For me, sleeping through F is the benefit - I can't sleep on Skybed and I think it's because of the seat angle (I can sleep on BA NCW); I have no problem sleeping in QF F. However I think the chance of an upgrade is low. I've previously had 100% success (from an admittedly relatively small sample) upgrading from J to F when travelling alone. However in this upcoming DONE4 I will be travelling with Marge and Maggie and that will obvioulsy affect our chances of an upgrade.

 

[simongr]

If travelling with an entourage and thus bags I would aim for the direct flight. Have a massage in the JL F lounge before departure and some bubbles and do you best to sleep

 

[Homer]

Thanks for your advice simongr. I will no doubt be posting some more questions before this thing is ticketed.

 

[simongr]

NP - just gearing up for my first DONE4esque trip with mrssimongr - still a few tweaks here and there

 

[Homer]

Have you posted details of your itinerary? I'd be keen to see what you are up to. This will also be my first DONE4 with my wife and daughter along for the ride and I have found it difficult to balance their needs with my desire to route through unnecessary places in order to try different airport lounges...

 

[simongr]

This is actually a combination of a couple of AAwards and QF Awards:

AAward OW150C (two people)

syd-hkg-jfk - brief stop in HKG overnight due to award availability then 1 week in NY at the Waldorf
jfk-lhr - 1 week touring the UK visiting Friends mostly (and eating in top notch restaurants)
lhr-lca - 1 week at major family evet
lca-lhr-hkg -stop for 3 days in hkg


QF Award hkg-sin 2 people in J - no stop - this was the only way to get to Oz not in whY
QF one way award sin-syd in F for mrssimongr
AAward rtn in F (same points cost as QF one way ) for simongr

Staying at the Conrad in HKG and Waldorf in NYC and London (only one night in London)

Restaurants planned:

Maze in london - Gordon Ramsay owned Modern Tappas restaurant
Purnells in Birmingham - very modern british cuisin

This is going to be a monster trip

This is mrssimongr's first J trip and the idea is to put her in as much luxury as possible as a reward for all of teh time I have been away... mnd you she is already planning the Tiffany's expeditions in NY...

 

[NM]

Let me throw in another idea. As a Qantas Platinum FF member you have access to the various F Lounges at the departure airports. The JAL FLounge at NRT and the CX FLounge at HKG will both be available to you. Each has its own advantages over the other.

JAL NR FLounge:

• The best whiskey selection I have ever seen in a lounge. At least 12 different excellent varieties available self-serve.
• Japanese style food as well as some western food available in self-serve buffet.
• OK showers.
• Need to leave the lounge a little early to get to the satellite terminal where QF fights depart (5-10 mins).

CX HKG FLounge:

• Great showers (though the cabanas are starting to show their age).
• Separate buffet restaurant area (The Haven) with waiter drinks service.
• comfortable seating with WiFi internet access.
• Waiter drinks service with limited selection.

I was very impressed with the JAL NRT FLounge when I passed through a few weeks ago.

 

[Homer]

Thank you for sharing. Our itinerary is a bit similar actually.

• We are going SYD-JFK-BOS, where I have a conference for 2 days.
• BOS-JFK for a week in NYC.
• JFK-LHR for a week in London plus some countryside touring, including visiting some friends in Nottingham.
• LHR-VCE for 3 days (we've never been), then rail to FLR and on to FCO.
• FCO-LHR-HKG for 3 days in HKG (my wife hasn't been)
• HKG-NRT for a week visiting relatives in Tokyo plus touring around Japan
• NRT-SYD (on that 2-class 333 that started this thread)

Both Marge and Maggie have flown international J before - one long haul to the US a couple of years back and several short-hauls to NZ as well as domestic flights. However this will be our longest trip since Maggie became old enough not to sleep most of the way....so we've booked lots of day time segments.

The flights are all straight DONE4s. Marge has never flown F so I will attempt to upgrade the LHR-HKG sector (where I got my first taste of F only last year) however as I said earlier I don't like my chances with three of us travelling. This is why, in the back of my mind, I am still toying with returning via HKG (or even SIN) just to give me a second bite at the F upgrade cherry for Marge...

 

[Homer]

I was very impressed with the JAL NRT FLounge when I passed through a few weeks ago.

Thanks NM. At this stage I'll be checking out the NRT F Lounge.

 

[garyjohn951]

You need to realise there is no guaranttee that QF128 will be a 3 class plane. Depends on the day. I am flying it on 19 July and the 3 class plane has been "pulled" and replaced with 2 classes.

The joke is that I applied for an F upfrade from J. "My bookings" now show I have a request in for Business ..............

Another glitch in the system..