When an airline is grounded for upwards of 18 months, things are bound to be different on the other side. While still in its infancy, the ‘post-Covid’ Qantas promises exactly what the airline is renowned for: great cabins, service and food. Having flown Qantas’ Los Angeles routes countless times, the airline truly reached a pre-Covid highpoint, with polished, refined service, and the future was certainly promising.
When I boarded QF12, a Dreamliner service from Los Angeles-Sydney in business class, I was excited. The Premium Economy offering, which I had flown weeks earlier, was excellent. But, on such a competitive route, and at a price of roughly AU$6000 ($4500), Business Class needed to deliver. Were my expectations too high?
The Flight
Flight Number: QF12
Flight Time: 14:25
Aircraft Registration: VH-ZNH (Boeing 787-9)
Pre-Departure
Travel to Australia, while only open to fully-vaccinated citizens and permanent residents, is complex. The 72-hour pre-departure testing window is standard, and a far cry from the exceptionally tight 24-hour window faced when traveling to the United States.
So, two days before my flight, I was treated to a $150 nasal swab overlooking Beverly Hills, and, armed with a negative result, the pre-departure process is surprisingly straightforward. By contrast, the airport Covid testing in Melbourne, Australia, saw me endure a grueling 6-hour queue, along with most other passengers on my flight, QF93.
Check-In
Qantas has tried hard to ensure the check-in process is as seamless as possible. At Los Angeles International, Qantas staff and Australian Border Force agents will check all documentation, before other staff complete the check-in process.
Lounge
With Los Angeles serving as a major overseas hub, Qantas previously offered both a Business Class (and broader Oneworld) and a luxurious First Class lounge. While the airline is preparing to open the First Class lounge when the Airbus A380 resumes service in February, all eligible passengers utilised the Business lounge.
While it did fill up, the lounge was never crowded. A bartender quickly prepared terrific coffee and alcoholic beverages, and there was never a queue. No champagne was on offer, but instead premium sparkling wine.
The food offering was good, but inferior compared to the First Class offerings like calamari and pavlova. Buffet dishes included chicken cassoulet, vegetable curry, and fresh salads.
Boarding
Boarding offered another opportunity to conduct a document check, ensuring that any last issues would be resolved prior to arriving in Australia. Social distancing was maintained and enforced.
The Seat
Qantas has always excelled in seating, and the Dreamliner is no exception. The design, based on the Thompson Vantage XL suites, affords ample privacy, even in the middle seats.
A simple control panel offers a broad range of pre-configured seating positions, including a reasonable recline approved for takeoff and landing. Additionally, the seat has an effective massage function, and the ability to recline to a host of different angles.
The seat boasts a full recline, and although your feet extend into a footwell, your legs are never constricted. A mattress topper, warm blanket, and large pillow are provided, making for a very comfortable sleep – I managed to get around eight hours of sleep on this 14-hour flight.
Inflight Service
The inflight dining was familiar and delicious, with no change to the pre-Covid format. A separate breakfast menu card is provided, allowing passengers to customise their meal and maximise rest.
Dinner was served promptly after takeoff. The service from the cabin crew was refined and courteous – a standout feature of the airline. Rather than the usual pre-Covid tablecloth service, Qantas opted to use a single tray – initially containing a green salad and sourdough bread.
I started with the Morrocan carrot soup, which was the overwhelming choice in the Business cabin. It was both interesting and tasty, however, the portion was small, but nevertheless sufficient.
For the main, I opted for the beef fillet with garlic potato and jus. While passengers were not offered any choice in the cooking temperature, it was served medium-well. Uncharacteristically for airline steak, Qantas managed to keep the meat tender and well seasoned, and the portion was generous. However, Qantas could improve on the presentation, perhaps serving the sauce on the side.
Dessert for me was a simple vanilla gelato, although many passengers indulged in a chocolate mousse cake or cheese plate. A broad variety of wine and liquors were offered, and the crew were happy to offer wine tastings or explanations to passengers.
The first meal was superb, and, in an era where airlines are performing poorly in onboard catering, Qantas excelled.
On this 14-hour flight, a large variety of mid-flight refreshments were offered. I ordered the toasted chicken schnitzel sandwich midway through the flight, and it was fresh and delicious. BBQ potato chips and chocolates were also offered in a small makeshift bar, as well as during regular crew visits to the cabin.
Two hours prior to arrival, the crew served breakfast – again on individualised trays. The cabin lights were never turned on, allowing passengers to continue sleeping until the top of descent. I selected the buttermilk pancakes, served with compote and yoghurt, as well as fruit salad and a croissant.
Having tried an almost-identical dish pre-Covid, I was disappointed with the pancakes. Unfortunately, they were hard and difficult to cut, and the yoghurt and berry compote collectively made the dish quite sour. Nevertheless, this meal was creative and tasted alright, and the crew were proactive in refilling drinks and offering other snacks.
IFE
After abolishing inflight entertainment during the height of Covid, Qantas re-invested in a terrific IFE product. The Panasonic screen was high quality, with the touch function working perfectly.
Of particular note, Qantas was showing the new James Bond film, No Time to Die, while still in cinemas. The TV and film selection was up-to-date and offered a broad selection.
Conclusion
This was my first Qantas international flight in two years, and it was surprisingly familiar.
Considering the current state of airline travel, with lacklustre service from numerous carriers, it was terrific to be served good food, have access to extensive IFE, and experience the genuine service Qantas is known for. Distinct from most carriers, I appreciated the fact that Qantas tried to streamline the experience as much as possible; paperwork was checked thoroughly at check-in, ensuring no issues when entering Australia.
At this stage, international travel to Australia is restricted to Australian citizens, permanent residents, and their families. However, changes to these rules are being heavily considered, with a possible border reopening to foreigners slated for February.
I can conclude that the flight was comfortable, familiar, and was no more stressful than a standard international flight experience.
I don’t really think I would be happy traveling all the way from MEL to LAX on the smaller B787 – even though I like the windows. Maybe I could do it in business class. I prefer the A380 on such long flights.
Tim – I fully agree with you about the gravy which drowned out the lovely steak! The plate was streaked with the remnants of dried sauce due to turbulence. It would make a much better presentation (and easier to carry for the flight attendant) to have the gravy in a side dish! After all, it is business class.
As a 66-year-old codger, an aviation geek all my life, a model collector, and a holder of a Commercial Pilot’s Licence, I flew around the world pre covid and experienced many airlines! The trip with Qantas in business class was a bit disappointing. Due to my being a tad anxious as I was about to embark on a trip of a lifetime, I was loaded up with carry-on – such as cameras, lenses, phone chargers, wires, and chords, wipes, water, and bottles of hand sanitizer (yes, I used it PRIOR to Covid and I didn’t catch a cold or flu!), etc. Unfortunately, I split my glass of champagne over the floor and the American passenger next to me while sorting stuff! (I selected the window, while he was in the way, on the aisle). He never spoke to me for the rest of the flight and it was a cold, unfriendly experience. The male flight attendant just gave me a few paper napkins and walked off in a huff. Surely, they could tell I was stressed and in a mess! It would have been a nice touch for someone to assist me with a proper cloth – and maybe ask if I needed some assistance with my carry-on luggage, due to the overhead bins being full? (they always seem full.)
Another interesting thing happened that day. After taking off towards the south, the A380 (QF 93) kept flying right over the West Gate Bridge and continued over Moorabbin Airport (in controlled airspace, of course) and I saw the Cranbourne racecourse and the Cemetary where my mom and dad are planted – bless their hearts! I thought to myself, why fly all this way south? There would have been a reason, but we were not told. I sure hoped that everything was alright! Finally, we turned towards the North East and left the coast of Australia south of Sydney.
One thing that REALLY annoys me about Qantas is that they don’t dim the lights for night take-offs or landings. Please – Qantas dim the lights, please!
Despite my quirks, they are an excellent airline overall!
This review sounded like it was written by the airline. The meals looked small and poorly presented for a business cabin. Was there jus splashed over the linen and where is the cheese plate? The product seemed unexciting and I hope they pay the crew well as that seemed the only stand out to other airlines.
I’ll be the first to admit the experience was not perfect, but having flown extensively throughout Covid, these issues were not enough to really sour my experience. But all those are valid criticisms
Did United business class in late 2019 . Was expecting Polaris but got a very inferior service from New York to San Francisco . I have flown on better Jetstar.
We just completed 2 round-trip Quantus flights over a 4 week period Via JFK/LA/MEL and return. We fly once a year and we also flew last on Feb 7 2020. I too was a bit skeptical about service after such a long break. We flew on the 3rd flight to MEL (only started runs on Dec 18th,) . In fact our three flight attendants in the back of the outbound flight from LA were starting back that day not having flown since March 2020. We are not thrilled with the Dreamliner. Although I did fly on the inaugural LAX to MEL flight a few years ago, I really miss the comforts and walking about space of the old 380. The new plane is very tight and very restrictive. Especially with young children. We only fly economy so the space difference is much more noticeable. That saying, we had a good flight. The attendants were very friendly and attentive and even gave us a entire middle row for my husband and me even though the plane was almost full. The food was adequate, sub par compared to the past. Re the required 24 PCR for return trip, we avoided the airport’s daytime lines by doing an early morning test (7 a.m.)at the airport (only 30 min drive)then
spent the day at the open and took a midnight flight home.
QANTAS Business Class SYD to YVR in Dec. Good flight but dinner service left something to be desired. Meal was still not served 2.75 hours after take off – sometime after 11pm. I had fallen asleep and did not get to enjoy my meal. My husband described his as delicious.
Great to see Qantas are excelling. I will be traveling on Mel to Lhr in March . So looking forward to the service that Qantas provide.
I fly to Australia fairly frequently, and I enjoy QF domestically, but I have no interest in flying them on the long flight from the US. The reviews of the food in J seem consistently mediocre, but more importantly, the lack of wifi makes them a non-starter. When I’m traveling on business, it’s a nightmare if I don’t have wifi.
The crews and other amenities seem nice, but the overall experience doesn’t seem superior to the pre-pandemic United service.