Summary
SYD-MEL-PER-SYD 767, A330 Dom, 747 Intl 3 class.
I needed 100 SC’s for gold and options from Sydney are not as easy as some places, plus there is SYD airport to deal with.
It was my first opportunity to get to gold this year; I had used a double bonus in Jan to get close but the work funded travel dried up pretty quick, so I was left a little short. …
Oh what to do? Where to go? How to get there? The answer was simple an ASA, JASA to be precise and why go direct when you can connect.
Of the available options, Perth seemed the best one and a JASA was 44k points even better when you put a little cash in the mix and hey for another $10 I can go via MEL and get an extra 40sc’s. This gave me gold for the return Y flight for an extra 25% status bonus.
The technical stuff
SYD-MEL. QF449 (767),
MEL-PER. QF481 (A330-200 Domestic config.)
PER-SYD. QF582 -744 Intl config.
I had taken the time to check my flights, use advanced seat selection. At t-80 I had been able to select 4K and 4K, but there was a couple of rows that were not available to I tried a few more times to see what was available. At t-25 just prior to check in I checked again to discover that I no longer had the MEL– PER leg 4K and no longer had advanced seat selection – wot the f*%k. Something is wrong here. I tried again, and again finally got a seat selection but could only take the back row. Time to ring Q customer service, “yes hello someone took my seat….” Sorry Mr X but we cannot do anything as the airport has taken over the flight?? but I will put a note on there to see if they can change it for you. For a 4.5 hour flight I really wanted to sit where I requested in 4K.
SYD-MEL J VH-OGG 767-300
So its 3.30pm and Mrs X drops me off at SYD T3 and my first leg. It’s my first time to use the advanced check in, so I swipe my card and go to the bag drop. Drop the bag on conveyer and swipe card only to find that it would not read the Q tag. Time to try another machine and it’s away. Off to the J lounge. I asked to change the seat on the MEL PER leg but again it’s in the hands of the MEL airport. A quick look around and a drink then off to the gate, boarding takes a little while but into my seat and we are away. Enough space and a snack but if I was paying full price it was probably not worth it. It was a relatively quick trip at 65 minutes and at the gate 10 minutes later.
The food and drinks:
Zucchini soup and bread, chocolate muffin, cheese. Ok, but not inspiring stuff
I had a glass or two of Sir Hugo 2006 Cab Sav, I feel a little more inspired now.
After we parked it was off to the lounge and into the business lounge to try and fix my seat, certainly Mr X 4K is taken (bugger) but 3K is available YEAH, seat done, time for a drink and off to the gate, thankful for the early arrival time on the SYD-MEL leg.
MEL-PER J VH-EBO A330
It’s an A330-200 domestic configuration, Recaro seats that are pretty comfortable but it’s not a flat bed but as it was a day time flight I wasn’t worried. We took off on time and headed west, the track took us below Adelaide and Whyalla and then direct to Perth.
We were provided noise cancelling headsets, refresher towels and non alcoholic drink before we left.
The food and drinks:
Ham Salad, marinated lamb cutlets or Barramundi with spinach, pine nuts and potatoes
W Cullen 08 Cab Sav Merlot, it was worth a second glass. A Sticky or Penfolds 10yr Port which was also worth a second and third glass.
Followed by Maggie Beer ice-cream
Entertainment
There were 17 movies available with seat back screen, the movies were a selection of the international availability music and TV as well.
Cruising at 745km/h and a chilly -55c outside we flew into the distant sunset. I don’t fly west that much but in the picture below I think the sunset was a little enhanced by the ash cloud hanging around at the time. It looked more like a nuclear bomb explosion with two halves of the fireball rather than a west cost sunset.
Pictures, seat, food, entertainment and row
SYD-MEL-PER-SYD 767, A330 Dom, 747 Intl 3 class.
I needed 100 SC’s for gold and options from Sydney are not as easy as some places, plus there is SYD airport to deal with.
It was my first opportunity to get to gold this year; I had used a double bonus in Jan to get close but the work funded travel dried up pretty quick, so I was left a little short. …
Oh what to do? Where to go? How to get there? The answer was simple an ASA, JASA to be precise and why go direct when you can connect.
Of the available options, Perth seemed the best one and a JASA was 44k points even better when you put a little cash in the mix and hey for another $10 I can go via MEL and get an extra 40sc’s. This gave me gold for the return Y flight for an extra 25% status bonus.
The technical stuff
SYD-MEL. QF449 (767),
MEL-PER. QF481 (A330-200 Domestic config.)
PER-SYD. QF582 -744 Intl config.
I had taken the time to check my flights, use advanced seat selection. At t-80 I had been able to select 4K and 4K, but there was a couple of rows that were not available to I tried a few more times to see what was available. At t-25 just prior to check in I checked again to discover that I no longer had the MEL– PER leg 4K and no longer had advanced seat selection – wot the f*%k. Something is wrong here. I tried again, and again finally got a seat selection but could only take the back row. Time to ring Q customer service, “yes hello someone took my seat….” Sorry Mr X but we cannot do anything as the airport has taken over the flight?? but I will put a note on there to see if they can change it for you. For a 4.5 hour flight I really wanted to sit where I requested in 4K.
SYD-MEL J VH-OGG 767-300
So its 3.30pm and Mrs X drops me off at SYD T3 and my first leg. It’s my first time to use the advanced check in, so I swipe my card and go to the bag drop. Drop the bag on conveyer and swipe card only to find that it would not read the Q tag. Time to try another machine and it’s away. Off to the J lounge. I asked to change the seat on the MEL PER leg but again it’s in the hands of the MEL airport. A quick look around and a drink then off to the gate, boarding takes a little while but into my seat and we are away. Enough space and a snack but if I was paying full price it was probably not worth it. It was a relatively quick trip at 65 minutes and at the gate 10 minutes later.
The food and drinks:
Zucchini soup and bread, chocolate muffin, cheese. Ok, but not inspiring stuff
I had a glass or two of Sir Hugo 2006 Cab Sav, I feel a little more inspired now.
After we parked it was off to the lounge and into the business lounge to try and fix my seat, certainly Mr X 4K is taken (bugger) but 3K is available YEAH, seat done, time for a drink and off to the gate, thankful for the early arrival time on the SYD-MEL leg.
MEL-PER J VH-EBO A330
It’s an A330-200 domestic configuration, Recaro seats that are pretty comfortable but it’s not a flat bed but as it was a day time flight I wasn’t worried. We took off on time and headed west, the track took us below Adelaide and Whyalla and then direct to Perth.
We were provided noise cancelling headsets, refresher towels and non alcoholic drink before we left.
The food and drinks:
Ham Salad, marinated lamb cutlets or Barramundi with spinach, pine nuts and potatoes
W Cullen 08 Cab Sav Merlot, it was worth a second glass. A Sticky or Penfolds 10yr Port which was also worth a second and third glass.
Followed by Maggie Beer ice-cream
Entertainment
There were 17 movies available with seat back screen, the movies were a selection of the international availability music and TV as well.
Cruising at 745km/h and a chilly -55c outside we flew into the distant sunset. I don’t fly west that much but in the picture below I think the sunset was a little enhanced by the ash cloud hanging around at the time. It looked more like a nuclear bomb explosion with two halves of the fireball rather than a west cost sunset.
Pictures, seat, food, entertainment and row
