*A inter-continental cover in the South Hemisphere....
 

Hello,

Just back in ADL (arrived sunday) from my RTW trip and I am already thinking about the next one.
I am considering going to Brazil to visit relatives during Xmas time and was contemplating taking a RTW ticket again. The problem is that, although *A has 3 southern hemisphere based airlines (RG, NZ, AN) none of them fly between continets without crossing the equator. Until 1998 RG used to fly GRU-JNB-BKK-HKG, which was very very convinient but since the ASIA+Russia economic crisis they don't do that anymore ... maybe now , that they are recovering from the currency devaluation and should be receiving new 777's they'll start that again , I don't know. For now , the only link are the SAAirways flights from GRU-JNB (overnight) JNB-PER-SYD.

On the pacific side, since 1999 Qantas flies from SYD to BUE via AKL, the same route Aerolineas Argentinas fly using brand new A340. Qantas/LanChile also fly from SYD to SCL via PPT. OW has clear advantage on this sector.
So,

Has anyone heard anything if AirNZ is planning to fly to South America or Varig is planning to resume its South Hemisphere Asia service (they fly to Tokyo/Nagoya via LAX) ?

Any other *A links of that kind planned ? (Singapore?)

You might have pictured the problem by now ...to get a RTW trip from Australia to Brazil has to be via Japan/LAX and Europe, that rules out RTW-Lite(26000) and Star1(29000). So it means I'd need Star2 ($$$) ...
or worse,... would have to fly OW ! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif

Have I missed any possibilities or is that it ?! >(


ThanX

MMM

I am in a planning stage of something similar (starting/ending in Zurich) - as I have never been to South Africa yet. But my planning may take another month or so.

I will have to start studying Austrian Airlines (including Lauda and Tyrolian) and Singapore Airlines and the new Mexican *Alliance partner's networks first (and may be taking into account TG's possibly leaving *Alliance).

I will share my (intermediate) planning-results here - please do so too. Thank You.

Rudi:

The only negative about OS is that they have very limited flights to South Africa. They only have 3 flights a week to JNB - relative to others not very many. Your regular carrier - LH would probably be your best bet. From S. Af. on, SQ is very good and has regular flights. You could even do a stopover in Mauritius with them.

Just some thoughts. I know you know a lot more about this than I do after all. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

Leo.

Thanks for the replies. I'll have a look in OS flights to S.Am. ,... if they fly there ,.. I don't know.

Rudi: If I come across anything interesting , I'll post it here.


MMM

OS does not fly to Latin America. They may have in the past using DL / SR, but not for much longer. One nice thing about OS is that it is one of the few European airlines to fly directly to Nepal - no other European airline that I'm aware of does this.

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Cheers.

Leo.

leroy ,..

thanks for the info about OS. However, regarding Lauda Air, I'm sure I've seen one of their planes at Rio's GIG airport (charter maybe?).

MMM

[This message has been edited by MMM (edited 02-14-2000).]