Tcr2 you didnt say what class of travel you will be going but as you are redeemming FF points almost certainly Economy.
By the sounds of it you have earned your points travelling Business?
Are you stopping off enroute ?
Anyway I probably don't need to tell you the reality that flying anywhere in coach/economy class is tough going.
As a FF flyyer I know you won't be suckered in by airline advertising that tries to con you into believing that you are in for a treat ,because you are not.
If anyone can point out any
realdiscernable difference between the carriers mentioned I would be interested to know.
The cabin crew can only assist you so far in making your flight as comfortable as possible but ultimaterly if you get off at the other end feeling like a Battery hen I guess that's the price travellers pay for cheap/ free tickets.
The reality is that flying today is best avoided unless absolutely necessary.
It is cramped , uncomfortable, boring, tiring ,frustrating , sometimes nauseating , in some instances dehumanisng , unhygenic,dehydrating and smelly.
Airlines are subject to the same ruthless drive for increased profits taking place in all other sectors of the economy.
In many cases even more so.
To the travelling public this means that unfortunately your comfort and satisfaction is of lesser importance that the bottom line.
The spin doctors will tell you different but we all know better I think.
The only chance you have for some relief from the opressive conditions is that your flight will have less than a full passenger load and you jag an extra spare seat or two.
If your fllight is really light you may get an entire row to yourself (possible but unlikely)
Keeping your expectations low is a good way of coping.
Whilst not wanting to encourage the use of pharmaceuticals unless absolutely necessary I think this is an appropriate time to seriously consider having a non addictive sleeping pill (such as Stillnox) on hand to ensure a period of sleep to shorten the impact of a long haul flight, should you require it..
As you are travelling with children you and your partner could take turns ,one sleep ,whilst the other keep any eye on the kids.
1/2 a pill should give you 3 hours of sleep , a full pill anywhere up to 7 or 8 hours.
This is a cheaper alternative to the extra $$ required for a premium cabin seat which is really the preferred option .
However if you are down the back in 72k cheer yourself up by thinking how much you will be able to buy at your final destination with all the money you have just saved .
This website below gives you a comparison of seats on the airlines .
It's called the
"airline legroom guide".
Airlines measure legroom as seat pitch - the distance from the front of the seat to the back of the seat in front.
The minimum distance required between seats by the Civil Aviation Authority's is 26 inches. This is equivalent to a seat pitch of about 28 inches.
A quick look and all appear to be somewhere between 31" - 34"
Qantas Airways 32 (B747)
Cathay Pacific 32
Malaysian Airlines 34 (B747-400)
Emirates 32 (A330-300)
Singapore Airlines 32
British Airways 31 (WorldTraveller)
http://www.westernair.co.uk/seatpitch.html
As far as service goes , all carriers are pretty much the same as far as meal/bar schedules are concerned. Types of meal and bar services are dictated by departure times ,for example depart after 2230 and generally there is no seperate bar service prior to the meal service.
However drinks are always availble at any time . Just ask.
As far as food quality is concerned all meals come out of the same 2 or 3 catering centresat each airport,and airlines pay the same amount for each meal , maybe a couple of bucks each.
Chicken or Beef on Malaysian will be remarkably like Beef or Chicken on BA.
Lowering expectations can go along way to help here too.
Emirates may be able to pay a bit more with all that oil money but the difference in the end product is not that great.
Flight attendants are very professional on all carriers mentioned.
Discernable difference ?
Depends again on what you expect.
Attitude ? entirely dependant on who you get on the day.
There has been a big increase lately (last 2 years) in passenger numbers on the LHR / NRT (BA) NRT/PER(QF) route
This may be due to lack of seat availabilty on the traditional Europe to Australia route via BKK, SIN or even HKG or to exploit large drop off in passenger demand from japanese tourists coming to Australia due to seasonal fluctuations.
Dont be surprised if you are
strongly encouraged to use your FF points
to travel to Australia via this route.
If your children were a little older I would definately recommend a 24/48 hr stopover in Narita on the way if the airlines allow it. The hotels in the area near the airport are surprisingly reasonably priced (shoparound or speak To Japanese Tourist Authority) and try and get a room deal with breakfast included for the best value.
The village of Narita is a 10 minute free bus ride from the hotels which are 5 minute bus ride from the airport.
Lots to see and do here . A microcosm of the whole Japanese experience within easy reach of your hotel.
No need to travel into Tokyo city which can take 1 1/2 - 21/2 hours by bus depending on travel conditions.
Even with young children like yours it may be still be a great experience .
As far as travelling on Christmas day is concerned ,to the airlines it is just another day however the chances of your flight being fully booked are dramatically increased.
Hope this helps and happy flying.
Chix.