(Premium Economy continued from page 11)
SKI TO THE MOON
When astronaut Harrison Schmitt landed on the moon in 1972, he noted that
the mountainous edge of its Sea of Serenity would make an ideal spot for lunar
skiing holidays. Schmitt also reported that the sliding toe-push motion used in
cross-country skiing was the fastest way to move across the moon’s surface. A
future business endeavour for SpaceX CEO Elon Musk?
STRAP N’ SKI
This seems li ke something you’d see in
Jackass: The Movie. Picture popping on
a pair of skis and strapping yourself to
the fastest thing you can find – in this
case, a dog, a pair of dogs or a horse!
Skijoring, as it’s called, actually started
hundreds of years ago in Alaska and Scandinavia as a means of quick transport.
Now it’s a sport, with races held all around the world.
BLACK SWAN ON THE SLOPES
This is the sport to search for on Youtube – bizarre, beautiful and hilarious all
at the same time. Acroski – or ski ballet (essentially figure skating on snow with
skis) – is filled with jumps, spins and pole-assisted flips. The unconventional sport
made it to two Olympic Games as a demonstration event and we can see why –
it takes serious skill to keep from being impaled!
footrest, compared to 17.7 inches in
economy. Two inches might not sound like
much, but it feels like a world of difference
over 14 hours of fly-time (the new
Dreamliner apparently offers a staggering
22.8-inch wide seat). Seat backs have a
nine-inch recline, which is 50% more than
economy, but the real difference lies in the
seat pitch (that’s the distance between
the back of your seat and the back of
the one in front of you). Qantas Premium
Economy has a seat pitch of 38-42
inches compared to 31 inches and feels
luxuriously spacious without the boxed-in
feeling that defines the usual economy
experience. Not even the gangly teenager
sprawling out next to us while glued to his
phone could cramp our style.
Tray tables and inflight entertainment
screens are stored in the centre and side
consoles, which are wider and give you
extra elbowroom, adding to the feeling
of spaciousness. The large cotton pillows,
luxurious blankets and noise-cancelling
headphones all made the flight more
comfortable.
ON THE MENU
Neil Perry’s Rockpool Group has designed
a range of gourmet meals for Qantas
Premium Economy lunches and dinners,
while breakfast is continental. The menu
on our flight included dishes like red
duck curry with jasmine rice and baby
beans, along with a selection of premium
Australian wines. Superb.
When it’s time to eat, the flight
attendant covers your table with a linen
cloth and makes sure your glass is never
empty. It’s these small, personal touches
that make you feel even closer to the
sharp end of the plane.
THE VERDICT
So is it worth it? While that will always
depend on an person’s own budget and
needs, if you value comfort on a long-haul
flight, can afford the extra splurge or have
the points for an upgrade, we absolutely
recommend flying Qantas’ Premium
Economy. Just try not to look too smug as
the rest of the passengers file by.
MAKE MEMORIES FOR LIFE // 13