One of the passengers said the new plane’s economy class seating layout, with two on one side and three on the other, would be good for couples who didn’t want a random person sharing the row with them.
It might not be so great for couples already sick of each other.
Seat: A window seat in economy, just behind the A220’s business class. Qantas was keen to get feedback on the A220’s economy section, because they’re positioning it as roomier than other offerings.
It was indeed more spacious than most traditional sardine class seats and the issue seems to be a hot one for many customers. The next day, Brisbane’s local Courier-Mail reported on “legroom wars” involving Qantas and Virgin Australia, saying both belligerents were offering extra legroom seats from just A$15 ($17.40).
But the A220 has also been promoted as a breakthrough single-aisle aircraft less fuel-hungry than predecessors and much quieter than others of its size.
In the cabin, it was noticeably quieter than many other airliners. The seat had a view of the Pratt & Whitney PW1500G geared turbofan engine, which has been credited for some of these advances.
The manufacturer says the engine is the most fuel-efficient one around for narrowbody aircraft.
The cabin also felt brighter than many others, thanks to the relatively big windows.
The seat was comfortable, and otherwise not all that different from your generic economy offering but it had an adjustable headrest.
The new aircraft has a 2-2 seating configuration in business class, and a 3-2 layout on rows in economy. Photo / Qantas
Food and drink: In economy, meatballs and a chicken dish were on offer. The chicken was good and feedback on the meatballs, admittedly from a small sample size of respondents, was good too.
The flight being a daytime one lasting barely three hours, the booze is not flowing and by the time meal service is done, it doesn’t feel like you have too much time to kill.
Entertainment: As a newer Qantas aeroplane, the A220 doesn’t have the traditional monitor on the seat in front of you, but relies on you to watch the scheduled movies on your own device.
If you can’t be bothered straining your eyes holding your smartphone sideways while watching what’s on offer, the aircraft does at least have free Wi-Fi, which is fast and efficient.
The A220 on its first visit to New Zealand. Photo / John Weekes
Crew: Three friendly flight attendants, plus a pilot and first officer were on board. Qantas subsidiary QantasLink operated the flight.
The flight was uneventful until we reached Brisbane and the Australian ritual of “disinsection” was set to begin.
The process involves flight attendants spraying the overhead compartments to kill any stowaway critters – or “potential disease vectors” as Australia’s biosecurity department impolitely refers to them.
Crew told us there were some teething problems with paperwork for the new aircraft.
One passenger voiced his disdain with a “f***ing hurry up, man” and we had been waiting a while. By all available accounts the delay was not within the airline’s control.
And eventually we disembarked, presumably with no insects accompanying us.
Overall: The success of the service will probably depend on whether Air New Zealand competes more vigorously on the same route.
Qantas and its stablemate Jetstar have been making some aggressive inroads on transtasman services and after launching WLG-BNE on this new aircraft, it would be pretty pointless for Qantas to use an older airliner for the route.
The A220 may give Qantas an edge for those who dread cramped economy class seats and like the thought of more room and natural light.
The eco-conscious flyer might also be drawn to the more fuel-efficient qualities of the A220.
And just like our friend in the lounge said, the new Airbus’ two-three row layout may be a game-changer for couples wanting a romantic getaway without playing Russian roulette with a potentially flatulent, snoring, or otherwise annoying random in the same row.
John Weekes is a business journalist covering aviation. He has previously covered consumer affairs, crime, politics and courts.
The Herald travelled courtesy of Qantas.
Stay ahead with the latest market moves, corporate updates, and economic insights by subscribing to our Business newsletter – your essential weekly round-up of all the business news you need.