2013 stoopidity: here, there, everywhere.. incl around the world (twice). .

[Stoopidsteve]

So I made the most of BKK lounge, enjoying a nice shower, some snacks, but the butter's not Australian.



Wandered down to gate E9. For those not familiar, that's the last gate in the E arm. They were doing another bag check for liquids (not sure if this is usual), and a few embassy staff hanging around. Not sure why, they said they were "working with the airline".

QF24 was pretty full. When we first got on, it was hot. VERY hot.

Esperance, VH-QPF (same one as I came over on).

Subsequently learned that cabin temps had been set to 30C....Capt Lucas advised us that we had to sit around to mend something or other, meanwhile the cabin was still stifling hot.

And no, I did not have shadow.

Meal was not bad for Y, pork curry that actually tasted a little bit of curry. And the butter was Australian.



Didn't sleep at all well, and the wonderful "cafe breakfast" came round about an 90 min before landing.



On the ground 0630, at gate couple minutes later, through immigration using the magic machines, onto the dom transfer bus, and into the dom lounge by 0715.

I was booked for QF512, I asked for earlier flight, and at first was told it was a "locked-in ticket" but explained why I was keen to get home after the stuff-up in BKK, and was put onto the 0805 departure.

I had some breakfast in the business lounge (not that crowded on a Sunday morning).



We had slightly delayed departure, but uneventful flight to BNE in 24D, blukhead seat. So ends another stoopid trip . This one not so stoopid from the routing, but some stoopidity between QF and EK in BKK which I will be following up.......

 

[Melburnian1]

Stoopidsteve, when the beanie expresses its desire to be photographed in an airport lounge or on board a flight, do you have to politely 'collar' the nearest QF or other airline staff member and go through a 90 second explanation of how you are not about to attempt a heist of any coin of the realm lying around?

Do the staff start giggling uncontrollably when they are about to take the photo?

Or do you merely select a member of the public such as a fellow passenger on board or in the lounge and ask him or her to do the honours?

What is the history of the high-visibility addition - how long has that featured?

 

[Stoopidsteve]

Stoopidsteve, when the beanie expresses its desire to be photographed in an airport lounge or on board a flight, do you have to politely 'collar' the nearest QF or other airline staff member and go through a 90 second explanation of how you are not about to attempt a heist of any coin of the realm lying around?

Do the staff start giggling uncontrollably when they are about to take the photo?

Or do you merely select a member of the public such as a fellow passenger on board or in the lounge and ask him or her to do the honours?

What is the history of the high-visibility addition - how long has that featured?

Sometimes it's a selfie, sometimes it's a staff member, sometimes it's a member of the public. About 10 seconds of "I have a tradition of entertaining my kids with silly hat pictures. Then they smile when they see just how silly it is.

Fluoro addition started on original DONE4 ( here ) , partly because there was some discussion on AFF (as it is ongoing) about the appropriateness of fluoro in lounges.

 

[Kangol]

Other than expenses, nothing......yet.

I will be in touch with customer care first thing Monday morning.

I made the most of it, but MrsStoopid was less than happy.......

Excellent report, will be interested to see what they have to offer you (if you are willing to mention it here).

 

[Stoopidsteve]

Excellent report, will be interested to see what they have to offer you (if you are willing to mention it here).

I got costs reimbursed for hotel, meals, taxi.
And some points. I was actually more concerned that it doesn't happen again to me or others. Customer care were very good about contact, and assuring me that it was a staff training issue that had now been addressed.

In the meantime, the re-issue problem made me nervous about the remaining flights on a big itinerary for the year: It has many AA flights (booked back in Feb) and AA changed some flights, so needed re-issue. I bugged my TA mercilessly until I got re-issue confirmed a couple of weeks ago.

 

[Stoopidsteve]

Itinerary is as follows, departing 29th Dec, arriving back in BNE on 10th Dec:

BNE-SYD-SIN
SIN-DXB-LHR
LHR-JFK-BOS
BOS-JFK-DCA-MIA-SJU
SJU-MIA-LGA-ORD-LAX-SYD-BNE


Just had the confirmation call from the chauffeur for Friday morning.

Anyone spot anything odd about this complementary chauffeur booking?

 

[serfty]

...

Anyone spot anything odd about this complementary chauffeur booking?

View attachment 20930

'tis Economy (s) - I presume the booking class for QF5 is rather more salubrious!


... scrap that ... 1 PCE?!?!?

 

[Stoopidsteve]

'tis Economy (s) - I presume the booking class for QF5 is rather more salubrious!


... scrap that ... 1 PCE?!?!?

Indeed it is economy. I have no idea why I was eligible to book, and checked with them earlier in the year, to which reply was "if you can see and book it, you must be eligible". Same happened for earlier flights on this itinerary. The following is what I will be doing, and have car booked for return leg too... go figure!

BNE-SYD-SIN (economy) QF metal
SIN-DXB-LHR (economy) EK A380 and QF A380
LHR-JFK-BOS (economy) BA metal, AA code
BOS-JFK-DCA-MIA-SJU (first/business) AA
SJU-MIA-LGA-ORD-LAX (Business/first on AA)-SYD-BNE QF108

 

[JessicaTam]

Indeed it is economy. I have no idea why I was eligible to book, and checked with them earlier in the year, to which reply was "if you can see and book it, you must be eligible". Same happened for earlier flights on this itinerary. The following is what I will be doing, and have car booked for return leg too... go figure!

BNE-SYD-SIN (economy) QF metal
SIN-DXB-LHR (economy) EK A380 and QF A380
LHR-JFK-BOS (economy) BA metal, AA code
BOS-JFK-DCA-MIA-SJU (first/business) AA
SJU-MIA-LGA-ORD-LAX (Business/first on AA)-SYD-BNE QF108

Gift horse - mouth - DON'T LOOK!

 

[Stoopidsteve]

Gift horse - mouth - DON'T LOOK!

Neigh, I shan't.

 

[Magpie10]

Just enjoy and we expect TR of your journey. This is a status run? I am guessing? Don't know how you do it, loads of travel in such a short time frame, love to get your feedback on the economy sections, we get heaps of reviews and pics of business legs, but not so many on economy I am guessing not too many of AFF's travel down the back!
I must admit will be looking forward to the day when I get to fly up the pointy end for those tiresome long hauls, hopefully not too far away, hoping to have enough points for one way for both HWMBO and pay for the return leg in business will be the best my points will get me.

 

[Stoopidsteve]

Thanks Magpie. TR on its way.

Driver turned up promptly at 0520 this morning, clear run to BNE dom.

The business lounge is quite quiet today. The smoked salmon platter offered by roving staff was very welcome.



I'll have several hours in First lounge in SYD. If I get a snooze BNE-SYD (shouldn't be a problem, sitting comfortably in 4C), it's a nice place to get some work done, and maybe fit in a beauty treatment. Or a massage. Or something. With nice food available to graze on, and a nice view across the tarmac, certainly beats the windowless office I'm usually stuck in!

More to come.

Oh, and I was wrong about the SYD-SIN in economy. Upgrade to Premium. Happy with that.

 

[Stoopidsteve]

QF509
VH-VXD
Capt Peter Arnold
CSM Trish

Almost full flight. Appreciated the extra legroom for 4C, even though I am a shorty, but two large gentlemen in 4AB had me leaning slightly into the aisle. Never mind, still managed to snooze most of the way.



Pushback 0723, off the ground 0731.
Descended through clouds to rainy SYD, landing at 0939, at gate 7 by 0950. Gate 7 is just opposite the transfer gate 15. Onto the bus, and into Flounge by 1030.

To those for whom it matters, the fizzy French stuff on offer is:

Taittinger Brut Reserve
Veuve Clicque Ponsardin
Bollinger Special Cuvee
Bollinger Rose
Champagne Delamotte

 

[Stoopidsteve]

Flounge:
Hot chocolate:
not hot enough, too sweet, but very chocolatey



Cod with mushrooms. Yup. Was cod. Had mushrooms.


pav was good too. complete with OJM in background, awaiting our presence.

 

[Stoopidsteve]

QF5
seat 34D
Capt Ben something or other. I must have been tored because snoozed a bit after take off, which was a little delayed (push back 1530, off the ground 1545).

First time in W cabin, so I was interested in the experience. Actually I was very impressed. Extra space very welcome. The soft product was superb.

Meal served crockery, was not bad. Beef brisket with wold mushroom, served with handrolled pasta. For those still caring, the butter was lurpak.






I actually slept some, these seats have more room than Y!

Awoke about 90 mins out from SIN for more food, I chose a toasted turkish bread with smoked turkey, gruyere, cranberry sauce and baby spinach. Should have had the baked leek and blue cheese tart.



We touched down at 2010, at the gate a couple minutes later (C25), and I was at the Fairmont by about 2100

I liked it. Here's text of what I wrote to QF customer care:

I wanted to write and say how much I enjoyed my flight on Friday. Obviously an op-up is always welcomed, but it was my first time flying in Premium economy.
I found the hard product excellent, but I particularly wanted to thank Mark and Heather whose service was exemplary. Highly professional, calm, welcoming without being overly effusive. Melanie (CSM) also made a point of stopping by a couple of times.
Well done QF, makes me think the premium cabin is a great compromise between price and comfort.

 

[Stoopidsteve]

I like the Fairmont, in part because of its proximity to City Hall MRT. This was not a suite, but still a sizeable room.


This is the view from 2301:



Slept very well thank you. I was going to get annoyed with the maintenance from next room before I realised it was 10 am. 9 hours solid sleep. Bliss!

Here's the morning view of that Douglas Adams-esque Krikkit building, otherwise known as Marina Bay Sands:



Some work on the laptop by the pool was rudely interrupted by one of those early afternoon storms, so retreated back to the room

 

[Stoopidsteve]

After catching up with a couple of friends, I head off to dinner at the Coriander Leaf in Clarke Quay.

Decide on the ASEAN taster starter.
smoked duck with glass noodle (v disappointing)
thai green mango salad (fresh, great palate cleanser)
crab cake with special tomato sauce (yum)
tom yum (v yum, not too salty, bit of bite to it)
vietnamese spring roll with prawn (v nice, crispy lettuce)
salt and pepper calamari, well cooked, could taste both salt and pepper with being overwhelmed


Main was the rack of lamb. Beautiful meat, the coriander crust good, the pomegranate lentil salsa excellent (lentils not cooked to mush), but the reduction of port wine tasted like reduction of balsamic vinegar and was too aggressive, and the sweet potato and lentil croquette was too hard on the outside (obviously fried on a solid surface rather than deep fried), and lacking flavour.



Dessert: can't go past a creme brulee. Trio of Chef's choice. Baileys, vanilla, and pandan. The custard was silky smooth, the burnt sugar crisp. The Bailey's and the vanilla frankly tasted very similar, but the pandan was amazing (to the surprise of the server who said that they've tried it a few times and most people don't like it).



So all in all, a solid meal, with some elements not quite gelling, bit others done very well indeed. I would probably visit again.

 

[Stoopidsteve]

Sunday morning awoken by the excited PA of the Standard Chartered Marathon. This was originally the reason to come this weekend, but as I had done no training since completing first marathon in July (Gold Coast), I thought it would have been foolhardy in the extreme. There's always next year....

So i went for a walk instead. To Macritchie reservoir.




Actually, first walked up to the treetop walk: yes it's in the treetops, but is essentially a suspension bridge couple hundred metres long, and up to 25 m above ground.



Several times during the 11(ish) km walk, I just stopped. No sounds of humans at all. No chatter, no aircon, no MRT, no traffic. Yes it's that peaceful. And got to see some of the locals too, the longtail macaques in family groups, eating jackfruit etc



and a nice little snake that I since discovered is the most venomous in Singapore....

 

[Stoopidsteve]

Back to hotel to freshen up....doh. The spa they have has sauna, steam room, bubble lounge (aka lie-down jacuzzi) freely accessible for guests whether you're having a spa treatment or not. Wish I'd known this when i did the half mara here earlier in the year! Anyway. suitably refreshed after the hot and sweaty walk, grabbed a snack from food hall down in City Hall, then caught up with this thing.

Tonight I fly SIN-DXB on QF 8355, then DXB-LHR on QF1. So I get to directly compare the A380 Y offering from Emirates and Qantas.

Onwards and upwards!

 

[Stoopidsteve]

Having already showered, just a quick visit to the QF lounge to sample the creme brulee, and to examine the menus.
The cook to order is seafood hokkien noodles, or steamed bun with braised pork. The hot meal is lemon thyme chicken, with steamed veg. Doesn't get much more western than that!



I made my way to the EK lounge, if only to compare menus:

Singapore fried rice
Sczechuan beef
Sweet and spicy chicken
Spinach dhal
Vegetable curry
Beef and chicken satay

and lamb cutlets.