Erk To WPerth

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erkpod

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Jun 8, 2013
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After falling 145 SC short of WP on my last trip at the start of the year, I decided to take advantage of a DSC offer and get over the WP line before I head off to Europe in June. However after learning some tips on AFF & coupled with my love of flight, my plan isn't a simple SYD - PER - SYD transcon. It would be my first transcon trip since VA launched and hopefully there would be a J upgrade available. If this is the case, it would be my first J flight on a 330.



After cancelling one trip earlier in the year, I have had a health issue that meant that I might not have been able to fly. Lucky for me though, recovery has been good and my doctor has given me clearance, Clarance. With limited time before my trip in June & wanting to hold that WP card in my hand when I check in, I could not change flights again and still hope to have my new card in time.


Once I confirmed that I could fly, I managed to upgrade one sector. Unfortunately, one sector has been downgraded from a 330 to a 737.


My plan is:

Friday 9 May
VA 509 SYD - OOL (Y)
VA 736 OOL - MEL (Y)
VA 691 MEL - PER (J)


Sunday 11 May
VA 684 PER - MEL (Y - downgraded to 737)
VA 753 MEL - OOL (Y)
VA 546 OOL - SYD (Y)
 
If you are in Y then a 737 won't be that bad in row 3 as a WP. If it was J that would be a different story and I'd be asking to move to a 330 flight.
 
If you are in Y then a 737 won't be that bad in row 3 as a WP. If it was J that would be a different story and I'd be asking to move to a 330 flight.

I tried for row 3 for the Y flights but it looks like they are full of WP as I'd expect as a SG.
 
Garr!!! The 737 sub curse!!

Have they officially notified you?

Enjoy the trip erk!
 
Been looking forward to this since the epic circle pacific real time trip report.

Bring it on Erk!
 
You might be wondering what I'll be up to going this very short trip apart from chasing SC. This trip was originally planned to take advantage of a 3 day weekend at my Place of Employment. I've often debated cancelling the trip while on sick leave but my doctor has cleared me for travel. I'm still not fit to do my day job but what's the difference between sitting in a chair in front of my computer at home or sitting in a chair at FL 360?

After being out of the country during January & February, this will be my first domestic trip of the year. Vlounge wise, it will be my 1st visit of the year in the SYD & OOL Vlounges. It will also be my first time in the expanded MEL Vlounge & my first ever time in the PER Vlounge.

Speaking of firsts, it will be my first time in J on an A330 - hopefully not Awful or Broken.

It's my first time in Perth for a while. I have not used the newish Perth Underground station. There's also been a lot of upgrading to the main Perth station & surrounds. I'm also sure there was no smartcard ticketing the last time I was there. It will also be my first time on the Mandurah line.

Not that I planned it this way but I'll also be able to see my first interstate match in the Australian Ice Hockey League as the Perth Thunder host the Sydney Bears.
 
I like the thread title!

VA J on A330 MEL-PER is absolutely sensational - thoroughly enjoyed it and won some serious brownie points with my other half (we were fortunate to avoid XFA and B both ways). Our FA led us through a wine tasting session in our seats when we couldnt decide what to have with dinner - it was great fun.

The new MEL Lounge does look much nicer and I've never seen it very crowded (even at 6pm on the Friday of a long weekend) but the food offerings remain poor. I would rather have better food choices than 10 different types of beer.

I liked the layout of the PER lounge (except for its rather awkward location right next to security) but the food offerings there late arvo were almost nil.

Enjoy your trip!
 
Day 1
Friday 09 May
SYD - OOL - MEL - PER

An early start for me with a 0815 departure from SYD. Living in western Sydney, it means a bus & 2 trains.

I'm not a morning person and if I wake up at 0500, I can normally go back to bed. But today, that was my wake up time to go to the airport.

If I was at my Place of Employment, the bus & a first train would be the one that I would take if I was starting at the College of Knowledge. But today, I'm going on 3 jet planes.
 
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HLO at o'dark thirty

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Bus arrives at o'dark thirty.

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Only passenger on the bus.

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Bus ride over. Note to self - take headphones off when doing selfies.
 
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It turns out I just missed an express train but it wasn't on my original plan.

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A chance for a quick bite to eat.

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My train arrives. I go into Y. As I'm not going to/from my Place Of Employment & I'm not deadheading, I should not push any jumpseat rights that I normally would have (to use a couple of aviation terms). Besides, someone is already jumpseating.
 
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HLO on the train.

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I don't need a map now but I will later when I get to Perth.

A note on HLO for this trip...

Because of the nature of the trip (SYD - OOL - MEL - PER) and VA being VA, I could not book it online with the one PNR. If I was to go longer but do the same trip, it would be interesting to see how VA would handle this trip with baggage (bass ke to the white courtesy phone...). However, HLO is going to be so much easier. The length of the trip means HLO is a good option.

The trips are booked SYD - OOL on one PNR & OOL - MEL - PER & vice versa on the other. Because I'm Vlounging in OOL & MEL, I have a bit of time in between flights.
 
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Time to change trains at Central.

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I get the feeling I've done this before.
 
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Hang on, this isn't T1!

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Off to the Vlounge!

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In the Vlounge with a mixture of business & leisure people. Could only get my BP for the OOL flight after checking in at the valet lounge entry. Was advised to get the other BP at the lounge at OOL. Can't connect to the wifi.

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Reading some QF news via a dead tree.
 
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