Best Choice to Australia ?

[172driver]

I'm sure this has been done before, but cannot find anything, so here goes.

Will be going to Oz late Feb/early March (2 pax), business class. Departure point London or continental Europe. Has to be Star Alliance. What's the best ?

[Capt Chambo]

Singapore Airlines on the A380..... no question.
:ok:

[PAXboy]

172driver What's the best?You have only specified the Class. What's the best - WHAT?
Price?
Service level?
Fastest?
Most onward links within Oz?
If not London, depart from Western/Central/Southern Europe?

[Rush2112]

Or to where in Oz, it's a pretty big place...

1. SQ

2. SQ

3. SQ

They fly from LHR, MAN, CDG, FRA and ZUR to name but 5, and from SIN to Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane and Adelaide. 3 flights daily to all of these (except ADL, one only).

A380 business class is great, flat bed, and the new 777ER has the same facilities. Both ply the SIN - SYD route.

Perth is only a 5 hour flight so 777-200 business class adequate.

Melbourne, 777ER and 747 - their 747 business class is OK, the bed is flat but not level so I always feel I am sliding down the thing.

Go take a peek at singaporeair.com :ok:

[172driver]

OK, should perhaps have been a bit more specific.

Dep either London or South/Western Europe (i.e. MAD, BCN, FRA, MUC, CDG, ZRH, etc). Arrival OZ SYD/MEL, with a small preference for MEL (we will be travelling onward - initially to Tasmania - anyway).

Would like to stretch legs somewhere in Asia, which brings me to a small problem - while I know of SQ's reputation (and been on them many times, although quite a few years ago), SIN is not a place I want as a stopover - IMHO one of the most boring places on the planet.

Service level - as far as I'm concerned, the seat/bed/space is the most important thing. I'm not overly fussed about inflight entertainment or food - much more about noise levels. This is, btw, where I've heard some negative comments about the 380 (never been on it myself, though), where people complain that it is too quiet - i.e. all the other noises are not masked by the background drone. Any truth to that? I have to say I sometimes find travel on new trains in continental Europe in First Class rather annoying due to exactly that issue - they are soundproofed so much that you are almost forced to overhear any other conversations.

[bizflyer]

172 Driver

Even with your clarification of departure points I would recommend SQ. You should note that outside of LHR (currently) you will be on a 744 or 777 and can fly direct with them to Singapore from several of the airports you've listed.

I fly regularly (about 10 times a year) between Sydney/Brisbane and London via Singapore. Also FRA to JFK (once).

The 380 is quiet - at first - the lack of noise can make sleep 'different' but I'm not sure I would say it was any more difficult than other aircraft. To me, comfortable seat selection and the time of departure are important factors in getting some sleep en-route. If you fly on the 380 in business avoid seats within 2 or 3 'rows' of the galley, otherwise they are all good seats.

I try to schedule flights including the 380 rather than the 744 - which now seems quite dated by comparison. In particular the seat (your biggest concern) is totally different on the 380 (and 777-300) vs the 744. If you fly the 744 I would recommend First as it is closest to business product on 380.

As for Singapore as a place to visit - yes perhaps boring, but clean and IMO safe. You can easily get onto regional flights from SIN to most Asian cities and will still have change from the saving you make with SQ vs 'the others'. I guess it depends on how much time you have for a stopover. Please note that I have not flown BA, Cathay, Virgin or Lufthansa to Australia, although I have flown BA regularly to the US from the UK. So in the interests of 'balance' in respect of these other airlines I would recommend you peruse the websites and examine their business class 'product' and fares before deciding, I regularly follow this advice myself although I have yet to find reason to change from SQ, however my opinion re SQ is only that - my opinion.

[gdiphil]

It's no contest in my view, take Asiana. Great service, the cleanest planes in the sky and the staff realise why paying passengers are in the aircraft. I've flown both business and economy and frankly it took me back to the good old days of BOAC. For example, in economy they apologised when I asked for a whiskey and ice, preferably Jack Daniels, by saying they only served 12 year old malt! And Seoul is much more interesting than SIN. I fly to SYD twice a year on many different carriers over the years. Have a good trip.

[172driver]

Interesting idea, thanks! Hadn't thought of them. Keep it coming guys, I know there's a load of great info out there on PPrune :ok:

PS: Any opinions on Air NZ? Could do a RTW via LAX on them, which would suit me for biz reasons.

[NZScion]

Air NZ are great, brilliant on-demand IFE, although opinions I have seen here of the CC have sometimes been mixed. In my experience they have been outstanding, on par with SQ.

[Hartington]

A quick Google for Star Alliance gives me a membership list:


* Air Canada
* Air China
* Air New Zealand
* ANA
* Asiana Airlines
* Austrian
* bmi
* EgyptAir
* LOT Polish Airlines
* Lufthansa
* Scandinavian Airlines
* Shanghai Airlines
* Singapore Airlines
* South African Airways
* Spanair
* SWISS
* TAP Portugal
* THAI
* Turkish Airlines
* United
* US Airways

* Regional Members
* Adria Airways
* Blue1
* Croatia Airlines

Of those



* Air Canada
* Air China
* Air New Zealand
* Asiana Airlines
* Singapore Airlines
* South African Airways
* THAI
* United

Fly to Australia.

That means you could go via Vancouver, Peking or Shanghai, Auckland (and probably either Los Angeles or Hong Kong or even Los Angeles *and* San Francisco if you find your own way between them), Seoul, Singapore, Johannesburg, Bankgok or Los Angeles.

You don't say "why" Star Alliance. If you're trying for a reward ticket I suspect it may be Hobsons choice. If you're paying then it depends what kind of ticket. A RTW fare will allow you something like London/Copenhagen/Hong Kong on SAS then Singapore via SIN to Australia. On across the Pacific you could go UA(!) or Air NZ via Auckland to San Francisco or Los Angeles or Air Canada to Vancouver then life becomes far to complex to list all the possible routings ranging from non-stop from the West Coast to various stops in the US before flying back from the East Coast.

[172driver]

Hartington, thanks for the input. Reason for Star Alliance is, as you've guessed correctly, reward ticket. Mind, only one, the other will be paid for.

I am tempted (but need to check into this a bit more) to go via Shanghai or HK and via Pacific (several options) and LAX.

The main reason I put the question here is that I used to fly a lot (and I mean a LOT) LH in all classes, mainly biz and First, but haven't done much LH travel in recent years. Hence a bit rusty on the info, especially going to AsiaPac. While this used to be my main stomping ground in the late 80s, I haven't been back in about 10 years. And things do evolve......

[Hartington]

None of the publicity I've ever seen has suggested that RTW tickets are available on a reward basis. That's not to say it isn't possible, just that I've never been aware of it.

A suggestion. If you're planning to pay for one ticket, pay for both. Then use miles to upgrade both. I think you'll find that "upgrade reward" tickets may be easier to find than free ones.

[Load Toad]

Re. Singapore & this type of comment: As for Singapore as a place to visit - yes perhaps boring,

I lived there for 5 years - it is not by any stretch 'boring'.

[kaikohe76]

Hi 172,

In one of your posts you mentioned you may think of Air NZ via LAX. Remember Air NZ now operate through Hong Kong as well as LAX, which I suggest you avoid like the plague.
Have a good one.

[172driver]

A suggestion. If you're planning to pay for one ticket, pay for both. Then use miles to upgrade both. I think you'll find that "upgrade reward" tickets may be easier to find than free ones.

Nope. While they may be easier to come by, it would cost a mutliple in miles, as the upgrade works by sector, i.e. a minimum of 4 to/from Oz. Checked with Miles&More.

Hong Kong as well as LAX, which I suggest you avoid like the plague.

Which one and why? I know L.A. pretty well and used to live in HK for a short while in the late 80s. Loved it, but not been back in about 15 years.

And yes, you can use reward tickets for RTW, but it's awfully expensive (in terms of miles)