I was fortunate enough recently to be able to sample QANTAS’ new service between Rome and Perth. Over recent years, I have become a devotee of other long-haul carriers. I was very keen to see how QANTAS was going to deliver on this brand spanking new three days old 15hr plus service between Rome and Perth and on a Boeing Dreamliner.
Please note I was not a guest of QANTAS, and this is a totally independent flight review.
The check-in at Rome’s Fiumicino Airport was smooth and trouble-free with a subcontractor doing the check-in for QANTAS, and while they could have been better informed about the customs and immigration scenarios in Australia, QANTAS Heathrow Manager Adam Murphy was on hand in Rome to manage things very efficiently indeed.
Boarding was very smooth, and I had been allocated economy seat 44H for my flight, which initially, as it was near the mid-aircraft toilets, I thought would be noisy, but it was not, with plenty of legroom and, fortunately for me, an empty seat alongside me, I reckon the only one on the aircraft as it was chokers!
The only downside was no window for row 44, but no worries, as having a nice Aussie red, a nice meal and some movies, followed by sleeping, were top of the agenda.
The crew onboarding was very welcoming, happy and smiling and were very good indeed at welcoming passengers, with it appears many from other countries across Europe including it appeared many Italians with no English, so perhaps more Italian speaking crew might be good, but all was good for a pretty well on time take off, with “I Still Call Australia Home” playing in the background!
It was also rather refreshing to be flying on a smaller aircraft yet still have plenty of legroom and without the feeling that you were one of several hundred boardings and disembarking, and we all know how long that can take on a large aircraft!
I enjoyed that Aussie red, with no issue from the very friendly flight attendant when I asked for two little bottles, and also enjoyed a really good meal, albeit economy but a very tasty veal stew and then ice cream, a pizza type snack at some point during the flight and a really very nice breakfast of scrambled eggs I think – I was asleep when it arrived, having watched some great movies too
In any case, a really great, very smooth flight, with great service, food and entertainment, and bang on time, so well done to QANTAS and hopefully a great example of their new ultra-long haul services, with it looks like Sydney London on the cards soon.
Arrival in Perth was smooth, with immigration in Perth and picking up my bags to transfer to the domestic terminal very smooth indeed and then boarding my flight to Brisbane – there does seem to be quite a gap in flight available in the daytime to connect in particular to Brisbane and going via Sydney was quicker, but I could not be bothered, so I had to hang around for a while.
No to worry, though, as the whole experience was excellent, and that was also reflected by other guests I spoke with, including several Aussies.
So, congratulations to QANTAS and my tip for any Aussies heading north is to try the Perth-Rome-Perth service as it is fast and very efficient with great service, great aircraft, it avoids those other massive European airports, especially Heathrow and larger aircraft and also Rome is great hob from which to launch yourself into Europe.
Written by John Alwyn-Jones.
