Our Singapore Airlines B777-300 ER displaying her Star Alliance livery
After a very enjoyable holiday in Singapore with my husband, two daughters and my parents, it was time to fly home. This time we were booked on a Boeing 777-300 ER which would take us all the way through to Canberra with a quick fuel and pickup stop in Sydney on the way.
Our Singapore Airlines A350-900 in preparation for it’s flight from Brisbane to Singapore
Following on from our flight to Brisbane our family was very excited to be flying Singapore Airlines to Singapore where we would join my parents on an eight day holiday. The plane was less than a year old and we were already familiar with the good service and food on board Singapore Airlines so couldn’t wait.
Boarding our Singapore Airlines B777-300ER aircraft at Changi airport
After an enjoyable breakfast at the Changi Airport’s Aerotel hotel where we had spent the night followed by a second breakfast in the lounge, we boarded our Singapore Airlines flight from Singapore to Canberra in Business Class via Sydney.
Our Singapore Airlines A350-900 ULR that took us on the longest flight in the world
We were about to embark on what was currently the longest flight in the world – Newark, NJ to Singapore on Singapore Airlines’ A350-900 ULR in Business class. The journey was scheduled to take a whopping 18 hours and 45 minutes. We caught the hotel shuttle to the airport turning up with plenty of time to grab a bite to eat at the Polaris Lounge. It was situated in the other terminal but I had heard a bit about this lounge so was eager to try it out.
Our Singapore Airlines A350-900 ULR that took us from Singapore to Newark, USA
After a whole day’s layover in Singapore, we were ready and excited for our next flight which was a long one at over 18 hours. And what better way to spend it than flying on Singapore Airline’s A350 in Business Class. We had heard a lot about the A350 and were about to try it out for the first time.
Our Singapore Airlines B777-300 ER at the Canberra Airport
We were very excited to be trying out Singapore Airlines’ Business class product on our flight to Singapore and then on to New York. It would be my first time flying internationally direct out of Canberra before. Singapore Airlines don’t have a lounge at the Canberra Airport but upstairs you can use the Virgin lounge. It’s fairly simple with a modest selection of hot and cold food but given it was very late at night and we were getting a meal on board anyway, there was plenty to keep us happy. I settled with a bowl of tasty creamy tomato and basil soup.
Our Qantas A380-800 aircraft we were flying from Singapore to Melbourne
Although not keen on overnight flights in Economy, I was looking forward to flying this leg with Qantas on the A380 for our flight back to Australia from Singapore. My plan of selecting a window and aisle seat paid off as we had no one sitting in the middle and more room for us to spread out whilst trying to catch a bit of sleep.
Our Qantas A380-800 having just landed in Sydney
After our short layover at Los Angeles LAX we were back on the plane for our 15 hour flight to Sydney Australia. This time it would be on the Airbus A380 so I was interested in comparing the Business class product on this to the B787-9 Dreamliner we had just been on.
At just over a year old this Qantas B787-9 Dreamliner has been painted in the Yam Dreaming livery adapted from a 1991 Indigenous painting
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. Continue reading
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. Continue reading
Our Qantas B787-9 Dreamliner waiting to take us from Brisbane to Los Angeles
Continuing on from our flight from Canberra to Brisbane, we were excited to be doing our first ever long haul business class flight together. I looked forward to being able to lie down and get some sleep on this Qantas’ 787-9 Dreamliner and turning up refreshed when we hit the ground.
Our Qantas B717-200 plane loading up at Canberra airport for its flight to Brisbane
This flight would be our first time ever flying Business class together so we were both very excited. Not all of Qantas’ 717-200’s are configured with a Business class but QF1562 is one of the few that are. This flight would take us to Brisbane where we would fly to New York City via Los Angeles.
Our jumbo Qantas A380-800
After our flight from JFK to LAX, we waited to board our next flight that would take us to Sydney, Australia. The plane was late in so boarding and takeoff were delayed by just over half an hour.
I was excited to be flying Qantas again and back on the A380. I like the food and entertainment on board Qantas and the leg room is definitely an improvement over the B787 Dreamliner.
A view of the wing from inside our A380-800 Qantas flight to Los Angeles
Excited to be flying on an A380-800 again, our youngest daughter drove us to the airport for our 7:20 am flight to Sydney where we would board our next plane to New York via Los Angeles. I felt a mix of excitement and trepidation as it was the first time leaving the Girls at home on their own with our youngest only just getting her licence the month before. Continue reading