Originally Posted by Proud NB

OK, now that my plans have become a little clearer in the New Year, I've nutted out the basic route:

PER-BNE(QF)-LAX(QF)-JFK(QF)-BCN(IB)-ATH(IB)-LHR(BA)-DXB(BA)-HKG(CX)-SIN(CX)-PER(QF)

Which leaves me with just a couple of things I'm curious to hear opinions on from more seasoned hands...

I'm routing via BNE in part because my last trans-Pacific flight from LAX to SYD saw me sandwiched in a middle seat for 14 hours with almost no sleep, and also to avoid the more exorbitant SYD taxes.

After all the recent discussion regarding QF107, would it be possible to me to pick this up from LAX as a transit passenger to JFK? Considering that I am arriving on a QF flight, I think this would include it as an eligible option for me.

Are IB truly as dreadful as most people make them out to be? With the Eurovision Song Contest in Athens and the two-flight restriction from LHR to Eastern Europe/Middle East in place they're really my only hope of making it to Greece from the States! I would much rather fly AY via Helsinki, but they don't appear to go to Athens

Any comments would be appreciated.