Let me introduce myself. I am a long time reader but first time poster. However after enjoying many TRs, most recently the current edition by QF009, I though it only fair I give it a go. Why now? Well my route of Sydney - Kolkata (Calcutta) is the first trip I've made since reading this forum that isn't just Oz-Europe, Oz-BKK or SYD-MEL/BNE standard issue affairs.
As travelling on behalf of the marketing department the trip was of course in J class. Normally as a lowly engineer I am doomed to Y for all flights or Y+ if I lick lots of cough. Although I do get a fair number of opt ups in BA (despite no status).
I normally fly OneWorld on most international flights and as most of my travel is Oz – LHR/MAD I have a fair stash of QFF points, but no status. This was because I normally always fly BA to try and get WT+ (before QF offered it) and as I fly DJ on domestic flights I would always have enough status credits to get Silver or Gold QFF membership but never the 4 QF qualifying flights (normally 3 just to piss me off!). Of course I should have joined BA Executive Club, but was obedient when I tried to join and they said that due to my Aussie location I must join QFF even though flying BA. Anyway, I digress; just setting the scene… this flight would be on SQ as only SQ and Thai offer decent flights to KOL from Sydney. SQ were the only airline that could get me there in one day, so SQ it was despite being more expensive than Thai but with the benefit of saving me spending 20 hours in BKK airport (world’s most boring airport in my opinion!)
Flights were tentatively booked the week before travel and application with “Visa Link” was placed for Indian visa (in UK passport with Aus Permanent Resident Visa). Website stated that this could take 7-15 days but I was told it could be quicker. After hand delivering my passport to VisaLink on Monday and begging them to rush it through (they were very nice and said they would.) The Sydney office is no more than a student flat – not a great place to leave your passport! I was advised on Thursday that my visa had been issued and it arrived on my desk on Friday morning. Flights were confirmed for:
Outbound Mon 28-Jul:
SQ232 1130 SYD- SIN B744
SQ516 2105 SIN – CCU B772
Return Wed/Thursday 30/31-Jul:
SQ517 2350 CCU-SIN B772
SQ219 0930 SIN-SYD B744
I’ve flown SQ before to SYD-BKK and SIN-DPS but always in Y which I found to be by far the best Y I’ve experienced. Y seats in 744 certainly seem bigger than on QF/BA and level of service compared to BA/QF make it seem like business class. So I was looking forward to something rather special in J (or C!) on SQ.
[more to follow]
As travelling on behalf of the marketing department the trip was of course in J class. Normally as a lowly engineer I am doomed to Y for all flights or Y+ if I lick lots of cough. Although I do get a fair number of opt ups in BA (despite no status).
I normally fly OneWorld on most international flights and as most of my travel is Oz – LHR/MAD I have a fair stash of QFF points, but no status. This was because I normally always fly BA to try and get WT+ (before QF offered it) and as I fly DJ on domestic flights I would always have enough status credits to get Silver or Gold QFF membership but never the 4 QF qualifying flights (normally 3 just to piss me off!). Of course I should have joined BA Executive Club, but was obedient when I tried to join and they said that due to my Aussie location I must join QFF even though flying BA. Anyway, I digress; just setting the scene… this flight would be on SQ as only SQ and Thai offer decent flights to KOL from Sydney. SQ were the only airline that could get me there in one day, so SQ it was despite being more expensive than Thai but with the benefit of saving me spending 20 hours in BKK airport (world’s most boring airport in my opinion!)
Flights were tentatively booked the week before travel and application with “Visa Link” was placed for Indian visa (in UK passport with Aus Permanent Resident Visa). Website stated that this could take 7-15 days but I was told it could be quicker. After hand delivering my passport to VisaLink on Monday and begging them to rush it through (they were very nice and said they would.) The Sydney office is no more than a student flat – not a great place to leave your passport! I was advised on Thursday that my visa had been issued and it arrived on my desk on Friday morning. Flights were confirmed for:
Outbound Mon 28-Jul:
SQ232 1130 SYD- SIN B744
SQ516 2105 SIN – CCU B772
Return Wed/Thursday 30/31-Jul:
SQ517 2350 CCU-SIN B772
SQ219 0930 SIN-SYD B744
I’ve flown SQ before to SYD-BKK and SIN-DPS but always in Y which I found to be by far the best Y I’ve experienced. Y seats in 744 certainly seem bigger than on QF/BA and level of service compared to BA/QF make it seem like business class. So I was looking forward to something rather special in J (or C!) on SQ.
[more to follow]
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