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Best OW Route London/Australia Rtn in Economy

Best OW Route London/Australia Rtn in Economy

Old Feb 14, 2019, 1:56 pm
  #31  
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 973
Originally Posted by 1010101
It's brutal however you look at it and i would be swayed by aircraft more than airline.

- Qantas A380 all the way.
- BA A380 to HKG, window seat at the rear of the Upper Deck, connecting to CX A350.
- CX A350 all the way from LGW.

If you were flying J I'd love to try out the Qantas service to Perth and connect there but it would be unbearable in Y.
Agree, 17 hours in Y from LHR to PER is brutally punishing
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Old Feb 14, 2019, 2:00 pm
  #32  
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 973
Originally Posted by libertyuk
I'd agree, if you don't want to overnight, I'd do Qantas A380 all the way (it's via SIN), you're Silver so you get lounge access and you might just have enough time to shower at SIN before reboarding, otherwise BA A380 to SIN, then change ont the 777 to SYD, plenty of time to freshen up at the BA or QF lounge at SIN. Overnighting makes a difference, but bear in mind the BA and QF options via SIN are all overnight and all arrive in the morning in SYD, which makes it tricky to get a hotel room for early check in (unless you pay). Overnighting at HKG is better, as you can go BA to HKG on A380, then overnight at a hotel near the airport, then get the daytime CX flight to SYD (but I'd check if the 77W on that is now a 10 abreast one, which you should avoid).

The other option often ignored is JAL via Tokyo, JAL on a 787 (LHR-HND) is the most spacious economy class of any, with more seat pitch and the original 2-4-2 seat arrangement 787s were designed for (not the 3-3-3 all other airlines use), but then you have to change airports to NRT (but could overnight in Tokyo) to go JAL to SYD. Take your own entertainment, eat before the flights if you are not into Japanese options, but for seat comfort it is hard to beat.
Agree, hubby said 3-4-3 in Y in CX B77W were really bad, the seats were thin and narrow - extremely uncomfortable. 3-3-3 were more bearable.
I did read that the Y seats on JAL were more spacious. However, their fares from LHR to SYD (via TYO) in Y were really high - twice as much as BA, QF, CX
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Old Feb 14, 2019, 5:56 pm
  #33  
 
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Singapore
Programs: QF LTG, SQ EGTP, Bonvoy LTG
Posts: 4,834
If time pressed, and can''t do overnight stopover enroute, then +1 for morning departure from LHR and evening arrival into SYD, with the proviso of trying your hardest to stay awake for the last eight hours of the journey. . Options available on oneworld for that include MH, CX, QR and QF(via PER).
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Old Feb 14, 2019, 6:36 pm
  #34  
 
Join Date: Jan 2017
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 453
I do it fairly regularly and whichever option you go for, it's gonna hurt so aircraft choice is probably the most important. Especially in Y so I would go for either the BA11 and then onto the BA15 (which in summer down here arrives at 0600 not 0500) or the QFA380 (QF2) all the way. One of my best flights ever was on the QF2 LHR - SIN so definitely not a bad shout.
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Old Feb 17, 2019, 1:48 am
  #35  
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 973
Update: After discussing with hubby, we have booked his Y flights from LHR to SYD with red roo. We did look at the other OW airlines before deciding this. He was on CX in January and the densified Y seating on their B777 were brutally uncomfortable. CX still has the cheapest fares in March - 670 Y return. BA fares were higher than QF fares (750). QR fares were similar to QF but not all the flights were A380 - and there are more lounges in SIN than in DOH. Have read good reviews about JL Y seats, but their Y fares for some reason were sky high (over 1,500 ) With QF flights, hubby decided not to take QF1 and QF2 all the way, only from LHR to SIN and back on A380, and change to QF81 and QF82 from SIN to SYD and back - this will give him a little bit of time in the lounge at SIN to freshen up before / after the long flights. The upside of QF81 and QF82 is that in Y it is 2-4-2, and the downside is that the planes A332 are really old and the Y seats have not been refurb'ed like they did for the J seats.

PS - Forgot to say that I was able to use my amex offer 200 credit for 600 plus spend with amex travel We booked the flights through amex travel and they were the same fares as on QF website, but the amextravel website was very clunky. We could not find the flights we wanted at first, and had to jiggle a few times until they appeared.

Last edited by A1pax; Feb 17, 2019 at 1:52 am Reason: addl para
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Old Feb 17, 2019, 1:57 am
  #36  
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 629
I wouldnt even consider BA for Australia

CX252 connecting to.CX 139 works well. Assuming you can get up v early (c.4am UK) on departure day and sleep at c. 4/5pm UK on CX252 (staying awake on 139) should see you right.
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Old Feb 17, 2019, 2:15 am
  #37  
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Leicestershire, UK
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Posts: 656
If I was travelling in Y, I think QR would be my preference.

Granted, they may not be the cheapest (and I can appreciate this will be a factor for many travelling Y), but you're almost guaranteed a great hard and soft product.

CX would be my 2nd preference as I've had a good experience with them in the past.
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Old Feb 17, 2019, 2:19 am
  #38  
 
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 284
Originally Posted by A1pax
Agree, 17 hours in Y from LHR to PER is brutally punishing
I did three return trips on that route last year! I actually quite liked it, made the other leg of the flight seem short.
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Old Feb 17, 2019, 3:00 am
  #39  
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Programs: Complete Pleb, former BAEC Gold, former MH Silver
Posts: 194
Originally Posted by A1pax
With QF flights, hubby decided not to take QF1 and QF2 all the way, only from LHR to SIN and back on A380, and change to QF81 and QF82 from SIN to SYD and back - this will give him a little bit of time in the lounge at SIN to freshen up before / after the long flights. The upside of QF81 and QF82 is that in Y it is 2-4-2, and the downside is that the planes A332 are really old and the Y seats have not been refurb'ed like they did for the J seats.
Probably a little late for your hubby now, but for anyone else using this thread as a guide in the future, the additional lounge time is a good idea and allows for freshening up, however in my experience the Y seating on a QF A330 feels far more cramped than their A380.
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Old Feb 17, 2019, 6:19 am
  #40  
 
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: UK. BAEC AAdvantage
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Posts: 3,668
Originally Posted by marcosscriven


I did three return trips on that route last year! I actually quite liked it, made the other leg of the flight seem short.
Where did you fly onto afterwards? One of the things that puts me off is, for me, having to transfer to a domestic plane in Y for the 4 hours to get to the other side of the country, without all the benefits of an international plane, like the IFE etc.
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Old Feb 17, 2019, 7:51 am
  #41  
 
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 284
Sydney - on the way there I didnt find it too bothersome. Luggage came out not long after clearing security. Then in Sydney you have one less delay to worry about.

On the way back your luggage goes through automatically.

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Old Feb 17, 2019, 8:23 am
  #42  
 
Join Date: Sep 2001
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Originally Posted by marcosscriven
Sydney - on the way there I didn’t find it too bothersome. Luggage came out not long after clearing security. Then in Sydney you have one less delay to worry about.

On the way back your luggage goes through automatically.


I suppose that is an upside, clearing customs at the first Australian port. I've always hated the change at SYD to/from International and Domestic terminals because of having to wait for the Qantas transfer bus. Is Perth any easier?
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Old Feb 17, 2019, 8:30 am
  #43  
 
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: UK. BAEC AAdvantage
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Posts: 3,668
Originally Posted by secretplantofightinflation
I wouldn’t even consider BA for Australia

CX252 connecting to.CX 139 works well. Assuming you can get up v early (c.4am UK) on departure day and sleep at c. 4/5pm UK on CX252 (staying awake on 139) should see you right.
Why the 4am wake up time? To make it to Heathrow or just to help acclimatise?

I've taken CX252 before and the only annoying thing for me was having to fight with the morning commuters on the tube for the first half of the journey.

I've taken CX354 from Gatwick before (same departure time), and about to do it again this week. Last time I stayed in a hotel overnight because it was in the middle of a 2 day rail strike. Staying in a hotel again as I got an amazing 35 deal at the Premier inn. Don't plan to get up til around 7, breakfast around 8, and check in at 9ish. Going to BNE and arrival is 11.20pm so no probs getting to sleep when we land!! Just got nearly 6 hours to kill at the Premium Plaza lounge at HKG to try not to sleep too much in!
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Old Feb 17, 2019, 8:35 am
  #44  
 
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: UK. BAEC AAdvantage
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Posts: 3,668
Originally Posted by A1pax
Update: After discussing with hubby, we have booked his Y flights from LHR to SYD with red roo. We did look at the other OW airlines before deciding this. He was on CX in January and the densified Y seating on their B777 were brutally uncomfortable. CX still has the cheapest fares in March - 670 Y return. BA fares were higher than QF fares (750). QR fares were similar to QF but not all the flights were A380 - and there are more lounges in SIN than in DOH. Have read good reviews about JL Y seats, but their Y fares for some reason were sky high (over 1,500 ) With QF flights, hubby decided not to take QF1 and QF2 all the way, only from LHR to SIN and back on A380, and change to QF81 and QF82 from SIN to SYD and back - this will give him a little bit of time in the lounge at SIN to freshen up before / after the long flights. The upside of QF81 and QF82 is that in Y it is 2-4-2, and the downside is that the planes A332 are really old and the Y seats have not been refurb'ed like they did for the J seats.

PS - Forgot to say that I was able to use my amex offer 200 credit for 600 plus spend with amex travel We booked the flights through amex travel and they were the same fares as on QF website, but the amextravel website was very clunky. We could not find the flights we wanted at first, and had to jiggle a few times until they appeared.
I used JAL several time in the past and they used to do some good offers. Weirdly, I went out for 599 (nearly 2 decades ago!) and my other half was going to join me in Tokyo on the way back for a stop over, but that was 799! He came out to Australia for a week before we went to Tokyo on the way back. I don't use them only because they don't fly direct to BNE which is my destination of choice. But if they ever did, and they had decent fares, I'd consider them.

Good use of the AMEX offer by the way! When ever those deals come up I never seem able to use them!!
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Old Feb 17, 2019, 10:23 am
  #45  
 
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 284
Originally Posted by dddc
I suppose that is an upside, clearing customs at the first Australian port. I've always hated the change at SYD to/from International and Domestic terminals because of having to wait for the Qantas transfer bus. Is Perth any easier?
yes as theres no transfer at all. The international gate is just in the domestic terminal, with its own little security setup.
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