Great Southern Land Scenic Flight a.k.a. "The Flight to Nowhere"

[VPS]

Thanks for the info

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Unfortunately there does not seem to be an EXTREMELY ENVIOUS choice in the Like function.

 

[Skout8765]

On Saturday October 10 I was one of the lucky 150 people to be onboard the Great Southern Land Scenic Flight from Sydney...to Sydney. My last overseas flight was SIN-MEL on March 9 (I am from Sydney but went via MEL to have a better chance of an upgraded). I landed on the day Qantas announced it was cutting international capacity by 25% for 6 months. Within a week it had been extended to 90% then 2 days after that all international flights cancelled until the end of May.

After 3 and a half months grounded I have done a number of QF flights since then, including 5 round trips to BNK. But as soon as I saw this flight I knew I had to get onboard so I stayed on the screen for a few minutes before 12pm then got in quick. I snagged 20K - a window seat on the right hand side of the premium economy cabin.

The flight was my 27th of 2020 but only my 3rd on the Dreamliner. My first was EZE-SCL last year with KLM connecting to SCL-SYD which would be my last 747 flight, my second AKL-SYD in Australia day with Qantas. I had been an A380 fanatic and was sad to see it grounded until 2023 but I became quite a fan of the Dreamliner on this flight as an aircraft in how smooth it flies and I really felt the cabin atmosphere made a difference - in the 8.5 hours I didn't get dry feet as often happens on older aircraft.

But I'm sure you're all reading this because you wanted to see how I found the experiences and the sights and all that is to come. But I'll kick things off with the pre-flight experience...

Thanks for your great report

 

[NSun]

I don't have that many pics from the last hour and a half. There was a medical issue near me and the CSM invited me to move into J but a seat without a window so here are the only pics from the last hour and a half. It had been occupied by a Qantas staff member who must've ended up moving to the jumpseat. Here's the J menu.





Jim Wilson gave a final announcement thanking everyone for the day it had been and expressing hope that we'd be going somewhere for real in the not soo distant future. By now we were over Bathurst.



And then it was touchdown in Sydney - albeit about an hour or so late. We ended up flying for about 8 and a half hours.



The email we'd been sent the previous day hinted that we'd be disembarking at the hangar but instead it was Gate 10 - the same one we'd left from.

 

[NSun]

I'll close with a selection of the goodies we got. We were all given caps - separate to the gift bag; and allowed to keep the pillows.







In our goody bag the biggest thing was a certificate size. It turned out to be one of those things that can be used as neck scarves but are big enough to use as a doona.

 

[NSun]

Well that's about all I've got. I enjoyed every minute of the flight and can't wait to be flying again - only next time I hope the powers to be will allow us to land.

It may well be the case that Qantas puts more of these scenic flights on - if they do then this flight will still be special because we were the first to do it. Otherwise, we'll hold a unique memory during what has otherwise been tough times for everyone.

 

[tango_whiskey]

What was up with the medical issue? Saw the IV bag hanging while departing. Was it a case of upset stomach?

 

[sudoer]

By now the window were force dimmed halfway (but not locked) to allow for lunch and a movie to be screened but it didn't work on my screen nor my neighbour's for some reason.

I hope you applied for your 5k points compensation in true AFF style Great trip report though, thanks!

 

[NSun]

I hope you applied for your 5k points compensation in true AFF style Great trip report though, thanks!

I found my 5k points + 80SCs in my account as soon as I'd landed. With StatusKeeper & all the SYD-BNK weekend getaways I now need only 20 to retain WP.

 

[NSun]

What was up with the medical issue? Saw the IV bag hanging while departing. Was it a case of upset stomach?

I don't really know but one FA suggested it had something to do with how quick we descended near Uluru because that's when it all started.

 

[sudoer]

I found my 5k points

Ah I was talking more about the usual 5k points for faulty IFE

 

[NSun]

Ah I was talking more about the usual 5k points for faulty IFE

I didn't think about that until now but they did warn us there'd be limited IFE so I'm not sure of my chances. It's possible it was just a J thing because my neighbour's didn't either and no one in the PY cabin watched it. In any event, the bit of the film I did see towards the end on the business class cabin didn't look that interesting (for my tastes).

I spent about an hour reading through John Borghetti's autobiography "Game Changer". I had read it before but was interesting to re-read it in light of what's happened with Virgin.

By the way I've just seen the range paraded on the flight has come online at the Qantas store: Martin Grant for Qantas

 

[DaveinCanberra]

At some point over the reef we got a couple of "parades". First we had someone dressed as Austin Powers and he paraded to the opening theme.

View attachment 230185

Then someone dressed as Tina Arena.

View attachment 230186

View attachment 230187

While the curtain between Y+ and Y was shut for most of the flight it was pulled back for this. The curtain between Y+ and J was not at all.

Tina Arena or Tina Turner?

 

[pauleg]

On Saturday October 10 I was one of the lucky 150 people to be onboard the Great Southern Land Scenic Flight from Sydney...to Sydney. My last overseas flight was SIN-MEL on March 9 (I am from Sydney but went via MEL to have a better chance of an upgraded). I landed on the day Qantas announced it was cutting international capacity by 25% for 6 months. Within a week it had been extended to 90% then 2 days after that all international flights cancelled until the end of May.

After 3 and a half months grounded I have done a number of QF flights since then, including 5 round trips to BNK. But as soon as I saw this flight I knew I had to get onboard so I stayed on the screen for a few minutes before 12pm then got in quick. I snagged 20K - a window seat on the right hand side of the premium economy cabin.

The flight was my 27th of 2020 but only my 3rd on the Dreamliner. My first was EZE-SCL last year with KLM connecting to SCL-SYD which would be my last 747 flight, my second AKL-SYD in Australia day with Qantas. I had been an A380 fanatic and was sad to see it grounded until 2023 but I became quite a fan of the Dreamliner on this flight as an aircraft in how smooth it flies and I really felt the cabin atmosphere made a difference - in the 8.5 hours I didn't get dry feet as often happens on older aircraft.

But I'm sure you're all reading this because you wanted to see how I found the experiences and the sights and all that is to come. But I'll kick things off with the pre-flight experience...

Fantastic report and great piccies - thanks for that!!

 

[Lone Wolf]

I don't really know but one FA suggested it had something to do with how quick we descended near Uluru because that's when it all started.

A few folks in Y also got a bit queasy from the aerobatics around Uluru.

Finishing lunch right beforehand wouldn't have helped ...

 

[Helohound]

What was up with the medical issue? Saw the IV bag hanging while departing. Was it a case of upset stomach?

A young guy who was with his dad. Got air sick and a bit panicky. Started while we were low level at the rock. Was ill several times on the return. Crew were quite concerned and drs onboard did the canula and IV for dehydration.

 

[pauleg]

A young guy who was with his dad. Got air sick and a bit panicky. Started while we were low level at the rock. Was ill several times on the return. Crew were quite concerned and drs onboard did the canula and IV for dehydration.

Gosh, Hope he wasn't too bad - and didn't ruin his urge to fly!! Otherwise a good father son trip I'd suggest.

 

[Helohound]

A couple of our pics...

 

[Helohound]

Am building a Qantas cap collection. Dreamliner from the P1 event when VH-ZNA arrived in Sydney, the 747 from VH-OEJ's last flight from Canberra, and the new one needs no explanation.