After our two weeks in New York State it was time to say good bye and make our way home. A ride on the Amtrak train for just over two hours landed us at Penn Station where we caught the E train to uptown Queens getting off at Sutphin Boulevard Station. From there we purchased a Metrocard to take the AirTrain to terminal 8 where Qantas was located.

Airline and Flight #

QANTAS QF12

Aircraft

Boeing 787-9 Jet (Dreamliner)

Airport and Terminal

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

Arrival: LAX Airport, Los Angeles CA, USA| Terminal B (Tom Bradley International Terminal)

Scheduled Departure Date and Time

Monday 6 May 2019| 1810

Flying Time

5 hours 50 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 are pretty 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 traveling 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 and from Australia

Carry-on: Adults and children traveling in business class with a final destination to Australia 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 Australia 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. As we had connecting flights we checked in via the mobile app but were required to collect our boarding passes from the counter at the airport.
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 Check-in/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.

For this flight we were able to check-in on-line using the mobile app but were required to collect our boarding passes from the counter at the airport.

Business class lounge

Name: American Airlines Flagship Lounge

Location: Terminal 8

About: Opened in April 2018, Qantas Business class passengers were previously required to use the British Airways lounge in terminal 7. The American Airlines Flagship Lounge can be found at Terminal 8 just after going through security on the left. Take the lift to the 4th floor and there are two parts to the lounge. The one on the right of the lounge reception desk has a bar and seating area at one end and an a la carte and small buffet at the other. The other lounge has a larger buffet selection (although I would still call it quite small) with half a dozen hot dishes to choose from and a selection of cold items. There are lots of bottles of different alcohol and in the a la carte section, there’s a cocktail menu with five choices of cocktails.

Features of the lounges included:

• Multi function devices for printing, scanning, photocopying
• Individual workstation pods, some set up with monitors and keyboards
• Restrooms and Showers
• Business centre
• WiFi
• Wellness and conference rooms
• Bar
• Charge points at many of the seats
• A good view of outside and some of the planes
• Departures and Arrivals boards
• Kids play room
• Luggage storage room
• Cinema
• Tables and chairs

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 11. 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 traveling 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 blue 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 was a set of noise canceling head sets, a menu and a bottle of water.  There were no amenity kits or pajamas this time. I guess because it was only a five hour flight and it was during the day. Also, I’m guessing many of the passengers will receive these on the next flight from LA. 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).

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, headphones and amenity kit with room to store other small items like phones, passports etc. Underneath this is a surface for storing more items. Below this 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.

Cabin Comfort

• The combination of a generous amount of legroom, a large amount of storage and the lie flat seats with good quality bedding made this flight extremely comfortable.
• The massage function beside your seat provides a gentle massage for your lower back which even if not needed, is still relaxing.
• Being up the front of the cabin meant it was very quiet as you were further away from the engine noise.
• The Qantas issued pyjamas added to making the flight more comfortable.
• Good selection of lighting options including a Do Not Disturb light allowing you to rest uninterrupted.
• Being able to eat better food from proper utensils, glassware and crockery made dining a more pleasant experience.
• 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 touch-screens 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.
• 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 two starters and 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 crockery 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.

18:00 Champagne and still or sparkling water was handed around to passengers.

19:07 Glasses of orange juice and sparkling water were offered accompanied by 20g packets of almonds and pretzels.

19:58 Green leaf salad with Neil’s vinaigrette, bread and butter. To accompany this I chose the sweet potato, ginger and turmeric soup with crispy onion and pepitas. The soup was very tasty.

20:30 For mains I went with the grilled chermoula chicken with sweet potato and cauliflower tabbouleh whilst hubby had the tomato braised lamb with semolina gnocchi, green beans and semolata. Both meals were quite tasty although I thought the presentation could have been a bit better and some of the stalks had been left on the beans.

21:00 For dessert we had the chocolate mousse with sour cherries and double cream. This time it tasted better as the jelly layer on the top had not dried out as was the case when I had it on the way over. Again, as with the mains they could have taken better care of the presentation as the cream on top somewhat resembled bird poo.

There was a small snack bar on board but the selection was rather poor with just Dove chocolate bars and packets of chips available.

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 bottles containing ASPAR hand soap and moisturiser as well as the interior aircraft cleaner. And the hand towels were thicker too.

Service

The service on board this flight was professional and friendly however it didn’t always feel the most genuine when for example the manager greeted passengers in Business class by asking the same questions to everyone.  The staff did a good job with cleaning the Business class cabin and if I could make any suggestion to improve service, it would be to hand out hot face washers prior to meals.

Scheduling

Scheduled Departure 1810 (NY time) – Actual Departure: 1805

Scheduled Arrival: 2100 (LA time) – Actual Arrival: 2050

Pros

• Lie flat seats with comfortable bedding
• Lots of storage space
• Good sized entertainment screen with plenty to watch
• Tasty food
• The plane was just over a year old so the cabin was still in very good condition

Cons

• Food presentation could be improved
• No hot face washers handed out before food was served
• No amenity kit or PJ’s on this flight

Conclusion

I loved that this plane was just over a year old and to have one painted differently is always a bit exciting too.  So with everything still so new, the seats were in excellent condition as well as being very clean.  The seats were very comfortable, especially with the mattress topper when converting them to lie flat beds.  The food on board this flight was tasty even if the presentation was somewhat lacking.  The inflight screen was a good size and contained a decent range of movies, TV shows and music to keep you entertained.  My biggest complaint would be that Qantas don’t hand out hot face washers prior to meals which is disappointing given there are airlines that do that even in Economy,