Trip Report: Qantas Business Class QF154 737-800 - AKL to MEL (Auckland to Melbourne)

Airline: Qantas | Aircraft: 737-800 | Class: Business | Flight: QF154 (AKL-MEL)

Many of you will remember my horrible experience with the Qantas service recovery team - they offered me 7,000 Qantas Points for a faulty Business Class Seat (which could not recline) on an overnight flight after I have lodged a complaint and I did not accept any compensation from that incident. However when I flew from Auckland to Melbourne on that trip, I was surprised at how pleasant the flight actually was - something that I do not typically say about narrow body aircraft.

Qantas International Business Lounge

Auckland Airport (AKL)

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Since I was departing from Auckland Airport on Qantas in Business Class, I had access to the Qantas International Business Lounge in AKLbut it isn't the nicest airport lounge around. It goes without saying that Air New Zealand Auckland International Lounge offers a much more superior experience but unfortunately that is a Star Alliance lounge so I was unable to access it this time round. Alternatively, if you hold a valid Priority Pass membership (there are plenty of credit cards in Singapore that will give you free access), you may wish to consider the Strata Lounge instead.

Seat 2F
Qantas Business Class QF154 737-800 - AKL to MEL

Even though Qantas does operate a much nicer wide-body aircraft between Auckland and Melbourne, the timing did not work out for me on my return trip. As such, I was booked into QF154 which operated using a smaller 737-800 plane. There are only 12 Business Class recliner seats on the 737-800 - these seats have 37" in seat pitch (as compared to 30" in Economy Class) and 22" in seat width (compared to a miserable 17.2" in Economy Class).

Cabin View from Seat 2F
Qantas Business Class QF154 737-800 - AKL to MEL

To be very honest, I have never really had a great experience on a narrow-body aircraft - my previous experiences on Vietnam Airlines and SilkAir in Business Class have been lackluster and I was almost convinced that these flights can never be enjoyable. However, my flight from Auckland to Melbourne on QF154 was one of the most enjoyable flights in the region. Do not get me wrong though, the regional Business Class seats on the 737-800 are definitely not great (especially when Qantas operates a larger A330 on the same route with a much better seat) but the crew was fantastic and obviously having a relatively empty Business Class cabin certainly helped to boost that experience.

Business Class Legroom
Qantas Business Class QF154 737-800 - AKL to MEL

While people do typically prefer bulkhead seats since they generally offer greater legroom (and yes, this usually holds true for any cabin), I have actually pre-selected Seat 2D on this flight. However, since I was fortunate enough to not have anyone seated beside me, I shuffled between Seats 2D and 2F throughout the flight.

Champagne and Pretzels
Qantas Business Class QF154 737-800 - AKL to MEL

The flight was scheduled to depart at 10:00AM but it was delayed for 18 minutes on my day of flight. Once the plane has taken off, one of the crew came by to take drink orders - I opted for Champagne, of course - as well as to pass me a bag of pretzels. If I am not mistaken, Qantas pours Duval-Leroy Brut Reserve Champagne on their international Business Class flights. I really liked how cheerful the crew was on this flight to - everyone seemed to be in a pretty good mood as opposed to some airlines having very somber-looking crew members.

IFE Screen
Qantas Business Class QF154 737-800 - AKL to MEL

Business Class seats on Qantas' 737-800 planes have a really tiny IFE screen and the entertainment system is not revolutionary as well. I really like the ones that you can find on the A330s since they are bright, beautiful and modern. Obviously on the 787s, these screens are not touch-enabled and you will have to use one of those retro-looking IFE handsets to control the system. The flight from Auckland to Melbourne takes approximately four hours and while having a good IFE system is not exactly a must, it certainly is a nice perk to have.

Business Class Headphones
Qantas Business Class QF154 737-800 - AKL to MEL

The headphones provided on the flight were also the same ones that are offered on Qantas' A330 fleet - they feel a little frail and honestly, I would not recommend using them on a long-haul flight (it is always a good idea to travel with your own noise-cancelling headphones!) since it gets quite uncomfortable after a while. If you do bring your own headphones however, do remember to include an adapter as well.

Basic Seat Controls
Qantas Business Class QF154 737-800 - AKL to MEL

As mentioned earlier, there are 12 seats in the Business Class Cabin of Qantas' 737-800 and they are laid out in a 2-2 configuration. The seats do not recline into a flat-bed but you will be able to recline it slightly (do note that this will infringe on the space of the person sitting behind you). I typically do not recline my seat in a situation like that but obviously people are a little more understand if it is an overnight flight (though you really should not a day flight). The buttons that control the seat recline as well as the foot rest cam be found on the side of the seat but they were a little bit tough to push.

White Cut Chicken, Soba Noodles, Cucumber, Cashews, Red Chilli with Sesame and Soy Dressing

Shortly after take-off, lunch was served and I opted for some bread to go along that butter. For my choice of appetiser, I went for the White Cut Chicken, Soba Noodles, Cucumber, Cashews, Red Chilli with Sesame and Soy Dressing - the portions were huge for a starter and the presentation was fairly decent for a Qantas flight. I really enjoyed the cold soba noodles and the chicken breast was done beautifully without being too dry (the challenge comes when you actually have to reheat chicken).

Tandoor Grilled Lamb with Mustard Seed Carrots, Basmati Rice and Spiced Yoghurt
Qantas Business Class QF154 737-800 - AKL to MEL

For my choice of mains, I selected the Tandoor Grilled Lamb with Mustard Seed Carrots, Basmati Rice and Spiced Yoghurt. Even though it may not look like the prettiest dish around, the flavours were very good and I really enjoyed the lamb (which is not something I say often). It goes without saying that I am utterly spoiled by Singapore Airlines when it comes to food - it is almost always beautifully-presented - but from time to time, Qantas surprises me in a good way.

Ice Cream
Qantas Business Class QF154 737-800 - AKL to MEL

Now this was definitely not the best flight that I have taken but for some reason, it was the nicest Qantas flight that I have ever taken - the crew was amazing, my Champagne flute was constantly being topped up (maybe that is why) and the relatively-empty Business Class cabin certainly helped improve the experience as well. Honestly, I am a little torn - I do enjoy the flights on Qantas and even though I would typically pick a flight on Singapore Airlines any other day (if they are both serving the same route), the savings on Qantas are significant and being able to stopover in Melbourne or Sydney makes it an attractive option for me. My previous disappointment with the service recovery team has seriously discouraged me from traveling on Qantas but I can't say I am not tempted to give it another go.