Another Domestic SC Run (starring Freddie Jr)

[anat0l]

Here we go with another SC run: BNE-MEL-ADL-SYD-CBR-SYD-ADL-MEL-BNE. 100 SC within two days.

This time we have a special guest: Freddie Jr..

You will notice this trip report will be markedly less structured than my previous efforts, but hopefully for those TR buffs out there, you will find it no less interesting to read.

There is an oddity about writing a TR for an SC run, since the only interesting aspects really are any differences to the schedule. SC runs (or MRs for that matter) have nothing of the glamour: no premium lounges (J Lounge a dubious exception - but I have no access anyway), no premium class, no long haul, no amenity kits, etc.

That all being said, if you're still reading this, you obviously haven't tuned out yet. Very well, avid reader... on with the show...

The Flight Schedule

Date   Flight  Orig  Dest  Dep   Arr   Cls  A/C  Seat  Remarks        
17JAN  QF615   BNE   MEL   0955  1315  O    73?  4A
17JAN  QF685   MEL   ADL   1410  1500  O    73?  5A
17JAN  QF766   ADL   SYD   1740  2005  O    73?  5C
17JAN  QF1499  SYD   CBR   2110  2200  O    DH4  5C
18JAN  QF704   CBR   SYD   0945  1040  O    73?
18JAN  QF751   SYD   ADL   1235  1415  O    73?
18JAN  QF690   ADL   MEL   1540  1725  O    73?
18JAN  QF634   MEL   BNE   1905  2015  O    73?

[anat0l]

Current Location: BNE Dom QP

Due to the change in transport arrangements this morning, I've had to be dropped at BNE D a lot earlier than I would have liked. QF615 isn't departing until 0955, and I arrived at least 3 hours earlier...

Went straight through security - again no fuss and no explosives check! - then into the QP. I tried to switch to an earlier flight but the QP desk agent was sticking to the rules - no changes on a Red e-Deal. Bugger - oh well. At least I still got my cardboard BPs. So it was down to trying to veg for 3 hours+.

Had breakfast of Bircher museli with yoghurt, toast with marmalade and honey, coffee, apple juice and water with lemon. Freddie Jr got a snap in the QP.

Seems like everything is on time today so far. Even the QP is looking fairly quiet-ish for a weekend; in fact, it must have been so quiet that when I got to the QP only half of the breakfast spread was set out (usually the spread is presented twice - but only one spread was there initially). Certainly better to be in here compared to out there in the humidity.

Well, as of writing this sentence, there's still at least an hour before I have to start boarding. I'm quite tired having had only 2 hours sleep, but I think I'm going to do some walking around BNE D for exercise, then perhaps drop by the QP again for a shower.

[Bundy Bear]

Don't forget to include the regos for the planes.

I wonder if the DH4 is a new plane type for Freddie Jr.

Hopefully the new car is good, even though the driver wanted to get away so early.

[serfty]

Your scheduled equipment update (subject to change):

...

Date   Flight  Orig  Dest  Dep   Arr   Cls  A/C  Seat  Remarks        
17JAN  QF615   BNE   MEL   0955  1315  O    734  4A
17JAN  QF685   MEL   ADL   1410  1500  O    73H  5A
17JAN  QF766   ADL   SYD   1740  2005  O    73H  5C
17JAN  QF1499  SYD   CBR   2110  2200  O    DH4  5C
18JAN  QF704   CBR   SYD   0945  1040  O    734
18JAN  QF751   SYD   ADL   1235  1415  O    73H
18JAN  QF690   ADL   MEL   1540  1725  O    73H
18JAN  QF634   MEL   BNE   1905  2015  O    73H 

• Aircraft operating 615 is scheduled in from MEL (608) at 9:40am - 25 minutes late so 615's departure has been put back ¼ hour.
• 685's aircraft was scheduled to depart BNE for MEL as 613 as I posted and is the same aircraft taking you to SYD as 766.
• Your CBR flight has just left Albury heading for SYD, it will do a Coffs Harbour and another Albury turnaround before winging you to CBR.

[straitman]

Has Freddie Jr been highjacked to this side of the world

[anat0l]

Current Location: BNE Dom QP

Next departure: QF615 from Gate 23 (main terminal building concourse)

Took a turn around BNE Dom - down to the DJ wing, around the concourse, ditto for the JQ concourse, ditto for QF concourse, back to QP. Step counter now reads 3215.

It is quite humid outside - the airconditioning must have been turned off in the JQ concourse, because it is so hot there. (Luckily, no flights departing or arriving from that concourse).

Tried to have a shower but the BNE QP showers are absolutely pathetic. I know we are studiously trying to save water but this is a joke. The shower is effective at actually showering you as a 1m downpour in SE Asia is useful to recharging the dams in BNE.

Also have just realised that I forgot to charge my camera, and the battery indicator is starting to show signs of low battery - so camera shots are going to be limited and conserved. Sorry sports fans.

Finally, as confirmed by serfty, QF615 is delayed by 25 mins or so; revised boarding is 0955 (original departure time). With an original transfer window of 55min at MEL, this SC run just got 'interesting' all of the sudden....

Revised Flight Schedule (changes are highlighted; completed flights bolded)

Date   Flight  Orig  Dest  Dep   Arr   Cls  A/C  Seat  Remarks        
17JAN  QF615   BNE   MEL   1015 1340  O    734  4A    Delay 25 min
17JAN  QF685   MEL   ADL   1410  1500  O    73H  5A
17JAN  QF766   ADL   SYD   1740  2005  O    73H  5C
17JAN  QF1499  SYD   CBR   2110  2200  O    DH4  5C
18JAN  QF704   CBR   SYD   0945  1040  O    734
18JAN  QF751   SYD   ADL   1235  1415  O    73H
18JAN  QF690   ADL   MEL   1540  1725  O    73H
18JAN  QF634   MEL   BNE   1905  2015  O    73H 

[serfty]

Has Freddie Jr been highjacked to this side of the world

Temporarily; I'm endeavoring to take him back to the USA early March to handover in time for the April Freddie Awards. (Hope to pick 'im up a the FT AGM in Feb)

[serfty]

615 arrived 25minutes late at 13:40; this gave our intrepid traveller ~10 minutes in MEL before boarding commenced for 685. His flight landed 5 minutes early into ADL.

[anat0l]

Location: ADL QP

Flight: QF615 Brisbane (BNE D) - Melbourne-Tullamarine (MEL T1)
Depart: 0955h Sched; 1028h Actual
Aircraft: VH-TJU "Currawong" Boeing 737-400
Class: Economy
Seat: 4A

Not much to be said for this flight, although this is the first time I've flown a 734 on this route with the convertible J. I was fretting about my connection time evaporating due to the delay, but I saw fit to settle down for the flight.

I spent most of the time in the flight chatting with 4B. Refreshments were served: choice was chocolate biscuit or cherry and coconut cupcake by sbc, delivered once again with the usual sbc "flair" and curious box.

We had a very bumpy landing into Tulla, with the plane bobbing up and down; nothing like missing my "normal" MEL turbulence but instead the internal organs got a shake up on the way down.

We managed to make up quite a bit of time on the way down, shaving the delay back down to a mere 20 minutes.That gave enough time to get out into the terminal, check the boards and the boarding call wouldn't have been made yet. So disembark at gate 1 and not finding a handy information board with the information I sought I went straight to the service desk opposite the gate. QF685 was on time and docked at gate 22. Lucky that I was going to make this flight, otherwise my whole SC run would have been utterly ruined.

I only had enough time to race up to the QP to use the bathroom. I tried to finagle an ODU with no success, once again as a matter of procedure. Oh well, them's the rules. Snap another of Freddie and it was time to hot-foot it to gate 22.

Flight: QF685 Melbourne-Tullamarine (MEL T1) – Adelaide (ADL T1)
Depart: 1410h Sched; 1410h Actual
Aircraft: VH-VXE “Coffs Harbour” Boeing 737-800
Class: Economy
Seat: 5A

I had a woman who needed special assistance in 5C and no space in the bin above, so stash the bag above row 6 and then carefully slip into 5A.

Not much in this short flight - I got a good deal of shut eye after the refreshments were served. Refreshment was a Byron Bay bush honey & lemon cookie. I had to wake up once in a bit because I think my body was telling me to wiggle the fingers and toes a little bit. Regardless, a bit of sleep caught up and we landed into ADL, docking into gate 19. I had to wait a while in my seat since the pax in 5A required special assistance, but I didn't care about the time since I wasn't in any rush.

Headed straight for the QP to grab some lunch and update my TR. Given I've still got about 2 hours before next boarding, I'm probably going to make a turn or two around ADL; step count is only 6085. Just have to finish my sparkling water with lemon and a lovely subtly sweet NV Brut from Stonyfell.

Oh, and I've got to work out how to check-in for tomorrow's flights (OLCI is kicking me on that one - only letting me OLCI for today's flights). But I did manage to get 4C instead of 5C for my next flight...woo hoo.

Next departure: QF766 from Gate 19.

Revised Flight Schedule

Date   Flight  Orig  Dest  Dep   Arr   Cls  A/C  Seat  Remarks        
17JAN  QF615   BNE   MEL   1015  1340  O    734  4A    Arrived 19min late
17JAN  QF685   MEL   ADL   1410  1500  O    738  5A    Arrived on time
17JAN  QF766   ADL   SYD   1740  2005  O    738  4C
17JAN  QF1499  SYD   CBR   2110  2200  O    DH4  5C
18JAN  QF704   CBR   SYD   0945  1040  O    734
18JAN  QF751   SYD   ADL   1235  1415  O    738
18JAN  QF690   ADL   MEL   1540  1725  O    738
18JAN  QF634   MEL   BNE   1905  2015  O    738

P.S. thank you serfty for your vigilance on the flight monitoring

[anat0l]

Current Location: SYD T3 QP

Had a good flight over from ADL. After a walk around the terminal it was time to board QF766 at gate 19.

Flight: QF766 Adelaide (ADL T1) - Sydney (SYD T3)
Depart: 1740h Sched; 1740h Actual
Aircraft: VH-VXE “Coffs Harbour” Boeing 737-800
Class: Economy
Seat: 4C

Our service onboard was dinner - Stir Fry Chicken with Kung Pao Sauce - the same dish I had when I travelled BNE/PER last August! (Talk about de ja food... ) Surprisingly this time it was not as repulsive compared to the gluggy glop served last time, but I opted to eat only a minimal amount of the rice and didn't touch the bread roll. Gulped down the water and was done with the meal.

The flight was fairly lightly loaded; quite a few spare seats in Y, 4B was empty and only 6 people in J. I spent most of the flight talking to the pax in 4A, who was returning to SYD after tagging along with someone who drove from SYD to ADL. The conversation was great and helped tie over the 2 hour-ish flight. He even said he might check out FT...

Landed in SYD and thankfully not on the third runway so a quick taxi and we pulled up at gate 16. The DH4 taking us to CBR was pulled up at gate 17. Unfortunately with all the gates et al blocking the view, I couldn't get a clear shot of the aircraft, let alone the rego. I'll have to note it when we touch down in CBR.

Went to the SYD QP to snack a bit on some antipasto and sup on lemon water (and write this report). Looking forward to CBR and a rest!

Next Departure: QF1499 from gate 17

Revised Flight Schedule

Date   Flight  Orig  Dest  Dep   Arr   Cls  A/C  Seat  Remarks        
17JAN  QF615   BNE   MEL   1015  1340  O    734  4A    Arrived 19min late
17JAN  QF685   MEL   ADL   1410  1500  O    738  5A    Arrived on time
17JAN  QF766   ADL   SYD   1740  2005  O    738  4C    Arrived on time
17JAN  QF1499  SYD   CBR   2110  2200  O    DH4  5C
18JAN  QF704   CBR   SYD   0945  1040  O    734
18JAN  QF751   SYD   ADL   1235  1415  O    738
18JAN  QF690   ADL   MEL   1540  1725  O    738
18JAN  QF634   MEL   BNE   1905  2015  O    738