Short review
Lounge (Qantas International Business Lounge in Sydney): 4/5
Cabin: 4.5/5
Service: 4/5
Food and beverages: 4.5/5
Pros:
- Great seat for an A330
- Tasty in-flight meals
Cons:
- Leg room was a bit narrow when the seat was converted into a bed
Long review
This Qantas QF5 flight left Sydney at 15:35 and arrived in Singapore at 22:00 for a total flight duration of 8 hours and 25 minutes. After passing the immigration in the Sydney International Airport, I went directly to the Qantas business-class lounge. The lounge was bright due to a massive floor-to-ceiling height window on one side of the lounge. The size of the lounge is reasonable, although it can be quite crowded at times because Emirates and other One World business class passengers can also access this lounge. The food and drink options were very good as well. I had a chance to try the Salmon tartare with Turkish bread and lemon sauce. It’s nice, but the portion was tiny.
This Qantas A330-300 was equipped with the relatively new business class suites designed by the Thomson Aero Seating. The 28 seats were arranged in 1-2-1 configuration, giving direct aisle access to all passengers. The seat was designed to be pre-reclined during take-off and landing, increasing its comfort and even allow passengers to snooze directly after seating down while waiting for take-off. The leg room was spacious, but it was rather narrow when the seat was converted into a fully flat bed. Still, it was a great seat for a relatively short flight. Definitely among the best ones in A330 fleet worldwide.
The 16-inch screen was very responsive, almost like a tablet computer. USB and power point for laptop and mobile phone were readily available. The storage space around the seat was very generous.
The amenity kit resembles a pencil case. The content was pretty standard.
Once I settled on my seat, a flight attendant greeted me with my title and name. He brought a welcome drink, some nuts and the dinner menu. I would prefer for the nuts to be placed in a small bowl. The Rockpool inspired menu designed by Neil Perry is listed below (my selections are in asterisks).
Small Plates
- Zucchini soup with olive and parmesan croutons*
- Caramelised fennel salad with farro, kale, hazelnuts and saffron yoghurt
- Lemon cured kingfish with carrot, daikon and nuoc cham dressing
Main Plates
- Linguine with mushrooms, braised green, chilli and ricotta salata
- Seared ocean trout with fennel, leek and mussel broth*
- Smoky beef brisket sandwich with barbecue sauce and pickled red cabbage
- Lamb biryani with sarlas, cucumber and tomato salad
Dessert
- Selection of cheese served with accompaniments
- Baked vanilla custard with rhubard, honey pears and almonds
- Ice cream
- Seasonal fruit*
Dinner service began soon after take-off. For entrée, I chose a bowl of zucchini soup with olive and parmesan croutons. It’s a decent entrée. Quite tasty.
The main was seared ocean trout with fennel, leek, and mussel broth. Although I was a bit taken aback by the presentation of the dish, it was actually super delicious. One of the best in-flight dishes I’ve ever had.
I was a bit full at this stage, so I chose a plate of fresh fruit for my dessert.
After dinner, I spent the remaining of the flight time watching movies and resting.
Before landing, snacks were offered and I chose the roast duck with XO sauce and jasmine rice, which again was tasty. Other options were Hokkien noodles with roasted eggplant, Chinese pickles and chilli; and kibbeh with cumin spiced yoghurt.
Once I arrived at the Changi International Airport, I went directly to the Qantas International Lounge there for my next flight to Helsinki, Finland, with Finn Air, a member of One World. I will review this flight next.
Overall, it was an enjoyable flight. The lounge was good enough. The in-flight food was great along with a good range of drink options. The seat was also among the best in A330 fleet.
