Business class to MEL

[Mick V]

Hi All,

I was hoping you could help.

I am flying out to Melbourne around November time and i am trying to get the best possible deal wit a business class seat. Would anyone here have any ideas??

All and any help is greatly appreciated.

Cheers

Mick

[Dick Fisher]

A friend recently did the same trip that you're planning from Birmingham (BHX) using Emirates. She was chauffeur driven to the airport (both ends), changed in Dubai and stopped for a few days in Singapore in both directions and thought the whole thing was excellent.

She paid approx £2200 for the trip including the accommodation.

[Hartington]

Depends what you mean by "best deal". Going that far I would want to minimise the time travelling (even in Business) and that means BA, Qantas, Singapore, Malaysian, Thai and Cathay. Airlines based in the Middle East add at least one more stop (at their home base). If you think the dogleg via Hong Kong (Cathay) is too long then Korean and Japan Airlines won't appeal. United via the US means having to deal with US immigration (they don't do TWOV) plus the TSA and their service suck and their financial situation means they keep pulling in their horns. Air Canada might work, don't know what the connections are like.

Try the airlines direct then Opodo, Expedia and the like then buy a copy of the Sunday Times and peruse their travel section and hit the phones to people like Trailfinders.

[Bindook]

For my money I would look to go Singapore Airlines from Manchester. They fly Manchester to Singapore 5 days a week. They leave Manchester mid-morning and conect at Singapore for Mebourne arriving in the early evening. Its a long way, so the idea of arriving in Mebourne and then getting a night's sleep will have you functioning the next day. It certainly beats the hell out of the dreaded 6am arrival.

[fallen]

Airlines based in the Middle East add at least one more stop (at their home base)EK fly direct Dubai - Melbourne. There's no extra stop. (They also do Dubai-Singapore-Melbourne)

[Load Toad]

I wouldn't go via Dubai because that airport sucks chunks. Business class would mean lounge access so that might make it bearable.

[Salusa]

I agree with Load Toad reference Dubai.

Dubai airport is the pits and I expect you will have quite a wait for your onward connection to MEL.

The biz lounge is also pretty poor and often overcrowded. I have even had to queue in the past to get in.

I now avoid Emirates simply because of Dubai, although Emirates are a great airline.

I would plum for Singapore Airlines from LHR on A380.

[VAFFPAX]

Given the choice, I'd rather go through SIN than DXB. Take Singapore to SIN with A380... then on to MEL.

S.

[parabellum]

Whichever airline you decide make sure they have flat-bed seats in Business class. Last time I flew Emirates LHR-DXB-SIN-MEL I was in First and the seats only reclined about 45 degrees, could have changed.
Family member recently came out on Virgin via HKG and SYD in Upper Class, Virgin Blue SYD-MEL and said it was competative and great.
Personally I would go SIA or QF.

[Mick V]

Thanks everybody, I ened up boking through BA to get my points, these flights should now bump me up to the sliver card. I was wondering if i get this silver card before the flight or after? Decided on the premium econ seat. Its QF that operate it as well so really looking forward to it. I know QF have had recent problems but im guessing that by Nov when im flying these should be sorted, im also guessing by that stage QF will be one of the safest airliners about. I know they have never lost a soul but im sure you know what i mean.

Anyway

Cheers everyone for your thoughts.

Mick!

[Globaliser]

I was wondering if i get this silver card before the flight or after? Decided on the premium econ seat. Its QF that operate it as well so really looking forward to it. I know QF have had recent problems but im guessing that by Nov when im flying these should be sorted, im also guessing by that stage QF will be one of the safest airliners about. I know they have never lost a soul but im sure you know what i mean.QF is one of the safest airlines about right now, have been for donkey's years, and is not likely to change that in the future.

You should be pleased with the premium economy product on QF - I was impressed, and it provided a very pleasant comparison against the BA product.

Are you booked on the BA codes (flight numbers)? If so, then you should find that your new BA Silver status will automatically go into the system a few days after the last flight that you need to qualify for it. The card will then follow to your address. If you need to prove your entitlement to lounge access before you can physically get hold of your card, BA may be able to fax you a letter confirming your entitlement.

[Mick V]

Yeah booked out on the BA codes.

Ive one final question to ask on this and that is does anyone know the best seat position in QF PE? If any of you know i really would be very grateful.

Thanks again

Mick

[Oneil]

General Information for Qantas Airways (http://www.seatguru.com/airlines/Qantas_Airways/information.php)

[Globaliser]

... does anyone know the best seat position in QF PE?I'm not sure that there is necessarily a "best" in the cabin, nor that there are many views on it seeing as it's such a new beast.

What I can say is this:-All the seats are pretty much identical, including the fact that the footrest folds out from the legrest of your own seat. So there is no difference in the front row. This is unlike (for example) World Traveller Plus where the footrest usually folds down from the seat in front of you - except in the front row. This matters (a bit) to me in WT+. The front row of the QF cabin is hard up against the aft end of the galley just aft of doors 2. There is (as you'd expect) only a curtain across the aisle at this point. So the front row will get rather more noise and light during the main part of the flight than further back in the PE cabin. Service is done simultaneously in both aisles, so there isn't the same issue as in the mid-J BA 747 now in use, where there is only one cabin crew member for the whole WT+ cabin, who starts on one side (always the same). In the low-J configuration BA 747 (now no longer in use), I had a favourite WT+ seat - the last one on the starboard side (21K). This was because there was nobody immediately behind me, with a (thin) solid divider before the first row of economy, so I could recline my seat immediately after takeoff and go to sleep if I wanted to. It also had a missing window (although there was still at least one usable window), so it had the feel of a private cubby-hole for me. It was also pretty near the centre of the wing, where the aircraft moves least in bumps or chop, thus disturbing my sleep as little as possible. If there was nobody in 21J, I was a very happy bunny. The last row of QF PE shares some of these characteristics, although it will be November before I get to try out whether or not it is as good as my much-lamented 21K was.These ramblings probably don't help you much, but I offer them FWIW.

[jeanyqua]

www.seatguru.com (http://www.seatguru.com)
or
www.seatexpert.com (http://www.seatexpert.com)

Pick from the airline,then aircraft type on the left,which then lists the good/bad/average seats.