Had this happen quite a few times, it's like winning the lottery. I've been told they do this to speed up the waiting time when they are not meeting their KPI's.

Want good service from FA's on a US airline? It's easy - be polite to them! American's are unbelievably rude to service staff and I have always found that if I use my manners (like I always do) by saying please and thank you for everything they treat you very well!

You must be on different planes to what I fly on, because I find the food in domestic J to be excellent, especially compared to QF. I still have dreams about the seafood mornay pie I once had flying to HTI!

I find VA lounges better by far, and I've used both extensively. I also find the cabin crew on VA flights are loads friendly and more attentive than those in QF. It does help that quite a few VA cabin crew now recognise me (and vice versa) because I see them so often.

I'm certain I read somewhere in recent months that VA's wifi is done through a deal with Optus. If so, it's a good thing Optus are not putting their name to it because it definitely is terrible no matter which lounge you use.