One of the passengers said the new plane\u2019s economy class seating layout, with two on one side and three on the other, would be good for couples who didn\u2019t want a random person sharing the row with them. <\/p>\n
It might not be so great for couples already sick of each other.<\/p>\n
Seat: A window seat in economy, just behind the A220\u2019s business class. Qantas was keen to get feedback on the A220\u2019s economy section, because they\u2019re positioning it as roomier than other offerings. <\/p>\n
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\u2019s local Courier-Mail reported on \u201clegroom wars\u201d involving Qantas and Virgin Australia, saying both belligerents were offering extra legroom seats from just A$15 ($17.40). <\/p>\n
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. <\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
The manufacturer says the engine is the most fuel-efficient one around for narrowbody aircraft.<\/p>\n
The cabin also felt brighter than many others, thanks to the relatively big windows. <\/p>\n
The seat was comfortable, and otherwise not all that different from your generic economy offering but it had an adjustable headrest.<\/p>\n
The new aircraft has a 2-2 seating configuration in business class, and a 3-2 layout on rows in economy. Photo \/ Qantas<\/p>\n
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. <\/p>\n
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\u2019t feel like you have too much time to kill.<\/p>\n
Entertainment: As a newer Qantas aeroplane, the A220 doesn\u2019t have the traditional monitor on the seat in front of you, but relies on you to watch the scheduled movies on your own device. <\/p>\n
If you can\u2019t be bothered straining your eyes holding your smartphone sideways while watching what\u2019s on offer, the aircraft does at least have free Wi-Fi, which is fast and efficient.<\/p>\n
The A220 on its first visit to New Zealand. Photo \/ John Weekes<\/p>\n
Crew: Three friendly flight attendants, plus a pilot and first officer were on board. Qantas subsidiary QantasLink operated the flight. <\/p>\n
The flight was uneventful until we reached Brisbane and the Australian ritual of \u201cdisinsection\u201d was set to begin. <\/p>\n
The process involves flight attendants spraying the overhead compartments to kill any stowaway critters \u2013 or \u201cpotential disease vectors\u201d as Australia\u2019s biosecurity department impolitely refers to them.<\/p>\n
Crew told us there were some teething problems with paperwork for the new aircraft. <\/p>\n
One passenger voiced his disdain with a \u201cf***ing hurry up, man\u201d and we had been waiting a while. By all available accounts the delay was not within the airline\u2019s control.<\/p>\n
And eventually we disembarked, presumably with no insects accompanying us.<\/p>\n
Overall: The success of the service will probably depend on whether Air New Zealand competes more vigorously on the same route. <\/p>\n
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. <\/p>\n
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. <\/p>\n
The eco-conscious flyer might also be drawn to the more fuel-efficient qualities of the A220.<\/p>\n
And just like our friend in the lounge said, the new Airbus\u2019 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.<\/p>\n