Qantas Business Class: 767 to NZ and back...!

As Airgroove arrived at the airport, I was pondering: it has been such a long time since I have flown with Qantas and was both excited and cautious about being too excited! Over the years I have found Qantas to be really hit and miss, but this time around, they were great! My flight time was short, only a 3 hour hop across the Tasman Sea to Auckland...

Upon check-in I was promptly offered seat 1A, a single seat on this 767; the config is 1x2x2 - a nice touch for one flying solo... The C seat was comfortable and fine for a 3 hour flight, any longer and these regional seats would be considered PE... Champagne was quickly offered, a nice refreshing Charles Heidsieck , one of my favourite drops! The cabin crew on this flight seemed a little rushed and not very committed, however, I still enjoyed my flight.

Dinner was served and I opted for the Braised Beef with Star Anise and Shallots accompanied by Steamed Rice and Asian Vegetables - it was delicious! The beef was very tender and the sauce was very tasty - not bad for a short flight...

The flight back to SYD was a notch or better, the crew were really warm, friendly and wanting to ensure all in the cabin were happy and content - with Pinot! I mentioned to the FAA that the Pinot was lovely, it seemed to be on tap after that, I left the plane feeling somewhat relaxed!

After having eaten a load of lamb and seafood in NZ, I plumped for the Marinated Grilled Chicken with a Preserved Lemon and Rosemary Jus accompanied with Orzo Pasta and vegetables... Not as good as the beef, but it hit the spot. Or was it just the abundance of Pinot...?!

While the Pinot was flowing, I skipped the ice-cream, but could not resist the cheese. See below, it was rather nice indeed!

Overall, not a bad flight QF - much better than I had remebered!

Thai A346 - here I come...!

Airgroove is most excited; the Thai A346-600 will be flying between Bangkok and Sydney twice daily, which means Sydney will now have FIRST and a lovely aircraft to fly on... If you have yet to experience an Airbus 346-600 iron bird - do yourself a favour and book a flight; it's a very quiet, sleek, long aircraft and a joy to fly on!

I will be flying on this beautiful bird in early November, watch this space for an update!

Happy flying!

Cheers, AG.

FAB-U-LOUS SINGAPORE AIRLINES FIRST!

Where does Airgroove begin! Singapore Airlines First Class! Aaaaahhhhhh!

After flying from Bangalore in India overnight, I arrived at Changi Airport feeling rather tired and not in the best of moods, as I only had the chance to sleep for a few hours... After freshening up in the lounge with the worlds quickest shower I proceeded down to my gat for th flight home and much to my utter suprise, was upgraded to First! Nice one! This was going to be a fab 8 hours indeed!






Upon taking my extra-wide leather seat, I felt very private as the capsule seemed to coocoon around... Not long after I was handed a very crisp, fesh bubbling glass of Krug, heaven! It was early morning, but who paasses up a glass of Krug when it is on offer!? Not Airgroove. We were handed lovely amenities which included, slippers, pyjamas and product by Salvatore Ferragamo! Nice. The flight attendants were amazingly professional and very friendly. Well, this was First, right?







Not long after take-off breakfast was wafting from the galley, I opted for the Caviar with roast portobello mushroom, fingerling potato and vegetable frittata, all divine! Washed down with Krug, of course! This was one of the best breakfast dishes I have had in the sky - simply delicious!



After breakfast, the Krug mixed with little sleep from the night before made me very tired, so out come the flat bed for a nice long nap - I managed to have a nice sleep for a few hours - then I awoke for more Krug and Dom Perignon! Good times! Good night, actually, good day!

Lunch was now my focus - after a good sleep it was time for a delicious meal in F! The menu was fabulous and extensive, I opted for: Cauliflower panna cotta with smoked salmon, lemon oil and caviar (THE BEST!) followed by Seared beef fillet in madeira jus, cream corn, french beans and potato cake - very good indeed!

For my sweet tooth, I plumped for the Chocolate clafoutis and macadamia ice-cream, which was the best ice cream I have ever tasted, honest!

There is not much more to say about this flight except, I could have stayed onboard and returned to Singapore and then come back again! I ma certain that this First product is the envy of many other airlines! Bliss!

Lobster & SQ 777-300ER = Bliss!

After possibly the most amazing trip on the A380 to Singapore, Airgroove then had to make way to Mumbai for more business meetings... As I neared Changi Airport, I was annoyed my flight was departing from T2, so I briskly checked in and made my way to the beautiful T3 Business Class Lounge, such a stunning lounge to relax before your flight... The food is so great, better than the crackers and sandwiches many other major carriers 'serve'. However, I rarely partake - after all, I had 'Booked the Cook' and ordered Lobster!


To begin, I devoured a delicious satay stick mix! Very SQ, or perhaps Malay? Anyway, they were great and when asked by the Purser my favourite Champagne, I mentioned my love for Krug and presto, there was a glass of Krug - a nice touch indeed! The little things, the little things...



The crew on this flight were exceptional, I had met a few of them on previous flights and they remembered me, so i was in for great service! More Krug appeared and there were NO complaints from Airgroove, the flight was barely half full, so there was time for the crew to add the extra effort...

Next up was a refreshing salad of feta cheese, tomato, olives and marinated prawns... All good! Before I could blink, the Lobster Thermador was placed on my table and having had this dish before, it did not excite me like times past... Perhaps the Krug was on my mind! But, it was fine and hit the spot all the same. take a look:



After yet another superb meal on SQ, it was time for a quick nap - before long we were circling the metropolis of Mumbai and I was happy to stay on the plane and spend the night, but that was not going to happen... Sleeping in the new C Class seats on SQ is a dream, oh well, off to the hotel... :-)

SINGAPORE AIRLINES A380 BUSINESS CLASS, AT LAST!!!

Boarding this new amazing iron bird was such an amazing experience! Singapore Airlines, as noted on my blog is one of my favourite and clearly the best airline in the world... The A380 has taken SQ to new levels...!

Just look at the cabin above, it is better than many other airlines' First Class - top notch indeed! I was taken back by the sheer size and width of the Business Class seat, which I will name the best in the sky... Some say that they cannot get comfortable as they seat is toooo wide! I'll gladly sit in a wider seat, anyday! To couple this beautiful new aircraft and Business Class cabin was the amazing crew - it can be very hard to top the service on Singapore Airlines, nothing was ever too much trouble... As I savoured my pre-departure Champagne, I was over excited about the take-off and the service to come on this very first trip for Airgroove on this huge double-decker jet.

First up was a delicious Marinated salmon with feta, tomato and cucumber salad - fresh and crunchy, as one would expect... I enjoyed a bush tomato dressing and scrumptious garlic bread (which seems to be a staple on many airlines now :-)) For the main event, SQ offer 'Book the Cook' on many routes, giving the flyer an option to pre-select dinner from a lovely menu online... I often opt for the lobster when flying out of Singapore Changi Airport, but for this leg desired the Plum duck with yam rice and I was not at all let down by this dish - very good flavours and the duck was cooked to perfection! Having already enjoyed my fair share of Charles Heidsieck Champagne, I was pured a lovely glass (or 3) of the Chateau Patache D'Aux 2004 Cru Bourgeois, the perfect match for my gamey, but somewhat sweet duck dish!

Did somebody then say, cheese!? Of course, I will... The blue as stunning and creamy and matched the red wine so very well - seconds, please!

After all that great food, I could feel a little nap coming on - and with the biggest flat bed in the sky in Business Class, why not! The flight attendant insisted about laying out my bed covered with Givenchy linen, and I was almost in perfect slumber as my head hit the pillow. Singapore Airlines has an amazing C class product and the A380 makes for a perfect trip - do fly and try this great airline, you will want to go back for more, trust Airgroove!

Excellent Etihad!

Airgroove and my loved one decided to take a cruise from Dubai to Rome for our holidays and had the most amazing trip on 'The Legend of the Seas' sailing to Oman, Egypt and Italy... But before we could board the cruise liner, we had to fly to Dubai and we chose Etihad, and I can safely say, what a magnificent 5 star airline!

Check-in was one of the best experiences I have had at an airport, professional, hassle free and above all the staff from Etihad were amazingly helpful... Boarding was done with ease and as we approached the long sleek shiny A340-600 our excitement grew! Inside the new iron bird was immaculate, and the business class cabin was amazing in a teared configuration - allowing maxi mun privacy if travelling alone. The seats were narrow, but very comfortable and converted into a full flat bed, bliss for the 15 hour flight! On first impressions, I was already giving it a 9/10! After a pre-departure Champagne, Canard-Duchene Grand Cuvee, I was edging towards a perfect 10, even!

After a very quiet and smooth take-off in the fabulous A340-600, Champagne was promptly served, a good sign indeed! The menu looked wonderful and we were ready for a feast at 35,000ft. The bread was most amazing - baked on board, it was a combination of rye, wholemeal and olive - all served with dips - another good sign of better things to come!

To begin, the amuse bouche was creamed cheese and chives wrapped in smoked salmon, I then devoured Pan-seared marinated salmon served on courgette and mint pancakes with avocado salsa! Delicious! My loved one enjoyed the Ratatouille tarte tartin - equally as divine...

After an excellent start to lunch, we were anxious to eat our main course, my loved one opted for the Northern Territory Baked Barramundi with baby corn, bok choy, jasmine rice and Asian soy sauce, and it did not disappoint, the fish was succulent and moist, hardly overcooked, just right! The wines were also of high quality, I enjoyed several glasses of Chateau Batailley Cru 5ieme Classe 2004 and just had to taste the Meursault Domaiine Buchard Pere & Fils 2007, great on every level! My selection was the Braised grass feed Lamb shanks, which also were fabulous! I could have eaten a second serving! :-) Take a look:






Of course no long lunch is complete without dessert, and the finale was impressive: Valrhona chocolate panacotta with vanilla biscuit and candied orange & Lemon meringue pie with marinated red berries - a perfect end to a great lunch; and then they wanted me to eat cheese! Thanks, but no thanks... All the same...




After such an amazing meal, it was time to watch a movie and convert the bed for a relaxing siesta! It had been hard work after all, consuming all that delicious food! :-) We both managed to get a good 5-6 hours sleep, as the beds were very comfortable.. Of course when we awoke, there was more food on offer, 'Kitchen Anytime' it was called, and we thought, let's try another bite to eat! It went something like this: first up, the Steak sandwich with roasted cheery tomato and onion jam then, Pan-seared chicken sausages with garlic mash and onion sauce! Both very good snacks indeed!





As we prepared to land in Dubai, we both discussed that this flight was the best start to a holiday... Etihad, you are an impressive airline, if you have the chance, do fly them! They will not leave you wanting for much! 5 stars from Airgroove! 5 stars!

All Nippon Airways: All the way to Tokyo!

After Airgroove finalised business in Shanghai, feeling somewhat exhausted, I made my way to Pudong Airport to travel too my beloved Tokyo with ANA Airways! JOY! A fine airline, indeed!

After promptly checking in, I made my way to the fabulous Air China Lounge for a quick beverage... It was a lovely lounge, spacious and well designed above the ground level of the terminal. I was not feeling too well, so just had the one drink, then made my way down to my shiny 777-300 bound for Narita! I was SO happy to be going to Japan.

Boarding the plane was rather random - no call for Business class pax and lots of pushing in a long queue! Go figure... I had not experienced such a 'free for all' at an ANA gate before, well not in Japan anyway...! Once onboard the plane, C Class was barely occupied! I could feel some special service coming on! Better than normal for ANA!

To begin, there was a bottle of Pommery and the most divine rice cracker mix - really good! The champagne was chilled perfectly and the bubbles were needed after such a busy week in China, and feeling a little unwell :-) Champagne will fix many things!

After enjoying a fresh, crisp Champagne, I decided on the Sauteed beef tenderloin with sesame soy sauce and steamed rice... To begin, there was delicious Temari-zushi and parsley marinated prawns! All really good, the crew were fantastic and could not been any better - well dome ANA Japanese service, at it's finest!

Arigato! Airgroove!

Ni Hao! Air China First Class...

After spending a few very busy days in the 'Jing, I flew from Beijing to Shanghai to finish our meetings in China - and I have to say, it was a pretty good flight too! I had never flown Air China before and was rather impressed - in Domestic FC anyway! :-)

After drinking some 'unusual' but passable red wine in the lounge, we boarded the 737-800 to Shanghai-Hongqiao Airport, however, much to my distress, there was not a Champagne in sight as a pre-departure drink! Damn! However, the service during the 2 hour flight was great! For the entree, we devoured a fresh crisp (almost frozen) salad, good garlic bread and some nuts, and the red wine was back!

The main meal was surprisingly good - a combination of delicious beef in 'Chinese' sauce and prawns that were plump and tasty! Of course, more red wine was on the menu! Well done Air China - the service was fantastic from the crew, I arrived in Shanghai rather happy!

Singing Singapore Airlines' Praises enroute to Beijing!

Ah, Singapore Airlines, without a doubt one of the worlds greatest! Airgroove had the pleasure of flying to Beijing in business Class as a part of a Star Alliance Asia Circle fare, that would allow me to visit China, Japan and Korea. And love every second onboard, even though it was not the A380 :-( Perhaps next time...

Check-in was swift, and very professional, I was promptly given my selected seat on the upper deck and had a 'free' seat next to me all the way to Singapore :-) I also had my desired seat assignment from Singapore to Beijing... Nice! The Singapore Airlines Business Class Lounge is small and intimate, not as good as the Air New Zealand Lounge, as noted before on my blog, but it does the trick nonetheless!

I was anxious to board, I love a good sip of Piper Heidsieck before take-off and Singapore Airline will pour me a glass, even before noon! Taking off without a Champagne or 2 seems just plain wrong! Almost as if 'we cannot go yet, where are the bubbles!' As ever, the flight attendants were amazingly friendly and welcoming, ah, 7 hours of pampering ahead! Nice one!

After reaching cruising altitude, the hunger pangs began, more Champagne flowed, it was vital and our first meal was to be served! Ah, spoilt for choice... After some fab fresh fruit, I decided on the Roast Duck Noodle Soup - delicious! I could have eaten more than 1 bowl! All served in classic Singapore Airline style, awesome!

After a more than satisfying beginning to the flight, it was time for a movie and a snooze... There is seldom a time when one gets to zone out, no phones, the laptop was securely in the overhead locker and I enjoyed 'me' time. Books, magazines and a movie... Good times. The flight was only 8 hours, so before I knew it the smells of another meal were wafting through the upper deck! What to have, what to have...To begin: prawns, mango relish prosciutto ham with melon and mozzarella with tomato, all good and fresh... I had obviously studied the menu for the main course and opted for the Matt Moran (Aria Restaurant, Sydney) inspired Ocean Trout with Miso Crust in Sesame Dressing, Bok Choy and Shiitake Mushrooms with fettuccine, just divine! YUM! All washed with a crisp glass of 2007 Wither Hills Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough, New Zealand, equally as good! Satisfaction, yep, satisfaction!

Culinary delights, followed by landing at the new Terminal 3 at Changi Airport, another first class experience! See the below picture that will lead into my next post: Thanks Singapore Airlines, you so deserve your 5* Rating! :-)

Boarding soon: Singapore, China, Japan and Korea!

Airgroove has been so busy - I have posts to come from Singapore, China, Japan and Korea... I will endeavour to make posts over the coming few weeks, before we head off on holiday to the Middle East and Europe.

Again apologies for the boarding delay! ;-)

AG :)

Jet Airways! Good, but dry...

After an amazing week in Mumbai - a city that pulses energy, 24/7 ( I loved it!) I was ready to board Jet Airways to Delhi for a few final days in India. I have read many great reviews on Jet, and I actually enjoyed my flight, but I somewhat expect a lot from an airline - when you spend so much time flying, it's expected... :-) All in all, I was happy!

Check-in was easy and painless, which is great after being in meetings for 10 hours. I swiftly cleared security and went to the lounge -which was average... It was very cafe style and not an alcoholic beverage to be found! Aaaargh! After such a busy week, I really craved a cold beer or nice glass of wine, oh well I will have one on the plane...

Boarding was via a bus, and the transit was long! We finally arrived at the aircraft and the plane was a shiny new 737-800 aircraft! I was happy indeed, upon entering the aircraft the flight attendants were so friendly and I felt welcome on board, a nice touch indeed... I was now ready to explore another Indian city, Delhi here we come! The Business Class cabin was in 5 rows with a 2X2 config, with recliner seats which were really comfortable.

After taking my seat, I was offered lovely fresh juice and realised that Indian domestic flights are 'dry'... I'd have to wait until my hotel for that well deserved glass of wine! :-) The service was amazing on this 2 hour flight, I was very impressed by the level of professionalism. I opted for the Indian curry for main, but had to send it back, as it was tooooooo hot! I had the pasta instead, both pictures look average, but the food was good! The salad and soup were delicious! The cake was yum. Sugar plus!

Overall, I recommend Jet, the service was so great and I look forward to flying with them again when I visit India in the future! Thanks Jet!