Emirates vs. Air NZ, LHR - CHC

[rgsaero]

Just looking at my regular February – March trip to New Zealand. I've always – since about 1983! - flown the destination flag carrier, but I really hate LAX, and a good friend has just been with Emirates / Qantas to Oz. He said the Emirates A380 was excellent, even in economy (much better than the Qantas 380).

So, looking at Emirates to NZ, even factoring in the additional Air NZ fare from AUK to CHC it works out about £300 cheaper with Emirates via Dubai, MEL etc and it takes no longer – even with an extra stop. And I would expect comfort / noise levels to be much better on the 380 than the 777ER and of course – no LAX!

Am I missing something here? Anyone out there with experience of this route on Emirates?

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

Doesn't ANZ fly London-Hong Kong-Auckland?

[DaveReidUK]

Doesn't ANZ fly London-Hong Kong-Auckland?

ANZ35/38 used to, but they stopped in March of this year. All current AKL flights route via LAX.

[siftydog]

UK to NZ / OZ is just a dire experience, and for someone (like me) who doesn't sleep on an aeroplane any small improvement in the journey can make a big difference. EK would win hands down: good IFE, as comfortable as economy gets, good transfer at DXB, and if £300 cheaper, what is there to lose? No premium economy though. If it's the antipodean service you like, there'll be as many 'cobbers' in the crew with either airline!

[L'aviateur]

I'd without a shadow of a doubt go with Emirates on the A380, the cabin pressure difference on the A380 isn't a gimmick IMO, it does make a considerable difference to how you feel after a long flight.

The only way I'd choose the LAX routing with Air NZ would be if you could get a free 24 hour stopover in LAX, at which point it would be a cheap way of breaking up the journey with a night in a hotel.

[AdamFrisch]

I don't share everyone's enthusiasm for Emirates. For me, flying LAX-LHR many times a year, there is no finer airline than Air New Zealand on that route. Beats everyone hands down in economy. I've done EK to Dubai and South Africa from LAX a couple of times, but they're simply not as a good. ANZ has a crisp, understated minimalism that reminds me of the heydays of SAS (when they were great). New planes, great interiors, great service, great food. Emirates is a bit like Dubai itself - oppressive golden taps, pearlescent plastic cups and cheesy bling. A kind of shopping mall fake luxury. Rose-petals-in-the-aisles kind of vibe. And those stupid uniforms. Plus their IFE is cr*p.

[rgsaero]

Thanks for the above.

HD - the LHR-Hong Kong-AKL route was excellent and I used it from the first year. But now the LHR - HK sector is operated by Cathay and in economy you can't even reserve a seat for the return sector. So arriving from AKL you have about 30 minutes to queue up and get what's left after all the locals have had first pick!

Adam - I'm most surprised with your view of ANZ on the route. I always thought it was good but earlier this year the 777s were a bit tatty, the service ditto and of course the LAX transit dreadful. The only redeeming feature was the upgrade to Premium which I bid for and got for about £200 for the LAX - AUK sector. That was excellent! By the way - I thought you "commuted" by Piper Aerostar!

I think I shall end up on EK - would like to experience the 380 before I'm too old to notice. I've got everything from Constellations, Argonouts and Britannias thru' Concorde to 744 and 77 as well as lots of GA light aircraft "in the book" so I ought to give it a go I think.

[ExXB]

EK operates SYD-CHC, why would you go via AKL with them?

[AdamFrisch]

rgsaero - I wish I could commute in Aerostar!

I'm surprised you had a tatty 777 from them. Every time I've gone with them they've had a nice new 777 with the new interior. Maybe it was a replacement plane or something, or maybe I just got lucky. I completely agree with LAX though - dreadful. Things are about to improve soon thank lord - the new terminal is getting finished.

[rgsaero]

ExXB -
The route LHR-DUB-MEL-AKL is operated entirely by EK aircraft and is shorter timewise than the route via SYD - CHC. The extra flight AKL - CHC is short and even with the cost the overall price works out less than ANZ

But the clincher I think is that on a number of "EK" services to SYD the DUB onwards sectors are operated by Qantas 380s. And where EK goes all the way to SYD they usually use 777s

A colleague recently flew LHR - SYD with EK, the DUB - SYD sector operated by a Qantas codeshare 380 and says that the Qantas 380s are vastly inferior to the EK versions - poorer food, less room and much inferior IFE. So one way or another, an EK 380 all the way to NZ seems the best option.

And Adam - any scheduled opening date for that new terminal?

[DaveReidUK]

I suspect you mean DXB rather than DUB, unless there's some Aer Lingus involvement that we're not aware of. :O

[Gibon2]

Singapore Airlines flies to CHC. I think this would be the only one-stop option from LHR, other than ANZ via LAX. You would be on an A380 for LHR-SIN, and then probably a 777 for SIN-CHC.

@DaveReid:

I suspect you mean DXB rather than DUB, unless there's some Aer Lingus involvement that we're not aware of.

That DUB-MEL non-stop would be a game-changer for Aer Lingus!

[rgsaero]

Indeed DRUK! Nasty attack of finger trouble! DXB it should have been/is!

Gibon2 - Thanks for the SIN suggestion; outward it's fine, except that as you suggested the SIN - CHC legs are all in 777- 200s, not 300s.

The problem is that the return has a minimum stopover in SIN of 6 hours so total time is 31 hours or more.

In the end, you select the number of stops and the fewer there are the more you pay!

[Heathrow Harry]

SQ are quite expensive compared to Emirates on that route

NZ used to be fantastic via HK but, like a lot of other people, I gave them up when the only option is to via LA

[SpringHeeledJack]

Just as an aside regarding a stopover, on such ultra long flights surely a few hours to stretch the legs/let the lungs breath good air would be of benefit ? The Singapore stop would allow a nice few hours to wander around the city and have a nice meal etc. Obviously Dubai is a matter of (bad?) taste, LAX only a humiliating 'transit', so perhaps no chance/desire to do a stop there.

Maybe a discounted round the world ticket in business might be as cheap and perhaps routable via Vancouver ?



SHJ

[rgsaero]

S-H-J -
I know what you mean about stopovers, but I've actually been doing it the same way for so long(!!) that I've got used to the routine - ie - get in, get the head in traveling mode until you get out at the final destination!

Years ago, I stopped for the night en route to the southern hemisphere, couldn't sleep or settle, and at the end reckoned it was just wasted time! Could have got there 18 hours sooner!

I also looked at the round the world option - never done it before - but if I'm only able to be "away" for a set time - it just means less time at intended destination. I also looked - as I'd never looked before, at the San Francisco option with BA 744 to the San Fran, then ANZ onwards. But somehow I'm not attracted to BA 744 without knowing which cabin spec etc, and anyway - did that years ago. No less expensive that EK either.

Thanks one and all for the thought starters - very helpful community as ever!

[rgsaero]

Deed"s done and EK booked.

The clincher was being told by ANZ that to reserve a remotely comfortable seat in econ I would have to pay an additional £100 on the LHR - LAX-AKL route - each way! Only about half of economy is now "free" seating - getting to be like Ryanair!

So with "decent" booked seat, LHR to AKL return is now £1527 on that route compared to EK - £945 - nearly 40% more expensive!

[Orangewing]

The new terminal in LAX has just opened - went through it recently. All very nice, but none of the catering outlets were open - still being finished off. Not much better for the shops, only 2 or 3 were open, rest still being fitted out.

A big improvement - unless your hungry or thirsty

[G-ARZG]

...but NZ don't move into that new bldg until next year, I read...

Still in T2 (even tho the new *Alliance Lounge is run by them)

[Metro man]

Avoid the EK B777s in economy with 10 across seating, it's like a sardine can. SQ, QATAR and a few others have 9 across which is much nicer.

Singapore Airlines would give you one stop instead of three, and with the number of flights ex LHR you could time your arrival for either minimum connection time in Changi or have a stop over of a few hours/days.

After fourteen hours in economy, a shower, change of clothes, decent meal, proper sleep, gym workout would make you feel human again.

[John Hill]

For sure, a shower and maybe a nap on a Singapore stop is much better that standing in the "immigration" que at LAX all the time your plane is on the ground.