I was dropped off by Super Shuttle at the domestic terminal at around 2:20PM, and proceeded straight to check-in. Check-in for intra-Australia flights is very efficient, since almost everyone uses kiosks or checks in online.
Continue reading: Four Continents and 37,000 Miles in Two Weeks: Qantas Business Class Lounge Sydney, Qantas Business Class Sydney to Melbourne
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
As always, the incidentals tend to mount. how much did you pay for the hotel shuttle? Did your chosen hotel not have enough traffic to offer their own shuttle? Perhaps the distance is too great - I don't know. It seems a little strange to me. Thoughts?
Thanks, -C.
@ Cedarglen -- LOL! I can't win, can I? If I provide any more detail, people complain my reports are too long. If I don't provide enough, people want more details. The shuttle was something like $15AUD.
As far as the general shuttle question goes, I don't know of very many hotels in cities that have airport shuttles. Airport hotels have shuttles usually, but other than that it's just not something hotels do... at least the ones I've stayed at.
"... to baggage claim, and within another minute or two my bag arrived."
Well that is something I don't think has ever occurred at PHX or BWI. I don't usually check bags but family and visitors have and it is more like 20+ minutes.
one of my fave cities in the world. Looking forward to the rest of the report.
Ben - you don't really express an opinion on this experience - seemed like you thought the Business lounge was good, and the flight as expected?
@ Keith -- I felt like the business class lounge was fantastic, those Air New Zealand's domestic lounges are fantastic as well. They're leaps and bounds better than any domestic lounge in the US, and even better than most international business class lounges, in my opinion.
I felt like the flight itself was quite good. The meal wasn't amazing, though I felt like this was a hybrid between domestic first class in the US and business class on an intra-Europe flight. In the US you have decent personal space, and in Europe you have a great meal service with a coach seat. This was right in the middle, so I was a fan.
Ben, it appears they jammed too many rows in Bus class; not much leg room there.
Thanks Ben, appreciate your viewpoint.. As a regular Qantas flyer I don't access the domestic business lounge, as that's only available for oneworld Emerald or QF Business class passengers only, oneworld sapphires like me are relegated to the lowly Qantas Club. So nice to see some pics and hear your thoughts.
The QF domestic experience is, I think, the best domestic travel experience anywhere in the world. Many/most Australians will say how bloody awful QF is, but they are mistaken or unfamiliar with domestic (or intra eu) travel.
Indeed, QF has it relatively easy - with a primarily point to point network, and generally decent weather (little severe stuff at least).
Qf's Qantas club, their paid lounge and the sapphire access lounge isn't too much different than the j/emerald lounge. These domestic lounges offer more amenities than the vast majority of the lounges in the United States.
This visit was only to one of the domestic terminals. SYD has a separate international terminal where the QF lounge offerings are materially nicer (same situation in Melbourne). Indeed, the f international lounges are worth getting to early.
http://www.sitinfirst.com/2011/02/sydneys-qantas-first-class-lounge-ow-emeralds-too/
I took this flight in 2007 when my UA flight SYD-MEL had a mechanical, and I was quite impressed with QF Business class service on such a short flight.
Lucky, Ouch! If I pissed you off, I'm sorry. I'm not complaining about your post and I LOVE reading them. I was just curious. I'll bite my tongue. Happy flying!
-Craig of Cedarglen
@ Craig -- No, no, no, no, no! That wasn't my intention at all, sorry if that's how it came across. By all means ask away. It was just funny because as I was writing this, I found myself writing this post I ended up deleting a lot of stuff saying "no one wants to know those details" (I was ready for "mark" to attack me for providing too many details), and then the first post was the opposite. Seriously, ask questions by all means, please!
That J configuration does look a touch nicer than UA's ghetto bird. I take it there was not enough time for a recline/legrest action shot? 😉
In general, the more detailed the better/more enjoyable. Don't hold back... I speak for your coalition in saying we very much enjoy even the mundane aspects of your trip reports.
Lucky -- Keep up the great work! Like others have said, the more details, the better. Some of us are grounded nowadays and must live vicariously through your travels. PS Please include more hot towel pics from a variety angles... 😉