Background:
This trip was originally booked when I found a cheap sale fare to Melbourne with Qantas, this would allow me to ride a 767 out of Canberra. From Melbourne I looked at a few options one of them was to head up to Brisbane stay two nights and do QF8 (747) back to Sydney, but I eventually settled on keeping it as a day trip with the final routing of CBR-MEL-SYD-CBR, giving me one new type the Airbus A330-200 as well as the opportunity to re-visit my favorite 767 and my old foe the 737-400.
All up the fare were pretty cheap although I booked the flight from SYD-CBR using my frequent flyer points.
July 11, 2011
As my flight didn't leave until 0910 I was able to sleep in a bit more than the usual 4am wake up. I woke up to find a text message telling me that my Jetstar flight had been delayed from 1415 till 1535. Eventually left the house at 0745 which is cutting it a bit fine for my liking but I arrived at the airport at 0810 with plenty of time.
Check-in today had to be done at the desk as I was supposed to have an exit row, however when they tried to check me in the machine spat out a boarding pass with 8A on it. It turns out that my flight had been downgraded from a 763, to a 737-800. As 8B was taken and I had someone with me I moved to 28A before proceeding through security and down to gate 13 to find my aircraft unloading after arrival from Melbourne.
CBR-MEL
Flight: QF811 Aircraft Type: 737-838 Rego: VH-VZA Name: Port Augusta
STD: 0910 Off Blocks: 0909 Rotate: 0918 Gate: 13
STD: 1015 Touchdown: 1015 At Gate: 1020
1st Time on VH-VZA
22nd 737 flight
8th 737-800 Flight
59th Flight Overall
VZA getting prepped for our departure.
FIDS
Boarding for the flight was delayed slightly and all passenger who had checked in online the night before were asked to go to the service desk to collect a new boarding pass.
Boarding via the glass aerobridge.
Legroom shot from 28A, adequate for a short flight. 28C was free so we had a seat between us.
Qantaslink's newest VH-LQB
Once fully boarded there was a short wait for LQB to push back. Load today was about 75%.
Pushing back from gate 13
Safety demo was the usual, we taxied right down to the end of runway 35 for our departure and used the extension, we were pretty much rotating by the time we were at the Piano keys where the old runway used to end which I though was pretty funny, the full length was certainly not needed.
Climb out today was smooth over Canberra's north before turning to the left and flying back past the airport, not much turbulence at all which was un-expected after the weather of the previous day.
Turning to the north.
Black Mountain tower.
Shortly after takeoff we were served a light snack, today a Byron Bay cookie. Followed by a full drinks service today I chose to get a lemonade.
Snow dusted Brindibellas