Airlines: Qantas
Aircraft: Boeing B 737-800
Cabin: Economy Class
Seat: 14A, window
From: Adelaide
To: Perth
Date: 22. August 2013
Departure: 14:40
Arrival: 16:40

I spend four blissful days at the Barossa Pavilions in Lyndoch, a small rural town just under one hour away from Adelaide airport. The locals here are a very relaxed and friendly bunch. Wherever you go, somebody will strike up a conversation and once they realise you’re not a local they’re only too happy to help you make plans for things to do and places to visit. This truly is my idea of complete and perfect relaxation.

Getting to the Airport

In theory the journey by car from the Barossa Pavilions in Lyndoch do Adelaide airport should not take longer than about an hour to complete. As you approach Adelaide there is currently some major roadwork in progress, which poses a serious challenge for the GPS. So eventually it takes closer to 100 minutes to make the journey, including a fuel stop.

Check-in

The airport has changed dramatically since I my last visit sometime during the nineties. In fact I’m not even sure if the original terminal structure from back then is still standing, or if they simply demolished the whole thing and built the current facility from scratch.

I checked in for the flight the evening before using the Qantas App, which allows you to check-in for domestic services. Once you’re checked in, you can elect to have the board pass transferred to your Passbook App.

The Lounge

The Qantas lounge here in Adelaide is positively enormous. It’s also nearly deserted today. The lounge is very well stocked. There is a huge business area as you come in, right behind reception. The food options are very good, with an interesting selection of hot and cold dishes. In addition to the self-service drinks bar, there is also a separate bar where you can order all sorts of things.

So I get myself a bowl of pumpkin soup and a selection of items from the antipasto buffet and settle down by the window overlooking a small part of the apron. The three turboprops parked here don’t look as though they’ll be going anywhere much anytime soon, but that hardly matters.

Boarding

At 13:53 my iPhone goes off and alerts me that boarding for the flight to Perth has started. I take a last sip of my Ginger Ale, make a quick pit stop and then make my way to gate 22, from where my flight is in fact not yet boarding.

IOn my way down to the plane I grab myself a pair of earphones before heading down the airbridge.

The Cabin

I turn right into the cabin, only to find that the aircraft is still in the old configuration and with no individual screens. But never mind, I have my music and I have my Kindle. Let the journey begin.

The Crew

The crew on this flight is a bit of a mixed bag. The cabin crew are all ladies and there are five of them. With the exception of the purser they all seem genuinely friendly. The purserette however is a bit irritating. Her announcements are just a tad overdone with the marketing bull – she’s just a bit too enthusiastic. Generally speaking enthusiasm for your work is a good thing, especially if working with people is your business. But her eyes betray her, and while her voice is smiling – her eyes are not.

Departure is on time and the pilot is obviously in a flaming hurry to get us off the ground. We haven’t even properly lined up with the runway when he applies full throttle and we go thundering down the runway. Shortly after take-off we cross the beach, Glenelg I presume, and head out to sea. For most of the journey ground visibility is very limited due to the clouds, making it impossible to know what route we took.

The Meal

Oh Qantas, that meal. You have made an old man so happy. Well I’m not quite that old – yet. I’ve still got more than a month to go before I hit 39, not of course that I’m counting or anything of the sort. But I digress. My point is, the meal Qantas provides on this flight today is something like a trip down memory lane. The smell, the appearance and even the taste of the food bring back fond memories of carefree adolescence, when the mere prospect of getting on a plane would give me sleepless nights for at least a month in advance with excitement and when a hotmeal in Economy Class on a sector of 90 minutes was considered perfectly normal in Europe and only the really dodgy airlines would stoop so low as to use – dare I say it – plastic instead of proper plates and cups. There is a choice of beef pie with green beans and mash or sweet and sour chicken with steamed rice. I go with the beef and I really must say, it’s quite delicious. On the tray there is also a bun with some butter, a small packet of tic tacs, a small bottle of still water and a very rich Belgian chocolate Brownie.

To drink I have a sparkling apple juice. And I am even given the full can!

The tempo of the meal service is swift and efficient. The crew leave enough time for everybody to finish their meal, but without keeping you waiting an eternity for them to remove the tray. After the meal I count two drink runs with still water from a tray. Not bad.

Arrival

Arrival in Perth is twenty minutes ahead of schedule. I’m looking forward to being back in a time zone with no half hours, it’s just all so confusing!

In Perth I’m staying at the Crown Metropol. The hotel is somewhat out of town, but at least I have a good view of the city from my room. The hotel was chosen more for its close proximity to the airport than anything else.