Our closest Pacific neighbour, New Caledonia, is just over two hours from Sydney – and is fully open. Karryon tests the short hop over with Qantas to see if the flight is as sweet as it is short.
On the ground
Check-in is as easy as you’d hope it to be via self-service. Passports are scanned, paper boarding passes issued, and luggage is dropped off through the bag drop machine, all within around five minutes.
Our flight departs through gate 26, which is downstairs, at the very end of a wing of the terminal. Boarding also requires a short bus trip out to the plane, and though that’s not ideal, it’s always fun boarding a plane via stairs from the tarmac.
The comfort
A safety video takes flyers through 100 years of air travel with the flying kangaroo. It’s a video my partner thinks is the best Qantas has done, showcasing QF planes and styles through the century.
With a seat pitch of 30 inches and a width of 17.2 inches, I have just enough room to sit comfortably, but someone taller than 6-foot would be a little less comfy.
The armrest also goes all the way up for extra comfort and easy sharing of space, while a fully adjustable headrest adds to the cosiness.
The plane is about two-thirds full.
The fun stuff
On a small touchscreen, Qantas presents a variety of entertainment. From 20 or so films including recent releases like Elvis, to tv box sets, HBO and National Geographic channels, the selection is more than adequate for a 2-hour, 10-minute flight.
I listen to a cool selection of highlights from Glastonbury, which has my daughter singing along (a little loudly) to Billie Eilish and myself bopping to Kendrick Lamar.
Elsewhere, the ‘Kids Zone’ lets children enjoy all G-related viewing while giving parents peace of mind their kids won’t be able to view anything unsuitable thanks to a quiz that ensures kids stay in the zone.
Qantas’ “fast and free” wifi is unavailable on the flight.
The food
I’ve pre-ordered a vegan meal, which comprises some delicious veggie fritters in a tasty, albeit a little too sweet, tomato sauce served with tender spinach and mushrooms. Other options include a cheese omelette with sausage or passionfruit yoghurt, both of which look appetising enough.
Beverages include the usual breakfast options like fruit juices, tea and coffee, and bottled water.
Interestingly, this service doesn’t offer a vegetarian meal (only vegan), which isn’t a big deal when you consider the amount of dairy and eggs awaiting at the other end (read a French territory with all its tasty pastries and desserts). A bigger issue is that there’s no vegetarian option for kids. Fortunately, though, the cabin crew kindly bring a leftover meal, which my daughter prefers to the full vegan option. Kudos to the crew for making it happen, as you won’t always get that lucky.
The meal is rounded out with some Lindt balls – a sweet end to the service.
Travel tip
Don’t dress yourself (or your kids) in anything too nice for your flight, lest you risk covering your fine threads in melted chocolate (or its savoury equivalent).
The details
- Aircraft B737-800
- Seat 23c (aisle)
- Flight time: 2 hours, 17 minutes
- Arrival (scheduled) 9.25 am / (actual) 9.15 am
Mark paid for his and his family’s own return air tickets to New Caledonia.
