My partner Gary and I are not the type of people who can suffer a bad plane ride in order to reach a relaxing destination since we consider the plane ride as much a part of our vacation as the destination itself. If you know who Michael Oher is then you would pretty much have a sense of my size – built like a defensive football player and large enough that no coach seat is going to be comfortable for me (or for Gary as my shoulder usually finds its way into his space). I don’t consider business class a luxury; I consider it a necessity unless I want to begin my vacation with a sore back or with a sore husband! Our expectations for business class changed after taking the Qantas Airbus A380 on a nonstop flight from Los Angeles to Sydney.

First, there is no way to describe what it is like to see for the first time the A380 being pulled up to its gate. It is a beast – a shiny white building – with an enormous wingspan.  Given the number of people that an A380 can hold it was a feat in and of itself to get the plane fully loaded with passengers. The business class on the Qantas A380 is broken into sections. There was one large primary section and one secondary section behind it containing 12 additional seats. We were in the secondary section which consisted of two rows of seats sequestered in 2 seat increments. Gary and I were seated next to each other in two seats off to the right in the first row. The business class seats aren’t really seats – they are more appropriately called cocoons. Every seat is designed and shaped to provide maximum privacy if desired. The seat within the cocoon becomes a flat bed when moved down with electronic controls. Once flat, the top of the “bed” remains inside the confines of the cocoon shell decreasing noise and light disturbances should you wish to sleep. And sleep I did, only the second time I have done so on a plane.

By the time we departed our little section had filled up with 12 passengers. Given the amount of space between seats and rows the other passengers were barely noticeable and being in the secondary section of business class was like being in a very private section with almost no foot traffic in it. It was the most isolated I ever felt on a plane. The inflight entertainment options were excellent with many more movies, television shows and music options then anyway could possibly get through even during a fourteen hour flight. While I slept Gary spent the whole flight watching movies.

The food was uncharacteristically excellent for a plane ride. Qantas hired renowned Chef Neil Perry to create the meals on the A380.  It was the first time I had a meal on a plane that I raved about after the fact to anyone who would listen.  It consisted of poached sea bass on a bed of potato mash with asparagus. The sea bass was moist and delicious, the potatoes were succulent and the asparagus was piping hot with a slight crunch at the end of each bite. And the food just kept coming with food available to us at every moment of the flight. The flight crew was extremely generous and accommodating, helpful at every moment and extremely polite and considerate throughout the flight. They provided us with pajamas to change into for the flight and gently woke us up at pre-designated times with coffee and a full scale breakfast.

And perhaps the most unusual part of the experience – a full size bathroom in which I was able to stand up straight, turn around without touching the sides and change my clothes with ease.

Business class is not without its costs, but the Qantas A380 is an experience that I would recommend everyone try at least once.