Flying to Oz, is the Oriental charm worth an extra few bob?

[Omaha]

Hi

I'm planning on flying to Oz later on this year. Now I haven't researched flights too seriously yet but I've always been partial to the Orient culture and wanted to experience the gentle charm and hospitality of an Oriental airline. Now I normally base my airline selection on the most dirt cheap fare so question is if I want to include this experience in my trip will I have to pay through the nose and which Oriental Airlines offer the best experience. I'll be flying from LHR but am likely to be flying back via Paris.

Also stopovers are important to me, I'll probably stop over a few days in the Orient, perhaps somewhere like Hong Kong to further add to my Oriental Experience. Where else would you recommend & what Oriental Airline gives good perks in this department? Also though I wish to have these experiences when coming to choose an airline safety is still my No: 1 concern and for all the tea in China I do not wish to cut corners on this. I haven't decided yet whether I want to take internal flights in Oz but an airline that offers good offers in that department might come in handy too.

Thank you for your time......:)

[apaddyinuk]

Go with Thai....They may not be considered the best in Asia but considering recent events...It would be a good gesture to an airline and nation whos tourist industry is suffering terribly at the moment!

[christep]

Frankly, if you're in economy then even the best airlines are only going to be able to do so much for you. I would caution though that TG's economy seats are small (and CX's are a couple of inches short on pitch).

If you are planning on business or first then I would go with CX through HK; others would recommend SQ through SIN. These two are way ahead of the others in the premium cabins.

[Omaha]

Hi christep

Thank you for your reply, trouble is it's so full of abbreviations I'm going to take ages to decipher it all. I don't think from you're profile you're a pilot but if you're not you're sure beginning to sound like one. I'm alright with SIN, SQ, HK, CX I presume is Cathay Pacific but TG has me bamboozled but I'm sure a search engine will sort it out for me very quickly. Thanks. ;)

On the subject I noticed on the Sunday papers that Singapore Airlines is offering a free return flight to anywhere in their network I think, definitely the Orient for anyone who's buys a return flight to Oz with them. Trailfinders are offering a free stop over in Hong Kong. :ok:

[millerscourt]

If you are travelling Economy then Seat Pitch is the first priority
IMHO Check at www.travelleronline.com for seat pitch comparison. Don't expect too much oriental charm from say SQ in Economy if full. As soon as the service is over half the cabin crew take to the bunks! They hope you sleep or gawp at the films and don't bother them. Take your own water.

Singapore is a good place to stopover for a few days. Good transport links,plenty of Hotels,easy to get to Airport by taxi or MRT or Bus

In First or Business then you will get the Oriental charm and they half kneel when taking your orders ( In First Class ) if that is what you want? Never travelled with any other Airline to compare service etc.

[Omaha]

Thanks millerscourt for your informative reply. :)

I may only decide on a stopover one way since I've alot of ground to cover in Australia once I land & I'm planning at some later date to do a gourmet trip of Thailand and Malaysia so am thinking Hong Kong may win out on the stop over stakes since it sounds cool. Is it as nice a city, is there much to do?

As far half kneeling to me heavens no.:O I think that's a little OTT but I'm sure it's meant in a courteous/traditional rather than a subservient way, the latter I couldn't stomach to be honest. :yuk:

Besides the chances of me experiencing it are second to none giving my penchant for putting my money more into the holiday when I land rather than the transport I use to get there, tight, miserable git that I am. ;)

[Pax Vobiscum]

For my money, there's lots more to do in Hong Kong than Singapore. In fact, Singapore may win in the stopover stakes as you can see the main sights in a couple of days whereas HK really needs a week at least. Singapore is also a slightly more direct route to most destinations in Oz, if that makes any difference.

[wombat13]

I have lived in both Sing and HK - currently still resident in HK. Personal choice really, but for me HK steals it. Just so vibrant. Cathay is a great airline, but there is something about the Singapore Girls. They are indeed a great way to fly....

[Omaha]

Is this or cool link or what. :D

http://www.australianholidays.ie/airlineinfo/index.asp

[christep]

Not really, no. It's very simplistic and not very accurate. For example BA's business class seats are the only ones that are truly horizontally flat.

http://www.seatguru.com is much better for the airlines that it covers.

[Pom Pax]

Seat width is also a consideration , again Singapore beat Thai. Whats narrower the arm rest or the aisle? Also the seats seem more comfortable! However SAS beat them both and a better selection of drinks.
But I believe Singapore's 777-300 have a newer better seat than the 200s.
Half kneel, much easier for conversation especially if you are a bit mutton & jeff. Though I had an Air China girl fully kneel thought that was a bit ott.

Down the back I expect Singapore still win
but have no recent experience but Thai are very poor compared with 25 years ago.

[Omaha]

I've noticed Malaysian Airlines offer very cheap flights comparative to other airlines on similar routes. Does anyone know is there a reason for this since I've just noticed I missed out on a very good deal which I had been told had been all booked up by other travel agencies when I went to book, maybe they'd run out of their quota. Is the Singapore Airlines experience worth the extra money they charge not that I'm complaining or nothing, just wondering about the disparity in prices & they have a better seat pitch in economy to SQ, 34' compared to 32'. What's there inflight service like, noticed none of you favoured them in the Oriental charm stakes? :confused:

Maybe my old friend 'Ams' who skippers 777's for Malaysian could answer it but he doesn't seem to be on the board anymore. Wonder where he's got to & he was charming enough? :ok: Wonder how 'little Ams' is keeping too.:) What's Kuala Lumper like anyway in comparison to Singapore for a stopover?

Not crying over split milk but have I made the right choice?

Take a lookie here to get an idea of the disparity in prices for yourself.

http://www.australianholidays.ie

[SLF]

Hi Omaha

Just been to Melbourne with Emirates - Crew and service both excellent.

Emirates would score badly on seat width and pitch, but in 7 sectors on a 9 day trip, I didn't have anyone sat next to me the whole time, and on 5 of the flights I had 3 seats to myself (3-4-3 configuration), and could have had a 4 if I'd moved a little faster.

Effectively with Emirates you get approximately 3 x 7 hour sectors (via Dubai and Singapore), which breaks the travel into easy chunks - and for a 9 day trip with stops at Colombo and Singapore, from a nice convenient regional airport, the whole trip was under 750 quid. Bargain.

Cheers - SLF :cool:

[emdeeray]

I've just returned from a trip to Aisa/Australia with several flights on different airlines, all in economy.

I flew Australia -> London (via Bangkok on an A330 then noisy old B747) on Thai as well as Osaka -> Bangkok (B777). I wouldn't recommend them for long flights. No personal TV on any planes and dated cabins. TV might not seem an issue but a) when other airlines do offer this for the same price, why not?, and b) 20 odd hours on a plane is *long* time. You need something to entertain you.

I had a return flight from KL to India with Malaysia. The plane was nice (an A330) but again, no PTV. However, I'm pretty sure the planes used on the longer hops - certainly KL to London on 747 - do have PTVs. Malaysia are also one of the cheapest and the service is fine.

I flew Singapore to Perth with Qantas. PTV with on-demand movies/TV/films - very good. Service was good, plane (A330) was nice and new.

I flew London to Tokyo on Virgin. Excellent. PTV with on-demand, loads of choice, great service and food, lovely new plane (A340). Would definitely use them again. I don't know if Virgin fly to Hong Kong, but they do go to Sydney. Not sure where they stopover. For me their price was the cheapest, but I got an under-26 one-way, probably in a low season. It could well be different for a normal return to Australia.

I didn't really have legroom issues on any flights, but at 5' 10" I'm only of average height and pretty slim build. Saying that, the Thai 747 appeared to have a lot of space between me and the seat in front. All of the flights were better for space than the cheapo charters to Spain/France that go from Gatwick!

Kuala Lumpur is nice enough but I doubt it's anywhere near as good as Hong Kong for a stopover. I'm not really sure I could say you were getting anything but Oriental weather in Singapore - it's hot, but it's also a city made of shopping malls and English-speaking people. Not very foreign if you ask me. Having said that, Singapore Airlines prices aren't too bad and they have a reputation for quality. Changi (Singapore) airport is also very well equipped.

[Omaha]

Thanks guys for your informative replies. I went the normal channels I use like Trailfinders, Usit & ebookers, all thought of as being good value. Tried one or two on the net but they were exorbitant as Malaysian seen to be if you go direct through their site. I took it for granted when told by Usit & Trailfinders that I was booking late for such a popular time to travel down under & presumed that the €800+ (& tax added) seats had totally gone. Paid about €150 euro over & above this for Singapore Airlines & that was considered a promotional offer. I've about a 20 hour stopover in Singapore on the way back which I'm going to use to explore the city which is handy but not too long should I find it too westernised. I've heard more about Singapore than Kuala Lumper re: tourism to be honest. Singapore Airlines must be way ahead to be able to charge so much more than Malaysian. :confused:

Still what's done is done & I intend to make the most of it. :ok:

Now I've just got my credit card bill to pay off. :{

Looks like the cheapo has been snatched up & the present prices at the lower end now reflect more what I paid for mine. Tis never good to look back. That site does seem to have some mad cancellation fees that I don't think would be imposed on me through Usit though.

[320JI]

i hope it is cause i ve just taken the plunge and am flying SQ to OZ and back with missus and 18moth old in tow!!

anyone flying on SQ319 on the 2nd of Sept i appologise in advance

320

[Omaha]

Congratulations 320JI

I wish you & your family all the best. :D

Have to keep your eyes off all those attractive Oriental FA's now!!! ;)

[GlueBall]

Youngest and most charming F/As: SQ,MH,TG,... in that order. :eek:

[Omaha]

As long as the're male GlueBall, as long as the're male. ;)

[surely not]

Some of the females probably started out as male :eek:

[Omaha]

You're not trying to tell me I'm going to be in for a freak show, are you mate? :uhoh:

[surely not]

just check out if they have an Adams Apple!!!

I cannot believe that you are innocent to all the tales of gender benders in the far east. Many of them would be happy to have your coconuts!!

[OZcabincrew]

Omaha,

just look out for the inflight entertainment of the oriental girls performing their ping pong show! hahaha

Oz

[TightSlot]

Hope you don't mind, but I'm closing this now, as the original question has been more or less answered - also the ping pong balls thing means that we're now def on the slide to JB

:E