High Flyer

Luxury Travel

Luxury Travel Magazine puts business class services on Qantas, Qatar and Etihad to the test. 

Qantas  
Route Sydney to Johannesburg
Price from A$7,248

CHECK-IN
Qantas business class check-in staff were helpful and informative. If you’re one of those who prefers to use the scanner at the supermarket checkout, then check yourself in online between 24 and two hours before your flight. I received a wonderful express pass for Sydney and Johannesburg airports which was great for getting into the lounge more quickly and sipping on the divine champagne. At the gate there’s a dedicated boarding queue for first and business class passengers so you can avoid the hordes. 

THE LOUNGES
Qantas business class check-in staff were helpful and informative. If you’re one of those who prefers to use the scanner at the supermarket checkout, then check yourself in online between 24 and two hours before your flight. I received a wonderful express pass for Sydney and Johannesburg airports which was great for getting into the lounge more quickly and sipping on the divine champagne. At the gate there’s a dedicated boarding queue for first and business class passengers so you can avoid the hordes. 

FOOD AND BEVERAGE
A date in business class must be celebrated with a glass of bubbly. Who can resist a good champagne? Qantas has an award winning selection of Australian and New Zealand wines and it also serves the French stuff, although non-vintage. Complemented by Neil Perry’s menu, seat 16A rivals any view at Aria with food just as decadent. Gluttons do not need to be embarrassed on a Qantas business class flight. They can just make their way down the aisle to the in-flight foyer where snacks are on show for the taking. Chocolates, sandwiches and the odd bit of fruit sit propped up awaiting the pyjama clad loungers or the indulged children. If you sleep through your meal and get a particularly nice in-flight attendant, they may pull out something special from the cabin which is not on show.

THE EXTRAS
Amenity kits aren’t what they once were but the Qantas business kit has everything you need. Korner skin products and a good lip balm, comfortable eye masks, ear plugs, socks and a toothbrush and toothpaste. Those of us with quick growing hair should be pleased that razors and shaving foam are also available but only on request.

THE SERVICE
Qantas staff are most friendly and helpful. My only gripe with flight attendants, all of them, not just Qantas employees, is that they don’t lift your luggage into the overhead luggage compartments, but I understand that there is an Oh&S issue here which makes sense. Qantas staff reflect Australia, friendly and laid back. It’s always a pleasure to step foot on board a Qantas flight after you’ve been holidaying in a foreign country. It feels like you are already home.

THE CABIN
The seats all face forward which is a relief as I’m not partial to flying backwards. Choose row 16. This is the emergency exit upstairs and there’s more room than in first class. 

THE SEATS
What I want in a seat is one that lies flat and allows me a great sleep. Qantas passes this test with flying colours. The seat transformed into a bed almost two metres long and 61cm wide. The pillows could be a touch fluffier but for an airline bed, the Skybed is bliss. The seat is described as a cocoon style. Qantas has employed a leading Australian ergonomist who has designed the seats to create a more comfortable sleep.

ENTERTAINMENT
For every big kid there’s the 26.5 cm screen for watching 60 movies, 200 TV programs, a moving map and 10 interactive games. The highlight was the pause button on the movies. how wonderful to be able to stop a movie at a whim, grab another chocolate bar and settle back into your comfortable seat, while drinks are just the press of a button away. For the audio minded there are 20 radio Q channels and 150 CDs.

THE GRIPES
Who doesn’t love getting gifts? The thought of Peter Morrissey designed pyjamas for my collection excited me until I unwrapped the cotton XL PJs. They were way too big unfortunately! 

FLIGHT FREQUENCY & FARES
Qantas operates daily services between Sydney and Johannesburg and codeshare services between Perth and Johannesburg. business class fares start at A$7,248 return. Prices can fluctuate so make sure to check qantas.com before you travel. 

Etihad
Route Sydney to London
Price A$8,604 - A$9,104

CHECK-IN
There’s a dedicated check-in desk for business class at each destination. In Abu Dhabi, Etihad has also introduced self-service kiosks allowing passengers to check themselves in, choose seats, print their own boarding passes and baggage tags. Business class passengers are allowed 30 kilograms of checked luggage and two carry-on pieces. 

THE LOUNGES
There are two lounges in Abu Dhabi at Terminals 1 and 3 and I was fortunate enough to experience a complementary massage at the divine Six Senses Spa. Although it’s not a true Six Senses Spa (what can one expect in an airport lounge) I was allowed a 20-minute massage, which was incredible. There is also a Six Senses Spa in the Etihad Lounge at Heathrow’s Terminal 4. The Pearl Business Class Lounge has a slightly ‘Melbourne’ look with its dark wood, mint green leather sofas and coffee-table books. Besides the Spa, there are hot showers, Wi-Fi access and a selection of fine Arabian mezze. You can also make treatment reservations at the spa on the day of travel.

THE SERVICE
Etihad was represented onboard by a knowledgeable cabin manager, an F&B manager suited up in a white-coat, as well as a host of sometimes smiling in-flight attendants.

THE SEATS
Etihad’s new business class seats offer a fabulous flat bed. Rows are staggered in a one-two-one configuration so depending on which seat you’re in you have access to either an aisle or both an aisle and window. Blankets are large and soft and the pillows are fluffy. I was disappointed at not having pyjamas offered to me but let’s hope this changes soon. The seats are definitely luxurious, offering 49-inch seat pitch, a privacy shell, adjustable headrest, footrest and lumbar support. There’s a vast cavern of 88 inches between you and the seat in front and 20 inches between armrests, reclining into a dead-flat 72.8-inch bed. There are also three massage options but not as good as the real thing.

ENTERTAINMENT
The E Box in-flight system offers everything the other great airlines do – 15-inch personal LCD TVs and 600 hours of on-demand entertainment with the latest blockbusters, classics and addictive computer games. Other features of the system include the ability to recharge your laptop or iPod and connect personal devices to the E Box. Noise cancelling headsets are a nice little addition. In total there are 132 television programs and 76 movies in more than 10 languages. The audio selection is broad with 13 audio channels providing entertainment from the latest music to a verse from the Koran, and a library of more than 250 CDs and 29 games.

FOOD AND BEVERAGE
Flying on Etihad meant a departure from the usual Asian fusion menus one often has en route to London. It was a pleasant change to be offered Arab mezze, and delights such as chicken tagine with preserved lemons, olives and stewed potatoes. The wine list is what one would expect of a good restaurant including my particular favourite, French champagne, Henriot Blanc Souverain NV. Dining options comprise an a la carte menu or the lighter “kitchen anytime” menu.  

THE EXTRAS
Loved the mood lighting. I felt like I was in a Douglas Adams novel as the very slow brightening system awoke me from my sleep like an artificial sun rising inside the cabin with a most comforting glow. The Aigner amenity kit was a bit bland looking in a dull grey. However on further investigation I found one for sale on Ebay at two pounds fifty and thought this might be a good way to recover some of my ticket cost. The first class amenity kits have been taken over by Swarovski.

THE GRIPES
Why wasn’t I upgraded to First Class? I’ve heard it’s unimaginably luxurious.

ON TIME PERFORMANCE
My flight arrived on time on the way to London and it was actually early on the way home. 

FLIGHT FREQUENCY & FARESEtihad Airways flies Sydney to Abu Dhabi 11 times a week, once daily from Melbourne and three times a week from Brisbane. There are three daily flights from Abu Dhabi to London. Return Pearl business class fares from Sydney to London start from about A$8,604. etihad.com