[TominScotland]

We have just completed Pisa – Doha – Melbourne (- Auckland) in Business with Qatar and, finally, Qantas. This routing was the alternative offered after the Doha – Auckland service was postponed. My trip was booked last May during a ‘flash’ sale and at €960 with a pre-referendum £ was as a good a deal I have ever experienced.

We had flown to Pisa with BA on an Avios redemption the day before and enjoyed a lovely Tuscan evening prior to our long journey. Staying in the NH hotel by the railway station (perfectly satisfactory), we used the airport shuttle bus which, at €2 each way, puts most airport transport options to shame. We were the only passengers checking in at the Premium Desk and received boarding passes right through. We also received incorrect information about baggage transfer in Melbourne as we were told we would have to collect and re-check our luggage. Subsequent attempts to verify/ clarify this with QR cabin staff were fruitless/ pointless – the one area where they let themselves down badly – “I have never been to that city (Melbourne) so how can I know?” to quote one of them on our second leg.

Security in Pisa was a 2 minute breeze and we then went to the shared third party lounge (the only one in the airport). Comfortable seating, OK wifi and diabolical food/ drink options. To be avoided.

Boarding the A319 was quick and uncomplicated. We were welcomed aboard and our coats taken. Business Class is two rows of 2 x 2 and we were in the second row, just in front of the curtain. Seats were really good for a daytime, medium-haul flight, not fully flat but spacious, with good storage and power options. The IFE screen is big although we had some problems with getting one of our systems to work, this was sorted out quickly. Menus and amenity bags were handed out as well as pre-departure drinks. Lunch choices were also taken at this point and we were informed that the meal could be served at any time that suited us.

Take-off was on time and a short flying time to Doha promised. Drinks service commenced soon after take-off, with a good choice of mocktails and other non-alco options ideal for the time of morning. Qatar do hot nuts particularly well. Having not been able to eat in the lounge, we opted for an early lunch (having adjusted our watches to Doha time). For me, the Mezze is a must on Qatar and it did not disappoint. I then had a very tasty spicy chicken on rice and my wife tried the paneer which was disappointing and chewy. I finished my meal with fresh fruit and coffee while my wife passed on dessert. She drank a very acceptable pink Mumm but I stuck with sparkling water.

I was able to work very comfortably for the remainder of the flight. I used the 15 minute free wifi on both my devices but found it to be slow and hardly worth the effort. My wife enjoyed a couple of movies – having flown EK recently, the choice is vastly inferior on QR. Service was friendly and helpful throughout as befits a cabin of this size.

We landed 30 minutes early and, after a long taxi, remote parked. The bus whisked Business class passengers to the terminal in a very short time and we went through an almost deserted security via the Priority Lane quickly. It was then straight to the large Al Mourjan Lounge which was very quiet but also soulless. Food and beverage offerings appear to have deteriorated since by last visit. But we were not hungry and found good seats for a relaxing time there.

We headed to the Gate (C2, not far) in plenty of time for our next leg and were able to board without much of a wait. Again we were greeted on boarding and shown to our seats, in the second row of the front Business cabin on the 777-300. Seating in the cabin is 2-2-2 over four rows. Welcome drinks, amenity bags and PJs were given out (although I did not see anyone in the cabin actually use the latter). Seating is very conventional and the space is adequate but hardly different from the A319, except the bed goes fully flat. It tried this and found it very uncomfortable so did most of my sleeping in a sitting position. By contrast, my wife slept like a log. The flight was announced as 13 hours 5 minutes, a short flight which, given the very long taxi time in Doha, was good news.

The food offering was of a similar good standard to the first flight, with a starter preceded by an excellent amuse buche. We both had the prawns and smoked salmon followed by a sea bass fillet which we both enjoyed. Sleep (or attempts thereto) followed with the beds made up efficiently by cabin staff. The environment remained very quiet throughout the flight and the crew were unobtrusive but friendly. We took our breakfast about 2 hours out of Melbourne – good cold items, the eggs were very dry.

We landed about 15 minutes late and, after a short taxi, deplaned quite quickly. On arrival we discovered that transferring international to international in Melbourne was about as simple as it gets – no queue at security and straight back up to the departures area. We retreated to the wonderful quiet of the Qantas First Lounge to await our red-eye QF flight to Auckland. The a la carte menu there (and also in Sydney) has to represent the best lounge food I have tasted (for me, better than, than The Wing/ The Pier in Hong Kong).

Boarding our old Qantas 737 was delayed by 30 minutes or so for technical reasons. Once aboard, the let-down after QR was massive – the Business class seats were narrow and not particularly comfortable in a 2-2 configuration. Menu cards and amenity bags (good for a 3 hour flight) were given out – the menu featured supper snacks and breakfast to go, apparently as separate events. However, once service started, the two menus merged – breakfast smoothies served to everybody prior to hot dinner dishes and baked breakfast items. A very confusing experience.

We arrived about 45 minutes late and, after a longish wait for our luggage, were finally free to enjoy our New Zealand summer.

[paulkaz]

Hi TominScotland great review.Doh -Mel gets the A380 ,like the Syd route,soon. Just wondering at what point you were told your bags would be transfered in Mel to your Qf flight? If you d got as far as Qf First Lounge and then told you had to re check them you would have been stuck air side!
Bay of Islands in the North and Lake Tekapo in the South worth visits.

[TominScotland]

Paul, we were not told. Just guessed it would be the case as the International Transfer signage was clear and there was clearly no expectation that we would follow the Immigration – Baggage route.

Currently in Dunedin for some meetings (weather just like a Scottish summer) and then driving north, slowly, back to Auckland.

[AMcWhirter]

TominScotland – Thanks for the interesting review. I cannot think of any Italian regional airport of a high standard. And Pisa is still used by the Italian Air Force.

It’s claim to fame is its closeness to central Pisa (the airport itself claims it’s just 1 km from the centre) and also serves Florence.

As for the Qantas B737 I realise it would appear as a let-down. But the seating remains superior to almost all domestic/international flights within Europe.

[Author]

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