The day had started so well.
After a fantastic famil with a great group of Australian suppliers in some of the best game parks in South Africa, it was time to wend my somewhat weary way home.
After almost a week of lions, cheetahs, giraffes and elephants, we were all in great spirits for the long journey back to Oz.
Following a smooth domestic connection from Port Elizabeth to Johannesburg with South African Airways, I settled into the Aspire lounge for some pre-flight F&B.
The lounge is bright and spacious with plenty of power outlets for those needing to work, a good selection of hot and cold dishes and a range of adult beverages. The 90-minute transit time passed in a flash. So far so good.
Boarding was announced on time at 6:15pm and by 6:50pm we were pushing back from the gate, ready for the 12-and-a-bit hours flight to Sydney.
Safety briefing done, complimentary glass of champagne delivered from happy-go-lucky cabin crew member Oliver, seatbelt on – we were ready for take-off.
Half an hour later when we hadn’t moved an inch, it was clear there might be a problem.
“Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. We have an issue with a faulty air conditioning unit. A valve is stuck in the open position and we need to get the engineers to check it out.
“We’ll have to return to the gate. I’m told it will take about 90 minutes to fix.”
That news in itself might have been cause for those onboard to become “agitated”. However, worse was to follow…
Apparently, South Africa is one of the few countries that forbids airlines to serve alcohol onboard until a plane is in the air. Despite requests from bored, thirsty passengers (me included!), the crew were unable to serve the beverages that our situation surely deserved.
Cabin fever
At least the delay gave me plenty of time to peruse my surroundings in the business class cabin aboard the Qantas A380.
I liked the clean, uncluttered feel of my window seat (25K), which was tastefully designed in colours of dark grey with walnut touches.
The seat controls were simple to understand and operate, and there were plenty of charging ports provided for those needing to power up their devices.
A bottle of water and noise cancelling headphones were neatly tucked away in a compartment (which also housed a reading light) over my right shoulder, with more storage cupboards available under the window.
An amenity kit from R.M.Williams was also provided, containing recycled PET socks, toothpaste and brush, ear plugs, eye mask and premium skincare products from Australian brand Grown Alchemist.
Continuing the sustainable theme, a mattress cover and blanket made from recycled plastic bottles by David Caon were waiting on the seat, along with a comfy pillow.
A set of Qantas pyjamas were also offered, with most of my fellow passengers opting for the comfortable sleepwear.
The large TV screen proffered a wide selection of entertainment options, including new movies, a bunch of classics, TV shows, games and music.
We have take-off. Finally.
Two hours after we first pushed back from the terminal, flight QF64 finally left the ground, with some very hungry and thirsty fliers onboard.
However, I must give both the passengers and crew their due. From the former there was no rioting in the aisles or abuse directed to the Qantas staff. I guess most people thought a safe plane was better than one with a wonky valve.
As for the captain and crew, they behaved in a professional and courteous manner, providing regular updates on the progress of the work, handing out snacks and water to those in need and fun packs to keep the kids amused.
Qantas HQ was also on the ball, sending out emails and phone alerts to keep those with connecting flights briefed on their ongoing travel plans.
A time to dine
Once in the air, dinner was finally served. One major benefit of a business class ticket is the improved quality of the food and with Neil Perry at the controls you can almost guarantee a decent meal.
I opted for the leek and potato soup with salsa verde, followed by piri piri chicken breast with paprika roasted potatoes, zucchini and mint yoghurt. A good selection of vegetarian options were also offered.
Dessert was a sherry trifle with white chocolate mousse, strawberry and almond. Snacks were provided throughout the meal, while for breakfast I selected scrambled eggs with beef chipolatas, creamed spinach and balsamic roasted tomatoes.
And so to bed…
With dinner finally over just after 11pm, it was time to put the lie-flat bed to the test…and I’m delighted to say it passed with flying colours.
While I find some airlines get the foot space wrong, Qantas have nailed it, opting for a square design, allowing plenty of room to adopt different sleep positions. Even at a tick under 1.82m tall, I still couldn’t touch the end of the seat (see left).
Mattress cover in place, I snuggled down under my blanket and slept for a good six or seven hours.
I woke to find I had no back pain or sore legs from sleeping in an awkward position, which is often the case when travelling in economy, and arrived home feeling somewhat refreshed and without the dreaded jet-lag.
There’s no doubt that if you can afford the extra cost, business class is the way to go, especially on flights longer than 12 hours.
It changes the whole dynamic of the travel experience and you can actually look forward to a long-haul flight, rather than dreading the entire journey.
The option provided by Qantas ticks many boxes…with or without faulty valves.
Writer travelled at his own expense and was not hosted by the airline.
