In September 2024, my colleagues and I flew to Sydney, Australia, to attend workshops and a company trade show. We stayed for three days of work, followed by two additional days of leisure. We flew with Australia’s flag carrier, Qantas. Our flight from Manila to Sydney on QF 20 will be the focus of today’s flight report.
I have visited Sydney twice before, flying with Cebu Pacific Air and Singapore Airlines. Join me as I share my experience flying with the Spirit of Australia and compare it to the other airlines I have flown with.
Qantas
Qantas is Australia’s national carrier. Founded in 1920, the airline’s first flight took place in November 1922. Initially known as Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services Limited, it primarily served Queensland and the Northern Territory. Over the years, Qantas underwent several expansion and transformation programs, eventually becoming Australia’s largest domestic and international airline. It currently operates flights to over 100 domestic and international destinations from its main hubs in Sydney, Brisbane, and Melbourne. Qantas also flies to all habitable continents.
Qantas has several subsidiaries, including QantasLink, Qantas Loyalty, Qantas Freight, Jetstar, and Jetconnect. The airline and its subsidiaries operate a fleet that includes Airbus, Boeing, Bombardier, Embraer, and Fokker aircraft. As of March 2025, the parent company, Qantas, has over 120 active aircraft, with an additional 60+ on order.
Qantas is a full-service airline offering a range of amenities, including free checked luggage, meals and snacks, personal entertainment screens, and more onboard. It is also one of the founding members of Oneworld, a major global alliance that includes airlines like Qatar Airways, Cathay Pacific, British Airways, and American Airlines. Additionally, Qantas has a loyalty program called Qantas Frequent Flyer, allowing members to earn status points and miles when flying with the airline or through its non-airline partners.
As the third-oldest airline in the world, based on its foundation date (behind only KLM and Avianca), Qantas consistently ranks among the World’s Safest Airlines, a distinction it has maintained since the awards’ inception in 2014.
Do you want to know the difference between a full-service & a low-cost airline? Check out my previous post detailing the differences of these 2 types of airlines.
Airfare & Inclusions
Since this was a work trip, I did not pay for the flights. The company booked my ticket a little over three months before the planned trip and paid around ₱XX,XXX for the round trip. The fare was on the expensive side because it included a cancellation option for a minimal charge. Our company opted not to choose the cheaper, non-refundable fare.
The Qantas ticket included a 7-kilogram carry-on allowance, a 30-kilogram checked baggage allowance, inflight meals and snacks, inflight amenities, personal entertainment screens on both flights, and excellent service from the onboard cabin crew.
This was the usual Qantas fare for a round trip to and from Sydney. I have flown with other airlines, like Cebu Pacific Air and Singapore Airlines, which sometimes offer cheaper fares to Sydney.
In case you missed it, I post reviews & features of my flights since June 2019. I’ve covered airlines such as EVA Air, Indonesia Air Asia, Emirates, Singapore Airlines, Philippine Airlines, and Cebu Pacific Air. All posts about these flights are found under the Flight Reports category.
Travel Requirements
Regular Philippine passport holders are required to obtain a visa to enter Australia. Since I was traveling for work, I applied for the Visitor visa (subclass 600) under the Business Visitor visa stream. I submitted my visa application in July and was granted a visa with a five-year validity in less than 14 hours after the online submission, and within an hour of my biometrics appointment. The business visitor visa process is nearly identical to the tourist visa process, except for some additional required documents.
All departing Filipino passengers from Manila are required to fill out their details and obtain a QR code from the eTravel website.
I have applied for an Australian visa several times and explained the process in a previous Tuesday Tips post. You can find the details on how to apply for an Australian visa here.
Before The Flight
Four days before the flight, Qantas sent an email reminding passengers about the upcoming trip. The email included flight details, travel document requirements such as passport and visa, baggage information, and other ancillary services like seat selection, special requests, a reminder about Qantas Frequent Flyer, and information about the Qantas mobile application.
24 hours before the flight, I received a notification from the mobile app that online check-in was now open for my flight. I did not check in online, as I was flying with a group of work colleagues, and we all agreed to check in together at the airport.
Aircraft & Flight Information
This Manila to Sydney Qantas flight was operated by a 20-year-old Airbus A330-303 aircraft (at the time of the flight). Delivered to the airline in October 2004, the plane is registered as VH-QPD and is named Port Macquarie. It features 28 lie-flat business class seats and 269 regular economy seats.
Flight QF 20 took off from Ninoy Aquino International Airport at 9:08 p.m. local time, cruised at an altitude of up to 39,000 feet, and landed at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport at 6:26 a.m. local time. The flight lasted 7 hours and 18 minutes.
Ground & Airport Experience
Qantas operates out of Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3.
CHECK-IN & BAG DROP
My colleagues and I began lining up for check-in at 4:40 p.m. Due to Australia’s strict border policies, all our luggage underwent a security check before we were allowed to proceed to the check-in and bag drop counters.
Check-in and bag drop were quick and easy after the security check. It took me less than 5 minutes to complete everything. The entire check-in process, from lining up to receiving my boarding pass, took 20 minutes.
PRE-DEPARTURE
My colleagues and I cleared immigration and security (which took an hour) after the bag drop and headed straight to the PAGGS Lounge for dinner. My locally issued credit cards grant complimentary access to this lounge—no payment needed.
After dinner, we went directly to Gate 115. There, we underwent another security check and discovered that liquids, such as bottled water, are not allowed. We sat down and waited for boarding.
BOARDING
At 7:55 p.m., the ground staff announced boarding for premium passengers and status holders. They also called those traveling with infants and senior citizens.
Economy class passengers were asked to board by row. At 8:25 p.m., the cabin crew closed the airplane doors. The entire boarding process took 30 minutes. The plane was pushed back at 8:41 p.m. and made its way to the runway for takeoff.
Inflight Hard & Soft Product
SEAT FEATURES
This Manila to Sydney flight was operated by a 20-year-old (at the time of the flight) Airbus A330-300 aircraft. It features 28 lie-flat business class seats in a 1-2-1 configuration and 269 regular economy seats in a 2-4-2 layout.
According to SeatGuru, each lie-flat business class seat has a seat pitch of 73 inches and a seat width of 23 inches. Each seat offers spacious legroom, a large entertainment screen, a seat console, and several storage spaces. It also includes a large pillow, blanket, and noise-canceling headphones. The business class section consists of 7 rows in a 1-2-1 configuration, providing each passenger with aisle access.
The middle and rear sections of the aircraft have 269 standard economy seats in a 2-4-2 layout. Each economy seat has a seat pitch of 31 inches and a seat width of 17 inches. Each seat is equipped with a personal entertainment screen, a foldable tray table, a coat hook, a USB charging port, a power outlet beneath the seats, and small under-screen storage space. Each seat also features an adjustable headrest, a pillow, a blanket, and a seatback pocket containing an aircraft safety card, magazine, duty-free pamphlets, and headphones. Additionally, the seats have individual air vents and a cabin crew call button.
For this overnight flight to Sydney, I was assigned seat 48A in the rear economy cabin. I found Qantas’ seats to be just right. I appreciated having a pillow and blanket on the seat, though I was not pleased with my seat’s faulty recline function.
INFLIGHT MEAL & SNACKS
The cabin crew began dinner service immediately after reaching cruising altitude. They first served cashew nuts and a bottle of water to each economy class passenger. The dinner service was briefly paused due to turbulence.
Once the seatbelt sign was turned off, the crew quickly resumed service. They offered three options: noodles with vegetables, pork with rice, and chicken with tomatoes. Each main meal came with a hot garlic bread roll, ice cream, wooden cutlery, and a drink of choice. I chose the pork with rice and apple juice as my drink. The cabin crew did not conduct a second drink service; instead, it was available upon request.
Midway through the flight, the cabin crew went around offering chocolates and drinks to those who were awake. An hour and a half before landing, they offered a breakfast snack to passengers still awake. They served a hot mango turnover and a drink of choice, which for me was apple juice.
Qantas ensured that passengers were well-fed throughout this overnight flight to Sydney.
INFLIGHT ENTERTAINMENT
All Qantas aircraft used on international flights are equipped with entertainment screens. The airline offers a wide variety of entertainment options, including movies, television shows, audiobooks, and music playlists.
The entertainment system also displays the inflight map, flight path, and updated flight details leading to arrival in Sydney. I found the touchscreen system to be responsive throughout the flight. I did not watch anything, but instead, I kept the inflight map displayed for the duration of the flight.
INFLIGHT CONNECTIVITY
The aircraft used for this flight was not equipped with Wi-Fi at the time, which means we did not have Wi-Fi connectivity during the flight to Sydney.
LAVATORY
I visited the rear lavatory and found it to be spotlessly clean. The lavatory had toothbrushes and sanitary napkins available for guests who needed them. However, it did not have moisturizer, sanitizer, or perfume, which are typically provided by other airlines, like Singapore Airlines.
Cabin Crew Encounters
The cabin crew on this flight were friendly and relaxed. They even engaged in casual conversations with some of the passengers during the meal service.
One cabin crew member accidentally spilled water on my friend during the breakfast snack service. She immediately apologized and offered napkins to clean up the spill.
Disembarkation & Luggage Claim
The plane touched down at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport at 6:25 a.m. local time. Disembarkation and immigration took about 25 minutes.
We were already at the baggage claim area before 7:00 a.m. and received our bags in no time.
Flight Experience
I had a generally pleasant experience on this overnight Qantas flight from Manila to Sydney. The flight had both positive and not-so-positive aspects. Allow me to break it down for you.
Let us start with the good aspects. First, in a world where checked luggage allowances are often limited to 23 or 25 kilograms, Qantas offers a generous 30-kilogram allowance for checked luggage, regardless of fare class.
Second, the seat amenities on their Airbus A330 provided the right comfort for an overnight flight like this. Although the seats were not as thickly padded as those on Cathay Pacific, they included a pillow and a warm blanket. Additionally, each seat had individual air vents that passengers could adjust during the flight.
Third, the airline made sure passengers had access to snacks in case they got hungry during the flight. Lastly, the cabin crew service was relaxed and friendly. The crew were not rushed and even engaged in small talk with passengers during the meal service.
Now, for the not-so-good aspects. The cabin temperature was on the warmer side during boarding and until takeoff. It only normalized once we were airborne. Second, my seat did not recline at all, which made it difficult to sleep comfortably during the flight.
Lastly, I expected more from the dinner service. They only served the main dish, a bread roll, ice cream, and a drink of choice, after offering nuts and water as a pre-dinner snack. Other airlines like Singapore Airlines, on their flights to Sydney, include a salad or fruit bowl and butter for the bread roll in their meal service. I recently flew Cathay Pacific from Tokyo Haneda to Hong Kong on a 4-hour flight, and I noticed the airline served more (in the main meal service) than what Qantas provided on this 7-hour flight to Sydney. Stay tuned for that flight report!
In summary, my first experience with Qantas was a mix of positives and areas for improvement. The generous 30-kg luggage allowance, comfortable seating, and friendly crew were highlights, but the warm cabin temperature and limited dinner service were drawbacks. While I would consider flying with them again if the price is right, I am more likely to choose another airline for a better overall experience.
Here are the geeky details of this flight from Manila to Sydney on Qantas QF 20:
Airline: Qantas
Flight Date: 24 September 2024
Flight Number: QF 20
Route: Manila, Philippines (MNL) to Sydney, Australia (SYD)
Duration: 7 hours and 18 minutes
Seat Number: Seat 48A (window)
Aircraft: Airbus A330-303
Aircraft Registration: VH-QPD
Engines: 2 x General Electric CF6-80E1A3
Age: 20-years-old
Delivered: October 2004
Thank you for joining me in today’s flight report. I hope I gave you a comprehensive review of my first time flying with Qantas on their QF 20 route from Manila to Sydney. From the generous luggage allowance to the friendly crew and the comfort of their Airbus A330, I have shared the highlights and areas for improvement during my flight experience.
Have you flown with Qantas before? How was your experience with the airline? Are you considering booking a ticket with them for your next trip to Australia or beyond? If you have any questions or would like to know more, feel free to post them in the comments section below, or send them via e-mail to contact@thewkndtravel.com. I would be happy to respond!
I hope you will check out my previous flight reports with Singapore Airlines, as well as other airlines like Emirates, EVA Air, Cathay Pacific, Air France, Vietnam Airlines, Cebu Pacific Air, and Philippine Airlines. I also hope you look forward to more flight reports in the future.
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PS. Photos were taken using my OnePlus 9 Pro.