Qantas quality
Qantas will always be a very special airline for me. This was the airline that I took for my first flight as a child.
Fast forward to the present. As I embarked on a two-week journey around Australia (which shall be documented here), I was happy to take the best airline to get to Australia!
Qantas first flew to Manila in December 1947 with Lancastrian aircraft as a stop on its first Japan service supporting the occupation forces. Their first purely civilian passenger services began in May 1950. The first jet flights from Manila commenced in 1961 with Boeing 707 services flying to Sydney and forgoing the need of a stopover for the first time. Today, Qantas operates daily flights from Manila to Sydney, along with four weekly flights to Brisbane, which was launched in October 2024. Qantas operates over 300,000 seats per year between the Philippines and Australia. This year marks 75 years of passenger services between the two countries.
The Qantas services between the Philippines and Australia are operated by its fleet of Airbus A330-200 aircraft with 27 business class suites in a 1-2-1 configuration, each featuring direct aisle access and converting into a very comfortable fully flat bed with a soft duvet and plush blanket, and 269 economy seats. Comfortable sleep is guaranteed, especially with their light and soft complimentary pajamas!
Most international and domestic flights on Qantas have very fast Wi-Fi and this is free on both business and economy classes!
Qantas executive vice president for Asia Nick McGlynn shared, “As a 104-year-old airline and Australia’s national carrier, we have a rich history of operations around the globe, but there are few places around the globe we have served longer than the Philippines. From those early days of operating wartime Avro Lancastrians flying low and slow through the tropical weather, to today’s fleet of modern Qantas jets departing Manila every night, we are proud of our long history connecting Filipinos and Australians.”
Earlier this year, Qantas made another multi-million-dollar investment in its food and beverage offering. An expanded Economy meal service is debuting across the Qantas network, as the national carrier marks the start of autumn by rolling out new seasonal menus across all international cabins, as well as First and Business Lounges.
International Economy customers will now be able to enjoy an additional side such as Australian cheese and crackers, a fresh garden salad or a generous dessert to accompany their main meal. To allow for the additional sides, international Economy meals will now be served on a newly designed under plate, which is around 30 per cent larger than the previous one.
Qantas prides itself with using sustainable and local Australian produce to be served for their flights. Pepe Saya is one of my favorite churned Australian butters and is served in Qantas Business Class. They also serve sweets from Manna from Heaven Bakery and my all-time favorite ice cream sandwich – Pat and Stick’s Vanilla Lace.
Heading to Australia via Brisbane made me have an Aussie favorite — the breakfast burger — a sandwich with bacon, cheese, a fried egg, and barbecue sauce! This is something I look forward to despite not being a breakfast person. There are lots of choices for mains, but heading back to Manila, I opted for the sustainably-farmed seared Humpty Doo barramundi with carrot puree, Kipfler potato salad, and olive dressing. I am glad to say that with all the fish served on the flights I took, none were ever overcooked! Always get the Australian cheese selection because you’ll never go wrong with this choice! They even offered a snack of garlic prawns on egg fried rice prior to landing in Manila. When meals aren’t served, they have Australian biscuits, Bulla ice cream, and Red Rock Deli potato chips available anytime during the flight, One will never go hungry on a Qantas flight!
Designed by Qantas creative director of Food, Beverage and Service Neil Perry, the new autumn menu in premium cabins and lounges is made up of hearty dishes that celebrate the best seasonal produce. Among the new dishes taking flight this autumn include Chermoula crusted Margra lamb cutlets, Red wine braised Wollemi duck, Seared Humpty Doo barramundi and Salted caramel macadamia tart. Lovers of Lune croissants (the most famous viral croissant in Australia) will enjoy the addition of a new autumnal cocktail — The Continental, created with Croissant Gin by Lune and Four Pillars in First Lounges throughout autumn, as well as two seasonally inspired cocktails, the Rhubarb Spritz and the Plum on Sour. In addition to the Qantas Avro Gin spritz which is available in international Economy and Premium Economy cabins.
If anyone here is planning a trip to Australia and wants to visit more than one city/destination in Australia, do check out the Qantas “Explorer Fare.”
Qantas will truly spoil a traveler to Australia with the quality of its products and service. I cannot think of not flying with Qantas when heading to any destination in Oceania after they have set the bar so high.
Check out https://www.qantas.com/ph/en.html.
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