I was travelling to the Covid hotspot, Melbourne to visit a friend and do some cycling in the middle of winter. My first plane trip since lockdown. It was booked using the Qantas Covid Hack which gave me flexibility in case I had to cancel
Qantas Airlines 0467
Sydney (SYD) to Melbourne (Mel)
Seat: 4A (Economy Class)
Aircraft: Boeing 747 800
Arriving at Qantas Domestic Terminal 2 was eerie. There were virtually no cars, no passengers and just a few staff milling around. It was a self service check in regardless of status. The Qantas staff spotted my bike bag and escorted me to the bulky luggage check-in that they opened up for me.
Once we got past security there was very little open with the exception of the chemist and the salesperson trying to entice us to taste wine. Probably the toughest job in lockdown.
Fortunately I spent the next couple of hours at the Qantas lounge which I reviewed here. It was an enjoyable place to spend a couple of hours pre flight.
In this post:
Security Clearance
Only one security channel was open for all passengers regardless of status; however with few passengers we were processed quickly and efficiently.
Boarding
With so few planes leaving the airport most of the departure gates are close to the security and business lounge.
We boarded through gate 7 which was a short walk from the lounge. Passengers are now boarded by row with premium customers loaded first.
Not surprisingly with so few planes flying the plane was able to leave on time.
Seating
I was able to snag seat 4C just behind business class. This seat provided maximum leg room without being an exit row. As a platinum flyer I am used to having a vacant seat next to me. When I looked back the plane was two thirds full with most middle seats empty.
In flight Service
With flight time just over an hour service was a cheese/cracker/bottled water combination. Having filled up in the lounge that was more than needed. Business class still got a trolley service that included wine.
In Flight Wifi
In flight wifi was available on the flight however the quality was patchy at best. Do not plan to use it for any form of entertainment or work.
Amenity Pack
All passengers are offered an amenity pack consisting of a reusable bag, facemask and hand wipes. Around half the passengers and staff wore the facemasks. I used the hand wipe to clean the seat belt, armrests and tray table. Make sure you bring your own hand sanitizer as the hand wipes dried out quickly
Deplaning
Getting off the plan was different as we were let off one row at a time. A very civilised experience compared to the rush to open the overhead lockers and push forward. A few racilitrents were asked to sit back down and had their overhead lockers shut.
Qantas Points Club Benefits
One of the benefits of the new Qantas Points Club program is you now get status credits on redemptions. For the Sydney to Melbourne route I recieved 7 status credits. Taking me a little closer to lifetime gold.
Summary
While we live in unusual times that does not mean you need to put your life on hold. Qantas are making it easy to travel safely. I am looking forward to more flights in coming months.
