Flying Qantas Business Class was one flight I had looked forward to on this trip.
This came after a pretty memorable stretch of the trip. We had flown from Vancouver to Fiji in Fiji Airways Business Class Airbus A350, spent six days at the Sheraton Golf & Beach Resort, Fiji, and then continued on to Auckland in Fiji Airways Business Class on the Airbus A330. From there, it was time for the next leg of the journey.
This was my first time flying Qantas, and I was eager to see what the service would be like. What made the flight even more interesting was that QF4 is a fifth-freedom flight on the Auckland to Sydney segment. QF4 begins in New York, stops in Auckland, and then continues on to Sydney, giving passengers the opportunity to fly Qantas’ long-haul Boeing 787 Dreamliner on a relatively short trans-Tasman flight. For me, that was part of the appeal.
Checking In at Auckland Airport
Checking in for QF4 at Auckland Airport was quick and straightforward, and we received our boarding passes in no time. The Economy Class line was fairly long, but the Business Class check-in area moved quickly. Once through security and immigration, I made my way to the Qantas lounge before boarding.
Qantas Lounge in Auckland
As a oneworld Emerald elite, I had access to the Qantas First Class lounge at Auckland Airport. But don’t let the word First fool you. There was nothing particularly First Class about the experience.
The lounge is essentially the Qantas International Lounge, with a separate area reserved for First Class passengers and eligible elites. Qantas lists the Auckland lounge as offering dining, bar service, refreshments, showers and Wi-Fi.
After such a fabulous experience at the Qantas First Class Lounge LAX, I went into this visit with fairly high expectations. Unfortunately, the Auckland lounge felt much more basic by comparison, and the breakfast spread was about as exciting as the lounge itself. That said, it was relatively quiet during my visit, and the staff were friendly, which made it a decent place to spend some time before the flight.
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Boarding
After leaving the lounge, we made our way to the boarding gate, where flight QF4 was due to begin boarding shortly. Once onboard, my wife and I settled into our seats 6A and 7A respectively.
It did not take long before the Business Class cabin filled up. Qantas configures its Boeing 787-9 with 42 Business Class seats in a 1-2-1 layout, giving every passenger direct aisle access. The seats convert into fully flat beds measuring around 80 inches in length.
Qantas Boeing 787 Business Class Seat
The Qantas Business Class seat offered a good amount of space and privacy. Each seat offered direct aisle access and converted into a fully flat bed. Other features included an adjustable headrest, privacy screen, extendable leg rest, USB charging, an AC power outlet, and a large seatback entertainment screen.
Qantas lists the seat at about 23–24 inches wide, expanding slightly in bed mode. At each seat was also a pillow, blanket and mattress pad. A bottle of water and headphones were stored in one of the side compartments. The seat controller was positioned along the side of the seat and was easy to reach.
Departure From Auckland
We began our pushback from Gate 10 at approximately 7:05am. After taxiing and waiting on the runway for a few minutes, we were airborne at around 7:20am.
Seats to Avoid if You Want to Sleep
One thing I noticed fairly quickly was the noise coming from the galley. The flight attendants regularly congregated there and chatted, and from my seat the noise was noticeable. Because of that, I would probably avoid rows 7 and 8 in the main Business Class cabin if sleeping is a priority.
The same could apply to row 9 in the smaller rear Business Class cabin because of its proximity to the galley. For a short daytime flight like Auckland to Sydney, this was not a major issue for me. But on a longer overnight flight, I would definitely pay closer attention to seat location.
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Food & Beverage
Initially, I told the flight attendants that I would skip breakfast. About two hours into the flight, though, I started getting a little peckish and decided to order something light. I asked for a croissant and smoothie, which ended up being served with a bowl of fresh fruit as well.
There was no tablecloth placed on the tray, but the breakfast itself was presented nicely. It was simple, but it worked perfectly for what I wanted.
Inflight Entertainment
While cruising at around 40,000 feet, I spent some time exploring the inflight entertainment system. Qantas equips its 787 Business Class seats with a 16-inch seatback screen, with a wide selection of movies, TV shows, audio, games and children’s content. One feature I found particularly interesting was the seat chat function. It allows passengers to send messages to another seat through the entertainment system.
Lavatories
The main Business Class cabin has a lavatory toward the front, with additional lavatories near the galley separating the two Business Class sections. The lavatory I used was kept in good condition throughout the flight. It featured a full-length mirror, baby changing table, touch-free sink, toilet, and a few basic bathroom amenities.
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Approaching Sydney
We began our descent into Sydney at around 7:55am Australian time, which was two hours behind New Zealand time. The views approaching Sydney were incredible. Sydney Airport is especially interesting from the air because it is almost completely surrounded by waterways, including Botany Bay, the Cooks River and Alexandra Canal. That gives the airport a very distinctive appearance on approach. Even from a distance, we could already see the Sydney Opera House, which made the arrival even more memorable.
Arrival in Sydney
QF4 touched down in Sydney at approximately 8:23am. After a short taxi, we arrived at the gate and our first Qantas flight was officially in the books.
Bottom Line
Overall, this was a very good first experience with Qantas. Having a fully flat Business Class seat on a flight of just over three hours made the journey especially comfortable. I did not actually use the bed during this flight, but judging by the mattress pad, pillow and blanket provided, I have a feeling it would be a comfortable setup on a longer journey.
The seat was spacious, the cabin felt private, the breakfast I eventually ordered was nicely presented, and flying a long-haul Boeing 787 Business Class product on such a short route was definitely a plus. The biggest downside for me was the galley noise around the rear rows of the main Business Class cabin.
Still, for my first Qantas flight, QF4 left a good impression. And the fifth-freedom aspect made the flight even more interesting. This was a cash ticket, and at around $350, I thought it was a reasonable price for a short-haul Business Class flight on Qantas’ Boeing 787 Dreamliner.
Travel With Kayode: More points. More places.
Kayode is the creator behind Travel With Kayode, sharing practical tips on points, miles, premium travel, hotels, and destinations around the world. His goal is simple: help travelers get more value from every trip and experience more for less.
