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amok

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Hi
Can anyone recommend an airline and route to use for two midddle aged young at hearts ! hoping to go to Oz for three weeks. I have looked at the web sites and cannot make up my mind. If there is a stop for a couple of hours, do you get off the plane? We do not want to stop over for a night anywhere if possible.

Amok
 
Have done it from Dublin through:

London-Singapore-Sydney (BA/Qantas)
London-Tokyo-Sydney (JAL)
Abu Dhabi-Sydney (Ethiad)

And would recommend the last one as there is only one stop, Ethiad were quality and as I joined the frequent flyer club I got upgraded to Business class- champers and lobsters all the way!
Having said that I love south East Asia and some of the cities are well worth a couple of days stop over. Not much to see in Abu D and it is possible to do a 2/3 hour stopover, though you will always change plane on this route, some of the airline that go through the Asian hubs just refuel and take on extra passengers so you can stay on the plane or stretch your legs, don't like this option as it is tough going as well as the fact that there is so much to see in those stop over destinations.
Enjoy Oz its a bloody great place!
 
Hi Amok,
Sorry if I am hijacking your thread but I would really appreciate some info on this trip too. I have been advised by many to use Etihad, direct from Dublin to Abu Dhabi and then onto Sydney with just a 2 hour stopover in Abu Dhabi.

Other friends have said this is mad and it would be much better to overnight in Singapore and fly Singapore Airlines.

A son of a friend of mine went backpacking recently to Oz and used Etihad. He had a stopover in Singapore (that he did not realise at the time of booking) but remained on the aircraft for 2 hours during refuelling.

I am only planning on a 2 week holiday so I would like to fly direct.
 
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Other friends have said this is mad and it would be much better to overnight in Singapore and fly Singapore Airlines.
Click to expand...

If its about time Etihad wins hands down-
dub-abu dhabi 7 hrs approx
stop over 2 hrs approx
abu dhabi- sydney 13 hrs approx
total 22 hours

Through asia
dub-London 1 hrs
stop o 2 hrs
Lon-singapore/hong kong/bangkok 13hrs
stopover 2 hrs (min)
singapore/hong kong/bangkok- Sydney 7hrs
total 25 hrs approx

So while there is not much in it time wise, Ethiad wins so I can't really see how taking longer to get there and taking one more plane is mad ;)
 
sideswipe said:
London-Tokyo-Sydney (JAL)
Click to expand...


Actually Sideswipe, London-Tokyo using JAL sounds an interesting option and one I had not considered before. Are JAL good to fly with? How do they compare to SQ or Etihad?

Totally agree with you. I flew LHR- HKG last month and felt I could easily have connected straightaway onto Sydney but my "mad" friends tell me, an overnighter helps fight jetlag!
 
Flew with Etihad Dublin- Sydney couple of years ago. Didn't have the option of a 2 hour stopover, had to stay overnight and booked into the hotel in the airport which worked well, as otherwise we would have had to sit in the airport for hours so would recommend booking a room. There were people being turned away at the time as they were full. You don't even leave the airport to get into it, it's basically in the arrivals hall.

Etihad were fine to fly with, I had thought they'd be really good but they were just ok. If i was going again for longer (last time we went for 3 weeks) I would definitely fly Singapore Airlines through Singapore and stay there for a couple of days there and back. If you only have 3 weeks go with Etihad, fastest way to get there so you have the longest time in Sydney...

M
 
we went with qantes with a stop in singapore for 1.5 hours. and then onto sydney (8hrs from singapore). cheapest flight at the time of booking and no complaints.
 
Actually Sideswipe, London-Tokyo using JAL sounds an interesting option and one I had not considered before. Are JAL good to fly with? How do they compare to SQ or Etihad?
Click to expand...

I flew with them a good few years ago now but they were excellent, I also flew with Thai Airlines once and found them very good. I suppose I favour Ethiad because they upgraded me but also prefer the seat config which is 2-4-2 which means you can get a window seat and there will only be the 2 of ye, some of the others have 3-4-3 which Can be a little less comfortable when it comes to waking people to use the the loo or worse being woken.
 
amok said:
Thanks all - it looks like Etihad wins out!
amok
Click to expand...

Amok, you won't be disappointed with Etihad, I usually fly twice /year with them & I am never disappointed plus they've just opened a dedicated terminal for themselves in Abu Dhabi last year.

Some good shopping to be had for the missus in the terminal bring a big fat credit card.

btw do you intend to redeem Etihad air miles for this trip?
 
knealecat said:
we went with qantes with a stop in singapore for 1.5 hours. and then onto sydney (8hrs from singapore). cheapest flight at the time of booking and no complaints.
Click to expand...
Qantas is run for it's staff/unions and not customers. Their crew are positively hostile towards customers and their ground crew will ground an aircraft on 'safety' grounds purposely to protest against outsourced maintenance among under things. You're better off sticking with an airline run on a commercial basis like Singapore.
 
I'm pretty sure that if you go via Japan there's a forced overnight in Tokyo on the way back with most airlines (they'll usually pay for the hotel included in the fare) ... While it looks on a map a long way out of the way compared with Singapore/BKK it's actually not that much further distance wise.
 
I also flew with Ethihad and was really impressed with the service and food etc. I have gone long haul on other airlines and it was not nearly as good as Ethihad. Plus since we only went for 3 weeks Ethihad was best for getting there quickest. Going over we had a 1 night stopover (definitely get a hotel room the airport is not one to sit around in all night) Anyway the airline actually paid for our hotel, once landed we went to customer service desk and collected vouchers for a taxi, the hotel and the dinner in the hotel. We had arranged this before going by contacting Ethihad. It worked out very well for us, we landed late at night, went to hotel, next morning we went back for flight to Sydney. Coming home we had just a couple of hours stopover which was fine and meant we got back quicker. I would definitely go Ethihad again.
 
try Virgin out of Heathrow. excellent to fly with. customers are valued. price was similiar to all the other airlines. Direct Heathrow to Hong Kong - 3 hrs off the plane to have quick look around the airport, and then on to Sydney. Got upgraded to Premium for one leg (dunno how or why but didn't question it) so was delighted with them. 2 - 4 - 2 seat configuration as well.
 
go pretty much every year to Perth and always use SIngapore Airlines. Aunt used Ethiad to go back from here to there and the return flights wasn't booked (from Abu Dhabi). There was an unaccompanied minor on borad who could not contact anyone and my aunt ended up having to pay her fare. Although the child's father bpaid her back later it was a stressful experience!
 
I am hoping to go Nov/Dec for a wedding and this has been a really helpful thread. I have requested quotes from several travel agents and I have been looking at flights myself, the cost does not seem to differ much. How far in advance of travel would you recommend booking tickets? Thanks for any help.
 
Amok you get off the 'plane in Abu Dhabi, for just enough time to have a quick scoot around the duty free ;)
Enjoy your trip, you will love Australia.
 
You won't go wrong with Singapore Airlines

Although, I haven't gone to Oz, I have travelled with them to Vietnam via Heathrow and Singapore. Flew on the new A380 which is a spectacular aircraft. The staff are the most efficient and friendly I have ever come across; the meals are second to none and the Video on Demand had a huge choice of films/tv/games; the 13 hours between Heathrow and Singapore just flew.

Also Singapore is a really nice city for a 2/3 day stopover
 
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