My next trip - HBA-MEL-SYD-NRT-LAX-SYD premium redemption extravaganza

[drcam]

Hi everyone
My next trip is going to be as follows, all with redemption:

Qantas HBA-MEL-SYD (business class) 27 November

Has anyone been on the new "downgraded" Qantas flight from Hobart to Melbourne? I usually fly VA and I am a Gold member but I was able to tie it to my next booking for no extra points. Do they serve lunch as it is a lunchtime flight? Is there any video entertainment? 2 hours layover in Melbourne.

Qantas SYD-NRT (business class) 27 November qf21

Have never been in the business lounge in Sydney for QF, I have 4 hours layover.
Does anyone know about the food on the Qantas Japan flight? Is there a Japanese menu and what is the quality compared to the Western menu? Can we actually find out the menu in advance?
I plan to visit Nikko National Park in a long day from Narita on the Friday, then sightsee around Tokyo on the Saturday. Is there luggage storage in Narita airport?

Singapore NRT-LAX (suites) 29 November sq12

Waitlisted booking for two months, finally lost patience, and had to do an economy redemption booking instead, and guess what, twelve HOURS later my waitlist cleared. I have been on suites once before from HKG-SYD, had a very good night's sleep, but unfortunately the full benefit of the flight was lost as it was a midnight redeye flight and only snacks were served. I have seen the menu and expect the food to be of cordon bleu quality.

Delta Airlines (domestic first)

Got this deal for US $334 and will get me 120 status credits from Phoenix to Orlando via Minneapolis (brrr!!!!!) in domestic first. This will maintain my Gold Status throughout 2015 and into 2016. Arriving at Disney World in style!

Virgin Australia (premium economy)

I have never been on PE before on ANY airline, but I think I know what to expect. Marginally greater leg room (one of the few times I appreciate being a small person), glorified whY class food and a tossup as to sleeping quality, and reasonably good service. Will be able to use the lounge in LAX as I am a Velocity Gold member.

On a side note, one particularly nasty trick that Qantas use is they charge US domestic flights for redemption in business class at the "first class" rather than the "business class" rate, ie it will cost you three times the miles in economy. Qantas are amongst the stingiest FF system in the world and hence I will no longer be using them once my current miles are exhausted.

If you have ANY experience on any of these airlines (especially Qantas/Virgin) it would be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks
DRCAM

 

[JohnK]

Looks like a nice trip planned.

I don't know about food on SYD-NRT leg but I was just did SYD-HKG in QF business and I enjoyed the experience.

 

[RooFlyer]

HBA-MEL on the 717 is usually a nice flight in J, but they have had issues with timeliness of the service. I'm going back a few months with that comment, so it might be 'fixed' now; with a 2 hr lay-over in MEL, you might want to check the in-bound flight to HBA to check on timeliness. Not that you can do anything about it, but if its late, and you alert the QF staff in HBA, you might get some expedited service in MEL.

Almost certainly will have lunch served if it falls within the 'lunch' window (whenever that is). I usually get a mid morning flight and even then you are offered a choice of 2 hot dishes as a 'snack'. I've even posted here that I think this 'snack' service on a 1 hour flight is overdone!

I think they have iPads for IFE, but I've never bothered myself (I bring my own).

Qantas Club in HBA can get crowded.

Re MEL-NRT, I recall they have about 2 Asian choices and 2 'western'; comparing the 2 difficult unless you are experienced in both cuisines I suggest. Not sure if there is 'Eat on Q' on that route? That is, you can go into 'Manage my booking' and select your main course. Have a look, but otherwise I don't think the menu is available beforehand, unless some-one has posted in AFF in another thread (look at the 'Trip Reports' thread).

Baggage storage at NRT info here: Airport Guide : Baggage Storage | NARITA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT OFFICIAL WEBSITE

I'm a bit surprised at your experience re redeeming US domestic J at F rates. Its usually the other way, at least for paid fares - book US domestic J, they call it F, and you get F points and SCs

 

[drcam]

Anyone flown long-haul with VA in PE? It's 15 hours, I hope I don't get grumpy at the end. Have the points but no business redemptions in J.

Q select is available on the SYD-NRT but can't be selected until 7 days before the flight (ie tomorrow)

 

[stoneman]

I have and yes! I was grumpy at the end ....

 

[drcam]

Please elaborate..... What were the good and bad points? I have a window seat.
Was the food passable or just whY slop?
Did you get any appreciable sleep?
At least I am going in J from SYD-HBA that afternoon.

 

[stoneman]

BNE-LAX
The food was great, I just had trouble sleeping so I arrived bored/tired/grumpy lol!

 

[drcam]

There's nothing like a temazepam. You're guaranteed to fall asleep and wake up exactly six hours later.
VA actually publicizes the menus for both PE and J on their website, unfortunately I have to say the former is uninspiring.....

Side note: There are billions of people on this planet that will never have the funds to fly even in whY, and they would mostly be unimpressed by our upper-class whinging and whining.

 

[stoneman]

Oh dear ( about the menu ) sorry I cant remember exactly what it was now... This was back in January.
Thankyou for the tip about the sleeping pill, much appreciated.

 

[serfty]

Va PE is fine - much better than economy.

The food is OK along with a bar if that's your thing. Seats are wide with plenty of pitch (except for row 10 - avoid if over 175cm in height).

 

[drcam]

I don't think I'm in that row and I'm a small person (5'7''/145) so it won't be a problem.
Mind you, even MIDGETS LIKE ME felt cramped on Air Asia X, and, dare I say it out of unpatrioticness, QANTAS!!! Shame!!!
China Southern, otherwise one of the worst airlines ever, have 34 inch pitch in economy, consider the Cantonese are much shorter and smaller than the average Australian.

 

[stoneman]

Enjoy Orlando/Florida Drcam, I have family in North Florida and visit quite often. I love it !

 

[drcam]

Yeah, I'm going to Disney World and Universal Studios. I'm going there so that for a couple of weeks I can be 10 again.

 

[RooFlyer]

There's nothing like a temazepam. You're guaranteed to fall asleep and wake up exactly six hours later.
VA actually publicizes the menus for both PE and J on their website, unfortunately I have to say the former is uninspiring.....

Side note: There are billions of people on this planet that will never have the funds to fly even in whY, and they would mostly be unimpressed by our upper-class whinging and whining.

Your comment about temazepam is nonsense of course (re the 'guarantee' and 'exactly 6 hours later'). If you are a doctor (of medicine) then I'd be astounded. Your comment re 'upper-class whinging and whining is rather in the class - we self deprecate all the time about out 'first world problems' in this forum.

You ask a lot of curt questions - a bit of acknowledgement and thanks here and there concerning the replies you get might be an idea.

 

[zig]

Your comment about temazepam is nonsense of course (re the 'guarantee' and 'exactly 6 hours later'). If you are a doctor (of medicine) then I'd be astounded.

You beat me to it with your comment about the temazepam Rooflyer - there are absolutely no guarantees, and 6 hours is a very optimistic sleep estimation on my experience with them.

Drcam, you might want to spend sometime searching the forum for answers to some of your questions. Many people have posted a lot of valuable information. The trip reports in particular will give you a lot of detail you want - menus, photos of food, seats etc.

 

[markis10]

Anyone flown long-haul with VA in PE? It's 15 hours, I hope I don't get grumpy at the end. Have the points but no business redemptions in J.

Q select is available on the SYD-NRT but can't be selected until 7 days before the flight (ie tomorrow)

Have a look in the trip reports section, from memory there are a few.

 

[drcam]

Thank you for your time and responses, it is much appreciated.
I've looked at trip reports and online forums but seem to have little on SYD-NRT, at least in recent months. I do understand Qantas tried to reduce their breakfast offering to a "cafe breakfast" but this was somehow reversed?
Looked at my booking today 7 days before departure and could still not find any mention to Q-eat or ordering menus. Are the meals on Q-eat the actual menu or are they like a "book-the-cook" like on Singapore?

 

[drcam]

Can confirm that Qantas serve a light supper in J on the Sydney-Tokyo run, not a dinner service.
Q Eat includes an exclusive online option, which is cheese and crackers. The other options are actual proper light meals.
I would have expected a bit more than that in J - usually got a full dinner even with midnight departures in Economy with EY, Emirates and SQ.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

You beat me to it with your comment about the temazepam Rooflyer - there are absolutely no guarantees, and 6 hours is a very optimistic sleep estimation on my experience with them.

I get almost bang-on 4 hours out of a temazepam. Obviously if nothing wakes me up it can be longer, but if you are woken by turbulence or something then the tablet has pretty much lost its effectiveness after that time (for me at least).

 

[get me outta here]

Me too. I do 1/2 a tab for the first part of a long flight, then have a walk, drink, loo stop, and then take the 2nd half to last till the next meal.

I get almost bang-on 4 hours out of a temazepam. Obviously if nothing wakes me up it can be longer, but if you are woken by turbulence or something then the tablet has pretty much lost its effectiveness after that time (for me at least).