Australia, New Zealand & the South Pacific - Need advise on air travel to Australia

My wife and I are planning a 3 weeks trip to Australia in March 2005. We are traveling from New York to Sydney (or Melbourne) and plan to fly within Australia to two or three destinations. We heard about the “QANTAS AIRPASS FROM $999" but from NY in March it’s about 1,800 per person for flights between Melbourne, Sydney, Cairns etc.

We can get tickets to Sydney and back for about US $1,000 per person

Questions:

Is there another airline that will compete with Qantas (cheaper)?

Is there another airline that does have a Airpass in Australia

Any suggestions to reduce the travel costs?

Thank you for helping.

See if you can get a stopover in SYD included as part of ticket from US to MEL (or vv).

If airpass is too expensive, book flights on www.qantas.com.au or www.virginblue.com.au or jetstar (qantas low cost subsidiary).

As long as do it far enough in advance (and doesnt coincide with holidays - watch out for Easter), then should be able to pick up fairly cheap flights.

Hey, I dont think any other airline offer it. However, Cathay Pacific and Malaysian Airlines have them as "optional" destinations with other fees.

You should definately try emirates. They fly New York - Dubai - Sydney, and you will get the brand new A340-500 on both legs, which is a truly amazing aircraft especially in F/J. I think it should be roughly $1100 or so

Other airlines that fly the routes are

Cathay Pacific
American Airlines
British Airways
Singapore Airlines - Also an excellent aircraft (NYC - SIN, but watch out... its a 17 or so hr flight)
United Airlines

btw if you are travelling during March Break (March 11th till 29th or so) then $1100 is a great price

Hope this helps

There are plenty other airlines also with one or two stop connections.

Just to enhance on what has already been said, for the trans-Pac I would be looking at the following:

Qantas

PTV's in economy.
Australised service (to get you into the mood)

United
More leg room if you have status
No PTV's, which will affect your sleep if they are showing a movie.

Air New Zealand
No PTV's
Much more legroom throughout the entire WHY cabin - about 3" more, IIRC.

So whilst I will always choose Qantas (based on FF affiliations) you might wish to consider these points when choosing your fare (i.e. if you don't have any affiliations yourself - both UA and NZ are in Star Alliance, Qantas is part of oneworld).

As for your inter-Australian flights, I would second what has been said before, and go for cheap fares on-line. Bear in mind though that these fares are non-refundable, they are changeable upon payment of a $33 fee as well as the cost of upgrading to the next fare class if the class you are booked in is unavailable on your new flight (I am not talking Y-->J here, but within the various fare buckets for Y).

It will still probably work out cheaper than going down the Kangaroo AirPass route.

Dave

Not relevant for the OP, but for anyone else travelling later. Air NZ is revamping long haul product from mid 2005 (expected to take 1 year to complete). New premium economy and business/first sections, and PTVs with AVOD in all classes.

Australised service (to get you into the mood)
Just curious... I flew NZ to Australia, UA from Australia, and QF and DJ within Australia. What exactly is "Australised" service?

I'm having visions of menus that include the inevitable "shrimp on the barbie" and guest appearances of Steve Irwin finding animals on the plane and screaming "crikey!" -- please tell me I'm mistaken. :D

Just curious... I flew NZ to Australia, UA from Australia, and QF and DJ within Australia. What exactly is "Australised" service?

I'm having visions of menus that include the inevitable "shrimp on the barbie" and guest appearances of Steve Irwin finding animals on the plane and screaming "crikey!" -- please tell me I'm mistaken. :D

Typo - was meant to be "Australianised".

Dave

Typo - was meant to be "Australianised".

Dave
I was just curious what you meant by that term -- do you mean having an Australian crew, or something else?

I was just curious what you meant by that term -- do you mean having an Australian crew, or something else?

Pretty much.

An example is the service provided by crews on SQ or CX - very aloof, very proper. Some call it "professional", I call it "subservient".

My Australian upbringing will not allow me to enjoy service from a crew pandering all over me like I was the King of England, even in Y.

The thing I like about Qantas is that the service is far more relaxed. It gets done, but you don't get the fawning subservience that some other (mainly Aisan) airlines will give you.

Make no doubt, the will still be utterly professional, but they will also be very relaxed at the same time.

As for service, you will HAVE to try Vegemite with your breakfast - the cabin crew should have some. Put a very VERY VERY small smattering on your toast, and I think you will enjoy it. You will only get this on QF flights however.

Dave

I was just curious what you meant by that term -- do you mean having an Australian crew, or something else?
There are a few little things that QF do in the air that come under the category of "Australianised":
Operate the flight using metric time from the time you board the aircraft. The FA's will be happy to assist in converting to metric time and can provide a brochure on how to convert from the old time system still used in the USA to metric time used in Australia - just ask for it.
Catering trolleys are pushed on the left hand side of the aisle instead of the right hand side. This may help to adjust to the driving conditions that you will experience in Australia
The flight attendant will greet you upon boarding with a "g'day mate". This is done to monitor the reaction of the passenger to determine how much Australianisation is required during the flight
You will be able to watch at least one episode of "Cath and Kim" on the in-flight entertainment system - essential viewing to learn how to conduct yourself in Australia
Vegemite is available for those in need (like me)
The toilets and basins are shaped to ensure the water circulates anti-clockwise at all times, even while in the northern hemisphere
Australian wines and beers available on board (complementary in all classes)
Headphones for IFE system have the left and right channels reversed for use in the southern hemisphere, enhancing the Australianisation of the flight experience from the beginning
Printed material uses the internationally recognised English spelling, not the US-specific sub-version called US-English
The in-flight magazine, The Australian Way, includes information that may be of interest and actually assist visitors to Australia
The small drawer under the basin in the toilets (lavatory for those needing translation to US-English) contains eucalyptus leaves for those who wish to experience wiping oneself per the Aussie Outback. If the supply of leaves has been consumed by others, just push the orange call button and ask the FA for a fresh supply.
I hope this helps explain the "Australianisation" (or Australianization for those needing US-English translation) of the flight experience. Apologies in advance for Dave's keyboard damage ...

You will be able to watch at least one episode of "Cath and Kim" on the in-flight entertainment system - essential viewing to learn how to conduct yourself in Australia

You can also watch Kath and Kim if you want. Similar show, but better.

"shrimp on the barbie"

Why anyone would put a small person on a plastic doll is beyond me [unless you're into that type of stuff......]

As for service, you will HAVE to try Vegemite with your breakfast - the cabin crew should have some. Put a very VERY VERY small smattering on your toast, and I think you will enjoy it. You will only get this on QF flights however.



A word of warning, Vegemite is very much an acquired taste. The closest thing that I have tasted that is in similar strain is Marmite in England. It might be wise to leave it to the end of your breakfast in case you don't like it...

Oh - vegemite is great! (And I'm an American saying this....) Just be sure your portion is quite small, and there is lots of butter on your toast as well :-)

And thanks to NM for the Australianization information - it will clearly help me appreciate my next flight even more! :-P

Note: $999 is prior to taxes and is from LAX. Also the three flights will not take you to the Red Centre, far north queensland, perth (southeastern australi only inlcuding tasmania)

I was just curious what you meant by that term -- do you mean having an Australian crew, or something else?

My last Virgin Blue flight I was in row #1. (You pay extra but worth it for the leg room!)

FA's passed the time before take off by opening the toilet door near cabin, and passing 2 rolls of toilet paper to first person in each row.

Idea was to pass it backwards till it reached the back, and then FA flushed the loo.

Little things like that you do not see on BA, SQ or LH etc. ;)

FA's passed the time before take off by opening the toilet door near cabin, and passing 2 rolls of toilet paper to first person in each row.
They were too busy pushing Sir Richard's book on my SYD-MEL and MEL-SYD flights to play such games.