I should have paid for a NZ/DJ direct flight rather than use up my QF points for this.
Christchurch airport is still recovering from the various earthquakes besetting the city. After an easy check in and trip through security and immigration, I called in at the QF / Manoia lounge which had friendly staff and a great range of food and beverages. (Pity that part of it is barricaded off due to earthquake damage) On boarding the QF New Zealand 737 a/c it was pleasing to see that they have VOD in seatbacks that actually worked. Arrival at T1 in Sydney was early and a quick trip through customs (unlike MEL with its endless baggage delays) saw me starting the expedition of the "Qantas Domestic Transfer" I notice that even QF have dropped the "Seamless" descriptor.
Things were going well in the T3 QP until boarding time for my QF459 flight to MEL, when it was delayed for a "Technical Issue" Further delays and a plane and gate change. The "issue " with B767 VH-OGG was requiring a plane change so VH-OGI was going to be used instead. An announcement was made in the lounge that there would be no catering on board the delayed flight and those in the QP were advised to eat and drink up before boarding. When boarding started about 40 minutes late I heard that non QP pax were being offered $20 food and drinks using their boarding pass so there were further delays while take away food was obtained.
In the plane change I lost 43A being an exit row seat. We left the gate about 50 min late and started the long taxi to 34R. After take off our flight diverted significantly to avoid thunderstorms in the Canberra - Goulburn area, losing our spot in the landing queue at MEL. To their credit, pasta salad and bottled water had somehow been loaded on the replacement aircraft. We ended up in MEL about 70 minutes late, but three hours later than if I had caught the later direct flight with NZ/DJ.
Another case of the Sydney transfer insanity of QF making their opposition look more attractive. The best that QF/JQ offer between CHR and MEL is a 6am JQ flight
Christchurch airport is still recovering from the various earthquakes besetting the city. After an easy check in and trip through security and immigration, I called in at the QF / Manoia lounge which had friendly staff and a great range of food and beverages. (Pity that part of it is barricaded off due to earthquake damage) On boarding the QF New Zealand 737 a/c it was pleasing to see that they have VOD in seatbacks that actually worked. Arrival at T1 in Sydney was early and a quick trip through customs (unlike MEL with its endless baggage delays) saw me starting the expedition of the "Qantas Domestic Transfer" I notice that even QF have dropped the "Seamless" descriptor.
Things were going well in the T3 QP until boarding time for my QF459 flight to MEL, when it was delayed for a "Technical Issue" Further delays and a plane and gate change. The "issue " with B767 VH-OGG was requiring a plane change so VH-OGI was going to be used instead. An announcement was made in the lounge that there would be no catering on board the delayed flight and those in the QP were advised to eat and drink up before boarding. When boarding started about 40 minutes late I heard that non QP pax were being offered $20 food and drinks using their boarding pass so there were further delays while take away food was obtained.
In the plane change I lost 43A being an exit row seat. We left the gate about 50 min late and started the long taxi to 34R. After take off our flight diverted significantly to avoid thunderstorms in the Canberra - Goulburn area, losing our spot in the landing queue at MEL. To their credit, pasta salad and bottled water had somehow been loaded on the replacement aircraft. We ended up in MEL about 70 minutes late, but three hours later than if I had caught the later direct flight with NZ/DJ.
Another case of the Sydney transfer insanity of QF making their opposition look more attractive. The best that QF/JQ offer between CHR and MEL is a 6am JQ flight
