Why shouldn’t your holiday start from the moment you arrive at the airport? As Travel Associates Product Leader Lisa Wright discovered, flying Business Class with Qantas means you don’t have to wait until you touch down to be pampered in the style of a true Asian adventure.
Lounges
It’s always a pleasure to relax in the lounge after the rush of heading to the airport, and the new Qantas Lounge at Brisbane International was a wonderful place to start our holiday. The lounge is airy and spacious and offers a great outlook of the terminal. It was the perfect backdrop for my delicious hot breakfast, which I ordered from the menu along with a few healthy sides to balance things out. We also enjoyed the comfortable lounge at Osaka Airport on our way home, which offered a selection of light finger food and a self-pouring beer tap that was an instant hit, needless to say.
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On Board
After being shown to my seat, the first thing that stood out was the superior storage. There were plenty of convenient compartments in which to stow your phone charger, book and amenity pack, so you never needed to rifle around in your bag. The generous seats are extra wide and comfortable, and I really liked the beautiful, light grain wood panelling and the fact that every seat was forward facing.
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Entertainment
The other thing I immediately noticed was the extra large TV, and once I got to scrolling the entertainment menu, I realised there were more movies and TV shows than I could ever hope to get through. The range included new releases, classics, music playlists and podcasts, all complemented by the massive TV screen – it was my own personal theatre.
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Service
While I was getting settled in, the Qantas staff members were offering welcome drinks with their signature brand of genuine yet attentive service. The service remained impeccable throughout the flight, and their warm yet professional approach had me feeling completely at home.
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Food and Drinks
Celebrity chef Neil Perry is the talent behind Qantas’ Business Class menu, and the gourmet meals are offered with fantastic wines that complement the food and the altitude. There were menu choices that ranged from light meals to three-course delights, and I opted for a healthy seared tuna and noodle bowl followed by a not as healthy but equally delicious cheese platter. I like the idea that you can eat whenever you want rather than being bound to a certain mealtime. You can drift off to sleep at anytime without the fear of missing out. Simply wake up after a rejuvenating nap and order up a sandwich – it doesn’t get much better than that.
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Sleep
Speaking of sleep, those extra wide chairs recline into a fully-flat bed. Top it off with silky soft pillows and a cosy blanket and you can curl up in your signature Qantas pyjamas and enjoy sweet dreams for hours.
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Qantas flies direct from Australia to 10 Asian cities across Japan, China, Singapore, the Philippines, Thailand and Indonesia, and to Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia and South Korea in collaboration with its esteemed codeshare partners. Business Class passengers flying to Asia with Qantas will enjoy the use of first-rate lounges in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth and Darwin airports.
Qantas also offers its own branded lounges in Tokyo Narita Airport and Singapore’s Changi Airport. In destinations without a Qantas lounge, guests are invited to relax in the comfort of affiliated lounges.
