Trip report: Jetstar 787 Business Class Honolulu to Sydney
I'm not sure what I expected from flying Business Class with Jetstar. On the one hand, it is very definitely a low cost airline, with a paid for menu and everything costs extra, unless you're in Business that is. On the other hand, it's the low cost offshoot of Qantas. Which should mean it has a quality pedigree.
Certainly, if you hunt for Business Class on many booking websites, the Jetstar flights come up, and are way cheaper than it's parent Qantas, or Hawaiian Airlines, which I have also reviewed, who also fly the route. Typically Jetstar is $1500AUD for a one way flight in Business Class, but as low at $1100 on some days, compared to about 3000 to 7000USD for the direct competitors, however there is no indication as to the difference of equipment on the route. Delta and United also fly via LAX, and AA offer some very competitive prices in Premium Economy, but with a seat looking identical and with the same pitch as Jetstar offer. Hence, I did have a suspicion that some passengers might have booked, being unware of the difference of what was on offer.
The business class seat is advertised as being a full leather recliner seat width with a pitch at 38 inches and a seatback TV screen, which is identical to Premium Economy on most carriers.
First though there was the early morning departure to get through, which meant a cab at 5 in the morning for a 6am check in and a 9am departure. After those fun and games, I wandered into the terminal, which has an unusual inside-outside design. Like a few terminals - Barbados, and Koh Samui come to mind - Honolulu airport is mainly outside and exposed to the elements. However, on a glorious morning like today, that didn't matter so much.
There was a long and winding queue for Jetstar, but thankfully a straight down the line aisle for Business Class led me to the check in desk. However, the other passengers had different ideas, and as I sauntered down this fast track, a woman with a very loud voice in the queue next to me flung out an arm to stop me, and yelled that it was for First Class only, and I didn't look like a First person. Fed up with that nonsense I told her no, of course I wasn't in First. A Jetstar flunky, heard the commotion, and came over, to have the woman pretty much spit at him that I wasn't in First. She grinned as I admitted I wasn't in First, and Jetstar didn't have First, but I was in Business Class, and a Platinum member to boot. He hurried me to the front of the desk, and stopped a couple just as they were finally getting to check in, just so he could issue me with a boarding card. I turned round to see the entire queue gobsmacked into silence.
I asked about lounge access, but I was curtly told that was for Business Max customers. When I pointed out I was in Max, there was a visible step back, and I was asked to check at the ticket desk for a voucher.
Jetstar Lounge Honolulu
In Hawaii Jetstar normally use the Qantas lounge, in the small concrete box (euphemistically called 'the hut') overlooking the Japanese gardens. However, with that being closed, Jetstar use the Honolulu Delta Sky Club lounge.
The Delta Sky Club at Honolulu airport is either one of the best lounges on the Delta network, or a miserable throwback to the 1990s in a dingy basement without any windows, depending on what you're used to.
There are a lot of seats, all with the rather generic Delta design of bucket arm chairs in baby blue plastic. At the time I was there, there was a merciful lack of customers, despite quite a few 'try it ons' coming up to the front desk every few minutes.
The staff were getting visibly fed up rejecting passengers in economy, and these were basic economy passengers with no status, and the front desk started rather bluntly telling passengers to go away.
As a result there were plenty of places to sit, and staff who seemed delighted to have a customer.
There was a fully staffed bar, and I was offered a welcoming Tropical Blue cocktail as soon as I entered, and an icecream, despite the earliness of the hour.
The bar had two beers on draft - Skinny Jeans IPA or Aloha Spirits Blonde - plus half a dozen wines and a somewhat more limited spirit collection.
Food is a little bit basic, with fruit salad, berry yoghurt, rissoles and pancakes. Plus hard boiled eggs.
A crew member came around to announce that the Jetstar flight was ready to board, and also went up to the one other customer. It seems not many people are buying the Business Max bundle, with lounge access, from Jetstar.
Jetstar 787 Business Class seat
There was a separate Business Class queue to board the aircraft, and I heard several commenting that they had paid extra to upgrade to Business Class, so they were determined to use it. Alas that rather set the tone for the rest of the flight.
The business class seat is advertised as being a full leather recliner seat width is a decent 19 inches (48.2 centimetres) and pitch is 38 inches (96.5 centimetres) with in-seat USB power and a seatback TV screen.
That seatback TV screen seems a little small - it is a mere 10 point 6 inches. There are also noise reducing headphones, which are better than you might expect. All entertainment is included in the fare if you pay for Business Class.
However, the seat seems like, and indeed it is, the old hard upright recliners you used to get on Thai, Lufthansa, indeed a whole host of carriers 20 year ago.
Jetstar has a 21-seat business section that translates to a two-three-two seating configuration, as opposed to a one two one layout which is normal today.
Still, if you treat it like premium economy, it's actually not too bad, although many other passengers were cooing over the 'Business' seat, and said it was their dream to travel in Business. I suspect they hadn't been up the pointy end much.
I also had a look at Economy. Behind Business there is a mini economy class cabin, and then at the back of the bus its a 3-3-3 layout, with a 30 inch pitch - that's really quite tight, and inch or two smaller than normal - and a 17 inch width.
In economy there is a 9 inch TV screen, and in the bulkhead seats there is much more legroom and a flip out IFE screen.
However for most passengers it's not turned on. In economy, you'll be paying to watch films or TV, and paying again for food, drink, a blanket, pillows, headphones. You name it.
Jetstar describes itself as operating in a "value-based market" - and that means paying for everything extra. No wonder that few a few hundred dollars more, many passengers were paying for business to get everything for free they'd be paying for in the cheap seats. Economy class starts at $390AUD, rising to $560 for the Max package including meals and Qantas points.
Back in Business, or at least what passes for Business on Jetstar, the perks had arrived. It was certainly novel to get a welcome glass of champagne on Jetstar.
It was clear that Jetstar are trying to make much of the small Business cabin.
For example every seat in the front cabin had a pillow and blanket - and not just any blanket, but what Jetstar insist is a 'comfy' blanket, these are the same ones you buy in the cheap seats, and you can take them home.
Right after takeoff, I was curious as to what more this rather random mix would bring service and food wise, Trans-Pacific.
Jetstar 787 inflight entertainment
Jetstar make much of the inflight entertainment system on their Boeing 787s.
In business there is the joy of that 10 point 6 inch touchscreen. It seems like a tiddler now, but a decade back when Qantas ordered these aircraft, it was almost decent sized.
There are a grand total 14 films and 66 television episodes loaded, which compared to other airlines in economy, really isn't much at all. However, the IFE system was broken, or at least badly loaded, and some genres just showed no content. On other occasions they seemed to start loading, and then just failed to play.
Games work, but they are not really the best selection either. There was some TV, but just a few random episodes of each TV series. Entertainment is updated every two months. Plus there's 85 hours of audio to choose from.
While the films are there, when you play them, the screen just goes back to the loading home page again.
I call over the crew, who try a reset of the system. That doesn't help, so they offer me anything I want from the snack menu as compensation - even though it's free anyway.
There are however some quite good noise reducing headphones.
Jetstar 787 amenity kit
There's an amenity kit, in a neat little pouch which is all branded Qantas.
Inside, it just has the necessities, with just basic Napoleon branded moisturiser, earplugs, toothbrush, socks and eyeshade.
Jetstar 787 business class service and meals
A dedicated crew for the small cabin means service is attentive and efficient. Within a few minutes of hitting the cruise, the one crew member dedicated to business class comes through the cabin and asks what each passenger would like for breakfast.
I notice that there is an economy class menu in the seat pocket, and ask them if any of the items are available, and rather surprisingly I'm told all the snacks in there are free in Business, once the main meal is served.
Maybe I'm particularly hungry given the early morning flight, but I find there's nothing that says budget airline about the business class meals, with breakfast served within 30 minutes of take off.
There's a choice of omelette and sausage, egg and beans, or a selection of bakery.
I go for the cheese omelette with chicken sausage, potatoes, roasted tomatoes and parley, all washed down with a cup of tea and apple juice. There's a passion fruit muffin on the tray, however the promised warmed sourdough with boutique butter turns into a slice of cold baguette that looks like it was a leftover from soup at an RSL club.
However, the omelette was far better than it looks, and the chicken sausage - a favourite of airlines - is actually edible, which is a distinct rarity.
Service was cheery and casually professional, with every single request met.
However the nervous flyer sitting next to me was very unimpressed with the bakery selection she was offered as the third selection on the menu, which turned out to be TWO fruit muffins and a Danish pastry. As opposed to the one, everyone receives.
Inflight, the windows are dimmed for most of the flight, and the crew won't let us control our own window shades.
I'm about to settle in for a snooze, so have a quick gin and tonic before I kip. However, I'm asked to change seats, and I'm woken up three times by either passengers or the crew: clearly, sleep is not something you do on Jetstar.
I am woken by the crew half way through the flight who are now offering drinks and lunch.
Lunch is a Cold chicken salad with pesto. It's really not bad at all - lots of flavour, lovely salad. However, it is icey cold, and comes with a cheap packed of pretzels and once again the cheap bagette.
There is also a cheesecake which is almost tolerable.
Wine is free flowing from lunchtime onwards.
Jetstar 787 business class drinks and wine
I'm not mad about the wine on board: the offers from the galley were chardonnay or shiraz without being able to name the vineyard, which is a bit sub par.
The wine is poured from full sized bottles, however it is poured the galley away from the cabin, so again it is impossible to guess the wine, and rather takes away the Business Class feel.
Beer is either Furphy, or Hahn Super Dry in cans.
The crew also make a mean Bloody Mary, which I got 'micro sized'.
Snacks are also available through the flight, on demand, however I notice noone else asks until I do, but once I do it's almost as if it occurs to the rest of the passengers they can ask for extra snacks. So they do.
Pringles, chocolate, crisps, and much of the economy class menu are available as snacks.
Jetstar 787 business class review
Jetstar offer low cost, no frills, Business Class long haul, for all of 10 hours from the US to Australia.
Jetstar may be a budget airline, but their business class manages to deliver food and service on par with more expensive carriers. The only thing missing is the lie-flat seat.
The business class seats on the Jetstar 787 aren't as private or as large as those on other carriers, but this shortcoming is mitigated by a decent crew, plus the tasty food and wine, and indeed a surprisingly good natured staff in the face of passengers who can be quite demanding.
Despite everything that's gone on in this flight, I can't escape the feeling that this is low cost no frills business class, done right.
There was one other perk, which I had to fight for, weeks after the flight. Despite being on a Business Max flight, I never received any Qantas points or status for the flight. After a long discussion with Qantas, when I had to send them my receipt (in my naivety I assumed Qantas could look up what they sold me, but no), I finally got my 15,000 miles, and 150 status credits. Not bad, for a low cost carrier.
See the full Trip report: Jetstar 787 Business Class Honolulu to Sydney video:
Lux-traveller paid its own way for this Trip report: Jetstar 787 Business Class Honolulu to Sydney, and travelled incognito.
| Trip report: Jetstar 787 Business Class Honolulu to Sydney | |
|---|---|
Lux-traveller.com rating: 6 out of10  | |
| Seats: | 4 - Standard premium economy seats |
| Food: | 6 - Better than expected |
| Service: | 7 - Decent, not exceptional |
| IFE: | 5 - OK, not the best |
Recommended
Trip Report: Singapore Airlines A350 to Sydney Business ClassOn Singapore Airlines Business Class A350 the regional version of the seat is fitted. We try it to Sydney, and check out the lounges and meals.
Trip Report: London to Doha Qatar Business Class A380Qatar A380 from London to Doha has great food and drinks, plus a brilliant onboard bar.
Trip report: British Airways First Class A380Great food and lounge for the British Airways in First Class on the A380
Trip Report: Southampton to Edinburgh British Airways Business ClassReviewing the BA Cityflyer Embraer 190 aircraft in Business Class.