Booking 8 out of 10

I actually started my flight in Auckland, New Zealand. The fare for Auckland-Melbourne-Los Angeles-Melbourne-Los Angeles was actually $A1000 less than the  fare for Melbourne-Los Angeles-Melbourne. Combining two New Zealand trips in was easy for me.

The Qantas website easily worked out the multi city fare and came up with  a better fare than Expedia.com or Webjet or Kayak could find. Sometimes looking at the airline’s website can be a bonus. Trying the same search with Virgin Australia online was  not possible.

Seat selection was easy. All the preferred seats were gone, These included the exit row seats which you pay $180 for with Qantas  and the bulkhead seats which could not be selected online.

Check in: 8 out of 10

I attempted to check in online four times over 20 hours. Each time, I finished the whole process before the Qantas website told me that check in was not possible at this time.  Grrrr.  When I arrived at Auckland airport I tired to use the “Q Reader” kiosk system. The same thing happened. I ended up checking in at the Premium Check in at Auckland airport. The woman said that there had been a lot of trouble with online check in with this flight. She also told me that there were a number of seats available in the Bulkhead but she could not access them. They could only be unblocked in Melbourne (something which she did not offer to d0). She did block the seat next to me, though.

Melbourne Lounge: 10 out of 10

Boarding 10 out of 10

To get into the boarding area, meant presenting your boarding pass and passport to security. I can never understand how anyone can get through with the wrong documentation. After all, you have to show them to get into the international departure area. Then it is checked at customs.

Anyway,  I then joined the priority boarding line for Business, First, Gold and Platinum customers.  Cabin crew at the door were very welcoming. I always love stepping onto an A380. It brings a rush of excitement for me.

On Board: 9 out of 10

The plane was almost completely full. True to her word, however, was an empty seat next to mine. This airbus had four classes on board:

1. First Class: 14 suites of 83.5″ pitch and  29.0″ width
2. Business Class: 72 seats  80.0″ pitch 21.5″ width (seats convert into fully flat beds)
3. Premium Economy Class:  32 seats of 38 to 42″ pitch and 19.5″ width
4. Economy Class: 332 seats with 31.0″ pitch and 18.1″ width

From my vantage point I had a glimpse into the hallowed sanctum of First Class!

Take off: 10 out of 10

The other guy in my row had never witnessed an A380 takeoff. He was amazed. The plane is just made to fly. It never seems to have gathered enough speed on the runway before it lifts effortlessly into the air. Watching the take off out the window and simultaneously via the tail mounted camera broadcast on the entertainment system TV Screen was very cool.

Meals 8 out of 10

There were a choice of three dishes for the lunch and two (continental or cooked) for the breakfast. The lunch tray contained salad, a roll, peppermints, a small chocolate bar and a mousse. The crew brought through an ice cream, a small pizza in a box and apple through the night. There were also apples, biscotti and other snacks left on a serve yourself basis in the economy galley. I did not find the quantity sufficient. I raided the snack area few times.

Entertainment: 10 out of 10

The Qantas interactive system has one of the best ranges of any carrier I have been on. If not, the best. They claim to have 100 movies, 500 plus TV  programs,  a thousand CDs, 20 radio channels and 80 games. You also have access to  Lonely Planet destination guides. The seatback screen is  approximately ten inches.

The system responded well. Channels changed quickly. Sound and visual quality were good. I would like more Dr Who episodes please, Qantas.

Landing 10 out of 10

We landed early into a very foggy LA morning. The landing was magic and the view from tail camera and through the window super.  I made my way to immigration as quickly as possible (being close to the front of economy really helped) and was through the whole process and outside in the LA sunshine in 25 minutes.

The Verdict

My rating: Overall 93% (4.6 out of 5)- my overall rating of Qantas based on my 260 previous flights is: 4.7 put of 5.

Skytrax Rating of Qantas: 4 star

Positives:   Almost everything especially the Entertainment system

Negatives: Not enough food

Would I fly them again?  Yes!

Related Posts

Trip Report: Korean Airlines A380

Trip Report: Lufthansa’s A380

Trip Report: Air France A380

LAX-SYD on Qantas A380 (July, 2010)

Emirates- comparing the A380

Thai Airways will take delivery of its first Airbus A380 this week on 28th September, 2012.  After delivery the craft will bear the registration: HS-TUA.

 Thai will become the ninth operator of the A380 after Singapore, Emirates, Qantas, Air France, Lufthansa, Korean,  China Southern and Malaysian. The airline has firm orders for six A380s and will operate the aircraft between Bangkok  and Hong Kong next month. This will be followed by Bangkok and Singapore then Bangkok and Frankfurt followed by Tokyo and Paris in 2013.

Related Posts

Time for Thai’s A380

I wanna fly Malaysian

China Southern’s Third 380 

Tuesday Trip Report: Korean Airlines A380

Tuesday Trip Report: Lufthansa’s A380

Tuesday Trip Report: Air France A380

LAX-SYD on A380

Emirates- comparing the A380

My Pinterest pictures of A380s

Thai Airways held a pre-launch reception to showcase its first Airbus A380-800 aircraft on August 29 including the new colour scheme. I think the THAI colours on the A380 look brilliant! According to the airline: “Thai’s symbol is an abstract image suggesting movement, inspired by the crown flower used in Thai handicraft work and Thai garlands used in traditional ceremonies such as weddings and auspicious events. Colors used are purple, magenta and gold representing, respectively, a Thai orchid, shimmering Thai silk and the brilliance of a Thai temple.”

THAI are due to receive six of the A380s with the first to be delivered on September 27, 2012. The second will be delivered mid December with the third and fourth shortly after. Two more aircraft will be accepted in 2013. They are the ninth carrier to fly this majestic plane after Singapore (2007), Emirates and Qantas (2008), Air France (2009), Lufthansa (2010), Korean and China Southern (2011) and Malaysian (2012).

THAI’s first  A380 will operate flights to and from Bangkok-Hong Kong and Bangkok-Singapore starting October 6, 2012. After delivery of their second A380, THAI will operate to and from Bangkok-Frankfurt and Bangkok-Hong Kong.In January 2013, THAI will start operating their A380s to and from Bangkok-Narita followed by Bangkok-Paris in February 2013.

THAI is installing 507 seats in three classes. The cabin layout diagram comes from Seat Plans.com

Royal First Class which is on the upper deck at the front has 12 seats that recline 180 degrees, with an  83″ pitch, and a seat width of 26.5″. The seats are a “semi private design” and have a 23″ personal entertainment screen. Passengers have individual coat storage, a Royal First Class Bar, spacious lavatory with dressing room, and a Royal First Lounge that serves as a “multipurpose area”

Royal Silk Class (Business Class) has 60 seats also on the Upper Deck that recline 180 degrees, with a 74″ pitch and a width of 20″. THAI are opting for the staggered seat configuration. Each seat has a 15 inch personal entertainment screen. Passengers will have access to the Royal Silk Bar. More personal storage area is provided, along with internet connection, Wi-Fi, enables mobile phone use on board, and electronic plug-in.

Economy Class has 435 seats.  58 of the seats are at the rear of the upper deck and arranged 2/4/2. The other  377 seats are on the lower deck and arranged 3/4/3. Seats have a 32″ pitch, and 18″  seat width. Entertainment screen is 10.6″

All classes will have the latest Audio Video On Demand (AVOD) ex2 system  with 100 movies, 150 television programs, 500 CD albums, and 60 games. Inflight connectivity will allow  passengers to use mobile phones on board for a roaming fee . SMS and MMS messages will be able to be sent and received through GPRS or a Wi-Fi connection. Passengers will have internet access.

THAI is a member of the Star Alliance. Skytrax gives them a 4 star rating. From my experiences with them I give them 5 out of 5

I now have some catching up to do. I have not flown China Southern or Malaysian’s A380s yet!

Related Posts:

I wanna fly Malaysian

China Southern A380 to fly this week

Tuesday Trip Report: Korean Airlines A380

Tuesday Trip Report: Lufthansa’s A380

Tuesday Trip Report: Air France A380

LAX-SYD on A380

Emirates- comparing the A380

My Pinterest pictures of A380s

Finally found a use for Pinterest! I have started using Pinterest to collect pictures of Airbus 380s and Boeing 787s.  Some on the ground,some in the air and some mid take off or landing!

If you would like to  check out my images, please visit  my Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/martinjcowling/

English: ILA 2008: body of an Airbus A380 which taxis after landing. Deutsch: ILA 2008: Rumpf eines Airbus A380, der nach der Landung von der Landebahn wegrollt. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I now have four reasons to fly Malaysian.

Reason One:  I have never flown them,

Reason Two : They are rated a five star airline by Skytrax

Reason Three: They are on track to  join Oneworld in the last quarter of the year which means I can now start earning Qantas points and Status Credits when flying Malaysian

Reason Four: They are the lastest  airline to fly the A380. Operating 3 times weekly  (Tuesday, Friday, Sunday)  as MH 002, the big bird, leaves Kuala Lumpur at 1140pm and flies non stop to London for a 550am arrival (ugh). The return MH 003 leaves London Monday, Wednesday and Saturday at 12pm and arrives Kuala Lumpur the next day at 725pm. Malaysian is saying they will go daily, from 13th August.  KL- Sydney will follow from 25 September, 2012 as flights MH123/122 replacing the Boeing 747-400 aircraft currently serving the route.

The A380 has two full-length decks which each user configures to suit its own requirements. iThe Malaysian version has  494 seats across three classes. Check out the Malaysian Air seat map here

First Class located downstairs at the front of the plane has eight seats with an 89″ pitch and 40″ width. These are the widest First class seats in the sky. They are arranged 1/2/1. There are three first class toilets so queueing won’t happen often.

Business Class: Upstairs there are 48 Business seats arranged 2/2/. Seat pitch: 74 inches – seats turn into a full flat bed. Each seat has a 17-inch video screen. There appear to be only two lavatories for this cabin.

Controversially it has made Business and First Class child free. I have not seen much reaction to this announcement generally. The test will come when a high profile business traveller is denied access with their tribe.

There are 350 Economy seats downstairs with a 32″ pitch and 18″ width arranged 3/4/3. On the upper deck, there are 70 arranged 2/4/2 Each seat has its own 10.9″ TV. There are eight lavatories downstairs and two upstairs.

The up to date list of the eight airlines who  now possess 77 of the Superjumbo 380s. The number in brackets indicates how many 380s the carrier has. The asterix (*) means I have flown this airline’s A380.

1. Air France (8)*
2. China Southern (3)
3. Emirates  (22)*
4. Korean (5) *
5. Lufthansa (10)*
6. Malaysian (1)
7. Qantas (12) *
8. Singapore (17)*
9. Thai will start flying their A380 in October with six will be in service by the end of next year. Routes have not been finalised. Their A380 will have 507 seats in three-classes: 12 seats in Royal First Class, 60 seats in Royal Silk Class and 435 seats in Economy.

Airbus has firm orders from 19 airlines and one holding company for 257 of these planes. Five of those were ordered by Kingfisher, who have yet to prove they will survive as an airline. One third of the orders are from Emirates who intend to have  a staggering 90 of the planes flying under their colours.

Related Posts

China Southern’s Third 380 

Tuesday Trip Report: Korean Airlines A380

Tuesday Trip Report: Lufthansa’s A380

Tuesday Trip Report: Air France A380

LAX-SYD on A380

Emirates- comparing the A380

My Pinterest pictures of A380s

There are now 73  A380s in service worldwide with 7 airlines:

1. Air France has six. Here is my January 3, 20112 review of their A380 Premium Economy Product which I scored at 78%
2. China Southern has three. I have not flown their plame yet
3. Emirates has 22. Review  AKL-SYD  September 30th, 2010 -Economy – My score: 92%
4. Korean is up to five. My December 27., 2011 review of Economy scored them 86%
5. Lufthansa is flying eight. See my October 11, 2011 review of Lufthansa‘s A380 Economy 80%
6. Qantas has 12 of the planes. My rating of their A380 Premium Economy gave them 87%. No review yet.
7. Singapore is up to 17 planes. I gave them a rating of 83%

Malaysian Airlines first A380 is in mid testing stage.

April 21 saw the formal handing back to Qantas of their Airbus 380 named Nancy Bird Walton. This is the plane  that dramatically “lost an engine” in a mid-air blast off Singapore in November 2010. I have previously blogged about how dangerous the incident was..  The incident dented both the reputation of Qantas as one of the world’s safest airlines (despite the fact the crew managed to nurse the plane into a safe landing) and the reputation of the giant plane. (The concerns some have about the 380 have been  further heightened by hysteria over the wing cracks that have been found recently. Qantas is denying they are considering suing Airbus over the cracks but they are in discussions over the cost). The Financial Times reportsthat Airbus is “cutting the production rate for the A380 from 2.7 aircraft each month to 2.3 for the next two quarters, as it goes about mending defective components in the superjumbo’s wing structure.”

VH-OQA fixing was ”one of the biggest repair jobs in aviation”. The repair took 18 months and cost  $A139 million ($US144 million). It required nearly 100,000  hours of work by 170 Airbus staff from eight countries. The repairs were carried out at the hangar of Singapore International Airlines Engineering subsidiary. The airline’s insurance company paid for the repairs and engine-maker Rolls-Royce compensated the airline Aus$95 million for the grounding of the aircraft.

Captain Richard de Crespigny, who was piloting the aircraft when the blast happened, received the flight log book from Airbus engineers and  flew the plane back to Sydney where it departed for its first commercial flight to Hong Kong. Picture from theCanberra Times.

I have flown 842 times. In that time, one child has kept me irritated for an entire flight. As he bounced up and down the seats with his oblivious mother staring at her video screen, an exasperated fellow passenger asked if she had brought anything for her child to do. She looked up and shrugged her shoulders, saying “No” and went back to watching  her screen. A few babies have disturbed my takeoffs and landings but not enough for me to want children removed from my aeroplane. Most I have met on board have been well behaved or in awe or both. On the other hand, adult passengers that talk loudly on night flights, recline their seats, pack the luggage racks badly, keep the light on on night flights, abuse the flight attendants, dirty the lavatories, or step on my feet when walking across the emergency exits, annoy me more. Besides, for the first 15 flights of my life,  I was a child under 12.

So I was very interested in Malaysian Airline’s announcement  last Wednesday that children and infants under the age of 12 will be banned from the upper decks of their new Airbus A380 as well as the plane’s First Class.

The announcement overshadowed almost every other detail of the new Airbus services. The first plane due for delivery in June will start flying Kuala Lumpur daily into London in July. The second one will double the London capacity. KL- Sydney will follow from 25 September, 2012 as flights MH123/122 replacing the Boeing 747-400 aircraft currently serving the route. This means four airlines will be flying A380s into Sydney  and four into London (Emirates, Qantas, Singapore currently operate the plane at those two airports).

The Malaysian A380  has a brand new livery of blue and metal colours (pictured). No decision has been made as to whether the colours will be rolled out to the whole fleet. I really like the livery. The colour represents a new era as they join One World and fight to keep their five star Skytrax rating which is “under review”. (If Skytrax downgrades them, then that means with the loss of Kingfisher’s status, there will be five carrying the 5 star moniker compared with seven last year).

Malaysian’s Airbus A380 will have 494 seats compared with:

• Korean: 407  (my report here)
• Qantas: 450 (not reviewed)
• Singapore: 409/471 (not reviewed)
• Emirates: 489/517 (Three airlines A380s compared)
• China Southern: 506 (not flown yet)
• Air France: 516/538 (Reviewed January, 2012)
• Lufthansa: 526 (Review posted October last year)

There was talk of having four classes with a seat count of 503. Instead, Malaysian has dropped premium Economy and  increased the business cabin on the upper deck.  Seven of the seats are reserved for crew giving the plane 487 seats. 420 of these seats are economy, Business and First Class. On the lower deck are 350 Economy seats and the  eight kid free First class seats. The child proofed upper deck will have 66 Business and 70 economy seats.

First-class pitch will be 85 inches. The seats will flatten out to a full 87-inches. In flight entertainment screens are  23-inch. Business class: 74-inch pitch and full flat bed seats each measuring 72 inches in length  with individual 17-inch IFE screens. Economy-class seats will have a 32 inch pitch and an 18 inch seat width with 10.6-inch individual screens. Every seat on board will have a USB port.  AC electrical outlets Ports will be installed at every Business and First seat and shared with every two seats in Economy.

Now for the child ban. Malaysian have instructed travel agents that their booking system will not allow passengers under 12 in First class, or the upper deck. This is hot on the heels of a 2010 US survey identified that nearly 60% of travellers want airlines to create a family-only section on flights. This was a consequence of a confidential settlement between Qantas and a 67-year-old American passenger who sued the airline after a 3-year-old screamed on her flight. Further,  most  survey respondents said they wished to sit as far away from young children as possible. Those who support banning kids, point out that the chance of a small child or baby being disruptive is far greater than that of any other traveller. Those against point out that children likely to fly Business are usually behaved. plus it means all parents seeking to fly Malaysian will have to fly Economy.

So is this policy Wacky or Wise.? What do you think?

China Southern  has been flying their first A380s on domestic routes within China. This means they have had the world’s largest number of passengers on a single domestic flight surely?

I have been advised they will start flying their A380 in March from Beijing to Hong Kong. The timetable says: Flight:  CZ310  will leave Beijing (PEK) at 0850 and arrive at 1220 into Hong Kong (HKG). It then returns as CZ 309 departing at 1440 and arriving 1750 back to Beijing.

I can’t wait to fly it – I have been on the other six airline’s flying 380s; Air France, Emirates, Korean Air, Lufthansa, Qantas, Singapore and am eager to compare. I have yet to work a Hong Kong or China trip into my schedule.

In the meantime,  Airbus Chief Executive Tom Enders said he has ordered an internal investigation into the A380 wing cracks situation. Apparently the cracks are affecting  an average of five out of 2,000 aluminum alloy brackets per wing. Enders said at the Singapore air show recently:  We made a mistake here and we are repairing it as quickly as possible,” and “This plane is absolutely safe to fly.”

Airbus is still planning to deliver 30 A380s in 2012:

• Air France (their 7th and 8th Airbus 380s)
• China Southern (3rd and 4th for that carrier)
• Emirates (ten more planes taking them to 31 A380s)
• Lufthansa (9th and 10th for the German flag carrier)
• Malaysia Airlines (their 1st in June, 2012 followed by 3 more) – they will be the eighth A380 carrier
• Singapore (16th, 17th 18t and 19th)
• Thai Airways (their 1st in October, 2012 followed by 2 more)- they will be the ninth A380 carrier

Qantas Airways has temporarily grounded one of its A380 superjumbos after discovering dozens of hairline cracks in its wings. They have said tehy:

1. do not pose a threat to safety

2. they are different from the types of cracks that manufacturer Airbus found in the wings of two jets last month

Should we be worried about my beloved A380?