Here’s what it’s like in the Qantas 28-seat business class cabin, flying up to Hong Kong on board the A330-300.
As the Australian market sees month on month growth and longer stays in Hong Kong, Qantas has celebrated 75 years of flying to this dynamic destination.
Karryon joined Qantas and the Hong Kong Tourism Board at a special cocktail reception in the Hong Kong business class lounge, and discovered a lot has changed since Qantas’ first flight took just 40 people on a 20-hour adventure from Sydney to the legendary Kai Tak airport on a Douglas DC-4 Skymaster.
Here’s how people fly from Sydney to Hong Kong International Airport in business class these days.
On board comfort
The business class cabin on our A330-300 has 28 seats in a 1-2-1 configuration, the layout that turns this aisle person into a window one as I have the best of both worlds with the view and the freedom to move about.
I’m travelling in that popular front row left position, seat 1A. Consoles are staggered, switching from left to right, and my seat is positioned on the aisle with the console under the window. Those who prefer to sit right next to the window and to have a little extra privacy behind the console can choose A and K seats in rows 2, 4 and 6.
My seat is 23 inches wide and with the press of a button converts into a fully flat 80-inch bed. My touch panel also allows me to adjust my seating position, lumbar support and footrest, and treat myself to a back massage too. The console has a storage rack where my amenities kit, noise-cancelling headphones and a bottle of water can be found. There’s an extendable tray table and a cocktail table, a reading lamp and overhead light, USB charging and AC power outlets, and a deep storage space under the console.
A pillow, blanket and seat topper made from 50 per cent recycled materials, including 20 plastic bottles are on my seat. On our night flight home, pyjamas are handed out after we board so there’s time to get changed before take off – but as this is a day flight, they are available upon request. I’m one of the people who opts to ask so I can get changed and snuggle down for a nap on our 9-hour-and-40-minute fight.
While a number of attendants check in on me during the flight, I am mostly taken care of by the Customer Service Manager, Joanna, who offers me a choice of drinks before take off. I choose a glass of Champagne Jacquart’ Brut Mosaïque and a sparkling water for the celebration and hydration balance.
As we settle in an announcement is made about which flight attendants speak fluent Cantonese and landing cards handed out after take off for those who like to get the paperwork out of the way before arrival.
Entertainment
With “more than 2,500 hours of movies, TV shows and more” to keep me entertained I slip the Qantas magazine into my bag to read another day and start to create a short list of movies and TV shows I want to watch on my high definition 16-inch touchscreen.
The Qantas entertainment system has a ‘Watch with a Friend’ option so you can sync your shows and laugh or cry at the same time. There’s also a Seat Chat function so you can message your travel buddies, and a QWERTY keyboard on the remote so you can tap those messages faster.
Personally I skip both of these options and go my own way with my viewing. On the flight up I enjoy the new Kate Winslet series The Regime from the HBO box sets section, saving the Paramount+ miniseries A Gentleman in Moscow with Ewan McGregor for the flight back.
For now Wi-Fi is not available on this flight, but Qantas has announced that they’ll be expanding the ‘fast and free’ Wi-Fi across the existing international fleet. The service will be progressively rolled out and should appear on the A330s between Sydney and Hong Kong from next year.
The food
As we take off I can’t wait to be reunited with the Hong Kong food scene, and thanks to chef Neil Perry I can get my first hit of dumplings in the sky.
My lunch is served at midday, an hour and 45 minutes into the flight following a drinks service including Tommy’s margaritas with lime by Curatif and roasted and salted almonds.
There are plant-based dishes including stir-fried shiitake mushrooms with tofu, Asian greens and jasmine rice. I opt for the flavour packed prawn and kimchi dumplings with marinated cucumbers followed by seared snapper with ginger and shallot dressing, steamed bok choy and egg fried rice. The healthy servings mean there’s absolutely no need for the bread but when it’s a choice of sourdough or toasted focaccia with Pepe Saya butter and a salad I happily accept it anyway.
Drink options include gin and rum from Australia, Scotch from Scotland, Whiskey from the USA, Vodka from Sweden and Campari from Italy, along with Australian wine and beer.
I’m in the mood for a red so I choose a Yering Station 2020 Village Shiraz. I also plan to finish with a Baileys but my praline panna cotta with apple jelly, caramel and toasted hazelnuts is a sweet enough note to end on.
While I wasn’t hungry during the flight, if I had been I could have help myself to Luken & May Passionfruit Butterburst biscuits, Red Rock Deli chips, Lindt chocolate, and a selection of wine in the snack area.
Two hours before landing it’s time for our Prior to Arrival meal. There are two options, an angel hair pasta with broccoli, garlic, pine nuts and chilli, and a stir fried tiger prawns with spicy sambal sauce, snake beans and fried shallots. I go for the prawns and discover they’re not kidding when they say spicy on that sauce. It’s got a delicious kick that’s then followed by a red velvet cake to finish.
Amenity kit and pyjamas
I love Qantas pyjamas so much I’ve bought limited edition sets including the Green and Gold Olympics PJs and the Rebecca Vallance New York sleeper suit from Qantas Marketplace, and am now dreaming of adding the new Perth to Paris Qantas pyjamas to my collection.
On the Sydney to Hong Kong flight I get changed into the classic grey Qantas PJs with the flying kangaroo, made from 88 per cent cotton and 12 per cent polyester. Our amenities kit is a soft pouch by Australian design and lifestyle brand Koskela, with lip balm, face and hand cream by Li’Tya along with an eye mask, dental kit, socks and earplugs.
Loyalty program
The Qantas Frequent Flyer Program allows members to earn points on flights, hotels, shopping, banking, credit cards and more. Points can then be used on flights, travel, wine and a range of products through Qantas Marketplace. Frequent Flyer Status is based on status credits that can only be earned on Qantas, Jetstar and oneworld member airline flights and reset every year.
For those interested in upgrading or retaining your status, the amount of points and status credits you can earn on business class flights from Sydney to Hong Kong range from 7,800 points and 120 status credits for Discount Business up to 9,100 and 135 status credits for Flexible Business.
The details
Date of travel: Monday, 10 June 2024
Aircraft: A330-300
Seat: 1A (window and aisle)
Flight time: 9 hours and 40 minutes
Luggage allowance: Business class allowance is 46kg of checked baggage and 10kg of personal carry on.
For more information visit Qantas.com
Karryon travelled as a guest of Qantas.
