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American adds more premium economy seats- will United follow?

American’s premium economy cabin on its 787-9s has 2-3-2 seating. (Image: American)

As American Airlines brings more new 787-9s to its long-haul fleet, it is making its international premium economy cabin available on additional routes – starting with Australia and New Zealand.

American’s new 787-9s are being delivered with premium economy seating already installed. The airline is also busy at work putting the new middle cabin into its 47 777-200s, a job that should be finished by next March; and its A330-200s, expected to be finished by this December. AA’s 20 777-300ERs should have the extra cabin by June of 2018, and its 787-8s will also get the refit next year.

It’s too early to say when those other wide-body models with new premium economy seating will start flying in specific markets (with a few exceptions – see below), but when a 787-9 is scheduled to start on a route, the new middle cabin automatically comes with it. American’s 787-9s also feature a business class with 30 new lie-flat seats, all with direct aisle access.

On November 8, American is due to introduce the premium economy option on its Los Angeles-Sydney flights when it replaces the 777-300ER on that route with a 787-9.

And this month—after a two-month hiatus on the route – American started flying a 787-9 on its daily Los Angeles-Auckland service, replacing a 787-8. (American has decided to convert LAX-Auckland into a seasonal route, operating only from October through March.)

Amenities that come with an AA premium economy seat. (Image: American)

American introduced the premium economy-equipped 787-9s out of its Dallas/Ft. Worth hub last fall and winter, putting it on routes to Sao Paulo, Madrid, Paris and Seoul.

On November 5, American is due to inaugurate its long-awaited Los Angeles-Beijing daily service with a 787-8. But according to Routesonline.com, American has plans to replace that aircraft on March 25 of next year with a 787-9, offering premium economy seating in the market.

American is expected to put the 787-9 into service early next year on a pair of Japan routes — Los Angeles-Tokyo Haneda and LAX-Tokyo Narita — both beginning January 8. They will replace 777-200ERs on those routes.

Looking at American’s recent schedule filings, we can see 787-9s scheduled to begin flying between Dallas/Ft. Worth and Shanghai Pudong on March 4, replacing a 787-8; and LAX-Shanghai Pudong starting March 25, also replacing a 787-8.

The schedule filings also show AA taking the 787-9 off its DFW-Paris and DFW-Madrid routes starting March 25, replacing them with 777-200ERs. However, those 777s are listed as three-class aircraft, so they presumably have the premium economy option. The schedule also shows a three-class 777-200ER replacing a 777-300ER on AA’s DFW-London Heathrow route starting March 25.

Although it is reconfiguring its wide-bodies with premium economy seating, American is planning to keep offering a Main Cabin Extra option as well – i.e., its extra-legroom seating in the economy cabin. While Main Cabin Extra provides up to six inches of extra seat pitch, AA’s premium economy product will offer slightly more – 38 inches, along with extendable foot, leg and head rests; larger touch-screens; and additional services and amenities including one checked bag free. Seating is in a 2-3-2 layout on the 787-9s.

Delta’s premium economy cabin will debut on its A350s. (Image: Delta)

Delta is also introducing a new international premium economy seating option, called Premium Select, as it puts its new Airbus A350s into service. The first one starts flying next week (October 30) on Delta’s Detroit-Tokyo Narita route. Last week, we detailed other Delta routes that will have new A350 service coming in the weeks and months ahead.

All this of course leads us to the question of when or if United is going to follow American and Delta down the path to real premium economy. Right now it sounds like they are not ruling it out– when we asked directly about this, a spokesperson said, “At this time we do not have details to share regarding Premium Economy. We’re always looking at ways to improve the customer experience and the choices we offer our customers for their travels with United.”

Have you or will you try the new American versions of Premium economy? Will United add one, too? Leave your comments below. 

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Qantas unwraps its Dreamliner, coming to LAX soon (photos)

Qantas’ Dreamliners feature an updated kangaroo logo. (Image: Qantas)

It’s a little late to the Dreamliner game, but Qantas has just unveiled the interiors of the new Boeing 787-9s that are coming to its international fleet soon – including to the U.S.

In fact, the very first route for Qantas’ newest wide-body will be Melbourne to Los Angeles, beginning in December. The second will be a very long haul from Perth to London – the first non-stop service linking Australia with Europe — starting next March. (Currently fares on the LAX-Melbourne route are just $787 round trip— quite a good deal!)

Will the Qantas Dreamliner find its way to San Francisco next year? Qantas hasn’t said; it is currently flying a 747-400 on the SFO-Sydney route, while United already uses a 787-9 in that market. Qantas said it will have eight Dreamliners in its long-haul fleet by the end of next year, allowing it to retire five of its 747s. (Qantas currently uses A380s on its Los Angeles flights from Melbourne and Sydney.) Read what Qantas CEO told TravelSkills about SFO-SYD flights in an interview here. 

Qantas plans to use the Dreamliner for its longest nonstop flight, Perth to London, starting next March.

The new Qantas 787-9. (Image: Qantas)

In any case, the Qantas 787-9s will offer “more space and a lower passenger count than most of its competitors,” the airline said. They will have large windows, improved cabin air quality, and “ride dampening technology to minimize the effects of turbulence,” Qantas said.

The Qantas 787-9s will have 42 business class seats configured 1-2-1; 28 in premium economy, with a 2-3-2 layout; and 166 in economy, configured 3-3-3 and offering 32-inch pitch.

That’s a total of 236 seats. A year ago, when Qantas first revealed its 787-9 seating plans, the publication Australian Business Traveler compared that to Qantas’ competitors, noting that Air New Zealand’s three-class 787-9s have 302 seats, while Air Canada’s have 298 and United’s have 252.

The 787-9s also come with Qantas’ new livery, which includes the fifth update of its traditional Flying Kangaroo logo.

Here’s a first look at the Qantas 787-9 interior:

The plane has 1-2-1 business class seating. (Image: Qantas)

 

Here’s business class from another angle. (Image: Qantas)

 

Premium economy is configured 2-3-2. (Image: Qantas)

Regular economy has 32-inch pitch and 3-3-3 seating. (Image: Qantas)

Have you flown Qantas to Australia before? What did you think? Please leave your comments below. 

Check out how Boeing turned over this beautiful ship to Qantas at a ceremony this week in Seattle:

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Deal> Australia or New Zealand: $949 round trip on Qantas

QANTAS LAX

Fares between the US and Australia tumble for 2018 trips- Qantas A380s sunbathing at LAX (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

When fares to Australia or New Zealand dip below $1,000, it’s time to sit up and take notice.

Today Qantas announced a very good deal for flights from the US to Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane– with fares from San Francisco and Los Angeles starting at just $949 roundtrip. You can fly to Auckland, New Zealand from California for $999. From Dallas, fares are running at about $1,100 round trip. One stop flights from New York-JFK are just $1049 round trip. 

What’s best about this sale is the timing… you’ll travel during the dark cold days of winter in the US to the sunny shores of Oz between February 5 and June 23. To get the deal, you must book your trip by Monday, October 2.

Fare chart from Qantas for economy roundtrips

For business travelers, premium economy fares are also discounted for this sale to around $2,300 round trip. Business class remains a steep $7,000+ round trip.

So far, United and Air New Zealand have not matched this sale, but stay tuned… it could happen in the next 24 hours.

We checked and these fares are indeed available on the Qantas sale website, but keep in mind that you’ll pay more to choose your seat ahead of time.

Link to sale here: https://www.qantas.com/us/en/flight-deals.html/sfo/au/economy/all/lowest

What’s the lowest price you’ve seen or paid for a round trip ticket to Australia? Will you take on this deal? Please leave your comments below. 

ICYMI, see the 25 most recent TravelSkills posts right here

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The busiest air routes you’ll probably never fly

Korea’s Jeju Island is a tourist hot spot. (Image: Visit Korea)

Have you ever been to Jeju Island? Probably not, unless you’re Korean. But travelers who go there are flying the world’s busiest air route.

Jeju is off the southern tip of the Korean peninsula; it’s got lots of beach resorts, a dormant volcano and a miles-long natural cave. It’s a favorite vacation spot for Koreans who want to get away from the hustle and bustle of the capital city, and in July 2017, almost 1.3 million persons flew between Jeju and Seoul (not Seoul Incheon, but Seoul Gimpo, nine miles west of the city).

A new study by Routesonline.com found that those passengers were accommodated on more than 5,800 flights between the two airports during July, or an average of 189 flights a day.

The study determined the world’s busiest air routes in terms of passenger numbers, and of the top 20, exactly none were in North America, Europe or South America. Almost all of them were in the Asia-Pacific region, mostly on domestic routes.

Chart: Routesonline.com

Ranking a distant second behind Seoul-Jeju was a domestic Japanese route, Tokyo Haneda to Sapporo New Chitose. (You might remember Sapporo, on Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido, as the site of the 1972 Winter Olympics – or as the name of a popular Japanese beer.)

The third-busiest route worldwide during July was one more likely to see Western travelers: Melbourne to Sydney’s Kingsford Smith Airport.

Rounding out the top 10 routes in passenger numbers were Tokyo Haneda-Fukuoka in Japan; Delhi-Mumbai in India; Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)-Hanoi in Vietnam; Shanghai Hongqiao-Beijing in China; Hong Kong-Taipei; Okinawa-Tokyo Haneda; and an Indonesian route, Jakarta-Surabaya.

What are the busiest routes in the US? We could not find a study that showed just July numbers like the one above, but World Atlas provides this list of the USA’s busiest over the full year from Aug 2014-Aug 2015– in millions of passengers. It’s probably not changed much since then.

Top 10 busiest air routes (in millions of passengers) in the US Aug 2014-Aug 2015 (Source: World Atlas)

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A new way to Australia on United

Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia– you can now get there from Houston on United. (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

United will launch new nonstops between Houston and Sydney, Australia on January 18, 2018 using one of its new long-range Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners.

The ultra-long-haul flight is 8,596 miles and will take 16-17 hours, but it’s still shorter than United’s (and Singapore Air’s) San Francisco-Singapore flights launched last year.

United also serves Australia with nonstops from both San Francisco (Sydney) and Los Angeles (Sydney & Melbourne) with 787-9 Dreamliners.

United ‘s Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner (Image: United)

This flight will be Texas’ second nonstop to Australia after Qantas’ Dallas service, which uses a Airbus A380. Air New Zealand flies Houston to Australia via Auckland using a Dreamliner.

Flights are already on sale on United.com. Economy class is running about $1,300 roundtrip for February flights. Business class is about $8,400. For redemptions, we found a few “saver” awards at 40K each way in economy and 70K each way in business. But it’s tough to find them at that level in both directions.

See United’s clever infographic below for more info on this new flight>>

How will this change the way United fliers get down under? It will mostly help those in cities that currently don’t have United nonstop service to SFO or LAX. For example, United says its “customers originating in Charlotte have to fly to Chicago to connect to San Francisco to get to Sydney. With United’s new schedule at Houston, they now have just one stop at Houston to get to Sydney – saving hours off the journey by reducing the number of connections.”

United’s Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft has  a total of 252 seats – 48 flat-bed seats in United Polaris business class, 63 Economy Plus seats and 141 seats in United Economy. Regrettably, when the service starts in January, business class passengers will likely get the old style seat with the new Polaris amenities as the carrier focuses on getting the new Polaris seat on its B777-300 aircraft first.

Related: 17 moments in 17 hours on Singapore Air’s SFO-SIN

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Deal Alert: Australia/New Zealand for less than $900

Air New Zealand flies a 777-300 like this on its LAX-AKL run (Photo: Air New Zealand)

Air New Zealand flies a 777-300 like this on its LAX-AKL run (Photo: Air New Zealand)

Whenever you see a roundtrip fare to Australia or New Zealand for under $1,000, you’ve found a good deal, and a New Year’s sale from Air New Zealand easily beats that benchmark.

But you must act fast: The booking deadline for the sale fares is next Tuesday night (January 10). The fares are available for travel over the next 11 months. Depending on class of travel, the fares represent savings of up to $600.

UPDATE: Qantas is matching and in some cases beating Air New Zealand’s fare sale

Sample roundtrip fares from San Francisco or Los Angeles to Auckland are $878 in economy class, $2,529 in premium economy or $4,099 in Business Premier. From SFO or LAX to Melbourne, the sale fares are $898 in economy, $1,798 in premium economy and $4,798 in Business Premier.

Comparable fares from Houston to Auckland are $978, $2,844, and $5,114 respectively. From Houston to Melbourne, sale prices are $998, $2,113 and $6,113 respectively. Sale fares are also available to Sydney, Australia; Queenstown, New Zealand; and the Cook Islands.

Weekend travel surcharges apply, and sale fares are good only on specific dates that vary by class of service. Here are the full details.

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Deal: Australia on sale! $914 round trip

Sydney Bondi Beach

Take off for Sydney this winter for less than $1,000 round trip on Air New Zealand- Bondi Beach pictured (Chris McGinnis)

Air New Zealand is offering fantastic fares for travelers hoping to go to Australia in 2017. This is a great opportunity to explore the country as these fares are good for travel to seven different Australian destinations: Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Cairns, Adelaide, Perth, and Gold Coast.

Roundtrip travel from SFO or LAX to any of these 7 cities starts at just $995 but you have to book by October 24 to get the discounted fare. This deal is good for travel between January 26 and May 31 (mid summer to fall down under!) so there’s plenty of time to get ready for your adventure. The only catch: You must make a stop in Auckland, New Zealand to get there.

Anytime you see fares drop below $1,000 to Australia, you know you’ve got a good deal on your hands.

Google flights showing SFO-Perth for just $914 in March and April

Google flights showing SFO-Perth for just $914 in March and April

When we checked fares on Google Flights, we were able to book sub $1,000 fares starting in February. The closer to May you get, the more likely you are to find the really low fares. We were even able to find fares as low as $914 round trip from LAX or SFO for flights (in March) as far away as Perth! (High on my bucket list!)

You can book online through www.airnewzealand.com. Looking for loyalty points? When you book this deal you can accrue points toward your Air New Zealand Airpoints or United Airlines MileagePlus account.

Summer in Australia doesn’t end until March so snag one of these deals if you’re looking for a sunny getaway during our cold and hopefully wet winter.

–Chris McGinnis

*Fare(s) available at time of publication and subject to change.

Don’t miss out on these popular TravelSkills posts:

Kicking support animals off planes | Shocked passenger refuses to pay $3 for water | Marriott-Starwood: Higher prices, better rewards | The 10,000 points question! | Eye-catching maps explain state of the world | Test your planespotting skills!

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Hawaiian’s classy new lie-flat seats now on sale

Lie-flat seats in Hawaiian's new A330 Premium Cabins are now on sale. (Image: Hawaiian Airlines)

Lie-flat seats in Hawaiian’s new A330 Premium Cabins are now on sale. (Image: Hawaiian Airlines)

That new Premium Cabin that Hawaiian Airlines has been promising has finally gone on sale, offering lie-flat seats and high-end amenities for travel starting in early December on the airline’s routes to Asia/Pacific destinations.

Called simply the Premium Cabin, the new service is being installed in Hawaiian’s Airbus A330s, and will initially be available on flights from Honolulu to Tokyo Narita, Brisbane and Auckland starting December 5, and to Sydney as of December 13. (See press release here)

Entertainment is delivered via 13-inch tablets on adjustable arms. (Image: Hawaiian Airlines)

Entertainment is delivered via 13-inch tablets on adjustable arms. (Image: Hawaiian Airlines)

The Premium Cabin has 18 lie-flat leather seats that are 20.5 inches wide and 76 inches long, in a 2-2-2 layout. Front-cabin travelers get new amenity kits, cotton quilts and lounging pillows, as well as two USB ports and one A/C outlet. The new in-flight entertainment system – with more than 100 hours of movie and TV programming – is available via 13-inch tablets that sit on a telescoping arm.  The Premium Cabin also offers new in-flight dining options with regional dishes from Hawaiian chefs.

Premium Cabin flyers will get bountiful amenity kits. (Image: Hawaiian Airlines)

Premium Cabin flyers will get bountiful amenity kits. (Image: Hawaiian Airlines)

The new service will become available on more routes as the airline continues to refit its fleet of 23 A330s, with the work continuing into next year. Besides the new Premium Cabin, the planes will also get 28 more Extra Comfort seats – the carrier’s premium economy option.  The refit will trim total capacity on the widebodies from 294 seats to 278, including 18 in Premium Cabin, 68 in Extra Comfort and 192 in the main cabin (which will still provide 31-inch pitch, the airline notes).

Seat recline is adjusted by turning a small wheel. (Image: Hawaiian Airlines)

Seat recline is adjusted by turning a small wheel. (Image: Hawaiian Airlines)

We found Premium Cabin roundtrip fares priced as low as $4,059 from HNL to Tokyo in February, and $3,749 to Sydney in March.

From SFO or LAX, you can fly Hawaiian business class via HNL to Tokyo in mid-December for about $4,700 round trip. Business class from SFO or LAX roundtrip to Sydney is in the $7,500 range.

Premium Cabin flyers will be served Hawaiian-inspired cuisine. (Image: Hawaiian Airlines)

Premium Cabin flyers will be served Hawaiian-inspired cuisine. (Image: Hawaiian Airlines)

Hawaiian is not part of any of the big three global airline alliances, but it maintains partnership agreements with seven airlines (including JetBlue and Virgin America, but no longer with American), which allow members of frequent flyer programs to earn and burn miles on Hawaiian flights.

Related: Trip Report: Hawaiian Airlines A330 SFO-HNL

It’s increasingly unlikely that we’ll see Hawaiian’s lie-flat seats on the West Coast over the long term because the carrier will soon begin to deploy its newest 190-seat Airbus A321 on these shorter routes where a lie-flat seat is likely superfluous.

Would you consider flying Hawaiian Airlines across the Pacific with a stopover in Honolulu? Why or why not? Please leave your comments below. 

Don’t miss out on these popular TravelSkills posts:

Kicking support animals off planes | Shocked passenger refuses to pay $3 for water | Marriott-Starwood: Higher prices, better rewards | The 10,000 points question! | Eye-catching maps explain state of the world | Test your planespotting skills!

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Inside look at Virgin Australia’s refurbed B777 (Photos, Streetview)

Virgin Australia

Media scramble up the red carpet leading to a Virgin Australia B777 parked at LAX (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

When we wrote about Virgin Australia’s fabulously re-furbed B777 in May, only one of five planes had undergone the transformation. The carrier put off the “official” launch until this week, hosting a big to-do in Los Angeles to which TravelSkills was invited.

As of this month, three of Virgin’s five B777s are re-done and the two remaining will be finished by September, said CEO John Borghetti at a press conference onboard one of the big birds parked out by the beach on the western edge of LAX. Virgin flies its B777s between Sydney, Brisbane and LAX and also on Sydney-Abu Dhabi.

What’s really nice about this refurb that Delta customers can earn and burn SkyMiles on when flying on this gorgeous bird. Rates can be freakishly high (or non-existent) when redeeming SkyMiles for Virgin Australia business class. Economy class roundtrips on Virgin go for around 90,000 SkyMiles. Virgin America Elevate members can also earn and burn points when flying Virgin Australia. Roundtrips go for 40K in economy, 60K in premium economy and 80K for business class.

Fares: Checking September roundtrips today, business class flights between LAX and Sydney (or Brisbane) are running around $5,300, premium economy is $2,100 and economy is $973.

Read: Virgin Australia’s “new” B777

Virgin Australia

The large mirrored emblem on the bulkhead is one of many visually striking features on Virgin Australia’s B777 (Chris McGinnis)

What I found most interesting about this look-see was the emphasis Virgin Australia puts on making a good visual impression— something that you see across nearly all Virgin brands.

At the onboard press conference, Borghetti described how Virgin’s design team strives to make a striking visual impact as soon as the passenger boards. He said that if the plane is pleasing to the eye right off the bat, and that there’s a certain “wow factor” when boarding, it puts the passenger in a positive “head space” which is likely to carry through the rest of the experience. See what he means when you see the Google Streetview below.

Take an interactive spin through the new cabin right here:

While we included most of the key details of the B777 in our previous post, this event provided the opportunity to get up close and personal with what Virgin says is now best in class among carriers serving the U.S.-Australia market.

Virgin was happy to spout plenty of superlatives about its new business class. For example, they said the seat is the widest (28 inches) and among the longest (80 inches), and its video screens are the biggest (18 inches).

Every seat offers aisle access. Regrettably, these planes won’t have onboard wi-fi until mid 2017.

Virgin Australia

New “The Business” section configured 1-2-1 on Virgin Australia’s B777 transpac flights (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

In addition, we noticed plenty of easily accessible nooks and crannies for in-seat storage and a large flat workspace. An unusual electronic touch screen controls recline. Flight attendants provide memory foam mattress covers and turn down service while passengers change into pajamas in the lavs. Plus there’s a Nespresso coffee maker in the galley. Even better- there are 37 business class seats in the new configuration. Previously, there were only 34.

Unusual touch screen controls seat recline (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Unusual touch screen controls seat recline (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

In addition to business class, Virgin offers three more seat types:

  • Premium class
  • Space+ economy
  • Regular economy

The new premium cabin offers 24 seats with 41 inches of pitch, two dedicated lavatories, “business class inspired” food and beverages served on china and glass. Seats are configured 2-4-2. This cabin also has its own self service snack bar and refrigerator.

Don't call it premium economy! On Virgin Australia, it's just "Premium" (Chris McGinnis)

Don’t call it premium economy! On Virgin Australia, it’s just “Premium.” 24 seats with 41 inches of pitch configured 2-4-2 (Chris McGinnis)

 

Economy Space+ Virgin Australia

Economy Space+ seats on Virgin Australia in a 3-3-3 configuration offer a few extra inches of knee room in the first five rows of economy section (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

 

Virgin Australia Space+

Here’s a look at the knee space in Virgin’s Space+ Economy section with 36 inches of pitch (Chris McGinnis)

 

Virgin Australia Economy

Economy class on Virgin Australia configured 3-3-3 with 32 inches of pitch (Chris McGinnis)

Another interesting nugget from this news conference: Virgin’s B777 has more lavatories per passenger that any other plane in the market– a ratio is one lav per 12 passengers, which is important on those 14-hour LAX-SYD slogs. Both business and premium cabins have two each.

This plane also offers a “ladies only” lav, with a smart leather bench that folds down over the toilet where one can sit while changing into or out of the pajamas Virgin supplies to business class passengers. There’s is also a full length mirror in the ladies-only lav.

In business class, there's a ladies-only lav (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

In business class, there’s a ladies-only lav (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

 

Virgin Australia

In the ladies-only lav, a leather bench folds down over the toilet (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

And finally, here’s a look at the layout of the new version of Virgin’s B777-300ER

Virgin Australia 777-illustration

-Chris McGinnis

NOTE: Be sure to click here to see all recent TravelSkills posts about: How to get the BEST summer fare deals | One airline fee fading fast | Trip Report: Aer Lingus Economy Class | 5 top jobs for frequent travelers  | First class phase out coming soon

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DEAL! US – Australia roundtrips under $900

Sydney Harbour Bridge

Take in a view of the Sydney Harbour Bridge for a lot less! (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Fares from some US cities to Australia have dropped just in time to book a year end getaway.  Nonstop flights from LAX – Sydney are down to $870 round trip for fall trips! These fares is available on Delta, United, and American so you can enjoy the discount and remain loyal to your alliance. Similar fares are available to Melbourne and Brisbane, too.

The cheapest one-stop round trip we found from SFO – SYD was on Delta: $828 with 1 stop at LAX. Round trip fares from ATL – SYD are also $828 on United with one stop at SFO. (Source: Google Flights)

(Image: Google Flights)

(Image: Google Flights)

Any time we see fares to Australia dip below $1,000, we know we have a really good deal on our hands.

According to Google Flights, all of these cheap fares are available for travel dates starting now through mid-December. Book now to make sure you get these good deals and take a last-minute summer trip or a fall vacation. As temperatures start to cool down in the US, it will be nice to escape to Australian springtime.

NOTE: Fares valid when posted at 1:15pm on Wednesday, July 20.

NOTE: Be sure to click here to see all recent TravelSkills posts about: How to get the BEST summer fare deals | One airline fee fading fast | Trip Report: Aer Lingus Economy Class | 5 top jobs for frequent travelers  | First class phase out coming soon

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A chat with Qantas CEO re LAX, SFO, 787, lounges

Chris's "Caged Bird" on Instagram. CLICK on the pic to follow him!

Qantas 747s parked near the freeway at SFO serve as giant billboards (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Last week I sat down at SFO with Gareth Evans, Qantas’s CEO of  international operations. He was in the U.S. to meet with American Airlines and celebrate that carrier’s launch of new nonstop between Los Angeles and Auckland, a further expansion of its joint venture with Qantas on transpacific flights.

Here are a few bits and pieces from that conversation:

Qantas CEO International Gareth Evans (Photo: Qantas)

Qantas CEO International Gareth Evans (Photo: Qantas)

>If you’ve been flying to LAX much lately, you may have noticed a huge white hangar being built on the airport’s southwest corner. Later this year, that will open as the largest A380 maintenance hangar in the U.S. and house all of Qantas administrative offices. Since Qantas aircraft spend so much time on the ground in LA, the airline does a lot of maintenance work on the big birds there.

>Qantas re-launched its SFO-Sydney nonstops last year, and since then, San Francisco has emerged as the #1 destination for Australian business travelers to the U.S., beating out both New York and Los Angeles. (See our Trip Report: Qantas 747-400 business class SFO-Sydney)

>While business travel is big business for Qantas, Evans said that the recent strengthening of the U.S. dollar has resulted in a lot more leisure traffic with passengers responding well to the carrier’s message that Australia is not as far away as many people may think. The “Eat, watch a movie, have a sleep and wake up in Australia” pitch seems to be working.

Qantas business class

Qantas’ newest business suite seat, currently on its A330s only (Photo: Qantas)

>Qantas still operates 11 747s, and plans to keep the graceful old planes flying “into the beginning of the next decade.” In the meantime, the carrier is focused on rolling out its new fully flat, forward facing “business suite” seats on its A330s and eventually its 787 Dreamliners. Currently it has eight firm Dreamliner orders, and will get the first one in October 2017. Will Qantas eventually replace the 747s with Dreamliners on the SFO-SYD route? Evans said that the potential is there, but it’s too early to say. Plus, Qantas 747s now carry about 360 passengers, vs the 200 passengers a Dreamliner can accommodate.

>The new “mini-suite” seat is currently on Qantas’ A330s only (none of which fly to the U.S.). Evans pointed out that the new seat is allowed to take off in a partially reclined position, which means passengers can relax and get to sleep faster. Business class passengers will be able to request that the seat be made into a bed prior to boarding, too. Because sleep is so important to long-haul business travelers, Evans said that those on an overnight flight departing Sydney could arrive at the airport, eat a meal in the lounge, change into pajamas, board and get to sleep almost immediately. (Check out the Australian Business Traveler review of the business suite seat.)

Don’t miss: Sydney’s newest business class hotels

>The new behind-security connector between American Airlines Terminal 4 and the new Tom Bradley international terminal has made life much easier for passengers transiting between Qantas and American. Within about two weeks, both arriving and departing passengers will have a seamless connection.

>At SFO, it appears that Qantas business class passengers will continue to use the Air France/KLM lounge. Due to overcrowding issues, only a handful of super-elite passengers get access to Oneworld partner Cathay Pacific’s lounge. Evans said that the AF/KLM lounge was recently upgraded, so we reached out to Air France’s Thomas Walsh for details on that. Here’s what he said:

We are still finishing up the renovations but they are almost complete. We’ve replaced the darker, library look with a more bright, modern finishes with approximately 145 seats (previously 108). This week we will complete the addition of over 130 power and usb power outlets. We’ve added a new granite work-top counter all the way around the lounge, where clients can take in the views, while using their laptop, enjoying a snack and sipping a glass of champagne. We will add a smaller footprint reception desk in a few weeks, as well.

More seats and better views from the new marble-topped counter (Photo: Thomas Walsh)

More seats, more plugs and better views from the new marble-topped counter (Photo: Thomas Walsh)

We have yet to decide on artwork for the walls as the paint has barely dried. I would love to find a local artist or organization that we can support by displaying their crafts. We continue to look to refresh the food items, mixing warmer comfort roasted vegetables and soups at night while also trying some passed hors d’oeuvres every hour.
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NOTE: Be sure to click here to see all recent TravelSkills posts about: How to get the BEST summer fare deals | One airline fee fading fast | Trip Report: Aer Lingus Economy Class | 5 top jobs for frequent travelers  | First class phase out coming soon

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Virgin Australia debuts a “new” 777-300ER

Virgin Australia's new business seats have 18,5-inch touchscreens. (Image: Virgin Australia)

Virgin Australia’s new 777 business class seats have 18-inch touchscreens. (Image: Virgin Australia)

Virgin Australia has rolled out the first of its five 777-300ERs – the model it uses on its transpacific service to Los Angeles – to complete a major overhaul, giving the aircraft a new business class cabin, a refreshed Premium Economy section, and new extra-legroom seating in the main cabin.

The aircraft’s new business class, which Virgin has branded “The Business,” has 37 seats in a 1-2-1 “reverse herringbone” layout, all with aisle access and a full recline that converts them into an 80-inch-long bed. The middle seats have privacy dividers that can be pulled back for communication with a seatmate, and all seats have side consoles with work and storage space. Business customers get turn-down service with cotton pillows, and seats come with an 18-inch high-definition touchscreen. Business class gets an improved food and beverage service as well, and it has a bar where passengers can get drinks, or where they can sit for breakfast if they want.

The middle seats in business class have a movable privacy divider. (Image: Virgin Australia)

The middle seats in business class have a movable privacy divider. (Image: Virgin Australia)

The airline has posted a Youtube video to display the features of its new  business class cabin.

Another nice new touch: a business class bar! (Image: Virgin Australia)

Another nice new touch: a business class bar! (Image: Virgin Australia)

The upgraded Premium Economy section on Virgin Australia’s 777-300ERs has 24 seats that are 19.5 inches wide, with a seat pitch of 41 inches and a recline of nine inches. Customers in Premium Economy will be served plated meals “inspired by business class,” the airline said, and will be offered business class wines. Seats have power and USB ports along with 10.6-inch seatback screens, and customers receive an amenity pack, priority boarding and baggage handling.

The new business class seat reclines into a fully flat bed. (Image: Virgin Australia)

The new business class seat reclines into a fully flat bed. (Image: Virgin Australia)

And that’s not all: The main economy cabin is getting a new product called Economy Space + that will be available for purchase on flights departing August 30 or later. Those seats will be in the first five rows and the exit rows of the main cabin, offering passengers extra legroom, noise-canceling headsets, a guaranteed first meal choice, and a dedicated check-in counter. Those seats will carry a surcharge of $97 to $119 (U.S.).

The overhaul of all five of Virgin Australia’s 777-300ERs is expected to be finished by the third quarter of this year.

Virgin Australia flies to Los Angeles daily from Sydney and Brisbane and has a partnership with Delta.

NOTE: Be sure to click here to see all recent TravelSkills posts about: United’s newest, longest flight + Tipping Uber drivers + Qantas 747 Trip Report + Confusion over PreCheck policies + No-fee earlier flights

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Trip Report: QANTAS 747-400 business class San Francisco – Sydney (Photos)

QANTAS 747 Sydney

A QANTAS 747-400 parked at Sydney’s Kingsford Smith International Airport. Note the Sydney skyline in the background! (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Last month I took a dive to the land down under on a big QANTAS 747-400 in business class on its recently restored nonstops between San Francisco International and Sydney.

Highlights of this 14-hour flight include:

  • A business class lounge that exceeded my expectations
  • One of the best nights of sleep I’ve ever had onboard a plane
  • A spin through an empty 747 including the secret crew rest area
  • Bottled water that helps with jet lag
  • Pajamas worth changing into
  • Dramatic view from the cockpit on approach to SYD
  • A raucous greeting in Sydney that will make you smile
  • One of the easiest train rides from airport to city I’ve experienced in a while

Currently, QANTAS economy class roundtrip fares between San Francisco and Sydney are in the $1,400 range (but can dip as low as $1,000 during periodic fare sales). Premium economy fares are about $3,000 round trip, and business class roundtrips run from about $8,000 to $10,000. QANTAS does not offer first class on its SFO-SYD flights. United and QANTAS offer the only nonstops between SFO and SYD and their fares are identical.*

QANTAS covered the cost of my flights, but TravelSkills paid for hotels, meals and transfers related to this five-day trip.

QANTAS

So glad to be upstairs on the 747! Wow! (Chris McGinnis)

Checking in at SFO for an 11:25 pm departure was fast and easy. My ticket did not allow me to select a seat ahead of time, so I was worried that I’d be stuck in one of the few middle seats in business class. So I arrived at the airport early planning to spend a couple hours working in the lounge. Lo and behold, at check in there was one seat left upstairs in the “business class bubble” so I snagged it! Seat 14B is an aisle exit row, so I had miles of legroom. How much? See this.

Call me culturally confused: I'm headed to Australia, but the business class lounge says otherwise (Chris McGinnis)

Call me culturally confused: I’m headed to Australia, but the business class lounge says otherwise (Chris McGinnis)

At SFO, QANTAS passengers must use the Air France / KLM lounge. While I was hoping that I might be able to slip into the lounges of Oneworld partners such as British Airways or Cathay Pacific, I learned that due to crowding issues at night, QANTAS passengers are only provided access to the Air France / KLM Lounge.

QANTAS uses the Air France lounge at SFO- this is one of two rooms (Chris McGinnis)

QANTAS uses the Air France lounge at SFO- this is one of two rooms (Chris McGinnis)

My expectations for the lounge were set low– I had heard that there was nothing special about this lounge. But when I entered, I was greeted nicely by two fun and interesting agents who explained to me that I had to be sure and see BOTH rooms in the lounge. Apparently, many lounge visitors think the lounge is just the first room you see (above). But there’s a somewhat hidden door that leads to a much larger room with a big buffet, and plenty of tables and chairs. The back room was definitely where the action was.

A relic from its Northwest Airlines past- the Air France lounge still sports a fireplace (Chris McGinnis)

A relic from its Northwest Airlines past- the Air France lounge still sports a fireplace (Chris McGinnis)

This lounge used to belong to Northwest Airlines. Remember when most NWA lounges had fireplaces? This relic (not working) is still there, which adds a homey feel to the space. Apparently the fireplace will be removed next time this lounge is updated.

A friendly attendant passes around cups of fried rice that hits the spot at 10 pm (Chris McGinnis)

A friendly attendant passes around cups of warm fried rice that hits the spot at 10 pm (Chris McGinnis)

What the Air France / KLM lounge lacks in atmosphere is made up for in the service you get once inside. As I said, the door agents were fun and friendly (we joked about feeling French when flying to Australia). Inside the lounge, servers were all over the place, passing snacks, cleaning up and interacting with travelers. I arrived early, and the place was pretty empty, but as flight time approached, seat space became scant– it was a good thing that they had staffed up for the crunch.

A healthy hearty pre-flight plateful from the lounge buffet (Chris McGinnis)

A healthy hearty pre-flight plateful from the lounge buffet (Chris McGinnis)

I was impressed by the amount and variety of food and drink on offer at the KLM / AF lounge that QANTAS uses. The lounge also had a noisy and convivial feel– mostly Australians enjoying a beer and time with friends and colleagues on their way home.

Stairway to heaven: inside the business class bubble on a 747 (Chris McGinnis)

Stairway to heaven: inside the business class bubble on a 747 (Chris McGinnis)

Due to my status as a travel writer, I received a special favor– I asked if I could board five minutes early so I could get some good photos of the plane before it filled up with passengers. At the last minute my wish was granted, so I scrambled on board, up the “stairway to heaven,” threw my bags down and took off with flight attendant Jerry for a quick tour of the plane INCLUDING a look at the secret crew rest area in the aft section of the “bubble” with access via a special stairway from the main deck. See that here or scroll to the bottom for the video. This big bird has a crew of 14 flight attendants and four pilots and on a 14+ hour flight, they need a place to hide!

18 big business class seats upstairs on the QANTAS 747 (Chris McGinnis)

18 big business class seats upstairs configured 2-2 on the QANTAS 747 (Chris McGinnis)

There’s not a better place in the world than upstairs in business class on a Boeing 747-400. On QANTAS there are 18 seats up here configured 2-2 with a galley in the back and a lavatory and door to the cockpit up front. I was seated in 14B- the seat (seen below) with the suitcase in front of it. Not only is it in the cosy confines of the business class bubble, it’s an exit row seat. Upside of this seat: limitless legroom and no interference from your neighbor getting up. Downside: In seat storage is almost nil– window seat passengers get those nice big bins along the windows, but aisle seats don’t. Another downside with this seat: it’s tough seeing out the windows.

Row 15 upstairs on QANTAS 747 is exit row w endless leg room (Chris McGinnis)

Row 14 upstairs on QANTAS 747 is exit row w endless leg room (Chris McGinnis)

 

QANTAS business class massage

Seat controller for business class lie-flat seats- with massage! (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

QANTAS 747-400 business class seats are the same ones you’ll find on its A380s– fully flat, lumbar controls and with a nice massage feature. The massage was nice, but controlling it via these buttons was difficult.

There is no wi-fi onboard QANTAS 747s.

Main deck business class on QANTAS 747-400 (Image: Seatguru)

Main deck business class on QANTAS 747-400 (Image: Seatguru)

 

Row 1 on the main deck- I call these "windshield seats" because of the curvature of the plane in the nose (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Row 1 on the main deck- I call these “windshield seats” because of the curvature of the plane in the nose (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

While upstairs is nice, downstairs in the nose of the 747 is a pretty nice space, too. Especially if you are seated in row 1– these seats are super private and quiet and insiders say that this is usually where QANTAS seats its superstar VIP guests.

QANTAS business class 747

Least desirable business class seat on QANTAS 747 are middle seat on main deck, rows 5, 6,7 & 8 (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

The best seats on the main deck are row 1 (for privacy) and also row 5 if you are traveling alone- that’s because these two seats (B&J) are solo seats– there’s no one seated next to you. See what I mean here on the 747-400 V2 three class layout on SeatGuru. Seats to avoid if possible would be the three middle seats on row 5, 6, 7 and 8.

QANTAS 747 Economy

Economy class on QANTAS 747 configured 3-4-3 (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

There are 270 economy class seats on this big bird. One cabin is green (pictured), the other is pinkish maroon. The best seats are those in the mid-cabin area. Avoid seats at the front or the rear of the cabins due to lines that form near lavatories.

Economy class seat pitch is 31 inches on QANTAS 747 (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Economy class seat pitch is 31 inches on the QANTAS 747 (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

QANTAS also offers a distinct premium economy section with 26 seats configured 2-4-2 with wider seats and arm rests. Premium economy passengers also get a special menu, noise canceling headsets, preflight champagne, and special amenity kits.

QANTAS Premium Economy 747

QANTAS premium economy on 747 is configured 2-4-2- ask for the 2 side! (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

 

QANTAS premium economy 747

Seat pitch in QANTAS premium economy is 38″ plus wider arm rests (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Back upstairs in business class… we took off on time at 11:25 pm. Shortly thereafter, a mad rush for the lavatory ensued as everyone was eager to change into pajamas for the long night ahead. This was also the time that flight attendants helped passengers position nice quilted cotton seat covers over cushions that really helped with the coziness factor of the cabin. (See below)

QANTAS SFO flight departs at 11:30 pm and arrives SYD about 14 hours later (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

QANTAS SFO flight departs at 11:25 pm and arrives SYD about 14 hours later at about 8:00 am two days later (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

 

Soft and stretch pajamas improve sleep quality & preserve your clothing for arrival (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Soft and stretchy pajamas improve sleep quality & preserve your clothing for arrival (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

I’m usually not one to fuss over pajamas, but on a 14+ hour flight it was very nice to change into a shirt I’d not spent the night in. Plus, you get to keep the PJs for use at home (or for gifting those who did not get to go on this trip).

Salmon with spinach & sauteed egglant (Photo: Chris McGinnis

Salmon with spinach & sauteed eggplant (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

I was disappointed that we did not get any menus on this flight… I usually like to peruse and photograph them. But on this flight there was a snafu due to the change from February to March, and the menus did not get loaded. So my choice was made based on a description provided by the flight attendant. I chose to go with salmon and was not disappointed. It tasted delicious, and was a right sized portion. Not pictured is the bread– flight attendants roll out two big loaves of warm bread (sourdough and whole wheat) which they offer while serving the main course. Warm bread is always nice.

A delicious vanilla custard with raspberries for dessert (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

A delicious vanilla custard with raspberries for dessert (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Since I knew I’d be trying to sleep on this flight, I ate about half my entree and a few bites of this cool and velvety vanilla custard. After that, it was time to hit the sack on my cozy quilted lie flat seat.

QANTAS business class cover

Quilted seat covers help! Flight attendants place them at passengers’ request before or after meal (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

I tried to watch “The Intern” after my meal, but started to doze off. Once I put my seat down, Jerry was there with a bottle of flower-enhanced Balance water– supposedly to help with jet lag. You know what? It worked! No jet lag at all on this trip. But that might have more to do with the fact that I slept for 8 hours on this flight…. amazing because I rarely get 8 hours at home!

Here’s what worked for me: First, of course is the true lie-flat seat upstairs on a 747. Second, I made it a point to eat lightly and only had one glass of wine with dinner. Third, on this flight I tried using Mack’s Moldable Silicone Earplugs– each one is a small plug of translucent putty that covers up your entire ear canal and truly blocks out all sound. That, along with my Bucky eyemask and I was down for the count!

Special jet lag water provided to get you through the night (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Special jet lag water provided to get you through the night (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

On this flight I slept for nearly 8 hours — I remember falling asleep as we approached Hawaii and I woke up with only about 2-3 hours flying time left! Wow!

Fell asleep somewhere near Hawaii & woke up 8 hours later- almost there! (Chris McGinnis)

Fell asleep somewhere near Hawaii & woke up 8 hours later- almost there! (Chris McGinnis)

I could not believe my eyes when I woke up and looked at my watch at around 6 am Sydney time. Perfect time for a flat white!

QANTAS coffee

Woke up to a fine flat white prepared by flight attendant (Chris McGinnis)

I strolled back to the galley to find the second of two flight attendants plating breakfast and making toast in a big toaster– that burnt bread smell reminded me of breakfast at my Canadian Granny’s house!

A hearty breakfast of scrambled eggs, bacon, and (my fave) baked beans (Chris McGinnis)

A hearty breakfast of scrambled eggs, bacon, and (my fave) baked beans (Chris McGinnis)

After a full night of sleep and a flat white, I was raring to go. In that sharpened state, I asked our flight attendant if I could pass my camera to the pilots to take some shots of the approach to SYD. They agreed and took about 30 shots- the best of which I posted below. Very cool!

I handed my camera to pilots for some great approach shots- note Sydney skyline! (Photo: QANTAS Pilots!)

I handed my camera to pilots for some great approach shots- note Sydney skyline! (Photo: QANTAS Pilots!)

 

QANTAS 747 pilots

A quick thanks to the crew for helping me out with some photos (Chris McGinnis)

Arrival at Sydney was quick and easy via kiosk. No lines at all at 8 am.

Quick and easy entry via kiosk at SYD (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Quick and easy entry via kiosk at SYD (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Now this was a surprise: Sydney’s big Mardi Gras festival was taking place during the week I was there… and the airport had drag queens welcoming flights– which caused quite a stir as we filed past them. One of them looked at me and said, “Sir, you must have flown in business class because you are looking fresh as a flower this morning!” I had to agree– and pose for a few selfies 🙂

Since it was Mardi Gras in Sydney, our flight was greeted by some festive drag queens. What a welcome! (Chris McGinnis)

Since it was Mardi Gras in Sydney, our flight was greeted by some festive drag queens. What a welcome! (Chris McGinnis)

Getting into the city for my meetings was a cinch using the quick and easy Airport Link, which takes about 20 minutes to reach the Central Business District or “CBD” as Sydneysiders say.

A quick, easy, one-seat ride from airport to central business district or CBD (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

A quick, easy, one-seat ride from airport to central business district or CBD (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

 

Trains depart for city every 10 minutes from airport station- a 20 minute ride (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Trains depart for city every 10 minutes from airport station- a 20 minute ride (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Fares run about US$13 each way for the 20 minute ride to town– that’s pricey for two, but definitely beats the morning traffic. Taxicab fares run about US$35.

Plenty of room on the clean, modern & bright double decker trains to the city (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Plenty of room on the clean, modern & bright double decker trains to the city (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

The train dropped me just a couple blocks from my Sydney hotel- easy! By the way, did you see my post: Trip Report: newest business class hotels in Sydney? Read up!

And stay tuned for a follow up post to this one where I’ll explore QANTAS’ flagship first and business class lounges at SYD!

Stay tuned for another post this- QANTAS first & business class lounges at SYD (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Stay tuned for another post this- QANTAS first & business class lounges at SYD (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Here’s the video of the crew rest area:

–Chris McGinnis

*(Fares checked for May flights using Google flights on March 28 and subject to change)

Disclosure: QANTAS covered the cost of Chris’ flights. TravelSkills paid for related hotels, meals and transfers.

NOTE: Be sure to click here to see all recent TravelSkills posts about:  Should I tip my Uber driver? + Boeing 747 nearing its end? + Bargain hunters travel guide for 2016 + World’s best airline lounge? + Fares to Europe tumble 

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Most popular: New routes + Fare sales + Little things at hotels + Uber at ATL + Sydney

Spring has sprung along California's western edge- Devil's Slide, 30 mins south of SF (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Spring has sprung along California’s western edge- Devil’s Slide, 30 mins south of SF on Saturday! (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

TravelSkills’ 10 most popular posts over the last week (descending order):

1 Airline Briefs: AA bags, Alaska miles, Delta PJs, Virgin courses

2 Routes: Virgin, JetBlue, Southwest, American, Frontier

3 Big airfare deals from SFO: Denver, Boston, New York, Vegas

4 Developing: Starwood + Marriott on the rocks?Weekend Edition

5 6 things about JetBlue

6 10 little things few hotels get right

7 Routes: Boston, Los Angeles, Chicago, Salt Lake, Toronto

8 Delta eyes a big new China route

9 Newest hotels: NYC, San Francisco, DFW, Houston, Scottsdale

10 Poor showing for U.S. in global airport honors

Don’t forget! We are in the peak of the peak spring break travel season for the next two weeks. Prepare for delays by building in a fatter time cushion than usual. More advice here. 

Primus hotel sydney

Sydney’s highest rated brand new hotel according to TripAdvisor. CLICK on the pic to learn which one!

Taking a trip to Sydney (or dreaming about one!)? Then don’t miss Chris’s Trip Report about the six brand new hotels he toured last week! Read this post to find out about an art deco gem in Sydney’s old water works building, another in the executive offices of a brewery, a Starwood property poised to become Australia’s largest hotel, plus a great value in a converted mid-century mod office tower.

Links to stories from other sources that we thought you’d like to read:

Why United’s use of biofuels on SFO-LAX is a big deal

Earn up to 2,750 United miles for a Hertz rental

Senate panel nixes proposal to limit excessive airline fees

British Airways renovates Club World lounge for business travelers at its Heathrow T5 hub

KLM increases checked bag fee for intra-European flights

Atlanta’s airport wants to see legal ride-sharing pick-ups start by July 1

British Airways brings hypnotherapy to its in-flight entertainment options

Oakland Airport installs lactation suites

Westin Hotels introduces new menus to help you sleep

Swiss will sell special-edition watches on its new 777-300ERs for $8,000

Fake coyotes keep birds off runways at SFO: Chris's most popular Instagram from last week. CLICK on pic to see all photos & follow

Fake coyotes keep birds off runways at SFO: Chris’s most popular Instagram from last week. CLICK on pic to see all photos & follow

NOTE: Be sure to click here to see all recent TravelSkills posts about:  Should I tip my Uber driver? + Boeing 747 nearing its end? + Bargain hunters travel guide for 2016 + World’s best airline lounge? + Fares to Europe tumble 

twitter-floowmeDo you follow us on Twitter? It’s a great way to keep up with the latest news!

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Trip Report: 5 newest business class hotels in Sydney (Photos)

Sydney Harbour Bridge

Sydney’s hotel scene is hot with plenty of new spots to bed down (Photo of Harbour Bridge: Chris McGinnis)

Sydney went through a big hotel boom in preparation for the Olympics way back in 2000 and since then has not added many big new hotels. But there have been plenty of refurbishments and re-brandings of larger properties. Plus, a handful of smaller properties have recently opened in and around Central Business District or “the CBD” as Sydneysiders refer to their downtown area.

I recently flew down to Australia from San Francisco to check out QANTAS’ new business class on its 747 SFO-SYD nonstops (here’s my Trip Report about that!). While I was there, I tried to see as many new business class hotels as I could for this report. I saw six and stayed at two of them. You know what’s nice? I discovered that due to the strength of the US dollar, you currently can snag a really nice, new 4-5 star hotel in Sydney for less than US$300 per night– that would have been unheard of a couple years ago before the US dollar’s ascent.

Keep reading to find out about an art deco gem in an old water works building, another in the executive offices of a brewery, a Starwood property poised to become Australia’s largest hotel, plus a great value in a converted mid-century mod office tower. 

At TravelSkills, we love new hotels. They smell better, work better, feel better, and are usually bigger, brighter and hipper than others. But new can also have its downside: Construction noise, service issues, and/or locations in sketchy or “upcoming” neighborhoods unfamiliar to cab or car drivers. Some are so new that TripAdvisor reviews are scant compared to more established hotels. In an ongoing feature, TravelSkills reports on the newest hotels in the world’s most important cities. When we say “newest” we have certain criteria around that: The hotels have to be brand new or deeply renovated within the last few years, 3+ stars and appropriate venues for business travel. See all our new hotels features here.

The Tank Stream Hotel

Tank Stream Hotel Sydney

My room on the 15th floor of the Tank Stream Hotel with a Sydney Harbour Bridge view! (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Tank Stream Hotel Sydney

Step into The Tank Stream’s Le Petit Flot for a nice hot breakfast for US$18.00 (Chris McGinnis)

The 280-room Tank Stream Hotel opened in November 2015 in a converted a 1960’s style, 15-story office building in the heart of the city’s financial district and just two blocks from Circular Quay on Sydney Harbour.  It’s just a block from the Wynyard train station for easy airport access. The unusual name for this 4-star hotel comes from the natural springs running underneath the building, the source of fresh water when Sydney was first settled. Today, guided tours of The Tank Stream are conducted by Sydney Water as it is now part of the storm water system.

During my stint in Sydney, I stayed here three nights and found the hotel super-convenient, clean, quiet and a very good value- depending on demand, rates start at less than US$200 per night.  Rooms are small (about 200 square feet) but efficiently designed with desks, closets and bathrooms all within close proximity– perfectly fine for a single traveler but might be tight for two.

The best rooms are on floors 13, 14, and 15—they are bigger and brighter with king size beds, floor-to-ceiling windows and some even have views of Sydney Harbour bridge (ask for one!). Rooms to avoid are the handful of interior shaft-facing rooms versus a street view rooms– double paned windows throughout mean that street noise is not an issue.

I really like the hotel’s all-inclusive pitch to business travelers– there are no hidden charges or extras—the reasonable rate includes: wi-fi (superfast with a router in every room), minibar (no booze), Nespresso machine including coffee and milk, 42” TV with 20 Cable TV channels and a range of free “on demand” movies. A hot, hearty breakfast buffet is available in the hotel restaurant, Le Petit Flot (pictured above), for US$18.00.

Don’t miss: Ryan’s Bar inAustralia Square across the street from the hotel entrance—an open-air, wildly popular and social hotspot for professional men and women descending from office towers nearby on Friday afternoons.

The Old Clare Hotel

Old Clare Sydney

Hardwoods, bespoke “superking” beds and mid-century modern decor at The Old Clare hotel in Sydney (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Old Clare hotel sydney

A sexy rooftop pool & bar area rises above the Old Clare’s somewhat gritty surroundings (Chris McGinnis)

Sprouting up in Chippendale, a rough-and-tumble yet up-and-coming neighborhood near Sydney’s Central Station is the 62-room Old Clare Hotel. Even though I did not have a chance to stay there, this hotel made the biggest impression on me because it’s so unusual, yet possesses key features business travelers love such as a central location near transportation, big, bright, clean rooms, free wi-fi, three distinct in-house dining options and a fun corner pub/lobby bar. All rooms feature oversized king mattresses, bespoke linens and pillows and mid-century modern decor.

Plus, with a university across the street, it has a young, quirky hipster vibe that feels sort of like Brooklyn, NY.

One downside (for me, at least) is that there’s little separation between bedroom and bathroom in many of the rooms. Not a problem for a single business traveler, but could be awkward for two.

The hotel is housed in what was once two separate buildings: The Clare Pub and the Carlton United Breweries administration building, and there is plenty of evidence of its past preserved in common areas and rooms– for example, one suite sports massive porcelain mens’ urinals used when the space was a boardroom. And to top it all off, there’s a sexy rooftop pool and bar area with big views of the Sydney skyline and the massive vertical garden on the skyscraper next door.

The Primus Hotel Sydney

Primus hotel sydney

High ceilings, natural light and dramatic pinky-red scagliola columns set the tone in the lobby of the Primus Hotel Sydney (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Primus hotel sydney

Modern, comfortable, quiet rooms, free wi-fi & thoughtful bedside plugs in a heritage-listed art deco building in Sydney’s CBD (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

The 172-room Primus Hotel Sydney opened in December 2015 in the former Sydney Water Board building on Pitt Street in the heart of the Central Business District. Taking Sydney’s easy-to-use airport train downtown, I found the hotel an quick, two-block walk from the Town Hall train station. It’s about a 10-minute walk to Circular Quay.

Originally built in 1939, developers gutted and transformed this heritage-listed, art-deco showpiece into a posh 5-star hotel with a dramatic, airy lobby, chic restaurant (The Wilmot– where I had a nice power breakfast with David Flynn, editor of the excellent Australian Business Traveler) and bar, and comfortable, quiet, well-appointed rooms. There’s even a resort-like open-air pool, deck and bar on the 7th floor roof of the building. In keeping with the building’s original purpose, you’ll find water fountains (known in Australia as “bubblers”) and other office-building-like elements preserved throughout the lobby and public areas.

Rates start in the US$220 per night range. But with the exchange rate so favorable, upgrade to one of the big bright corner rooms (numbers ending in 18 on floors 1-4) for about $80 more. While rooms facing an interior light shaft are nice and quiet (that’s what I had), you’ll likely feel more a part of the busy neighborhood with a street view. Wi-fi is fast and free, bathrooms include big tubs and walk in showers, there are thoughtful bedside plugs, plus there’s a Nespresso machine in each room. Even though it’s only three months old, the Primus currently ranks #7 among Sydney hotels on TripAdvisor.

Each morning I walked a block down Pitt Street to the popular Macchiato for my morning flat white (coffee) and pastry. It’s also a nice place for lunch or people-watching with a glass of wine.

Four Points by Sheraton Sydney, Darling Harbour

Four Points hotel sydney

Well-appointed, recently renovated rooms with outstanding views of Darling Harbour at the Four Points- soon there will be 222 brand new ones (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Four points sydney

The Four Points Sydney will soon be Australia’s largest hotel with 892 rooms. Until it’s complete in June, ask for a room away from construction noise (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

When I rushed over through a muggy morning to my morning meeting with the fine folks at the Four Points hotel on Darling Harbour, I could not believe my eyes. The hotel had set up a special room, catered with fresh fruit, smoothies and savory snacks (plus a spectacular water view) just for me– and you, dear TravelSkills readers. How about that?

I was eager to see this hotel because it’s a favorite among Starwood SPG members eager to earn or redeem points. It’s an SPG Category 4 property with award nights going for as few as 10,000 points.

Plus, it’s probably the nicest Four Points hotel I’ve ever seen. I was also eager to see it because later in June it will add 222 new rooms in a new tower, for a total of 892, making it Australia’s largest hotel. While the hotel opened in 1991, it went through a full renovation two years ago, so rooms feel bright and brand new. The best rooms in the house are those that face Darling Harbour, a beehive of activity scattered with cranes erecting new office buildings, hotels and a massive new convention center. Even better are those with balconies overlooking the water.

Another nice feature of this hotel is its location on the CBD side of busy, buzzy Darling Harbour— so it has access to all the activity around the harbour, and it’s a quick walk to the central city and the Town Hall train station for the 20 minute ride to the airport.

Wi-fi is free for SPG members. Depending on the season, rates start as low as US$175 per night. Until construction is finished in June 2016, be sure to request a room away from construction views or noise.

Look beyond the QT Bondi and you'll see the Pacific is only steps away (Chris McGinnis)

Look beyond the brand new QT Bondi and you’ll see the Pacific is only steps away (Chris McGinnis)

A big colorful king room at the QT Bondi on the beach- 20 minutes east of downtown (QT Hotels)

A big colorful king room at the QT Bondi on the beach- 20 minutes east of downtown (QT Hotels)

While one of the most talked about hotels in Sydney is the the showy, burlesque QT Sydney on Market Street in the CBD, it’s not one of the newest. But business travelers who’d rather spend their down time out by the beach should consider the brand new 69-room QT Bondi. That way you can work all day in town, then take a 20-minute Uber or cab ride through the city’s upscale eastern suburbs, to Australia’s most popular and iconic beach.

This luxurious, modern boutique hotel is part of a new mixed use development, which at the time I visited, did not have any bars or restaurants, but there are plenty of choices along the busy esplanade that runs parallel to the beach. Plus there’s a nearby grocery store and kitchenette in each room. Regrettably few rooms offer beach views, but no worries– the sand starts across the street from the hotel. Rates run as low as US$175 per night depending on the season. Surf’s up! (but remember that seasons are reversed down under).

I learned about the QT Bondi when I had lunch with executives from the rapidly expanding QT chain at Gowings Bar and Grill in the QT Sydney. It was by far the best meal I had during my quick visit (order the seafood pie or oysters Kilpatrick), and clearly THE place to power lunch in the CBD. Don’t miss it– and make a reservation because it regularly sells out.

A few more suggestions while I have your attention: The Ovolo Wooloomooloo, which started out as the W Hotel Sydney, then rebranded as the Blue Hotel Sydney, is putting the final touches on a major re-do after getting its new name. This unusual hotel is built over the water on an enormous industrial pier on the far eastern edge of the CBD- near the posh Potts Point neighborhood. It offers attractive rates starting at around US$220 that include breakfast, wi-fi, laundry, happy hour drinks, and in-room mini bar. Tip: Take a walk up the steps across the street from the hotel to Potts Point and have dinner at The Apollo, an upscale Greek restaurant that’s a huge hit with locals. If you are traveling alone, get there early and sit at the marble bar.

Two more hotels that deserve mention, but that I regrettably missed on this trip: The recently renovated, deeply luxurious Langham Sydney (previously the Observatory hotel in the historic Rocks area near Circular Quay) and the Hotel 57 in the trendy, leafy and residential Surry Hills district.

Have you been to Sydney lately? What’s your favorite hotel in town? Why? Please leave your comments below!

See our complete New Hotels series here!

NOTE: Be sure to click here to see all recent TravelSkills posts about:  Should I tip my Uber driver? + Boeing 747 nearing its end? + Bargain hunters travel guide for 2016 + World’s best airline lounge? + Fares to Europe tumble 

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Most popular: Longest lines + More seats + Marriott discount + China + Hotel thermostats

View from the QANTAS jaw-dropping first class lounge in Sydney. Wow! Stay tuned for a trip report! (Chris McGinnis)

View from the jaw-dropping QANTAS first class lounge in Sydney. Wow! Stay tuned for a trip report. (Chris McGinnis)

TravelSkills’ 10 most popular posts over the last week (descending order):

1 Frustrating… 10 largest airports with longest U.S. Customs wait times

2 Ugh Delta putting more seats in some regional jets

3 Aww come on! United packs ’em in: 10 abreast on 777s; more 737sWeekend Edition

4 Still curious What did Marriott say about the Starwood merger?

5 It’s getting easier: Flying to the tech center of the universe

6 It’s still hot 3 new China routes from United, American, China Eastern

7 Overwhelming results Airline seats & fees: time for federal regulations? (POLL)

8 See the future! Fly through Atlanta’s dramatic new airport canopy (VIDEO)

9 Astronomical! Airline alters flight for better solar eclipse views

10 Save $$, book direct: New discount for Marriott Rewards members

Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia: Chris's most popular Instagram from last week. CLICK on pic to see all photos & follow

Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia: Chris’s most popular Instagram from last week. CLICK on pic to see all photos & follow

Links to stories from other sources that we thought you’d like to read:

How to override 3 types of hotel thermostats

Superbowl a boon for SFO airport

What the Erin Andrews verdict means for hotel guests

Marriott’s European footprint to double in size

Norwegian Air’s new rewards program offers perks for just 6 flights

Qatar Airways annouces 14 new destinations- does not include SFO

Marriott towels now Made in USA

Atlanta Airport’s $4 billion, 8-year renovation could cause headaches

United seeks to form a joint venture partnership with Air New Zealand.

New app lets you know what you’re flying over.

Did you ever wonder why a jet’s wings are angled backward? This explains it.

U.S. airlines achieve a 14.6 percent profit margin in 2015, up from 6 percent in 2014.

These are the top U.S. hotels for meetings and conferences in 2016.

Starwood offers discounts on suites booked from March 15 to 22.

Want to see what a solar eclipse looks like from a 737? It’s pretty cool! See video (But, OMG, you may want to mute the irritating voice over in this one. OMG!)

NOTE: Be sure to click here to see all recent TravelSkills posts about:  Should I tip my Uber driver? + Boeing 747 nearing its end? + Bargain hunters travel guide for 2016 + World’s best airline lounge? + Fares to Europe tumble 

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Routes: Sydney, Tokyo, Zurich, Addis Ababa

Look for more United 787s on transpacific routes next year. (Image: United)

All Dreamliners all the time on SFO-SYD starting this spring. (Image: United)

In international route developments, American kicks off a new transpacific route; United changes aircraft on its flights to Sydney; Swiss sets a date for the introduction of its fancy new plane on San Francisco-Zurich service; and Ethiopian Airlines will add a new U.S. gateway.

At the end of March, United Airlines plans equipment changes on its San Francisco-Sydney and Los Angeles-Sydney routes, replacing the 777s it currently uses with 787-9 Dreamliners. United already uses a 787-9 on its Los Angeles-Melbourne route. United’s 787-9s have 48 flat-bed BusinessFirst seats in a 2-2-2 configuration, 88 in Economy Plus and 116 in regular economy. The planes have in-flight Wi-Fi as well as power and USB ports.

Following up on its December introduction of Los Angeles-Sydney 777-300ER service, American Airlines has now started up new daily service between LAX and Tokyo’s close-in Haneda Airport, using a two-class 787-8 Dreamliner. The new flight is operated as part of AA’s transpacific joint venture with Japan Airlines; both JAL and American continue to offer LAX-Tokyo Narita service as well. Through the end of April, American is offering passengers on the new Haneda route a promotional bonus of 5,000 to 20,000 AAdvantage miles, depending on fare category. In other international route news, American will increase service to Bermuda from New York JFK starting February15, operating a second roundtrip six days a week (increasing to daily March 3).

A representative of Lufthansa subsidiary SWISS tells Travelskills that the airline is targeting August 30 for the introduction of its new 777-300ER on the Zurich-San Francisco route. The aircraft will have eight first class seats, 62 in business class and 270 in economy. In addition to providing in-flight Wi-Fi, SWISS is reportedly planning to experiment with in-flight phone service on its 777-300ERs.  It will go onto the Zurich-New York JFK route four times a week starting February 21, but only until late March, when it moves to Zurich-Montreal. The aircraft is expected to debut on the Zurich-Los Angeles route in June. It will replace SWISS Airbus A340s.

Ethiopian Airlines has started taking reservations for new service beginning July 3 between Addis Ababa and New York JFK, operating via a stop in Lome, Togo, according to Airlineroute.net. Ethiopian will use a 787-8 on the route. It hasn’t flown to New York since it halted Newark service a dozen years ago; its current U.S. gateways are Washington Dulles and Los Angeles.

NOTE: Be sure to click here to see all recent TravelSkills posts about:  Boeing 747 nearing its end? + “Targeted” for an upgrade? + 5 newest biz class hotels in New York + TSA PreCheck is exploding + Bargain hunters travel guide for 2016 

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Routes: AA to Sydney, Air New Zealand to Houston, Delta to South America + more

Traditional Maori dancers welcomed Air New Zealand's first flight from Auckland to Houston Bush Intercontinental (Image: Houston Airports System)

Traditional Maori dancers welcomed Air New Zealand’s first flight from Auckland to Houston Bush Intercontinental. (Image: Houston Airports System)

In international route news, American has kicked off its new Australia service from Los Angeles; Air New Zealand has linked up with Star Alliance partner United at Houston; Delta inaugurated flights on three new Latin America routes; KLM will eliminate one U.S. gateway and add another; Kuwait Airways drops a U.S. route; and United will increase flights to Brussels.

At about the same time that Qantas started its Sydney-San Francisco 747 service this past weekend, its joint venture partner American Airlines launched its own new transpacific route to Sydney from Los Angeles International  (a route also flown by Qantas, along with Melbourne-LAX). American’s daily flight uses a 310-passenger, three-class 777-300ER and departs LAX at 9:50 p.m. At the end of January, Qantas will trim its own Los Angeles-Sydney schedule from 14 flights a week to 10. It’s the first time in 23 years that American has flown to Australia.

Air New Zealand last week inaugurated its promised new service from Auckland to Houston Bush Intercontinental, where it offers connections via its Star Alliance partner United Airlines.  The Kiwi carrier is using a 777-200ER with economy, Premium Economy and business class seating (with lie-flat seat-beds) for the route, which it flies five times a week. The westbound flight takes about 14-1/2 hours.

Delta added a trio of new routes to South America this past weekend. The carrier started new 767 service from Orlando to Sao Paulo, Brazil, operating four days a week (increasing to daily in March), and two routes from Atlanta Hartsfield Jackson to Colombia, both using 737s. Delta’s ATL-Medellin service operates daily, and ATL-Cartagena flies three times a week.

Instead of reviving its summer seasonal service from Amsterdam to Dallas/Ft. Worth next May, KLM reportedly plans to replace it with new Salt Lake City-Amsterdam service. The change is seen  as benefiting KLM’s joint venture with Delta, which has a hub at Salt Lake City. The two carriers are reportedly looking to bolster the traffic feed to their new code-share partner Jet Airways for onward travel from AMS to India.

Facing a charge of unlawful discrimination from the U.S. Transportation Department, Kuwait Airways has discontinued the London Heathrow-New York JFK segment of its one-stop New York-Kuwait route. Last fall, DOT issued a cease-and-desist order to the airline after it learned that Kuwait Airways refused to sell a ticket to an Israeli citizen between London and New York. The airline maintained such a sale is barred by Kuwaiti law.

United Airlines said it plans to add a second daily flight next summer from its Newark hub to Brussels. The second flight will operate from May 5 through October 28; departures from May 25-September 6 will use a 214-seat 767-300, while earlier and later flights will use a 169-seat 757-200.

 

NOTE: Be sure to click here to see all recent TravelSkills posts about:  Delta free upgrades disappearing + Shipping vs. checking a bag +_San Francisco’s new long-haul routes + Is Newark our worst airport? + Delta, United forge new international partnerships

 

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2 new long-haul flights land at San Francisco: QANTAS, Air India (photos)

QANTAS' big red 'roo tail is a welcome sight at SFO (Photo: Peter Biaggi)

QANTAS’ big red ‘roo tail is a welcome sight back at SFO (Photo: Peter Biaggi)

Bay Area travelers this month have a pair of welcome new nonstop options to Australia and India as carriers from those countries celebrated their inaugural trips to San Francisco International.

After a four-year hiatus, Qantas reactivated its Sydney-San Francisco non-stop route with an updated 747 that offers Business Class, Premium Economy and regular economy seating (no first class). Business Class has seats that recline fully flat, and the economy section offers self-serve snack bars.

Check out how QANTAS recently reconfigured its 747s to align with its A380 business class product here.

QANTAS business class seats recline to 180 degrees (Image: QANTAS)

QANTAS business class seats recline to 180 degrees (Image: QANTAS)

QANTAS says that Business and Premium Economy passengers can enjoy a Ricotta, pea and prosciutto calzone, a dish is inspired by Chef Alice Waters from Chez Panisse in Berkeley. Business class passengers traveling to and from San Francisco will also be the first to experience Qantas’ new Kate Spade and Jack Spade amenity kits.

QANTAS does not have an airport lounge at SFO. Regrettably, its Oneworld partner Cathay Pacific does not have enough space in its gorgeous lounge, so QANTAS business class passengers get access to the KLM/Air France lounge on the A side of the international concourse.

Self service snack bars onboard QANTAS' updated 747s (Photo: QANTAS)

Self service snack bars onboard QANTAS’ updated 747s (Photo: QANTAS)

The Australian carrier is initially flying the route four times a week, with westbound departures Friday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. It will increase to five a week in January, and to six a week starting in February. The flights are operated as part of Qantas’ joint venture with American Airlines.

DEAL ALERT: It is currently showing advance purchase economy fares starting as low as $999 roundtrip, while Premium Economy is priced from $2,999 and Business Class from $4,999. These introductory fares are available through December 31 at qantas.com/SFO 

Air India's first flight from New Delhi arrived at SFO before dawn. (Image: Peter Biaggi)

Air India’s first flight from New Delhi arrived at SFO before dawn. (Image: Peter Biaggi)

Earlier this month, Air India Flight 173 touched down at SFO as that carrier kicked off new non-stops from New Delhi with a 777-200LR. The 16-hour flight covers 7,670 miles. The airline originally planned to operate service between San Francisco and Bengaluru (Bangalore) in the southern part of India, but switched its plans to New Delhi instead.

Air India will fly the route three times a week, on Sundays, Wednesdays and Fridays. The 777 it uses has eight seats in first class, 35 in business class and 195 in economy. The San Francisco flights are Air India’s only service to the U.S. west coast; its other U.S. gateways include Chicago, New York JFK and Newark. According to media reports from India, the carrier now has its eye on new Washington D.C. service, but no timetable was mentioned.

Celebrating Air India's arrival, employees fashioned a rangoli on the floor of the terminal. That's a traditional art form using flowers or other natural materials, representing good luck and a welcome to Hindu deities. (Image: Peter Biaggi)

Celebrating Air India’s arrival, employees fashioned a rangoli on the floor of the terminal. That’s a traditional art form using flowers or other natural materials, representing good luck and a welcome to Hindu deities. (Image: Peter Biaggi)

Officials cut the ribbon at SFO to mark Air India's serv ice launch. (Image: Peter Biaggi)

Officials cut the ribbon at SFO to mark Air India’s serv ice launch. (Image: Peter Biaggi)

Passenger check-in for the return to New Delhi. (Image: Peter Biaggi)

Passenger check-in for the return to New Delhi. (Image: Peter Biaggi)

NOTE: Be sure to click here to see all recent TravelSkills posts about:  New Oakland-London route + Big hotel acquisition + Uber at Las Vegas McCarran + American’s international Premium Economy service + Healthy eating for travelers

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American will begin LAX-Sydney service

Business class seats on an American 777-300ER. (Image: American)

Business class seats on an American 777-300ER. (Image: American)

American Airlines will make the Los Angeles-Sydney route into one of the most competitive across the Pacific when it starts service there on December 17, subject to government approvals. American announced the new route this week.

The route is already served by Delta, United, Virgin Australia and American’s joint venture partner Qantas, with whom American will coordinate schedules and pricing. The two will also partner on a revived San Francisco-Sydney route to be operated by Qantas starting December 20.

Current (late June) economy class roundtrip fares run in the $1,500-$2,000 range and business class comes in at around $6,000-$7,000. First is about $12,000.

Besides having a joint business venture across the Pacific, American and Qantas are both members of the Oneworld alliance.

Related: The big red tail returns to SFO

American said its new LAX-SYD route will initially operate on “peak days,” increasing to six times a week in January. The carrier plans to use a three-class 777-300ER on the route, with premium cabins that feature all-aisle access, fully lie-flat seats and a walk-up bar; and a rear cabin that includes AA’s extra-legroom Main Cabin Extra seating as well as regular economy seats.

All seats come with personal entertainment systems offering up to 250 movies, 180 TV shows and hundreds of audio selections; international Wi-Fi service; and AC and USB ports.

“This expansion represents the natural evolution of the collaboration between American and Qantas, with revenue-sharing and other agreements that provide the airlines with a platform for closer commercial ties and an even more seamless customer experience on routes between North America and Australia/New Zealand,” American said. “The closer and more integrated relationship also provides opportunities for future growth into trans-Pacific markets not currently served by either airline, such as New Zealand.”

What do you think is the best way to fly to Australia? Do you think all the new competition will bring fares down at all? Please leave your comments below. 

 

NOTE: Be sure to click here to see all recent TravelSkills posts about: First class summer fare sale + Bumped out of first class by air marshall? + Newest Centurion Lounge + My favorite travel pants

 


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QANTAS big red tail returns to San Francisco

Qantas 747's like this one return to SFO in December (Image: QANTAS)

Qantas 747’s like this one return to SFO in December (Image: QANTAS)

Qantas will bring back non-stop flights between San Francisco and Sydney on December 20, 2015 after a four year hiatus. 

Initially, the flight will operated on peak days (see below) and ramp up to six B747-400 flights a week from January 2016. The new service will cut around four hours of travel time by removing the need to connect through LAX under the existing Qantas/American Airlines arrangements.

Currently, only United flies nonstop between SFO and Sydney and its current round trip economy class fares are in the $1,800 range. Business class is $8,000.

The new services form part of an expanded relationship with American Airlines which, subject to approval from regulators, will also see American launch non-stop flights from Los Angeles to Sydney.

I snapped this image of QANTAS' final SFO flight in 2011 (Chris McGinnis)

I snapped this image of QANTAS’ final SFO flight in 2011 (Chris McGinnis)

Qantas ceased flying to San Francisco in 2011, when it instead started operating from American Airlines’ hub in Dallas/Fort Worth (in addition to its ongoing Honolulu, Los Angeles and New York services). This decision was also made in wake of the Global Financial Crisis, when business travel on the route dropped.

Related: Saying goodbye to QANTAS in 2011

Qantas Group Chief Executive Officer, Alan Joyce, said Qantas had a special relationship with San Francisco.

“San Francisco was Qantas’ very first U.S. destination when we started our services across the Pacific in the 1950s. It remains a hugely popular destination for Australians and we’re thrilled to be going back after a gap of a few years,” said Mr Joyce.

The airlines say that they will shortly apply for regulatory approval for these new arrangements.

^SYD-SFO services will not operate on 23rd, 24th, 25th and 31st December 2015.

QANTAS will have business class seats like this one on it 747-400 flights between SFO & SYD (Image: QANTAS)

QANTAS will have business class seats like this one on it 747-400 flights between SFO & SYD (Image: QANTAS)

Under the expanded Qantas-American Airlines arrangement customers will be able to fly Qantas’ reconfigured B747-400 six times per week on the San Francisco-Sydney route; featuring the same product found on the airline’s A380s, including Marc Newson’s fully-flat Skybed in Business, award winning Economy cabin and large seat-back screens with over 1500 entertainment options. American Airlines will codeshare on these services.

NOTE: Be sure to click here to see all recent TravelSkills posts about: First class summer fare sale + Bumped out of first class by air marshall? + Newest Centurion Lounge + My favorite travel pants

 

 


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Australia Day: 5 ways to behave down under

It’s January 26: Australia Day 2015, a perfect time to examine the subtle and not so subtle ways of our Aussie mates. With the Australian dollar hitting new lows against the US dollar, now’s a great time to extend a business trip…. or just head down for a nice vacation.

This is the first of a TravelSkills series of cross-cultural business tips that we’re thinking of calling “Oh, behave!” Let us know what you think! 

Let’s jump right in with five ways to behave in the Land of Oz:

A lovely lunch at Balmoral on Sydney Harbour (Photo: Herry Lawford)

A lovely lunch at Balmoral on Sydney Harbour (Photo: Herry Lawford)

Tipping Point: The debate on tipping versus no tipping in Australia is ongoing. However, more often than in the past, tipping is now accepted even though that was not the case back ten or twenty years ago. In fact, in business and especially while hosting a meal at a fine restaurant, the act of leaving a tip is increasingly common.

As one Sydneysider told TravelSkills, “If you love the service, tip as much as you want. If you don’t, really don’t bother.” She added, “The minimum wage is a lot higher here, so there is no need to tip as a matter of course. Even if you are trying to impress a room full of business contacts, I would still follow this policy. After all, Aussies won’t respect someone for tipping bad service.”

Sit up front when jumping in a Australian taxicab (Nicki Mannix / Flickr)

Sit up front when jumping in a Australian taxicab (Nicki Mannix / Flickr)

Riding Along: Australian taxi riding is played out in a much different way than in, say, New York or San Francisco, where getting into a cab means getting in the back seat unless more than a couple people are riding with you.

In Oz, the opposite is true. If you’re sharing a taxi with a colleague, by all means sit together in the back but if you’re flying solo, choose the front seat beside the driver. And expect a good gab session out of this experience as well since cabby’s are happy to chat about almost anything with the person paying the fare.’

A long black coffee contains espresso and hot water (Katherine Lim / Flickr)

A long black coffee contains espresso and hot water (Katherine Lim / Flickr)

The Language Beat: Talking to another an Australian can test even the most acclimated traveler’s verbal knowledge. Those of us who have traveled to Australia before [See Chris’s BBC Business Trip Sydney] may have found out the hard way that if you want American coffee, you need to order a long black- a combination of espresso and hot water.

Other words and phrases to get know so you can act like a local are numerous. Some include “aggro” which is short for aggressive, and “arvo,” short for afternoon. A “bludger” is a lazy person, a term no business traveler wants to be tagged,  and a “bogan” is a person without class or good taste (also not good if you want to conduct business with the person calling you this).

Meanwhile, “strewth,” which rhymes with “truth,” means just that and “on the piss” indicates it’s time to leave work and go out to a bar to drink together. The latter can be a very bonding experience that could put your business acquaintanceship into the friend category by the end of the evening.

Rude Reactions:  Learning to avoid certain offensive silent expressions in Australia might come in handy during a business trip to Oz.

So, keep in mind that although a thumbs-up signals a positive, happy meaning in the United States, and is almost universally used around the world and even down under, this same signal is traditionally unacceptable with older Australians. In fact, the gesture is often interpreted as being downright obscene among older generations while younger nationals will probably not care at all or else will just let it go in short order.

A Good Day: Finally, Australia is a very friendly place where saying hi after offering a semi-hardy handshake is just fine when meeting a business associate who hails from this chummy nation. However, don’t try to be a good business mate by saying “G’day” because that overused and, yes, abused way of saying hello is just for tourists — and, even then, only tolerated.

–Jane Lasky

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United shifting some 747s away from SFO

United 747-400s departing Sydney's Kingsford-Smith airport (Aero Icarus)

United 747-400s departing Sydney’s Kingsford-Smith airport (Aero Icarus)

United could be watering down its strategy of making SFO its Boeing 747 hub, based on summer 2014 schedules released earlier this month.

For example, starting April 1, 2014, United will switch out its aging 747-400s on the SFO to Sydney and Melbourne flight and deploy newly refurbished, three-cabin 777-200ER’s on the route. It’s also taking the 747 off the SFO-London Heathrow route and will use only 777s. And it’s replacing the 747 on the SFO-Osaka route with SFO’s first scheduled United 787 Dreamliner.

Economy class on United's refurbished 777 configured 3-3-3 (Chris McGinnis)

New economy class Recaro seats on United’s refurbished 777 configured 3-3-3 (Chris McGinnis)

AUSTRALIA: The switcheroo on the Australia flights is good news for economy class passengers who suffer through the 14-hour odyssey to Oz at the back of the plane on United’ old 747’s from both SFO and LAX. The newly refurbished 777’s are more comfortable at the back with a 3-3-3 configuration (vs the 747’s 3-4-3), and individual seatback video screens. United says that the 777s will offer its new satellite-based wi-fi and in-seat power outlets, too.  (See this BAT post for a slideshow of the refurb and updated 777 interiors.)

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For those flying in business and first class, the switchover will not be as dramatic– the flatbed seating on the 777 is similar to the 747.  But it will be sad lose those nice biz class seats upstairs in the bubble of the 747. That’s one nice ride up there, especially for long overnight flights.

Which aircraft would you prefer for the long flight down under… the 777 or the 747? Why? Please leave your comments below…

Upstairs in biz class on United's 747 (Transworld Productions)

Upstairs in biz class on United’s 747 (Transworld Productions)

The move represents a significant reduction in capacity on the route—those big ole 747s hold 374 passengers, while the 777s only carry 269, with eight in first class, 40 in business, 117 in Economy Plus and 104 in economy.

With Qantas gone, and United reducing capacity, brace for some painful price hikes for nonstops from SFO to Sydney and Melbourne. Currently, roundtrip economy fares on SFO-SYD are in the $1,500 range, business class is running close to $9,000 and first is around $17,000. Fares typically run cheaper if you are willing to stop in LAX on the way down.

Where are those 747’s going to go? Well, some are going back to Chicago, where United will run the big birds nonstop from O’Hare to Frankfurt, Shanghai, Tokyo-Narita starting next spring. United will also deploy two 747s per day on the SFO-Tokyo (Narita) run. (H/T to Routes Online)

What does this mean for United’s recently announced strategy to make SFO its 747 hub? That seems a little murky at the moment. When TravelSkills asked, a spokesperson would only say: “Most of our 747 flights will continue to operate to and from SFO,” but would not comment on whether these moves represent a shift away from the 747 hub strategy.

Which aircraft would you prefer for the long flight down under… the 777 or the 747? Why? Please leave your comments below…

—Chris McGinnis

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QANTAS to dump SFO-Sydney nonstops

The big red QANTAS bird that took me to Sydney two years ago. I'm sad it's now flying away.

The big red QANTAS bird that took me to Sydney two years ago. I’m sad it’s now flying away.

I have not seen this reported in the U.S. media yet, but I’ve learned from the Australian Business Traveller website that QANTAS intends to ditch its SFO-Sydney flights on May 14th.

The 747-400 flight will move to Dallas/Ft Worth airport, the main hub of QANTAS’ Oneworld alliance partner, American Airlines.

This will leave the only nonstop choice between the Bay and Australia to United Airlines. However, Bay Area travelers can still opt to fly Air New Zealand’s daily nonstop to Auckland, then connect to Australia from there.

In a recent interview in Australia, United CEO Jeff Smisek termed the older, raggedy United 747 currently plying the SFO-SYD route as “unacceptable.” I would hope that upgrades to the flight are imminent as a result of that comment, but without direct, nonstop competition on the route, I’m not expecting too much.

I’ll sure miss seeing that red kangaroo tail when I drive by SFO.


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