This was our third flight on our long journey from Canberra to New York and after hopping off this plane and spending more than an hour going through immigration, customs and security, we hopped back on the very same plane we had just been on.  

Airline and Flight #

QANTAS QF0015

Aircraft

Boeing 787-9 Jet

Airport and Terminal

Departure: LAX Airport, Los Angeles CA, USA| Tom Bradley International Terminal

Arrival: JFK Airport, New York, USA| Terminal 8

Scheduled Departure Date and Time

Monday 22nd April 2019| 08:20am

Flying Time

5 hours 20 minutes

Luggage Allowance

Qantas being a full service carrier does not charge for checked luggage or carry-on as long as you stay within their restrictions which I think are very generous.  Luggage allowances vary depending on your destination, what class you’re flying and the Qantas frequent flyer status you may have.  As our journey included an international sector then international luggage allowances applied to this domestic leg also. However I have included Domestic allowances also.  For all other destinations you can check Qantas’ website.

Domestic

Carry-on: Adults and children travelling in business class are allowed the following carry on luggage up to 7kg per piece:

1. 1x115cm bag at 56cm + 36cm + 23cm or
2. 2x105cm bags at 48cm + 34cm + 23cm or
3. 1x105cm bags at 48cm + 34cm + 23cm plus 1x185cm non-rigid garment bag at 60cm + 114cm + 11cm

Checked baggage: Allowances for business class are:

• Two pieces up to 32kg (70lb) each and not exceeding 140cm (55in) per piece
• Children are allowed the same checked baggage allowance as adults in addition to two child items such as a car seat and collapsible stroller up to 32kg each.
• Infants can have no checked luggage but up to three infant items such as a car seat, collapsible stroller or baby capsule.
• Platinum and Platinum One Qantas Frequent Flyers are allowed three pieces up to 32kg (70lb) each.

International to the Americas

Carry-on: Adults and children travelling in business class with a final destination to the Americas are allowed the following carry on luggage up to 7kg per piece:

1. 1x115cm bag at 56cm + 36cm + 23cm or
2. 2x105cm bags at 48cm + 34cm + 23cm or
3. 1x105cm bag at 48cm + 34cm + 23cm plus 1x185cm non-rigid garment bag at 60cm + 114cm + 11cm

Infants are not allowed any carry-on bags but food and nappies can be carried on board.

Checked baggage: Adults flying business class to the Americas can have the same luggage allowances on domestic legs as international as long as both flights appear on the same ticket or the flights are on the same calendar day.  Allowances are:

• Three pieces  up to 32kg (70lb) each with dimensions not exceeding 270cm (106in) with no single piece exceeding 158cm.  Total dimensions must not exceed 405cm (158in).
• Children are allowed the same checked baggage allowance as adults in addition to two child items up to 32kg each.
• Infants can have one piece up to 10kg (22lb) with a total dimension of up to 115cm (45in) plus three infant items such as a car seat, collapsible stroller or baby capsule.
• Platinum and Platinum One QANTAS Frequent Flyers are allowed four pieces up to 32kg (70lb) each.

Fun Facts

• Qantas is the third oldest airline in the world and Australia’s largest airline
• Qantas is an acronym for Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services
• Qantas is the founding member of the Oneworld airline alliance
• Qantas’ main hub is in Sydney, Australia
• The Dreamliner uses 20% less fuel than other similarly sized aircraft

Website

The Qantas website is easy to use and provides plenty of useful information to prospective passengers.  If you pay by BPay there are no extra costs incurred.  Once booked you can use Qantas’ Manage Booking to retrieve flight details and select any special dietary requirements, check luggage allowances and purchase additional luggage, select seats and check in and print off your boarding passes.  There is no charge to select Business class seats for domestic or international flights.

Check-in 

Check-in for Qantas flights opens from 24 hours up until 45 minutes prior to departure.  This can be done on-line or at the airport using the self-service kiosk or at the check-in counter.  You can check-in three ways:

1. Mobile check-in – by downloading the Qantas app you can check-in and access your digital boarding pass without the need to print it out.  Other benefits of this method include being alerted to when check-in first opens, access to real time flight data in case of delays and the ability to view any entertainment options prior to your flight.  You can also choose your seats.
2. Desktop check-in – by logging on to the Qantas website http://Qantas.com and clicking on Manage Booking.  Enter your booking reference and last name to bring up your booking.  Select the Checkin/Print Boarding Pass button and remember to take your boarding pass with you to the airport.
3. At the airport – via the self-service kiosks or at the desk in the Departures area prior to passing through security.  Here you can also select your seat, enter your frequent flyer number, upgrade your flight using Qantas points and print out your boarding pass and bag tags so you can drop off any bags at the bag drop.  Otherwise Business class passengers can check in at the counter at the Priority counter.

As we had checked in and been issued all our boarding passes in Canberra, there was no need to check in at LAX.

Business class lounge

The Business class lounge is located in Airside departures, Level 5 and is operated by Oneworld. Unfortunately, there’s no more I can say about it because due to our tight connection and the time it takes to pass through customs, immigration and security we didn’t have time to pay it a visit. It would be good if Qantas scheduled their flight from LAX a bit later so you had time to explore the airport and lounge prior having to board.

Seating

Layout – The Qantas B787-9 is a wide bodied jet with 236 seats.  These are made up of 42 Business class seats, 28 Premium Economy class seats and 166 Economy class seats.  Business is set out in a 1-2-1 configuration meaning every seat has direct isle access. We were seated in row 6. The interiors and seating are shaped by Australian industrial designer David Caon in collaboration with Marc Newson who designed the Qantas A380 interiors.

Seats – The business class suites in Qantas’ 787-9 Dreamliner offer a good amount of privacy with each having direct aisle access.  As we were travelling as a couple we opted for the more friendly middle seats so we could sit together. The seats reclined into fully flat beds where 100% cotton mattresses and duvets are provided along with European pillows.  The seats are made from a navy blue cloth with a black leather adjustable headrest.  The seats are equipped with a sash belt for takeoff and landing. Footrests are built into the floor with loads of room to stretch out. At our seats we had a set of noise cancelling head sets, a menu and a bottle of water.  There were no amenity kits or pyjamas this time as it was just a five hour daytime flight . Also, I’m guessing many if not all of the passengers would have received these on the last flight to LAX. Seat pitch is 117cm (46 inches) when upright extending to 203cm (80 inches) when reclined fully flat. Seat width is  58-61cm (23-24 inches).

Window seats on Qantas B787-9 Dreamliner Business class

Tray tables – These are tucked into the armrest beside you and easily slide out with the press of a button. The solid tray is a good size and can slide forward and back to suit allowing you to move from your seat still with relative ease. It’s also easy to put away. As well as this tray table there is a large shared cocktail tray in the middle of the two seats for drinks and snacks.

Storage – There is plenty of storage in the large cabin bins above your head as well as around your seat. There’s an L-shaped shelf beside your seat that holds your bottle of water and headphones with room to store other small items like phones, passports etc. Underneath this is a surface for storing more items. Below is a compartment at your feet ideal for placing your shoes. Documents can be placed in the pocket in front holding the inflight magazines and at your feet there is more room including a spot at the end for stowing a carry-on bag. The shared large cocktail tray in between the two seats can be used as a surface for more storage if needed.

Storage bin handy for storing shoes on Qantas B7987-9 Dreamliner

Cabin Comfort

• The combination of a generous amount of legeoom, a large amount of stroage and the lie flat seats with comfortable bedding made this flight extremely comfortable.
• A massage function gives you the option of having your lower back gently massaged whilst in your seat.
• With Business class located at the front of the cabin and further from the engines , it made for a very quiet flight.
• A selection of different lighting options meant you could have just the right amount of light where you wanted it and a Do Not Disturb light alerted cabin crew to the fact you didn’t want to be woken up.
• Nice food eaten with metal utensils and proper glasses and crockery made dining a more pleasurable experience.
• The air in the Dreamliner is taken from outside the aircraft and passes through two filtration systems before it enters the cabin allowing for fresher air inside the cabin. The air is also at a higher pressure (pressurised at 6000 feet rather than 8000) and due to the composite materials the air can be made more humid, reducing the effects of dehydration and jet lag.
• The Dreamliner is quieter than its predecessor due to quieter engines and better soundproofing making  the flight more comfortable.
• Ride dampening technology is used to detect and counteract turbulence.
• Meals are timed in such a way as to reduce jet lag.
• Big overhead bins make finding room to store your luggage easier.
• The tall ceilings give the feeling of spaciousness and alleviate any feelings of claustrophobia.
• Mood LED lighting provides an aesthetically pleasing ambience as well as having the ability to mimic natural sunrise and sunset, and hence reduce the effects of jet-lag.

In-flight Entertainment

Electronic devices

• Electronic devices can be used whilst boarding using the aerobridge but not if you’re using the tarmac to board.
• Once doors on the plane have closed you need to then switch your device to flight mode.

Communication

• No phone calls can be made on board this Qantas flight
• Seat chat allows you to communicate with other passengers on board your flight from your seat.

Power

• All Business class passengers have access to a PC power port at 110V AC (60Hz) and a USB port beside each seat for charging devices such as phones and laptops as well as a headphone socket.

In the Seat Pocket

On the left of the screen is a storage section where you can find the following items:

• Qantas Spirit of Australia magazine
• Safety card
• Air sickness bag

WiFi

• WiFi is not available on this flight.  Qantas has decided not to offer inflight internet as a result of a trial it conducted back in 2012 where less than five percent of passengers took up the service.  The demand for internet on international flights is a lot lower than domestic flights given the majority of international flights are overnight and most passengers prefer to sleep or use the in-flight entertainment system.

Entertainment System

• Business class passengers have 16 inch (41 cm) high definition fully interactive touchscreens which can rotate forward when you’re reclined.  When sitting upright you can use the remote tucked inside the arm of your chair if you find the screen too far away from you.  There were at least three advertisements before each movie which was annoying and they were the same adds for each movie.

• There are over 100 on demand movies to watch and over 500 TV shows.  There is up 1500 audio CD’s as well as a selection of audio books, language tutorials, destination information, business education and radio channels. There is a moving map with the option of having it display full screen and in 3D.

Safety Demonstration

The safety demo is done by cabin crew whilst the safety video plays on your screen in front of you.  The video is quite long at seven minutes but I think they have done a really good job with it.  Some can be quite tacky and over the top but this isn’t one of them.  The video jumps to some of the various locations which Qantas flies to and someone there will relate something in that location to one of the safety do’s or don’ts on the aircraft .  For example a man in Kruger National park puts out his campfire before talking about smoking in the aircraft and a woman on safari drops her phone out of the jeep beside an elephant and the tour guide tells her not to  retrieve it as he will.  She then talks about not retrieving mobile phones if they fall between the seats in the aircraft and to call a crew member to retrieve it as there’s less chance of it getting damaged.  The video is quite clever and there’s even some humour too.  Throughout the video they sing parts of the song “I still call Australia Home” which would bring out the patriotism in any Aussie.

Catering

Menus

• Qantas’ menus contain new lighter and healthier options designed by Neil Perry.  This is to allow you to have a more comfortable flight and sleep better on long flights.
• Menu Select where you have the choice of preselecting your meal was not available on this flight like it was on the longer flight from Brisbane to LA.
• The menus looked attractive showcasing Australia’s beautiful and diverse environment through stunning aerial photographs. This one was of Tasmania’s Bay of Fires.
• As you open the menu you’ll see the food options inside with the beverages on the back. There was a choice of four mains which came accompanied by a green leaf salad with Neil’s vinaigrette and bread and butter.
• Dessert was a choice of Cheese & accompaniments, Panna cotta trifle or Seasonal fruit.
• A range of snacks and drinks was available throughout the flight at the self service snack bar. The beverage menu on the back included a good range of hot and cold drinks including a decent range of alcoholic drinks.

Food/Drinks

Qantas has a new range of Noritake crokery and cutlery designed by Australian David Caon in consultation with Rockpool’s Neil Perry.  The glasses, fine bone china and brush finished stainless steel cutlery weigh less than the previous product due to a reduction in the number of pieces and minimising the weight of each piece.

08:45 Champagne or still or sparkling water was offered to us. Unfortunately no nuts accompanied this.

10:00 Green leaf salad with Neil’s vinaigrette, bread and butter and a glass of water. I also ordered an Irish Cream Liqueur and thought the serving size of this was quite generous.

10:15 Grilled pork cutlet with Savoy cabbage, roast Yukon gold potatoes, broad beans and thyme butter was the main I chose whilst hubby went with the Chinese braised beef short rib with book chop, steamed rice and pickles. Both dishes were very enjoyable and I especially loved the cabbbage.

10:32 Panna cotta trifle with lemon curd, raspberries and toasted almonds was our choice of dessert and this was very delicious also.

Restroom

This aircraft has a business class toilet at the front and two located just behind business class which premium economy passengers can use also.  The ones on the left contain baby change facilities.  There are other restrooms towards the middle and at the rear for Economy passengers. The restroom in Business class felt the same as the Economy restroom except for the three bottles containing ASPAR air freshener, hand soap and moisturiser and the thicker hand towels.

Service

The staff on this flight didn’t appear as friendly as the cabin crew on our last flight we were on. Hubby was given still water when he asked for sparkling but that could have just been a miscommunication. In saying that though the crew were efficient in getting the meal service delivered and packed away. There were also no pyjamas and amenity kit despite there being bedding on laid out on our seats. I was really grateful for the bedding and managed to catch a couple of hours sleep.

Scheduling

Scheduled Departure 0820 (LA time) – Actual Departure: 0857

Scheduled Arrival: 1640 (NY time) – Actual Arrival: 1745

Pros

• Lie flat seats with comfortable bedding
• Lots of storage space
• Good sized entertainment screen with plenty to watch
• Great tasting food
• Generous serve of the Irish Cream Liqueur

Cons

• Departed and arrived late
• No hot face washers handed out before food was served
• No amenity kit or PJ’s on this flight
• Bit of a bumpy landing

Conclusion

I enjoyed my flight from LAX to JFK. The flight was delayed a bit as they were waiting on an aircraft that came in late with connecting passengers and staff weren’t as friendly as on our previous flight but in saying that, the food was great and I slept like a baby. I was pleased the crew had left out bedding for this flight and I made good use of it. I would happily fly with Qantas on their Dreamliner again.