After another wonderful stay in Cairns, the city that feels like my second home, it was time to head back to Sydney. For this flight I chose Qantas Airways for three key reasons: first, the chance to fly on a widebody Airbus A330-200; second, I grabbed a seat with points (or miles) that was quite…
Tag: aviation
Visiting the Qantas Club in Cairns.
Another lounge visit, this time at the Qantas Club in Cairns. Normally, I’d fly Virgin Australia since I hold Gold Status, but with no lounge there, I used points to fly Qantas. Conveniently, my Qantas credit card included a lounge pass, perfect timing! I genuinely share my loyalty between both airlines. This post may contain…
The Virgin Australia Lounge – Melbourne
The Virgin Australia Lounge in Melbourne offers a relaxed, modern space with plenty of seating, work areas, and tarmac views. Guests enjoy a self serve buffet, barista made coffee, and a selection of beverages, ideal for unwinding before a domestic flight. This post may contain affiliate links, to read more click here. Virgin Australia domestic…
Air New Zealand – Dunedin to Christchurch on the ATR72-600
After an incredible journey through New Zealand, exploring vibrant Auckland, historic Dunedin, and the breathtaking beauty of Stewart Island / Rakiura, it’s time to head home. The trip has been filled with stunning landscapes, rich culture, and unforgettable experiences that will be cherished long after the suitcases are unpacked. Full disclosure, this post contains affiliate…
Happy New Year 2017 – Where are you travelling to?
2016 was a good year but I didn’t get to travel as much as I would have liked. Buenos Aires and Montevideo were great, as was a brief trip to Melbourne. I have, however already booked my big trip for 2017. One way ticket around the world! First stop, Singapore, then Penang, Phuket, Chiang Mai…
HARS (Historical Aircraft Restoration Society) and the Famous QANTAS 747-438, VH-OJA – Oh and Connie, VH-EAG
HARS – Historical Aircraft Restoration Society – is located at The Illawarra Regional Airport in Wollongong and just over a year ago it gained another major attraction with a retired Qantas Boeing 747-400 arriving at the museum. Back in March of 2015, I was invited with several media and bloggers to visit Qantas Headquarters in…
Lounge Review: The Qantas Club – Melbourne Domestic Airport
As you know, I love airport lounges! – Almost, just almost – as much as I love flying. Recently I had a guest pass to visit any Domestic Qantas Club Lounge, so before I took off on my first Jetstar 787 flight to the Gold Coast, I visited the Melbourne lounge, What a great way to start this…
REVIEW: Virgin Australia VA543 Sydney to Gold Coast
Dashing straight from work, I arrived at Sydney Domestic Airports Terminal 2 for my 19:10 flight, with self printed boarding pass in hand, at 17:40 exactly an hour and a half prior to departure, half an hour earlier than the standard recommended time. With a silent sigh and roll of my eyes I could see the bag drop line for those…
Review: Vietnam Airlines Dong Hoi to Ha Noi – ATR72-500 Economy Class
Flight date: 20 July 2012 Aircraft: ATR72-500 Flight Number: VN1590 Flight Time: 1hrs 40mins Class: Economy Seat: 6A I have travelled on hundreds of flights on jet aircraft all over the world, Airbuses, Boeings, Embraers, Canadairs and even a few DC”s, but I can count the number of propeller aircraft I have flown on on one hand. In fact, my first…
Review: Jetstar Airways – Darwin to Denpasar (Bali) Economy Class
Flight date: 12 February 2012 Aircraft: Airbus A321-200 Flight Number: JQ85 Flight Time: 2hrs 35mins Class: Economy (Value Plus fare) Seat: 28A Travelling overseas, for those living in the southeastern part of Australia, usually means a long-haul flight unless, of course, you are crossing the ditch to visit our Kiwi cousins. But for our country folk that reside in the north…
Review: Vietnam Airlines Ho Chi Minh City to Dong Hoi
Flight date: 20 April 2012 Aircraft: Airbus a320-200 Flight number: VN1400 Flight time: 1hr 40mins Class: Business Seat: 2F It was a quick check-in at the Vietnam Airlines counter at the sometimes chaotic Ho Chi Minh City domestic terminal, not only because of no others in the Business Class line, but also as I was travelling in a…
Review: Garuda Indonesia Airlines Denpasar (Bali) – Yogyakarta
Flight date: 14 February 2012 Aircraft: Boeing 737-800 Flight Number: GA251 Flight Time: 1hr 10mins Class: Economy Seat: 12A A 4.30am wake up call for a 5am pickup to Denpasar airport for a 7am flight. With very little traffic on the roads at this dark hour, I was at the airport by 5.20am for a…
Continental Airlines – “I’ll have a Scotch and Coke”…” Sorry sir…a whaaaat?”
Is it my Australian accent or the generic term I use when asking for something that confuses other users of the English language? On a Continental Airlines flight, the first couple of times I’d ask for a scotch and coke, I would be met with dismay and a shocked look as though I was speaking another language….
Virgin Blue (DJ) E-Jet in AFL Livery
New uniforms, new aircraft for regional routes and new branding and livery expected soon, in the meantime, the newest aircraft to join the Virgin Blue fleet (this Embraer 190 and a Boeing 737) have been painted in this quite plain AFL (Australian Football League) livery, with an all white tail. Virgin Blue recently won the AFL contract….
New Chinese airline arrived in Sydney this morning
Today marked the start of another Chinese carrier serving Australia. Hainan airlines (HU) will fly an Airbus A330-200 three times a week between Shenzhen and Hangzhou and Sydney. Shenzhen, located on mainland China near Hong Kong and Hangzhou, also on the mainland near Shanghai are both important financial, trade and industrial cities and with populations…
Matty Somewhere 