Hello and welcome to the 3rd review in this series.
We usually try to take advantage of our son's breaks from preschool to take a trip. We hadn't been back to Australia for 8 years, so winter break in February was a perfect time to leave the northern hemisphere for summer down under!
After spending several amazing days in the Cairns area, it was time to head back down to Sydney for the weekend before heading back to the US. We'd never been to Queensland before, and the tropical north did not disappoint! Between the lush rainforests, majestic green mountains, picturesque beaches, and of course the Great Barrier Reef—one of the great natural wonders of the world—our time spent in Cairns was the highlight of the trip. You'll find some bonus pics at the end of this review.
QF713 - Business - Cairns ✈ Brisbane - Boeing 737-800You are here
QF549 - Business - Brisbane ✈ Sydney - Boeing 737-800Coming soon
AA72 - Business - Sydney ✈ Los Angeles - Boeing 777-300ERComing soon
check-in & Lounge
We arrived at the Domestic terminal about 2 hours before departure. Check-in was super quick as there was absolutely no one waiting for the Qantas Business class counters, or even the Economy line.
Security was a breeze. It seems to go pretty fast in domestic terminals in Australia, in my limited experience.
We followed signs for the lounge, which took us to the upper level.
The entrance to the Qantas Club is located immediately to the right coming off the escalators.
Though Cairns has a large Qantas presence it is not technically a hub so there is no separate Business Lounge, but the Qantas Club is quite large and there was plenty of space as it wasn't very crowded.
The decor is more basic than Business lounges, but it's still quite pleasant and there were nice views through the large windows.
There is a very large and well-equipped playroom that also has some nice seating for parents by the windows. I always appreciate when there's a play area for kids in a lounge.
Food options were mostly basic, but there were several fresh options, including a hot dish. And of course, it beats most domestic lounges in the US.
The AvGeek in me enjoyed watching the aircraft movements as we waited for our flight.
Watched a Qantas 737 in retro livery land and come in to the gate.
Turned out it was our gate! The "Retro Roo II" would be taking us down to Brisbane today, nice!
Also watched the daily Jetstar 787-8 depart for Tokyo
boarding
As we didn't have far to go, we left the lounge right at boarding time. Boarding had already begun, so we were able to go right on through the Business/Priority lane.
Getting on the Roo!
No surprises when it comes to the cabin, as the Qantas 737 fleet is pretty uniform. The main difference is about half of the fleet has in-seat entertainment monitors, while the other half has streaming entertainment to personal devices.
The leather Cradle Recliner seats are laid out in a standard 2-2 configuration with 37" of seat pitch and a 21" width between armrests. The seats feature adjustable headrests and legrests and have a decent recline for making a comfortable cradle position—though the seat pitch is a bit tight and I generally avoid reclining on day flights.
As we got to our seats, one of the cabin crew welcomed us on board and handed my 5-year-old son a cool Qantas "Joey Club" magnetic drawing tablet!
I really love how kid-friendly Qantas are. Between the playroom in the lounge and the children's gifts on board, I'm very impressed with how welcoming Qantas are to families travelling with children in premium cabins.
The 37" seat pitch is pretty standard and comparable to domestic First/Business in North America.
Each seat has access to a 110v AC outlet and a USB port.
Qantas is one of the rare carriers that provides noise-cancelling headphones on short-haul. An amenity that I definitely appreciate as I hate carrying around my bulky over-ear headphones anymore and usually just have my airpods.
Qantas' complimentary fast Viasat Wi-Fi is available from gate-to-gate.
The streaming IFE is also available through the same portal in the Qantas Entertainment app.
There a good amount of content including movies, TV shows, documentaries, audio books, music, and children's programming.
the flight
As I've said before, I find that Qantas cut it too close only boarding 20 minutes before departure, so I was not surprised that the flight was running a few minutes behind, despite the inbound having arrived on time.
We pushed back from the gate about 15 minutes behind schedule.
Taxi time was very short and there was no queue for takeoff.
We took off over the lush green and swampy coast.
It wasn't long before we were over the beautiful turquoise waters near the Great Barrier Reef.
Fitzroy Island on the inner reef, that we had visited a few days prios.
Shortly after takeoff, information about the free Wi-Fi and streaming entertainment was played on the overhead screens.
It's nice to have IFE options, of course, but the scenery outside was way more interesting. Flying over the Great Barrier Reef is amazing—the beauty of the colours and vastness of the reef are breathtaking.
Miles and miles and miles of beautiful reefs.
A news programme and TV shows were played on the overhead screens during the flight.
My son's pre-ordered child meal was delivered first, which is always appreciated and convenient. The main dish was a cottage pie, perfect for a kid.
We continued to follow the coast of Queensland on our way down to Brisbane.
For the adults, there were two hot options, one of which was Paella! I don't think I've ever had Paella on a plane—even on Iberia, who I fly several times a year. I was intrigued so went for that.
It was actually pretty decent with good flavours, if a tad bit dry.
Again, the catering was a bit light compared to meals in the US, as there is no appetiser and desert was a small chocolate; however, the quality and creativity was generally better. Qantas seem to prefer quality over quantity, which is just fine by me (that was almost a tongue twister).
The nice scenery continued outside as we made out way further down the coast.
Cabin crew were very friendly and attentive, keeping drinks topped up throughout the flight.
There's lots of content on the streaming IFE to keep you entertained, I just wish there were eye-level device-holders in the seat-backs.
Soon enough we were starting our descent.
After miles and miles of green landscapes and ocean, Brisbane came into sight.
The size of the urban area was more impressive than I thought it would be.
We had great views of the CBD on landing. I picked the right side of the aircraft without knowing it!
Another Fokker! They're everywhere in Australia.
Despite the 15 minute delay on departure from Cairns we arrived at the gate on time.
Tourism Bonus ⬇
Bonus : Click here display hide
We stayed right on the Esplanade in the CBD so we had everything right at our doorstep within walking distance
…Notably, the famous Cairns Esplanade Lagoon was only a few metres away from our hotel. There are no beaches in the city centre despite being right on the water. I'm told the waters here have a large population of saltwater crocodiles, and of course sharks, so it's probably for the best!
The gigantic artificial lagoon on the waterfront is a fantastic outdoor space to relax on the beach and swim in the very warm (32C/89F) waters with no fear of being crocked by a croc! 🐊
Just a few miles from Cairns city centre, is the lush Kuranda rainforest, one of the world's oldest tropical rainforests. One of the coolest ways to visit the rainforest is on the Skyrail Cableway, which takes you right above the canopy and has several stops at different sites within the forest.
And, true to its name, it rains a lot in the rainforest, especially in the summer, so we were treated to high volumes of water going over the impressive Barron falls, one of the tallest waterfalls in Australia.
And the highlight of the trip, a Great Barrier Reef cruise!
The cruise makes a pit stop at beautiful Fitzroy Island where some passengers choose to spend a day or a night of camping.
We had opted to take a reef cruise to one of the pontoons on the outer reef to get the full experience. This gave us 6 hours to stay on the reef and enjoy swimming and snorkeling in this amazing underwater world.
I definitely recommend doing a pontoon day trip if you have kids as it provides a nice shaded space to relax, includes lunch and snacks, and there are several activities including an underwater gallery, glass-bottom boat tours, snorkelling, scuba lessons, a children's pool, and even a big waterslide on this particular pontoon.
I love water, but like most people, am not usually comfortable with swimming in the open ocean. What's great about being out on the reef is that it doesn't feel like the open ocean at all as it's rather shallow and the water is so clear that I felt completely comfortable.
We spent hours in the water just in awe of all the colourful wildlife. I think it's pretty cool that my son can say his first time snorkelling was at the Great Barrier Reef! Haha
See more
Verdict
Qantas
8.4/10
Cabin7.5
Cabin crew9.0
Entertainment/wifi9.0
Meal/catering8.0
Qantas Club - 2 - Domestic
7.6/10
Comfort7.5
Meal/catering7.0
Entertainment/wifi7.5
Services8.5
Cairns - CNS
8.1/10
Efficiency8.5
Access8.0
Services7.5
Cleanliness8.5
Brisbane - BNE
8.6/10
Efficiency8.5
Access8.5
Services8.5
Cleanliness9.0
Conclusion
A very nice 2h domestic flight with Qantas. The cabin is comfortable and consistent across the 737 fleet. Cabin crew were great and took good care of everyone throughout the short flight. It was nice to have paella on a plane--the meal was light, but good. Free (and fast!) Wi-Fi always scored high for me.
The lounge was pretty nice for an outstation, with great views--the natural setting around Cairns airport is beautiful. Also, I always love it when a lounge has a children's play area! Qantas really are a very kid-friendly airline.
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Thanks for sharing Kevin, always a treat to get a special livery. Another consistent experience on QF that meets all one’s needs, cabin refreshes would take them further quite a bit.
There is a very large and well-equipped playroom
That room is huge for a lounge playroom, bigger than most in-terminal play areas at airports. I guess since it is a tourism-centric airport they find large volumes of families traveling to justify it. The rest of the lounge looks pretty basic, they only serve hot options during that limited lunch window?
cool Qantas "Joey Club" magnetic drawing tablet!
That has to be one of the best gifts I have seen in terms of practicality and something that you would at least actually use again.
For the adults, there were two hot options
Do they base the catering on the time block of the flights; i.e., hot meals since this falls into a lunch block? Would at least explain the basic catering on the longer flight from SYD where you only got a sandwich mid-morning.
I just wish there were eye-level device-holders in the seat-backs.
Agreed, since on narrow-bodies you have no where to place it during meal service which would occupy almost half the flight time on a shorter flight like this.
That room is huge for a lounge playroom, bigger than most in-terminal play areas at airports.
Yeah for sure, bigger than many lounges I've been to. It was great to have! Yes it definitely is a tourism-focused destination and there was a large proportion of families with children in the lounge. There were only about 10 different groups of people in the lounge at that time and more than half were families with kids.
That has to be one of the best gifts I have seen in terms of practicality and something that you would at least actually use again.
Definitely a nice little gift and the only one from any airline that my son still uses as we keep it in his travel backpack.
Do they base the catering on the time block of the flights; i.e., hot meals since this falls into a lunch block?
I think partly yes because my flight over was at a weird time between breakfast and lunch. I still find this meal, though hot, to be light since there's no sides at all (bread doesn't count). But perfectly fine for a 2h flight, and definitely tasty!
Agreed, since on narrow-bodies you have no where to place it during meal service
Exactly, you either have to stop watching something, or perch the tablet precariously on an armrest and twist your neck to look sideways and down.
Hi Kevin! Thanks so much for this report and the tourism bonus. Super jealous you got to visit the GBR and to have your kid experience snorkelling for the first time there is an incredible memory. I know you mentioned it was shallow and not the open ocean, but ermm sharks ya know in Australia??!! Hats off to you😅.
I always appreciate when there's a play area for kids in a lounge.
I think it’s a great feature to a lounge, kids can play and let out energy before a long flight (this one wasn’t that long ik)
The "Retro Roo II" would be taking us down to Brisbane today, nice!
Woahh! This might be the most beautiful livery I have seen on a 737 ever.
only boarding 20 minutes before departure
Quite crazy to have a 20 minute boarding. Do you think they pad the schedule on most flights as well?
beautiful turquoise waters near the Great Barrier Reef.
What gorgeous water, I have always had a dream to fish Giant Black Marlin out there. Making me so so so so jealous 😂.
It was actually pretty decent with good flavours, if a tad bit dry.
Paella on a plane is certainly a first I have also seen. Nice to see a mix up.
Another Fokker! They're everywhere in Australia.
There are so many fokking fokkers?😅 I’m sorry I’m sorry I had to…. cool to see them around in Aussie.
I know you mentioned it was shallow and not the open ocean, but ermm sharks ya know in Australia??!! Hats off to you😅.
Haha so while it isn't uncommon to see sharks at the GBR, they mostly stay past the dropoff where the waters are deeper. And they're mostly smaller reef sharks. No Great Whites, thank goodness---water's too warm for them. They hang out basically everywhere else in Australia though haha
Woahh! This might be the most beautiful livery I have seen on a 737 ever.
Agree...it's right up there with AA's TWA Heritage Livery or Alaska's "Starliner 75" retro livery (RIP)
Quite crazy to have a 20 minute boarding. Do you think they pad the schedule on most flights as well?
They definitely pad the times, even more than US carriers I think, since they manage to keep the schedule mostly on time throughout the day. They do airstair boarding for the rear doors in a lot of stations, which helps try to make that 20 minute boarding work, but it's still really tight.
What gorgeous water, I have always had a dream to fish Giant Black Marlin out there. Making me so so so so jealous 😂.
And of course photos don't do the true colours justice. It is a sight to behold
BUT OMG THE TURTLE IS SO CUTE!!!
Haha yes, the staff kept feeding it so it's no surprise that she always hangs out around the same pontoon. Very friendly turtle.
Hey mate and thanks for the next ausie flight! The lounge seems to be quite spacious for an airport that isn't a hub as you said
And of course, it beats most domestic lounges in the US
LOL and only if you can get access to them flying domestic I like that retro livery Nice to see a 2-2 config, a rare sight for us miserable europeans! Lovely gesture from the crew to your son Nice level of entertainment I don't think I had paella before definitely an original move from qantas Omg look at that turtle ahah
The lounge seems to be quite spacious for an airport that isn't a hub as you said
Indeed, a nice surprise, especially the Huuuuge playroom
LOL and only if you can get access to them flying domestic
Exactly! One of the big reasons I switched from AA to BA programme, to have lounge access on domestic flights in the US
Nice to see a 2-2 config, a rare sight for us miserable europeans!
I really think European airlines could make true J cabins work. They're so worries about not filling up the J cabins and wanting the flexibility of the movable curtain, but US airlines do very well at filling up the Business/First cabins with paid customers, even on short flights (and Australian and Asian as well) .
I don't think I had paella before definitely an original move from qantas
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9 Comments
That room is huge for a lounge playroom, bigger than most in-terminal play areas at airports. I guess since it is a tourism-centric airport they find large volumes of families traveling to justify it. The rest of the lounge looks pretty basic, they only serve hot options during that limited lunch window?
That has to be one of the best gifts I have seen in terms of practicality and something that you would at least actually use again.
Do they base the catering on the time block of the flights; i.e., hot meals since this falls into a lunch block? Would at least explain the basic catering on the longer flight from SYD where you only got a sandwich mid-morning.
Agreed, since on narrow-bodies you have no where to place it during meal service which would occupy almost half the flight time on a shorter flight like this.
Yeah for sure, bigger than many lounges I've been to. It was great to have! Yes it definitely is a tourism-focused destination and there was a large proportion of families with children in the lounge. There were only about 10 different groups of people in the lounge at that time and more than half were families with kids.
Definitely a nice little gift and the only one from any airline that my son still uses as we keep it in his travel backpack.
I think partly yes because my flight over was at a weird time between breakfast and lunch. I still find this meal, though hot, to be light since there's no sides at all (bread doesn't count). But perfectly fine for a 2h flight, and definitely tasty!
Exactly, you either have to stop watching something, or perch the tablet precariously on an armrest and twist your neck to look sideways and down.
Thanks for your comments!
I think it’s a great feature to a lounge, kids can play and let out energy before a long flight (this one wasn’t that long ik)
Woahh! This might be the most beautiful livery I have seen on a 737 ever.
Quite crazy to have a 20 minute boarding. Do you think they pad the schedule on most flights as well?
What gorgeous water, I have always had a dream to fish Giant Black Marlin out there. Making me so so so so jealous 😂.
Paella on a plane is certainly a first I have also seen. Nice to see a mix up.
There are so many fokking fokkers?😅 I’m sorry I’m sorry I had to…. cool to see them around in Aussie.
BUT OMG THE TURTLE IS SO CUTE!!!
Thanks again Kevin! Have a great day.
Haha so while it isn't uncommon to see sharks at the GBR, they mostly stay past the dropoff where the waters are deeper. And they're mostly smaller reef sharks. No Great Whites, thank goodness---water's too warm for them. They hang out basically everywhere else in Australia though haha
Agree...it's right up there with AA's TWA Heritage Livery or Alaska's "Starliner 75" retro livery (RIP)
They definitely pad the times, even more than US carriers I think, since they manage to keep the schedule mostly on time throughout the day. They do airstair boarding for the rear doors in a lot of stations, which helps try to make that 20 minute boarding work, but it's still really tight.
And of course photos don't do the true colours justice. It is a sight to behold
Haha yes, the staff kept feeding it so it's no surprise that she always hangs out around the same pontoon. Very friendly turtle.
Thanks for stopping by!
The lounge seems to be quite spacious for an airport that isn't a hub as you said
LOL and only if you can get access to them flying domestic
I like that retro livery
Nice to see a 2-2 config, a rare sight for us miserable europeans!
Lovely gesture from the crew to your son
Nice level of entertainment
I don't think I had paella before definitely an original move from qantas
Omg look at that turtle ahah
Indeed, a nice surprise, especially the Huuuuge playroom
Exactly! One of the big reasons I switched from AA to BA programme, to have lounge access on domestic flights in the US
I really think European airlines could make true J cabins work. They're so worries about not filling up the J cabins and wanting the flexibility of the movable curtain, but US airlines do very well at filling up the Business/First cabins with paid customers, even on short flights (and Australian and Asian as well) .
Me neither, really creative on Qantas' part!
Thanks for your comments!
As the Valencians would say, that's not paella...that's rice with _stuff_.
But kudos to Qantas for trying!
The sights on this flight look amazing!
Great pictures in the bonus track too!
Thanks for sharing, cheers!
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