craven morehead
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G'day Fellow AFFers, it's time for me to have another crack at presenting a TR.
The genesis of this trip came about from a cancelled (Due in part, to a change in employment) 2023 Ashes trip (Old Trafford - Manchester) where Mrs. CM and I had planned to meet up with a mate of ours and his wife in Belfast and fly over to MAN just as we had done in 2013. The original plan booked as far out as possible had us flying EMD-BNE-SYD-HND-HEL-DUB- train to Belfast then BFS-MAN-LHR-SIN and that was a far as I could get us around the planet in J. There were no J cash fares available and Points+Pay is and was nonsense! Cash fares for F at the time were $5500 each from SIN-SYD. So, I decided to chance my luck and call Hobart after identifying that the correct fare class was available from SIN-SYD and respectfully ask that they open 1 or 2 F seats for me. It would have been rude of me, to not accept the 2 seats offered
I coughed up the 210k points or whatever it was and ~$400 IIRC. This was on a separate PNR to the rest of the trip and ticketed in no time. After having to cancel the original booking I decided to hang on to the 2 F seats and see what happened.
I really didn't want to waste the F seats as I have only previously flown the old QF F on the 747, so I cobbled together an itinerary that would have us back in SIN in time to take advantage of the First-Class booking on QF2.
We ended up with EMD-BNE (Y) QF - BNE-SYD (J) QF - SYD-TPE (J) CI - TPE-HKG (J) CX (Transit) HKG- HND (J) CX - HND-SIN (J) JL - SIN-SYD (F) QF - SYD-BNE (J) QF and the old reality check BNE -EMD (Y) QF. Mrs. CM booked all on Classic Rewards and me, mostly Classic Reward with a couple of cost-effective DSC vouchers used for domestic legs.
There will be a couple of firsts for me on the trip: First time in Taiwan, first time flying China Airlines (CI) and Japan Airlines (JL)
The usual 100km drive to our regional airport EMD and away we go.
We were first in line at check in and proceeded to book our luggage all the way to TPE, however old mate couldn't print my boarding passes for BNE-SYD nor SYD-TPE
He told me he could see both seats, but they were locked, and he couldn't do anything. Just go to the service desk in BNE and they will sort it out.
After a typically boring flight down to BNE we got the bus from remote stand, and I went straight to the service desk at Gate 1. They couldn't assist as they are QantasLink. Try the lounge they said, then the lounge sent me to service desk at Gate 23. Ahh, Mr. CM we think your J seats to SYD have been oversold and there is no guarantee you will get them. She then looks at her colleague and says I can actually print boarding passes out. Gives us 1D & 1F and says we will call you in the lounge once we know what's going on and by the way you can only get your CI boarding passes at CI SYD check in. Off to the Dom J QP we go. Boarding was called 90 minutes later and after zero communication from QF we were seated in 1D & 1F. I noticed 3 x QF staff in the J cabin so maybe they bumped someone else off.
Anyway, after another long-winded intro from me let's go!
EMD-BNE
Cheese & Crackers is about as good as it gets in the EMD QP
Typical catering on this leg. There was a light load so I selected a seat each for us so we could relax on the mighty Dash 8.
Landed in a stormy looking BNE.
Bussed across to the terminal as happens 8/10 times.
After chasing up the service desk/s we sat down to relax and have a small bite to eat and maybe a glass of red
The Lasagna was tasty enough.
They must have been short of mince this week
Righto, let's get down to SYD and get CI boarding passes sorted.
The genesis of this trip came about from a cancelled (Due in part, to a change in employment) 2023 Ashes trip (Old Trafford - Manchester) where Mrs. CM and I had planned to meet up with a mate of ours and his wife in Belfast and fly over to MAN just as we had done in 2013. The original plan booked as far out as possible had us flying EMD-BNE-SYD-HND-HEL-DUB- train to Belfast then BFS-MAN-LHR-SIN and that was a far as I could get us around the planet in J. There were no J cash fares available and Points+Pay is and was nonsense! Cash fares for F at the time were $5500 each from SIN-SYD. So, I decided to chance my luck and call Hobart after identifying that the correct fare class was available from SIN-SYD and respectfully ask that they open 1 or 2 F seats for me. It would have been rude of me, to not accept the 2 seats offered
I coughed up the 210k points or whatever it was and ~$400 IIRC. This was on a separate PNR to the rest of the trip and ticketed in no time. After having to cancel the original booking I decided to hang on to the 2 F seats and see what happened.I really didn't want to waste the F seats as I have only previously flown the old QF F on the 747, so I cobbled together an itinerary that would have us back in SIN in time to take advantage of the First-Class booking on QF2.
We ended up with EMD-BNE (Y) QF - BNE-SYD (J) QF - SYD-TPE (J) CI - TPE-HKG (J) CX (Transit) HKG- HND (J) CX - HND-SIN (J) JL - SIN-SYD (F) QF - SYD-BNE (J) QF and the old reality check BNE -EMD (Y) QF. Mrs. CM booked all on Classic Rewards and me, mostly Classic Reward with a couple of cost-effective DSC vouchers used for domestic legs.
There will be a couple of firsts for me on the trip: First time in Taiwan, first time flying China Airlines (CI) and Japan Airlines (JL)
The usual 100km drive to our regional airport EMD and away we go.
We were first in line at check in and proceeded to book our luggage all the way to TPE, however old mate couldn't print my boarding passes for BNE-SYD nor SYD-TPE
He told me he could see both seats, but they were locked, and he couldn't do anything. Just go to the service desk in BNE and they will sort it out.After a typically boring flight down to BNE we got the bus from remote stand, and I went straight to the service desk at Gate 1. They couldn't assist as they are QantasLink. Try the lounge they said, then the lounge sent me to service desk at Gate 23. Ahh, Mr. CM we think your J seats to SYD have been oversold and there is no guarantee you will get them. She then looks at her colleague and says I can actually print boarding passes out. Gives us 1D & 1F and says we will call you in the lounge once we know what's going on and by the way you can only get your CI boarding passes at CI SYD check in. Off to the Dom J QP we go. Boarding was called 90 minutes later and after zero communication from QF we were seated in 1D & 1F. I noticed 3 x QF staff in the J cabin so maybe they bumped someone else off.
Anyway, after another long-winded intro from me let's go!
EMD-BNE
Cheese & Crackers is about as good as it gets in the EMD QP
Typical catering on this leg. There was a light load so I selected a seat each for us so we could relax on the mighty Dash 8.
Landed in a stormy looking BNE.
Bussed across to the terminal as happens 8/10 times.
After chasing up the service desk/s we sat down to relax and have a small bite to eat and maybe a glass of red
The Lasagna was tasty enough.
They must have been short of mince this week
Righto, let's get down to SYD and get CI boarding passes sorted.
duh!
How long's this been going on I ask. Doesn't everyone use a Lounge? 
Head back over to check in around 18.50 and they have just opened. Straight up to J counter and in FLounge 15 minutes later.
The service was attentive and on point tonight.
and as we were full from the Flounge we took a second appetiser of Creamy Pumpkin Soup instead of a main which was miniscule but very nice.
it was a fairly large serving. She was happy enough with it.
and the service was good.
The ladder truck looks like it would have quite some reach on it. Most likely essential in a high rise environment.
Do not eat this or you may sink!
