15 hours of delay and transit from Sydney to Osaka

Here we are again, continuing the journey from Australia to Osaka on flight JQ19.

We had bought direct flight tickets from Qantas very early during the year, before the oxygen tanks explosions, before the plunging flight incident. Then sometime in September, Qantas announced that they wouldn’t be flying into Japan anymore. Qantas then emailed to inform us that we’ll have to do a stopover in Sydney, then continue the journey with Jetstar from Sydney to Gold Coast and finally Osaka. At Sydney, the Jetstar flight was 2½ hours late, delaying the flight by around the same time. Jetstar, being Jetstar, didn’t bother flying faster to make up for the delay.

Nonetheless, we thought the service on Jetstar wasn’t too bad for a budget airline mainly because we boarded the plane with no expectations, and there’s actually no service unless you requested for it. The attendants were pleasant and genuine unlike Singapore Airlines – where a male flight attendant rolled his eyes when we told him we’d like some more tea.

We’re miffed having to endure the multiple stopovers, and the delay – which meant by the time we arrived in Osaka, most kitchens will be closed and our choices for dinner will be so limited.

However, the overall Jetstar experience was fine, and we arrived in Osaka safe.

Left to right, top to bottom

• Sydney airport, a female tradie takes a mannequin from behind
• Departing Sydney
• Taking off from Sydney
• Departing Gold Coast
• Aerial view of Gold Coast
• Gold Coast to Osaka
• Naoki, 6 hours into the flight
• Giant ferris wheel close to Kansai airport in Osaka