QFF Y oneworld award over, around and up and down

[dajop]

New York City. That was the plan. November to celebrate a milestone. However, after looking into the cost of accommodation and recalling the what the weather can be like at that time of year, we decided to take advantage of hotels at 1/3rd their November price and go now. My partner, going from MEL decided to pick up QF to SYD and then onto a very inexpensive DL fare on their second day of flying out of Sydney.

Me, after looking into some options ex-SIN on NW, decided to stick to the lounge land that is oneworld. So after some planning, the assistance of Great Circle Mapper, I settled on a trip that could include a Christmas vist back to Australia, and another one at Easter for a wedding.

This is what I settled on:
KUL-NRT-JFK (JL)
JFK-HKG-SIN (CX)
SIN-ADL-MEL (QF)
MEL-SYD-CGK (QF)
CGK-SYD (QF)
SYD-SIN(QF)-KUL (jJL - but won't takee this sector).

So for 142,500 pts and few small extra sectors on LCCs I get my return to New York and 2 returns to Australia. Quite happy with that.

First obstacle though: ticketing. Wanted to put this to my Australian CC, QF were quite happy to oblige initially, but when I rang back to ticket (after waiting for a request - SIN-MEL direct - which did not clear), I got quite a dressing down for even attempting to ticket ex-AUS, as I was based in SIN I had to ticket ex-SIN. However, they let me do it, and good thing too. Taxes ex-SIN were just over $1000 SGD. Same itinerary ticketed out of Australia, taxes were just over $600 AUD. Don't like the ethics of this QF, I think I will move my address back to AUS to avoid this issue in the future.

Anyway, next to find a flight to get from SIN-KUL. Settled on Air Asia. WHich is where this begins.

 

[dajop]

Sector 1: Air Asia AK708 SIN-KUL. A320.

After a speedy check in about 1 hour before departure, headed straight to the deserted Qantas Club, where I partook in some drinks and did some emails. Flight was delayed 20mins, which didn't bother me as I had plenty of time to kill in KL.

Went to the gate about 25mins before new departure time and plane wasn't even there. Neverthless it wasn't long before it arrived, and we were soon boarding (in fact from arriving at gate to door closing was 19 minutes - quite impressive).

My second AK flight, after a sector from KUL-Kuching in 2007 on an older 737. This was a much newer leather seated A320, but I was glad it was really only 30mins flying time, as my knees found a home embedded in the seat in front. Spent some time browsing the extensive in flight sales catalog/menu - interesting that one of the articles in the in flight magazine mentioned Air Asia's focus on ancilliary revenue. But with the low fares on offer, that is not at all bad. If you really feel compelled to eat or have something to drink on this short sector - you can at a small price. Something you cannot do on the much more expensive SQ or MH for that matter.

Flight was uneventful, which is what you always hope for, sans the boso sitting in the exit row a couple of rows forward who unclipped his seatbelt as soon as the wheels left the tarmac.

Arrived promptly about 30mins in KL, and then proceeded to immigration to the luggage wait. To my surprise I just walked up the carousel and waited all of 30 seconds and there was my bag. All in all about 10mins from disembarkation to landside, where I went to catch the 20-30 min busride to the terminal less than 1km (one thing that PER and KUL have in common - the long ride around the airport perimeter to change terminals).

 

[dajop]

JL724 KUL-NRT 763 seat 45A

Well here's one especially for JohnK (and I'm with you on this), a few days prior to departure I visited the JL website to allocate some seats for my two JL flights, and guess what - I could allocate exit rows! So whilst QF are now charging for exit rows, I found myself exit row seats on both JL flights.

However as I checked in I noticed that my seat on the the NRT-JFK flight had changed ... no longer in row 45. Instead row 17, an upgrade to premium economy .... nothing to be disappointed about there.

After a couple of hours in the CX lounge, I boarded, and actually felt quite good to be back on a 763. Have only had one 763 flight in the last 18 mths (a single MEL-SYD) so it was nice to be back on the more intimately sized wide body with its 2-3-2 config.

Settled into my seat, with an empty seat next to me and more legroom than I could hope to use. We were soon away, and having a good chat (mainly about NYC) to the FA's sitting opposite me. It seems that GFC and precarious situation airlines find themselves in, means that FA's are now staying at shopping malls on Long Island, rather than downtown Manhattan. Certainly makes sense, but I guess takes the glamour out of flying.

No hot meal served on this 7hr flight, which at first I thought disapponting, but given the late departure (11pm), I was quite happy with the sandwich/rice/kitkat/fruit - in a box that was offered, probably better on the digestive system at midnight than a full hot meal.

Good IFE, although the music selection wasn't quite what I'm used on to on EK, SQ, QF, nevertheless it was all OK. THis being my first ever JL flight, take notice of things - observations clean fresh looking cabin with good colours, but the seat was a bit hard. Service was OK for Y cabin, but hard to tell given that of the time my eyes were shut.

Again another short conversation with the FA's before completing an uneventful flight and then heading to immigration and to Narita town, to get some fresh air and wander around the gardens of the Naritasan Shinshoji Temple, before heading back to the JAL First Lounge during my four hour stopover.

Whilst on the train to Narita, I got a msg from my partner who was checking in on DL at SYD. After arriving from MEL was one of the last to checkin and said the flight was oversold. Five mins later got a another message, that a J boarding pass had been forthcoming. The upgrade gods are smiling on us today. I guess that's the advantage of checking in late, on only the second flight out of a country on an airline that probably has very few elite members in that country (I doubt there would be too many US based DL elites already going back to US already, and I also assume that there wouldn't be a huge number of DL elite in Australia).

 

[v8Statesman]

SIN-KUL (jJL - but won't takee this sector).


Anyway, next to find a flight to get from SIN-KUL. Settled on Air Asia. WHich is where this begins.

Silly question, Why didn't you use the SIN-KUL on JL at the begining saving the need for Air Asia?

 

[drron]

I certainly would have avoided Air Asia-mainly because mrsdrron would refuse to fly them again.Did the bozo in the exit row get out of his seat before the plane left the runway after landing-they certainly did that in Thailand.
Great TR.I suspect the ticket was cheaper out of KUL rather than SIN.

 

[v8Statesman]

Great TR.I suspect the ticket was cheaper out of KUL rather than SIN.

How so? It was a 140K OW award, So only taxes are to be paid.

 

[futaris]

Silly question, Why didn't you use the SIN-KUL on JL at the begining saving the need for Air Asia?

dajop is based in SIN, and wants to travel to/from SIN several times. SIN, CGK and KUL are all cheap on LCCs. By starting the award in KUL, dajop can come back to SIN several times on the same award, since a stopover in a city is only allowed once. Two transits are allowed though.

 

[dajop]

Silly question, Why didn't you use the SIN-KUL on JL at the begining saving the need for Air Asia?

Good question, simple answer. On the oneworld RTW itinerary, once you return to city or country of origin you cannot leave again. So to start the trip ex-SIN meant I would have needed to finish on return from NYC. However, I could have added JL for 10,000pts plus taxes as a separate award (or paid fare) - but given the taxes were almost the same as the Air Asia fare, went with that, albeit with some inconvenience.

When in the airport on the way back will update with reports on later flights.

 

[JohnK]

Nice start to the trip report dajop. Looking forward to reading the rest of the trip report.

 

[Evan]

Funny as an Aussie living in Singapore and often using my Australian credit card on ex-SIN flights and the reverse i have never had any questions about it... odd they decided to give you a hard time.

 

[munitalP]

Goor TR - can't wait to read the rest of it!

Mr!

 

[dajop]

Funny as an Aussie living in Singapore and often using my Australian credit card on ex-SIN flights and the reverse i have never had any questions about it... odd they decided to give you a hard time.

Yeh neither have I before this. Don't know whether it was now that my address is a SG address or that caller ID showed me calling from SIN. Or maybe they knew like me that there would be nearly 50% more in +++'s for them.

 

[dajop]

JL6 NRT-JFK Seat 17A

After walking around Narita township on what was quite a humid morning, I was pleased to head to the JL FCL and first things first - that shower to wash off the plane ride from the night before (and the sweat from the Narita walk). Usually enjoy the post flight showers, and this was no exception, with excellent facilities.

In the lounge, a reasonable selection of western and Japanese breakfast foods, and a quite yummy gazpacho (cold soup), which I enjoyed. And then I logged on to AFF and was no doubt inspired by reading a QF009 TR to have a couple of glasses of that bubbly stuff before boarding (which is not the norm for me, but for some reason - I don't know if it was the TR or the sound of the bottle being opened - I just had to have some)

After a slight (15 min) delay, I was boarding the new 777-300ER (anyway that's what the FA's told me the night before - that they use the newest planes on the JFK route). Passed the sea of J class seats (this particular config has 8F, 77J, 46Y+ and 115 Y) to reach my "skyshell" seat 17A.

Not normally a window seat person, I was relieved to be at a bulkhead that meant getting out of the seat was not a problem (although missed out on a foot rest as a result). The seats are of the no-recline type, in that the base of the seat moves forward rather than reclining and are equipped with leg support and a foot rest (if not in bulkhead). Also the extra seat width (8 across instead of 9) was noticeable and certainly made for a more comfortable flight.



After take off it wasn't long before amenities (apparently the same as J class -eye shades, ear plugs, a pair of slippers, moisturising mask and a blanket) were distributed and a hot towel run completed. Then for some drinks and lunch. Food was same as economy I believe.

Lunch
Steamed seafood with lemon paprika sauce or
Broiled chicken with sweet soy sauce on steamed rice

Coppa Ham, Marinated Shrimp, coughtail vegetables

Fresh salad with Yuzu citron dressing

Dessert (a cake)

Coffee Tea Green Tea

I went for some Shochu on ice for drinking (after all I was on Japanese airline!) which went down quite well and I did enjoy, and the chicken which was OK I guess for economy fare, but nothing to write home about.

After lunch watched a movie (felt like something light and fluffy that I had seen before so I could fall asleep if I wanted to , so Back to the Future it was :shock and then tried to get some shut eye (hard to know when to get shuteye on this flight, that departs at 11:30am and arrives at 11:25am).

I did manage some sleep, but I awoke in time for a mid flight snack - choosing from Danish, noodles in a cup and Dean & Deluca icecream (I'm a bit oblivious to brands at times - particularly those that aren't big in Australia or Singapore, and Dean & Deluca wasn't one that rang a bell, but curiously a few hours after arriving I found myself in their Soho store). I chose the danish and the ice cream to satisfy my sweet tooth, which they certainly did.

I tried the finding some suitable music on the entertainment system and played some tetris (it has been a long time since I've played that (!), but nevertheless passes the time on long flights), before getting some more shut eye. I will comment here that there was a good selection of movies and games , but nothing like the selection of TV programmes you get on CX, SQ or QF AVOD systems. Also the music/CD selection was a bit limited and not particularly to my taste. On the other carriers I can happily spend a good 30minutes setting up my playlist, that was not the case here.

Soon though time for breakfast A curious combination of pancake, waffle and ham with maple syrup in one dish, a salad some fruit and some yoghurt. Again OK, but nothing special.

It wasn't long before we landed and then in true JFK style taxi-ed to a hold point whilst we waited for a DL flight to depart from T2, and an Airfrance plane to arrive at the gate at T1 ahead of us. After a 10 min delay we were at the gate and soon heading to immigration. My previous experiences with JFK immigration have been from CX flights that were the only flights in the place and were positive, however with the AF flight in front of us there was a long line up for non-US citizens. Thanks to my APEC card I was able to skip all that. Fairly quick bag retrieval then off to the Airtrain and subway.

So - it had been almost 34 hours since leaving Singapore, and my longest series of Y flights since my first trip to London (MEL-PER-SIN-LHR) in 1992, and I survived, although the Y+ upgrade certainly helped. For this worktravel induced J-junky (I think my longest Y flight in the last 5 years has been MEL-BKK) , I proved to myself I could indeed still survive the Y (or Y+) cabin, and really felt quite relaxed upon arrival. (FWIW I do regularly travel MEL/SIN in Y but those flights do seem so short now that they don't count. I just hope no one who makes travel policy decisions in my company is reading this.

Next:
NYC Status run in Hilton Gardens Inns
CX "lie flat" economy JFK-HKG.