[golby_04]

It was 0755 on Wednesday the 11th of October; god now how may flights i have actually been(all of which have been on Qantas and American Airlines) on but this was different as it was my first time in Business Class.

I arrived at the international terminal at about 5:45am and headed towards the qantas business and first class check in counters, handed my e-ticket and passport and in just a few minutes i was handed my boading pass.

As im not a Qantas club member yet!!!! i had a bit of time to wander around the international terminal.

I then went to gate 36 where i would board a Boeing 747-400(VH-OJI) and waited about ten minutes before boarding commenced at 0725.

When i boarded the plane i was directed to my seat(3A), I was amazed at how much leg room there was compared to economy class! The skybeds were really comfortable. After about a couple of minutes one of the Flight Attendants served the business cabin complementry drinks(water and orange juice)

The service was amazing; the flight attendants took the time to actually have a chat whislt doing there job. For breakfast they served up a hot bacon and poached eggs or cereal with fruit and either a croissant or toast.

The inflight entertainment (AVOD) was good had some of the latest movies, music and television show available, It was very similar to what Air New Zealand have in the Boeing 777's.

On our descent the weather looked a bit bleak and there wasn't much to see besides clouds.

My Business Class experience had come to an end, as i was leaving i thanked the Flight Attendants for a great experience and one that i will remember for quite a while to come.

There is an advantage to sitting so close to the door, you dont have to wait in the immigration and customs lines that long. Well there was absolutly no one at immigration or customs so i pretty much went straight through in less than five minutes or so.

I beleive Business Class is well worth it, if you can afford it! I am lucky as my father is a pilot for Qantas and flies 747's internationally himself and i get a concessioned fare!!

Well i absolutely enjoyed my Business Class experience, and considering upgrading to business instead of economy when i leave for L.A.(QF11) on 23/10/06 for a couple of weeks.

[PaulZ]

Originally Posted by golby_04

I beleive Business Class is well worth it, if you can afford it! I am lucky as my father is a pilot for Qantas and flies 747's internationally himself and i get a concessioned fare!!

Well i absolutely enjoyed my Business Class experience, and considering upgrading to business instead of economy when i leave for L.A.(QF11) on 23/10/06 for a couple of weeks.

Golby,

Can you let us know how much discount you get on a business class seat?

[Skyring]

Originally Posted by golby_04

Well i absolutely enjoyed my Business Class experience, and considering upgrading to business instead of economy when i leave for L.A.(QF11) on 23/10/06 for a couple of weeks.

Thanks for the report!

It's a whole different experience. It makes flying comfortable, instead of an ordeal. I encountered J in April and wrote a trip report (still filling in the gaps). From Post #13:

I think of my wife when I embrace my new lover. My wife of 25 years dutifully drives me to the airport, kisses me and waves as I disappear through security. Through the gate and up the stairs I bound with unseemly enthusiasm. My lover awaits!

She's behind the counter of the Qantas Club and she barely glances at my boarding pass. This is it! A round the world flight via Business Class and airline lounges - be still, my beating heart! I'm in love with luxury, or at least comfort.

Like all new lovers, we take it easily at first. I've been here once or twice before with my wife, whose government employer pays for her club membership and her Business Class tickets to exotic destinations. But this is coming out of my pocket and it's a new experience of luxury.

[Skyring]

Originally Posted by PaulZ

Can you let us know how much discount you get on a business class seat?

And does your father want to adopt a few more willing sons?

[Commuter]

Originally Posted by golby_04

As im not a Qantas club member yet!!!!... I am lucky as my father is a pilot for Qantas and flies 747's internationally himself and i get a concessioned fare!!

Hi there, I don't think Qantas Club membership can be used when ID50/90 travel, so have a read of the membership rules before signing up, if you mainly travel on concession fare.

[Altair]

Originally Posted by Commuter

Hi there, I don't think Qantas Club membership can be used when ID50/90 travel, so have a read of the membership rules before signing up, if you mainly travel on concession fare.

Hmmmm....slightly off topic, for travelling non-rev on ANZ you can use your Koru Club membership and guest pass access , this is from experience. I do not know why they would not allow it if you actually paid for the membership.

[Shano]

I had my second International J flight yesterday (QF94) in the lst 3 years. An unfortunate company policy where I work is that all travel is Y only, so to sit in the pointy end of the plane requires points upgrade or UC.

My first J flight was an op-up from Y on a 2 class 744 from FRA to SIN (conincidentally I had just reached PS status). As my first J experience I was very impressed.

Yesterday's J flight was a points upgrade from discount Y (72,000 points). I have previoulsy tried for points upgrade, or using UC when I had them, however most of my international flights were over weekends when planes were almost full, so chances of upgrades were pretty slim. This time, however, as a WP and flying midweek, I was pretty confident of scoring an upgrade. Interestingly, there were at least 10 empty seats in the downstairs J cabin.

As for the experience, well it is a major improvement over flying Y. Was it worth the 72,000 FF points? Yes and No. As it was the return leg of my trip to the US, I knew that I would have the remainder of the day in Melbourne to recover (QF94 arrives in Melbourne at ~7:30AM) so did not have to face a full days work on arrival. Although the food is of better quality, there is not that much of it - dinner and then breakfast. The skybed, much, much more comfortable for sitting and reclining than the Y seat, I found difficult to get comfortable in when laid flat (perhaps due mostly to being 6'4"). I did manage to get more sleep in the J cabin than I have ever managed in the Y cabin so did arrive in Melbourne a lot more refreshed than had I flown with the herd.

I guess the biggest downside was the use of 72,000 points to upgrade. I have accumulated quite a few FF points over the last couple of years (even flying economy) so was keen to sampe the J experience again, however, as I (and my partner) have family in Brisbane, those points would have gotten us to Brisbane and back to see family. This is worth more to me than J seats. So I guess that if my FF account is pretty healthy I would consider using points again to upgrade, but as the points decline then my priority would be to use them for domestic award flights. If my international flights were all booked in full Y class then points upgrades become much more attractive.

This has headed a little OT and maybe it sounds like I am being picky, which perhaps I am. If my employer were to sunddenly approve J class for international travel then I would grab it with both hands, but it is hard to see value in using bundles of points to upgrade to J from discount economy, unless I was earning significantly more points than I currently am.

[Commuter]

Originally Posted by Altair

Hmmmm....slightly off topic, for travelling non-rev on ANZ you can use your Koru Club membership and guest pass access , this is from experience. I do not know why they would not allow it if you actually paid for the membership.

Yep, a bit unfortunate, but Qantas Club membership T&C states: "10.2 Qantas Club Members who are also airline industry staff, including their families and travel companions, are not eligible to access lounges when travelling on industry discounted tickets."...