Qantas: A380 back on 19 June 2022 – Sydney to London

Book Now! Spend those pandemic saved points on a First Class seat in 2022!

If you are contemplating a trip – or indeed have already booked – check out the availability of points fares and upgrades on Sydney to London trips from 19 June 2022, because Qantas may have upgraded your plane from a Boeing 787 Dreamliner to the Super Jumbo of the sky, the Airbus A380 for QF1/QF2, which is the only Qantas aircraft with First Class.

The only way to fly the Kangaroo Route

I speak from experience here, the trip to London via Singapore on the Qantas A380 in First Class is a joy of comfort and care for 24 hours. The Neil Perry food – not so much, although the menu has changed in the 4 years since I last traversed the route. The wines however are excellent.

The seat has been upgraded, but it is the service – very Australian, casual but caring that was the real feature for me. Staff have time to chat, and the service is pre-emptive, just the way it should be. Much as I have loved Thai and Singapore Airlines First class, there is something culturally appealing to an Australian about the Qantas service

More Seats and First Class

The other upsides of the change in aircraft is that more seats will be available for purchase with points (just 216,900 for a classic reward one way, or 433,000 return) or cash. You will also be in the upgraded refreshed interiors with premium lounges and refreshed business class suites upstairs, and the upgraded first-class suites at the front of the bus downstairs on the 485 seat behemoth.

Los Angeles and its lounge as well

The A380 returns to the Qantas skies in late March 2022 on the Sydney to Los Angeles route. You will also be able to enjoy the services of the Los Angeles business lounge which is currently open (3pm to 8.45pm) or the First Lounge which is expected to re-open in time for the A380 flights.

All A380’s back in the air minus 2

Qantas is scheduled to have 6 of its refurbished A380’s back in the air by the end of 2022. The remaining 4 will return by 2024, with 2 being retired – although I would say ‘watch this space’ if international flying rebounds more than to its 2019 peak as some commentators predict.

Points Planes

Qantas is heralding some flights as ‘Points Planes’ where every seat on the aircraft is potentially purchasable by redeeming Frequent Flyer points at the Classic Rewards rates. These are most likely the first few flights to help kickstart the reopened routes. I’ll report that as soon as Qantas tells us the flights.

2PAXfly Takeout

This is another timely reminder to wear your seatbelt when seated. Holding you close to your seat will protect you from the sort of injuries sustained on this flight, when unsecured passengers flew to the ceiling of the aircraft, and then came crashing down once the ‘drop’ ceased.

The hope will be that this is an anomaly – a ‘freak accident’ in casual parlance. If it is a systemic error either mechanical or electronic, then this is a larger concern for the airlines that fly Boeing Dreamliner 787 aircraft. Let’s hope it isn’t. If it is, it will pile on the woes to Boeing’s existing stack.

Get onto this – Qantas First is an amazing product especially if you are using points to fund the experience.