Honolulu to Sydney

Qantas QF103 | SYD/HNL
Business Class
Airbus A330-300 | VH-QPH Noosa
ATD/2316 | ATA/1148
Lounge: Qantas First Lounge

After disembarking from QF742, I took the transfer bus across the tarmac to the international terminal. Once inside the terminal, I cleared security via a dedicated lane for first and business class passengers, and then I cleared immigration via an automated gate. When I was done with these formalities, I headed for the Qantas First Lounge. I had heard many good things about this lounge, and I was excited to experience it. Entering the foyer, I first encountered a plant wall. I then took an escalator up one level to be greeted by an old school flight information display.

The lounge decor was spectacular, with each section divided by a huge wooden frame. In a way, it reminded me of the wing fuel tanks of modern aircraft. I found it hard to believe that this lounge hadn’t been renovated in a while as the design was fresh and modern. As soon as I sat down, however, I saw immediate evidence of the age of the lounge: there were no USB outlets or universal power outlets, and there were ethernet jacks in the walls.

My flight to HNL had been delayed by two hours, which meant I now had over four hours in the lounge. I spent the first two hours chilling at a seat with a tarmac view, and then I had a shower followed by dinner. For my meal, I had their signature salt and pepper squid, followed by a snapper dish, before finishing up with their signature pavlova. The two signature dishes were great, but the snapper wasn’t anything special.

Overall, this lounge was a treat, and I can understand why people rave about it. The only thing I did not like was the acoustics; the lounge was unnecessarily loud because sound seemed to be amplified.

After leaving the lounge, I made my way to Gate 9 and boarded the A330. The flight crew explained that the original two hour delay was due to a mechanical issue. We were then delayed by another 45 minutes because the ramp crew stopped work several times due to rain and risk of lightning strike. I started getting nervous that the flight would not depart before Sydney Airport's 11pm curfew, but we received special dispensation to depart.

The flight itself was pleasant. My aisle was staffed by an enthusiastic flight attendant. He took my meal order first, which made me assume they took the orders by OneWorld status. But, he didn't address me by name. It appears as if Qantas does not utilize trays for its main meals, which made for a more personalized experience. The salmon crudo starter was great, but the plant-based ramen main was pretty mediocre with lukewarm broth and noodles that were borderline mushy. For dessert, I opted for the ice cream sandwich. The menu indicated there would be a canapé, but it wasn't served. I suspect they chose to forgo this service due to the late departure. The one service item I found curiously lacking was the lack of hand towels - neither hot nor cold towels were offered during the flight.

After dinner, I slept for a few hours. At the start of the flight, we were asked to give our breakfast orders by filling in an order card. Breakfast was served surprisingly late at 75 minutes before arrival, which wasn’t an issue for me because I got to maximize my sleep. I wish other airlines had the confidence to serve their arrival meal this late on their flights.Read more