After all the gripes I have had with Qantas I was sooo pleased to be back on a Qantas jet after the Jetstar flights... I was so pleased to eat my complimentary and miserable airplane food, and have a comfortable seat with a free headphone... Flying Jetstar to Honolulu and back was a serious no-frill experience. One had to rent a blanket, rent a headphone, even the tiniest glass of ice cubes with a drop of OJ in it was $3. We refused to spend the money and had brought snacks along. The headphones on all our adjoining seats were not working on both ears and the buttons were worn out by desperate fingers trying to make it work. We were seated at the back of the airbus as well, and no frequent flier points were earned. It was very cheap, so I cannot complain, but Geez, were we spoiled in the 80s and 90s with free beer and half decent food, free blankets and earplugs, the works.
This is also the last international flight that I have my high Qantas status (read: Qantas Club complimentary for both Katherine and myself) which I might loose after August as I have not been loyal to Qantas. There is no more real point to remaining loyal as so often it leads to disappointments (excess luggage on the way in is charged for by other OneWorld alliance flights on the same ticket who have different excess luggage allowances), and you now earn more points using your credit card then you do by flying (I am sorry sir, you get zero points for that sector as your $2200 fare is so heavily discounted). In the past few years I have noticed that the other airlines/alliances are not much better and that it really does not matter as long as you get there for a half decent price.
We had a hell of a trip, loved every minute of it, but we are glad to be back in Tasmania where it is so very quiet and clean.
