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Creative ideas for Star from LHR to SYD/MEL?

Creative ideas for Star from LHR to SYD/MEL?

Old Mar 28, 2005, 10:22 am
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Creative ideas for Star from LHR to SYD/MEL?

I need to head to Aus from LHR this summer and am looking for a creative way to do this, in comfort obviously. I want to collect miles on Aeroplan, otherwise would prob look at BA ex-TIP in F which is prob the best deal around.

So far I am considering CAI-SYD/MEL on SQ in F for about 2500, or the ex-CAI RTW in C. Wondering if anyone has any other interesting ideas I am missing? I seem to remember I did get the lufthansa flight to give me a fare from TIP that was pretty good, but would only price in C rather than F.

All creative ideas much appreciated!
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Old Mar 28, 2005, 11:24 am
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The SQ flight CAI-DXB-SIN is usually a 773 that does not have Skysuites if F or Spacebeds in C. Also the price of a *A RTW ex-CAI is now not the bargain it once was .
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Old Mar 29, 2005, 10:58 am
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Originally Posted by FatBoyYVR
I need to head to Aus from LHR this summer and am looking for a creative way to do this, in comfort obviously. I want to collect miles on Aeroplan, otherwise would prob look at BA ex-TIP in F which is prob the best deal around.

So far I am considering CAI-SYD/MEL on SQ in F for about 2500, or the ex-CAI RTW in C. Wondering if anyone has any other interesting ideas I am missing? I seem to remember I did get the lufthansa flight to give me a fare from TIP that was pretty good, but would only price in C rather than F.

All creative ideas much appreciated!
Try appointing the services of a TA in London to get you imaginative (and unpublished fares) ways to get to Australia. You can try SQ, TG, OS.

Otherwise the ex-CAI fare sounds good.
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Old Mar 30, 2005, 4:30 pm
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Also NZ, AC, UA
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Old Mar 31, 2005, 9:14 am
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Thanks for the thoughts so far.

I am now looking at a RTW ex-Turkey (either Istanbul or Ankara) in business. I have found what seems to be an ok agent to ticket it, or can even do it in Canada when I am there soon.

However, I am struggling with routings..unfortunately I am on a Mac so the Star tool wont work, otherwise I would play with that.

Much as I hate to ask this, does anyone have any fairly simple but interesting routings to take me from IST through Asia to MEL (prob about a week or so on this, so more flying than stopping!). I will then want to come back prob to LAX, YVR - across to NYC and LHR then IST (if this is allowed). No real time constraints on way back.

Have only flown AC in business and UA in domestic F, so would be nice to try out lots of other airlines

Any help appreciated, and sorry for asking such an open ended question!
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Old Mar 31, 2005, 1:51 pm
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Interesting, but simple and try lot's of new airlines. Hmmmm.

Depends what you are "in to", but for interesting I'd suggest maybe using OS from IST through VIE to Kathmandu. (An alternate would be to try out one of the new kids, JP, from IST via Ljubljana to VIE to KTM.)
IST-DXB-SIN with SQ is too straight forward.

From KTM you can get to BKK on TG and then continue with TG to Brunei - another off the beaten path destination. From there SQ can get you back via SIN to MEL. Or, to maximise miles, try SQ to PER then NZ to AKL and back to MEL.
Another miles maximiser could be using TG back to BKK then SK from BKK to SIN to link up with SQ - get another airline into the mix that way.
You've tried AC Exec 1st, so if you don't want any of the South Pac islands between Oz and U.S. (all accessible via NZ) then try out UA's International Biz product with MEL/SYD to SFO/LAX.
Or do a SYD-ICN with OZ, down into Japan with NH and across the Pacific to LAX with RG if you want to add another 3 carriers to your experience.
From there not much choice of carriers for the internal NthAm portions, but I am led to believe US's A330 TransAt service is very good in C which is something to keep in mind.
LOT can get you from WAW to IST if you want to add them into the mix to try them out and BD and LH can be used for other intra-Euro segments as well as SK if you haven't used them on BKK-SIN.

You could feasibly get almost every :-: carrier into the trip if that's a definition of "interesting" !! My two bobs worth anyway.
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Old Apr 1, 2005, 12:21 pm
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Thanks Al B. Some interesting ideas to think about. I now have the Star tool installed thanks to Virtual PC, so much easier. I also have some more work constraints requiring me to be in Aukland, so this is what I am thinking now maybe:

IST - SIN (via FRA) on SQ to get the 744 to SIN

SIN - SYD SQ

SYD - MEL UA

MEL - AKL NZ

AKL - LAX NZ

LAX - YVR AC

YVR - LGA AC

JFK - LHR UA

LHR - IST OS

Not as exciting as some suggestions, but squeezes in at 28559 unless I am missing something or doing something wrong. Any other thoughts appreciated
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Old Apr 1, 2005, 12:59 pm
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Originally Posted by FatBoyYVR
I am now looking at a RTW ex-Turkey (either Istanbul or Ankara) in business. I have found what seems to be an ok agent to ticket it, or can even do it in Canada when I am there soon.
hi FatBoyYVR,

would you mind sharing the turkey travel agent info?! i'm looking into a RTW ex IST for the summer as i have to go to IST for work anyway... i was serching for an agent but couldn't find one yet. thanks much!

cheers

sentom
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Old Apr 1, 2005, 1:31 pm
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Looks like my bookmarks and emails are on my work machine, and I am not in there for a couple of weeks. I will try and find the link on google and pass it on. I havent used them before so it is not a recommendation (I foudn them through google, but they were prompt and efficient in replying to email). I will prob issue the ticket in Canada in the end for ease.
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Old Apr 7, 2005, 9:07 pm
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Originally Posted by FatBoyYVR

SIN - SYD SQ

SYD - MEL UA

MEL - AKL NZ

I recently tried to book something very similar to this, IIRC flying in to SYD on AC and then connecting onto UA to MEL. The UA agents told me however that this was not possible, I could only board the intra-australian segment to MEL if I had been on the transpacific with UA. I.e only "local" carriers can carry out local flights unless the local segment is a continuation of an international flight. This was on a *A RTW booked out of MEL.

Just a word of warning to check the rules around this.

chico
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Old Apr 7, 2005, 9:24 pm
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Originally Posted by chico
I recently tried to book something very similar to this, IIRC flying in to SYD on AC and then connecting onto UA to MEL. The UA agents told me however that this was not possible, I could only board the intra-australian segment to MEL if I had been on the transpacific with UA. I.e only "local" carriers can carry out local flights unless the local segment is a continuation of an international flight. This was on a *A RTW booked out of MEL.

Just a word of warning to check the rules around this.

chico
Yes, I think you are correct. The Star RTW software will give you the option but you cant book it. I changed my plans to fly straight into MEL for this reason after looking on itn. Cheers
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Old Apr 8, 2005, 3:40 am
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This one is such a sticky situation it crops up all the time. You need to be coming in/out on a direct international connection to use the SYD-MEL tag. So yes, usually it's part of LAX/SFO-SYD-MEL, but you could do AKL-SYD-MEL or SIN-SYD-MEL in theory.

A few years ago I booked MEL-SYD(UA)-KUL(OS) and was ticketed fine. Was nearly refused carriage when I showed up to check in because of the silly local rights issue but convinced them it was OK as I was departing on a same day Star Alliance connection. I don't think they have this one settled properly though.

Easier to just go direct to MEL anyway. SYD's a dump and you get no real bonus out of going SYD-MEL on UA.
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Old Apr 9, 2005, 6:53 am
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Originally Posted by RichardMEL
Easier to just go direct to MEL anyway. SYD's a dump ...
We know how to take a joke up here, but would you mind putting a smiley , unless of course it was not a joke.

Back on topic, being refused carriage on a ticketed itinerary would open up a lawyer's paradise.
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Old Apr 9, 2005, 6:25 pm
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Originally Posted by FatBoyYVR
MEL - AKL NZ

AKL - LAX NZ

LAX - YVR AC
Is this in F or in C? AirNZ is phasing out First as of June 10th. They are also introducing a new longhaul business class, with the same seats as Virgin Upper Class suites, but the chances of getting a new config aircraft will be patchy for a while. If you want to maximise your chance of getting the new product, you should consider routing MEL-AKL-SFO-YVR, as AKL-SFO is the first route to get the new planes guaranteed (from August 7th onwards). Of course you may actually need to be in LAX or the AKL-SFO flights may not be on the dates you require (until late Nov they are only 3 days per week).
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Old Apr 9, 2005, 6:31 pm
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Cost??

Out of curiosity, how much will your ticket cost, if you don't mind me asking...
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