Sun, stars and style: From Sydney to Leeds with CX, QF and Jet2 in J&Y

I’ve finally got round to finishing a report I started a few months ago. I did post the SYD-BNE sector before, but make no apologies for including it again as the journey as a whole makes more sense when you have the previous journey.

Anyway, on to some of the details. CX had yet to release their Australia-Europe special J Class fares in January so I got fed up of waiting and decided to be a bit inventive. Having looked on the CX Hong Kong website, I discovered I could fly to Amsterdam (being the cheapest destination in Europe for some reason?) from HKG for some HK$27,000. For a CX junkie, this was good enough so I went ahead and booked after securing a QF redemption booking from BNE and a BA redemption back to SYD. So, what to do now?

Well, there was obviously a hole in the trip for getting up to Brisbane and another one for getting out of Amsterdam. Regarding the first, I went ahead and secured a standard QF domestic flight for AU$199, which isn’t amazingly cheap, but it isn’t amazingly expensive either, and given that DJ couldn’t beat it by more than $20-30, I booked this too, knowing that my baggage would be safely interlined. Last challenge was to get to Leeds-Bradford, close to the place where my family were scheduled to get together. Jet2, a LCC based at LBA, were offering the sector for 60 euros, so I went ahead with that too.

Warning

I’ve done my best to include some pix, as I know a report without photos is about the equivalent of going to a pub with no booze for a.netters. Unfortunately, many of them are embarrassing and blurry but I include them still because hopefully they give you a feel for what I’m trying but failing to explain.

The Trip


The Sydney skyline with the airport beyond

I booked a cab sometime in the week before the trip for 8am but unsurprisingly it didn’t turn up, to which they claimed it was booked for 9am. Anyway, after a call they sent the first available one, which arrived close enough to 8.30am. It turned out the cab driver was second-generation Lebanese with a degree in finance and a passion for politics :O He got us to Kingsford Smith in good time for a domestic sector, after I planned for delays. The line for domestic check-in was snaking and massive, but happily, QF has two separate counters for pax with international connections. The queue was of one person.

The lady on check in was friendly and seemed surprised that I was organised enough to have the itineraries for different sectors in one place and that I knew which airline we were flying on! Apparently a lot of people don’t. Anyway, she checked our bags to AMS and I was glad to walk straight past the fat queue and through an efficient security. Interestingly (or not) as we lined up for security, a fairly well-known (and large   Australian politician, Amanda Vanstone, was queuing immediately behind us with her extremely bored and grumpy looking public servant. Presumably she was heading back to ADL.

Thanks to the cab, we didn’t have a great deal of time to waste in SYD though that wasn’t necessarily a good thing because for a domestic airport, there is an extremely good range of shops and cafes. To name a few – a Metropolitan Museum (NY) outlet (selling jewellery etc), a boutique called Comme Ci Comme Ca, and a stylish bookshop with nice lighting and a coffee bar at the back. Plus all the standard souvenir/newsagent places.


The modern and practical heart of Qantas' Sydney domestic terminal


Awaiting boarding of flight QF560, OneWorld service to Brisbane

Although I have been to SYD T3 many times before, I was particularly impressed with the quality of the airport experience here. Meanwhile, QF 516 was preparing to board, with VH-OGN on stand. As you can see from the picture below the gate lounge is relatively full, certainly with a diverse range of people. Among those who stood out were an American band – ‘Fish.. something’ if I recall correctly and a guy standing in a kilt clutching an accordion. QF boarded the whole aircraft together and so I made my way to 41A, which offered a good view of numerous other QF domestic flights preparing for departure. Departure was from Gate 6, on the main concourse, not the satellite, and opposite QF maintenance hangers.

Flight Data

Airline: Qantas Airways Ltd (QF/QFA)
Date: Thursday 5th April 2007
Flight Number: QF 516
Route: Sydney Kingsford Smith (SYD) – Brisbane Eagle Farm (BNE)
Aircraft: Boeing 767-300ER
Registration: VH-OGN
Scheduled Departure: 10.05
Actual departure: 10.18 (Gate 6)
Ticketed Cabin: Economy Class
Seat: 41A

Before pushback, the British-sounding Captain came over the PA to tell us we were delayed for a short while because the crew were being assembled from different places. He also said we would have some turbulence as we would be crossing several jet streams. At this point, a FA was giving the safety briefing to two unaccompanied minors in the row in front. She dropped a pillow on my mum, commenting “it would’ve been good if that was a bag of money.” Meanwhile, the American band had taken their seats in the row behind and must have been rather bemused that there was actually something called service on this flight. Having said that, he probably had other concerns, “Oh God, where did I put my guitar?” I know the feeling..


The ramp as viewed from 41A of this B767-300

It looked like Y was pretty much full on today’s flight, mainly with interstate tourists going away for the Easter break, I think. Although we did push back at 10.18, I was getting worried about making the connection because we were awaiting clearance for a long time, or what seemed like it given the threshold of 16R is very close to the domestic terminal. Finally, after a CZ flight took off for CAN, we did too, at 10.38. Airshow told me we had 466 miles ahead of us.

For those interested, at the QF terminal were VH-VYA, TJG, EBV, TJX, OGI and OGJ. In other words, the usual collection of 738s and 763s plus the 743 off to PER. Noted here that I’d travelled on TJG from HBA to MEL a couple of years back. On the international scene, there were more QF birds plus the new JQ A330s. Also, an MU 343 was on stand, with a TG 744 and VS 346 on remote.

We climbed out of SYD eastwards over the ocean before banking left to hug the coast all the way up to BNE. Once we’d done this there were some great views of SYD terminals and the CBD skyline..


Banking left and hugging the coast, heading northwards


You can make out the CBD and harbour here, at least I can  

I was getting hungry by now, and thankfully QF haven’t scrapped Domestic meal and snack service. First came the food cart which carried a bowl of apples and trays of Byron Bay cookies (premium brand, sold in Australian coffee shops). No prizes for guessing the popular choice – though some people had both, which the FAs were happy with).


Snack on Q: the yummy Byron Bay cookie

Drinks were not far behind and I decided there would be nothing like a cup of coffee to perk me up and the good old H2O for some intense hydration. QF even have multi-coloured coffee cups which creates a splash of, well, colour in the cabin. Notice too they provide a tablemat which is a marketing device to make you feel special and labour-saving device to save the FA’s poor little hands  . After the snack, I snapped the cabin..


Aging but airy: the blue (yes, definitely blue) cabin of the workhorse Golf November

Mr Captain then announced our descent into Eagle Farm (I hadn’t been here before so had visions of birds) and told us, yes – you guessed it, we’d need to fasten our seatbelts. Anyway, I thought the descent was very interesting, as, it seemed, did the Korean girl on the aisle who was peering through my window. The Brisbane hinterland looked very green which surprised my little brain given that Queensland=Hot=Drought=Brown. Oh no. We banked left for finals and landed over what looked to me like mangrove swamps, it certainly seemed flat.

QF 516 touched down at 11.40, Airshow informing me now that we had, in fact, travelled 519 miles. My first impressions of BNE were that it was extremely spread out and that the domestic terminal had lots of gates, few of which were in use. We were on stand soon after and disembarked/deplaned as the Americans were considering their onwards travel to Whistler, Canada.

As some of you might know, BNE domestic and international are a mile or two apart which means you have to catch the Airtrain to transfer. This is actually the same service that runs into Brisbane city and then to the Gold Coast, which means the frequency is less than great. QF have a policy of giving you a complimentary transfer if you have a QF international boarding pass, otherwise you must pay. However, we managed to persuade the AirTrain agent that we didn’t really need to pay given that we were flying on CX and so he agreed.


Roofs and reflections: BNE domestic from the Skytrain


Taking a snooze: QF and SQ sit side-by-side, literally, if not metaphorically

We then headed across the passenger bridge over the car park and into the station. Luckily for us, the train came almost immediately, which was very fortunate. The journey took all of two minutes and we arrived at the CX check in on the far right hand side of the terminal fairly late, though it didn’t matter and meant that there was no queue. I thought it would be a simple case of issuing our boarding passes to AMS here, but it turned out that because QF and CX do not operate baggage systems that recognise each other, the agent had to reroute our baggage, or something like that. Perhaps someone here could explain how this works because all we were told was the above.

In fact, it is worth explaining the whole situation. CX only had one uniformed representative at check-in who I guess was the station manager, though I thought she would not be wearing the red uniform if this were the case. The rest of them seemed to be employed by QF. Anyway, our agent was having problems with the baggage so she called for the woman in CX uniform who kept telling her to do this and that. Clearly it wasn’t working so she went to get a colour flowchart, on which I could only decipher the word ‘override’. It took a long while to achieve anything and all through this, not a word from the CX woman. Given she was obviously some kind of supervisor, you would think she would have had something to say, but no, it was just left to the agent to say “Sorry we’re using you as guinea pigs”.

Without appearing to tarnish all with the same brush, or discriminate in any way, I have noticed recently that non-Asian ground staff employed by CX in both London and Australia, are distinctly below standard. In fact, in LHR, there was a woman who was actually quite rude during the boarding process, barking orders at pax. In contrast, on the airbridge, we pass the Chinese station manager who smiles and makes some kind of friendly comment. Unfortunately, I don’t remember the details.

Anyway, back in Brisbane, we were finally given our boarding passes, at which point the printer stops working, so our lounge invitations are still pending. Our agent asks Agent 2, to the right, to print them from her machine. Agent 2 doesn’t appear to take any notice and continues gossiping, so our agent asks the man to her left to do the honours, commenting that “you can always rely on the men”. I thought this was pleasingly ironic and proof that teamwork was not a strong point here.


The masses are milling: Check in at BNE international

Left with little time before boarding, I went to the bookstore to purchase Cloudstreet which I needed to read. We still faced security, which is actually a level down from check in. However, at the top of the escalators stood a fat man in security uniform who proceeded to tell passengers to crowd around while he went on a 10 minute rant about what we could and could not take through security and asked questions to which he wanted a unison response. Anyone would have thought this was a primary school excursion. Doesn’t he know that some people travel frequently? Frankly, I was quite annoyed at his arrogance and waste of time.

There was 5 or 10 minutes left to enjoy the Qantas Club, where I used the bathrooms and ate food I didn’t really need. It’s not one of the more modern facilities but is comfortable with good facilities. There are some nice views of the terminal and ramp because of its mezzanine position.


Cathay's Alpha Alpha, A330-300, OneWorld service non-stop to Hong Kong


Airside at Brisbane: the view from the QF club


The QF club itself, comfortable with views

Flight Data

Airline: Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd (CX/CPA)
Date: Thursday 5th April 2007
Flight Number: CX 102
Route: Brisbane Eagle Farm (BNE) – Hong Kong Chek Lap Kok (HKG)
Aircraft: Airbus A330-300 (configured w/ New Regional Business Class)
Registration: B-LAA
Scheduled departure: 13.05
Actual departure: 13.23 (Gate 80)
Business Class
Seat number: 15A

A boarding call was made and I could see that Gate 80 was getting crowded, but there was a separate J Class line, so we decided to go downstairs anyway. As we walked down the airbridge, I noted that the aircraft at the end was Alpha Alpha, which meant it was configured with New Regional J and represented one of CX’s newest aircraft. Indeed, as I picked up the newly-revamped South China Morning Post and headed left into the large J cabin, it was great to sense such an airy atmosphere (partly due to the new overhead compartments, more streamlined and modern) and see the excellent condition of this aircraft.

As is normal practice in CX J, new amenity kits by AgnesB were passed out along with menus for this sector. Pre-take off drinks were also offered although, for some reason, they never reached us. It seemed as if the crew were rushing around a lot and having problems getting things done. I didn’t notice any boarding music being played and there was a fair amount of ambient noise, which I imagine is partly due to the higher density of seating.

The Inflight Service Manager came over the PA to introduce herself and the pursers, including where they come from – mainly HK and Philippines. The safety video was started but the audio failed repeatedly and it took the crew a while to get it to function properly. This is, in fact, a new video with some new faces and different animations. Once this was done, we pushed back and were quickly ascending into the sunny Queensland sky.

First thing on the agenda today was lunch..

Starters
mixed salad with roasted red onion and olives
served with balsamic dressing

flaked salmon flavoured with verjuice and fennel
on anchovy biscuit, lemon crème fraiche and cucumber salad

Main Courses
poached chicken with pear chutney and five spices jus
kipfler potatoes, carrots and asparagus

stir-fried seafood on crispy egg noodles
served with chilli sauce

braised short beef ribs
steamed rice and pak choy

feta, spinach and basil ravioli with smoky tomato sauce

Cheese and Dessert
selected cheese

fresh seasonal fruit

chocolate ricotta cake

Tea and Coffee

Pralines


Seafood special: Salmon and verjuice


Sea in the sky: crispy egg noodles with seafood

I really enjoyed the starter and salad – very tasty and fresh.I always intend to try the western option on CX but for some reason, always end up going with the Chinese. The seafood wasn’t bad at all – plenty of it and the noodles were crispy! After the mains, the cheese and fruit trolley comes around, and then they clear the tray, leaving the table cloth for tea, coffee and desert. I skipped cheese/fruit but tried the cake, which turned out to be excellent. I also asked for green tea (it tasted authentically Japanese), and was asked, “Sir, could you please wait a minute or two while we prepare it in the galley for you?”


Finishing it off: have you ever had chocolate cake with O-cha?


The (not so) New Regional Business Class

With dinner almost done, cabin lights giving way to the intensity of Northern Australian sun and seats heading south, it was time to flick the window shades down and flick through ‘Discovery’ to consider what the non-avod IFE of this regional Airbus A330-300 could offer me. Having been quite busy recently, I had not had the chance to see ‘Notes on a Scandal’ with Cate Blanchett. Quite edgy and very well acted and directed. Impressed with British cinema recently! If I remember correctly, the system had to be re-started which wasted a bit of time. By the time this had finished, I’d relaxed and reclined with my book, it was about time for the prior-to-landing Refreshment service. As this shockingly blurry attempt at a photo shows you, I had fried rice with some fruit..


This can be my snack every day, from now on!   (sorry for the bluriness)

With that, descent into Chek Lap Kok was imminent, through the typical HK cloud layer and landing from the south. It was a short taxi to Gate 71, near The Pier lounge. Unfortunately CX 271 to AMS was using Gate 4, which is near enough to a mile away in this, the largest covered structure in the world.


The sun sets on another enjoyable trip in CX J

The Verdict

Qantas

Reservations: 8/10
Qantas' website is easy to navigate and book, if not wonderful aesthetically

Check-in process: 7/10
Efficient, with no wait but that's because I used the international connection line. Not particularly friendly.

Lounge: N/A

Boarding: 7/10
Efficient and polite but gate area too crowded

Seat: 8/10
Aging but comfortable with decent recline

Cabin ambience:6/10
A bit 80s and getting towards a need for renewal

IFE: N/A(did not use)

Cabin crew service:7/10
Professional and courteous

Food and drink:9/10
Qantas to be congratulated on their retention of F+B domestically, quality too!

On-time performance:8/10
Very efficient procedures, at the mercy of ATC though. Made up time in flight.

Amenities:N/A

Overall impression:9/10
Against the trend QF provides good service on the ground and in the air, continuing to provide food as well as IFE. FFPs aside, would pay $20 to fly QF over DJ, who have improved substantially. Must update B767S to stay ahead.

OVERALL SCORE: 71/90 = 79%

Cathay Pacific

Reservations: N/A (award with QF)

Check-in process: 5/10
A great deal of confusion, pass-the-buck style staff.

Lounge: 7/10
Decent QF lounge with comforable seating, toilets and range of food

Boarding: 8/10
Not particularly ordered but CX always seperate F and J pax

Seat: 8/10
The new regional J, for what it is is modern and well-designed, though this length of flight pushes it.

Cabin ambience:8/10
Great modern, elegant feel, let down only by the density of seating, non-pod style.

IFE: 7/10
Relatively good selection of movies/videos/music, though not AVOD

Cabin crew service:8/10
Usual CX polished service, though nothing out of the ordinary

Food and drink:8/10
Good quality and quantity, standard CX business fare

On-time performance:10/10
CX have got this perfect, with use of preferred gates in HK and procedures that always run to time.

Amenities:7/10
New AgnesB amenity kits but frankly, not too impressed - Murad and Dermalogica offerings nothing special

Overall impression:8/10
Solid performance from CX, but would not want a longer flight on this machine, good as it is for regional services.

OVERALL SCORE: 84/110 =76%

It was off, then, in CX’s words, to the ‘inimitable world of The Wing’! Watch out for HKG-AMS on CX in their long-haul J as well as a short hop from AMS-LBA on UK LCC, Jet2. Coming soon...