"Any Time You Want Access, I'll Be There"

[medhead]

Re: Sun 29 Jan

Once again a great trip report. I'm going to be slightly dodgy and add in my version of the same trip.

My flight plan for the day was slightly different and stuck more to the original commiseration event idea.

First flight was DJ401 ADL-SYD - I've already asked a question about this, with respect to a person deciding that they would like to sit in the seats next to me and not their allocated seats. It made for a bad start to the day as I was very uncomfortable with this armrest hog. Other than that, I have nothing more to say, well being surprised that QF730 was cancelled.

I arrived in SYD T2, a little bit later than scheduled but nothing too bad. I made straight for the Qantas Club and asked nicely for a boarding pass reprint, which was quickly provided sans orange D sticker. I handed over some chocys to says thanks for the help and turned to leave with a comment that I'll go track down the D sticker, only to be promptly called back for a sticker. Overall I was very happy that the chocolates went down a treat, just wish that ADL QC had of been helpful because I could use some brownie point with the staff there. Unfortunately, they weren't helpful and they missed out.

Anyway, I left the T2 QC and made my way straight down to the train station for the transfer. There was a very helpful couple there, also going to SYD T1, who loaned me a pen to fill in the D sticker. Thank yous said I wandered off. The train was shortly there, and next thing you know I was through security etc. and into the F lounge. The greeting from the F lounge desk was puzzling to say the least, I tried to just agree.

I made my way straight to the Spa, as I decided that a massage would cure the pain in my back from the lopsided sitting position on DJ401. After booking in for the facial and head massge I went to say hello to the crowd. I can't really remember the conversations of the day, besides saying that it was special to meet everyone, I only have a few general impressions as follows:

Serfty Great to meet you finally. The big think that sticks out is revealing that a Qantas call centre person referred me to AFF.
Ozbeachbabe Kind generous person, with an amazing memory for details.
anat0l I remember telling you that I rarely read all your posts of AFF. I also remember that I didn't finish that thought, your posts are often much longer than my attention span. I also didn't tell you about how SWMBO (very educated and talented with english and such), my sister in law (multiple degrees in greek, latin and such) and I (ummm ) puzzled for days over your trip report with the magic secret rule. That occupied at least 2 brains and me.
dfcatch great to meet you, you have some great ideas for pranks, and always very generous with the shouts.
Mal also great to meet you again. You could have tested the things that I might agree about, rather than worry about the things I don't agree about.
Maggies1 I'm really sorry that I was completely hopeless in your hour of need.
Simo, Ozbeachbabe Both told me about some reply to Princess Fiona that I posted. I recall that it was rather funny, but I have no idea what it was. What was it?
Everyone else, sorry my memory has died (see previous impression for evidence of my poor memory), but my main impression is that you are all a great group of people to spend an afternoon with. I have also meet a few of you twice and it was a pleasure to meet again.

Here is a picture of the group in SYD, after I returned from the facial and massage, which was just amazing. I think also after the QF8 group arrived.

View attachment 6015

Lunch for me was the squid and the boring steak. I have the steak because I'm trying, unsuccessfully, to recreate one of the best meals I've ever experienced.

JQ35 Relatively uneventful - I think I slept most of the way.

After landing the group quickly cleared customs and agreed to reconvene in the DJ lounge. This was great for me as I was leaving on a DJ flight to ADL at about 5:40pm. Another chance for some wonderful conversation. All too soon DJ239 was called and I was on my way.

DJ239 Arrived back in ADL after an uneventful flight including a nice cup of free DJ coffee to see the following parked up near the long term car park. Great end to the day.....

View attachment 6016

 

[Princess Fiona]

I would love to know what the funny reply was Medhead
Thanks for the TR

 

[Simo]

I would love to know what the funny reply was Medhead

Sorry I can't remember the reply either.

 

[Justinf]

Awesome trip report. thanks heaps.

 

[Bundy Bear]

Similar to Medhead I thought I should add my own version. anat0l does a great version, once I have posted my version I should delete my original and save anat0ls as my version.

28 JANUARY 2012
BNE-SYD QF008 747-400 VH-OEE Seat 34A

I got a lift to the airport from OBB. The lift to and from the airport saved me close to $50.00 and probably a whole lot more in time.

We had already checked in online and had the all-important D stickers for domestic passengers traveling on the international flights, just a weird Australian rule which basically means you can't buy duty free. We are there for the lounges anyway.

[FONT=&amp]QF8 runs DFW-BNE-SYD with a 747, and as a top tier Qantas flyer I got a seat in the Premium economy section, which really just meant a bigger seat for this sector as the food was the same[/FONT]. I was able to purchase the complete airfare on Qantas with the routing BNE-SYD-MEL which we hoped would give us the boarding pass we needed for our Jetstar flight to Melbourne without having to queue up at the 3 hour mark.

The Qantas First Lounge in Brisbane is a poor cousin to that in Sydney and Melbourne, but there were some breakfast items including cereals and breads plus a good range of alcohol.

The flight was called at 7:15am for our 7:45am, where we made our way to the gate, it’s rare now to travel our a 747-400ER on a domestic flight anywhere in the world.

The seat pitch in Premium economy is rather nice.

Take off was just after 8:00am for the 1 hr 4 minute flight to Sydney, the captain advised the flight level would be 38,000 feet.

Breakfast on the flight consisted of a croissant, yoghurt, juice and a tea and coffee was served soon after all the meals were distributed by the cabin crew.

During boarding and take off I listened to a radio channel on the Qantas IFE and once we leveled out I watched a couple of episodes of Come Fly with Me. Some of the commentarily is over the top but then there are a few lines which I think to myself I have heard that one before. After the breakfast was served anat0l joined me for a quick chat to see how the other half lived.

We landed into Sydney on time and it was a transfer through security up to the departures level where 3 of us made our way too slowly to the Qantas First Class Lounge, after someone needed to take some aircraft photos. Ah people I am missing out on good breakfast and drinking time here.

28 JANUARY 2012
SYD-MEL JQ35 A330-200 VH-EBA Seat 45E

As we had an easy transfer we would have nearly 3 hours in the Qantas lounge in Sydney, and the slightly earlier timing of the flight from 3pm to 2pm meant that we could enjoy part of the breakfast menu and then enjoy the lunch menu.

Tommy our server at the far end of the lounge organized breakfast for a few of us. After breakfast it was almost time for lunch.

One thing I have noticed with the current First Lounge menus is the sizes of the meals, I almost get the impression the size of each meal has been increased since my first lounge visit almost 4 years ago. I found Spicy rare beef salad with fragrant herbs, green mango and cashews my entree choice way too spicy for my liking. I did enjoy my Rangers Valley 300 day grain fed tenderloin with bearnaise, harissa and chips. Any dessert is always good and this time I had the Chocolate brownie with vanilla gelato and hot fudge sauce. All this was washed down with a few glasses of champagne and a final glass of the Noble One Dessert wine.

Our flight for JQ35 was called all too soon and we made our way to the gate to find that boarding had not yet commenced. As per a previous flight all Qantas issued boarding passes would need to be reprinted on Jetstar boarding cards. Our flight down to Melbourne was rather standard affair although we did sing Happy Birthday to Mark. At the time I am sure Mark wanted to have his chair swallow him up from the embarrassment we were causing him. I am sure he recovered eventually. Around the same time one of our group had organized a Birthday Card that most of us had signed.

Once the flight had ended it was time to enjoy some of the lounge offerings from Virgin Australia. Interestingly that Virgin lounge is outside security so you don’t have to worry so much about unpacking your suitcase to get through security.

Photo taken once most people had already had their share, surprisingly the food was brought to us by one of the Virgin lounge staff.

A few drinks in the lounge was nice why I got Penegal organized to find us a venue for dinner in the city.

In the middle of the lounge visit I had to use one of the computers to print out myself a skybus ticket so that I could get into the city and back out again.

Tonights accommodation was at the Holiday Inn Airport, after a few hours in the Virgin lounge I checked into the hotel before I then headed into town on the skybus.

Thanks to Penegal for organizing a venue for dinner.

29 JANUARY 2012
MEL-BNE QF618 737-800 VH-VYG Seat 1F

After a tough schedule the previous day it was nice to have a long sleep in. Check out was at 11:00am and then I headed back over to the airport to check in for my flight back to Brisbane. The flight had been booked with Samh004 has part of a 2 for 1 deal. I absent minedly checked in us both and then headed through security for a late breakfast in the lounge. I left the lounge about 40 minutes before the flight was to depart to get my fellow passenger off the flight. Well he wasn’t going to mysteriously appear in the next few minutes so I thought it best to give up the seat to another passenger who might be wishing for an elusive upgrade.

Just before boarding was completed I was joined by another passenger who was pretty happy with their last minute upgrade. I had a quiet a good chat with her as she worked with one of the catering companies at Brisbane airport who provide food for the Qantas domestic flights. Conversation ranged from the amount of food that is wasted on some flights and discussion talked about the Qantas shutdown in October.

The meal was a good size and the portion was probably big enough as a dinner.

The flight landed back in Brisbane where it was cool and rainy. I then waited in the Qantas lounge for the rest of the passengers to arrive from the next flight from Melbourne.

OBB was able to secure a seat on the following flight so I was able to get a lift home. Thanks again to OBB.

Great weekend, might have to do the same next year if JQ35 is still running. :-|