- Joined
- Mar 5, 2019
- Posts
- 3,470
- Qantas
- Platinum
- Virgin
- Platinum
Hello There fellow AFF'ers,
Ok, I've never written anything this big on AFF, this is my first time
I'm not sure if I'd call this a trip report. I've read some TR's on this website and OMG, I'm no way close to that ... but I thought it would be great if I penned down how my first ever status run went
I, successfully finished my first ever status run in my race to QF Platinum, with only 3 weeks to spare on my membership year.
I did SYD-OOL-MEL-AKL-SYD to get 225 SC with 50% SC promo, sprinted me to Platinum for the first time
As this was first, I thought I'd document it as a little report, not so fashionable as a trip report, but something that would serve as a good memory
The night before the trip, I was excited, perhaps too excited that I downed a few pints of Guinness at my local watering hole. Not to mention the few pints downed at my work's Christmas Party earlier in the evening. It was a Friday, end of the week, close to end of the year and I was gleaming on the idea of stepping foot on a plane - this time with the only intention of earning status credits & nothing more
After a wobbly walk home and straight into bed, I woke really early to a massive headache and grumbling tummy. Time to feed the bad boy and get ready for my first status run
Nice and early into SYD domestic, check in done, passports checked, got BP for all the legs, into the lounge. Still hungover (I know, I only had beer & stouts) reached out to a few slices of toast and a stiff long black. Too bad the bar isn't open until after 12 PM. I mean, I could've well managed a mimosa ...
I got a text the my flight from OOL to MEL is delayed by 30 mins, no biggie. I had to catch up with a mate who was flying out of MEL on UL to CMB and worked out to check if I can still make. I could, and I did catch up with him. With him having no status, he was very happy to get into the QF J lounge and treated himself to a glass of Seppelt and a plate of butter chicken
It was very WARM in OOL, and I actually didn't know how to get to the QF lounge. I saw a sign pointing to where the lounge is, but I also saw a big sign that said "NO EXIT". I was confused and asked one of the ground staff - they said, just keep walking through the "NO EXIT" sign and turn right immediately. Found the lounge and it was time for another stiff long black.
Timezone wise, I went back an hour, so it was still only 10ish in OOL, so, sadly, no bar !!
Then boarding was announced and I went off to the plane, settled into 1C, started off with sparkling water. Then had the some really good Indian Veg meals on board. I had pre-ordered my meals and I was served with something that was very very tasty and very very good. Had a glass (or few) of the "Shiraz-Riesling" wine. Never knew that a mix of reds and whites existed until now .. learnt something new that day, wine-wise
This was followed by some Netflix and dozing off and back up just before landing
Next stop MEL, caught with my mate and helped him into the J lounge. As soon as he left for his flight, I sprinted towards EK J lounge
A nice shower, Moet & Chandon, raspberry white chocolate cheese cake, some roasted veggies and pasta – happy days 
Time for boarding to AKL – seat 1D, between 1C and 1F, both a delight to talk to and engage in a conversation with. Little did the three of know that we’d have something in common that just happen to be on the same flight to AKL.
10 mins into the flight, I stood to take something out of my bag and caught AFF on the corner of my eye. I struck a conversation with the person on 1C, who was browsing AFF on her iPad… after talking about how great AFF is and how we get to know so much stuff and also have the opportunity to contribute, I let out the fact that I was on a status run to QF Platinum. Turns out the person on 1C was also on a status run – just like me, did the same OOL-MEL-AKL return route
Then, it was time for the drink – amazing Pinot Noir, just kept coming and I enjoyed it, followed by, a special veg meal – started with a small plate of hummus, quinoa, olives and bread, followed by chickpea curry and some baked-looking-like-a-quiche type of thing. Then comes the dessert, out of a box, hard, frozen and completely unpalatable. The only saving grace for the dessert was the dessert, sweet wine.
Time for some more Netflix and in no time touched down in AKL
As we were waiting to disembark, the person in 1F, overheard what me and 1C were talking and said that he was also, indeed, on a status run to retain QF Plat. Same route, we’ve been in the business cabin all along Now, isn’t that great – to run into your fellow status run mates
Immigration was a breeze, easy, oh, and did I mention, this was my first oversea trip as an Australian
The three of us didn’t have a hotel reservation for the night, so we decided to camp out on the chairs in the departures area. I’ve done AKL before and know where one could find an empty chair at 1 AM in the morning. Boy, was I right, we found 2 chairs just outside VA check-in desks and tuned into our personal mobile devices for more Netflix
Thanks to the digital diversion – the night went away like that. At 4 AM went to the check in desk to collect BP for my flight to SYD. The other two AFF’ers had their BP with them and went up and waited for me at Departures area.
The departures area was closed and opened only at 04:30 AM – we were the first in, into the express path and straight to the lounge. A nice shower, the gate was too far from the lounge, so only managed some museli and yogurt.
Unfortunately, I was finishing my run at SYD, so bid farewell to my AFF mates as they boarded their flight to MEL. I walked to my gates and OW members were invited to board – PB worked great at AKL, btw First to enter the flight and stared hard for a while at my dreaded 6D Y seat before settling in ☹ not so happy times now … as I hit Platinum with my previous flight, I chose to burn some points on Y for this leg of my journey …
And before I the flight taxied, I drifted into sleep, only to be woken by a crying baby in 7E and her cheerful (read, loud) brother in 7F The baby was cute and I love babies, so I was fine … drifted back into sleep, woken up again for brekkie service. I chose the fruit platter and yogurt.
As I peeled into the pre-packaged fruit platter, I could not help but think of my flights the night before, meals served in David Caon cutlery, cushy seats and an ever so gentle and attentive crew anyways, back to reality now, peel the plastic and tuck in
Just received a thumbs-up to share their name: one of the AFF'ers was @funnymummy She is a really nice person, traveled a lot and if you need some thoughts on cruises or trains in general, @funnymummy is your person
Ok, I've never written anything this big on AFF, this is my first time
I'm not sure if I'd call this a trip report. I've read some TR's on this website and OMG, I'm no way close to that ... but I thought it would be great if I penned down how my first ever status run went I, successfully finished my first ever status run in my race to QF Platinum, with only 3 weeks to spare on my membership year.
I did SYD-OOL-MEL-AKL-SYD to get 225 SC with 50% SC promo, sprinted me to Platinum for the first time
As this was first, I thought I'd document it as a little report, not so fashionable as a trip report, but something that would serve as a good memory
The night before the trip, I was excited, perhaps too excited that I downed a few pints of Guinness at my local watering hole. Not to mention the few pints downed at my work's Christmas Party earlier in the evening. It was a Friday, end of the week, close to end of the year and I was gleaming on the idea of stepping foot on a plane - this time with the only intention of earning status credits & nothing more
After a wobbly walk home and straight into bed, I woke really early to a massive headache and grumbling tummy. Time to feed the bad boy and get ready for my first status run
Nice and early into SYD domestic, check in done, passports checked, got BP for all the legs, into the lounge. Still hungover (I know, I only had beer & stouts) reached out to a few slices of toast and a stiff long black. Too bad the bar isn't open until after 12 PM. I mean, I could've well managed a mimosa ...
I got a text the my flight from OOL to MEL is delayed by 30 mins, no biggie. I had to catch up with a mate who was flying out of MEL on UL to CMB and worked out to check if I can still make. I could, and I did catch up with him. With him having no status, he was very happy to get into the QF J lounge and treated himself to a glass of Seppelt and a plate of butter chicken
It was very WARM in OOL, and I actually didn't know how to get to the QF lounge. I saw a sign pointing to where the lounge is, but I also saw a big sign that said "NO EXIT". I was confused and asked one of the ground staff - they said, just keep walking through the "NO EXIT" sign and turn right immediately. Found the lounge and it was time for another stiff long black.
Timezone wise, I went back an hour, so it was still only 10ish in OOL, so, sadly, no bar !!
Then boarding was announced and I went off to the plane, settled into 1C, started off with sparkling water. Then had the some really good Indian Veg meals on board. I had pre-ordered my meals and I was served with something that was very very tasty and very very good. Had a glass (or few) of the "Shiraz-Riesling" wine. Never knew that a mix of reds and whites existed until now .. learnt something new that day, wine-wise
This was followed by some Netflix and dozing off and back up just before landing
Next stop MEL, caught with my mate and helped him into the J lounge. As soon as he left for his flight, I sprinted towards EK J lounge
A nice shower, Moet & Chandon, raspberry white chocolate cheese cake, some roasted veggies and pasta – happy days Time for boarding to AKL – seat 1D, between 1C and 1F, both a delight to talk to and engage in a conversation with. Little did the three of know that we’d have something in common that just happen to be on the same flight to AKL.
10 mins into the flight, I stood to take something out of my bag and caught AFF on the corner of my eye. I struck a conversation with the person on 1C, who was browsing AFF on her iPad… after talking about how great AFF is and how we get to know so much stuff and also have the opportunity to contribute, I let out the fact that I was on a status run to QF Platinum. Turns out the person on 1C was also on a status run – just like me, did the same OOL-MEL-AKL return route
Then, it was time for the drink – amazing Pinot Noir, just kept coming and I enjoyed it, followed by, a special veg meal – started with a small plate of hummus, quinoa, olives and bread, followed by chickpea curry and some baked-looking-like-a-quiche type of thing. Then comes the dessert, out of a box, hard, frozen and completely unpalatable. The only saving grace for the dessert was the dessert, sweet wine.
Time for some more Netflix and in no time touched down in AKL
As we were waiting to disembark, the person in 1F, overheard what me and 1C were talking and said that he was also, indeed, on a status run to retain QF Plat. Same route, we’ve been in the business cabin all along
Now, isn’t that great – to run into your fellow status run mates Immigration was a breeze, easy, oh, and did I mention, this was my first oversea trip as an Australian
The three of us didn’t have a hotel reservation for the night, so we decided to camp out on the chairs in the departures area. I’ve done AKL before and know where one could find an empty chair at 1 AM in the morning. Boy, was I right, we found 2 chairs just outside VA check-in desks and tuned into our personal mobile devices for more Netflix
Thanks to the digital diversion – the night went away like that. At 4 AM went to the check in desk to collect BP for my flight to SYD. The other two AFF’ers had their BP with them and went up and waited for me at Departures area.
The departures area was closed and opened only at 04:30 AM – we were the first in, into the express path and straight to the lounge. A nice shower, the gate was too far from the lounge, so only managed some museli and yogurt.
Unfortunately, I was finishing my run at SYD, so bid farewell to my AFF mates as they boarded their flight to MEL. I walked to my gates and OW members were invited to board – PB worked great at AKL, btw
First to enter the flight and stared hard for a while at my dreaded 6D Y seat before settling in ☹ not so happy times now … as I hit Platinum with my previous flight, I chose to burn some points on Y for this leg of my journey …And before I the flight taxied, I drifted into sleep, only to be woken by a crying baby in 7E and her cheerful (read, loud) brother in 7F
The baby was cute and I love babies, so I was fine … drifted back into sleep, woken up again for brekkie service. I chose the fruit platter and yogurt.As I peeled into the pre-packaged fruit platter, I could not help but think of my flights the night before, meals served in David Caon cutlery, cushy seats and an ever so gentle and attentive crew
anyways, back to reality now, peel the plastic and tuck in Just received a thumbs-up to share their name: one of the AFF'ers was @funnymummy
She is a really nice person, traveled a lot and if you need some thoughts on cruises or trains in general, @funnymummy is your person Attachments
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