Flight pitch/service advice thread?

[Guest D&L]

Hi all

 

We've just had our visa granted (YAY!), and are now starting to look into flights. I'm sure there was a thread on here with loads of info regarding seat pitch, service etc. I think it was a list of links relating to the various airlines, but I'm not so sure now.Can anyone point me in the direction of it?

 

Any help greatly appreciated!

 

Cheers

 

Lyndsey

[Diane]

you could try seatguru - think this is the link: Airline Seating Charts - Best Airplane Seats - SeatGuru

[Guest D&L]

Blimey - that was quick! Thanks Diane, I'll have a look at that site.

 

Lyndsey

[xzibit]

Just go with Singapore Airlines. After lots and trips back and forth to Adelaide, and many airlines, I will not book with anyone else now - they were even sold out on the date I wanted to go back this time, so I changed my plans so I could fly with them a week later!!

[stringfellows]

if you book with singapore airlines you can get extra legroom for absolute buttons.we did it and for 2 of us for both legs of the journey it was around £120.happy flying!

[coolerking]

you could try seatguru - think this is the link: Airline Seating Charts - Best Airplane Seats - SeatGuru

 

Also, check the flight code and you can usually track down the exact model and specification of the plane. Type the code into google and you can often find (hard to believe) bigger anoraks than me that monitor the like.

 

Cooler

[snifter]

Most of the Asian airlines are good/great. Singapore Airlines is one of the best.

 

Qantas is good, BA I've always found better.

 

I personally don't mind between any of those and hubby likes Japan Airlines.

 

Main things to consider more than anything I always think are a) departure times and b) layover

 

I would always recommend a night flight, so the last ones out between 9-10pm time from Heathrow. Then get a stopover in Singapore Changi airport as they have the best facilities anywhere (showers $5 Singapore, massage, great free internet, cinema, swimming pool and more!) and then after a few hours there, hop back on a direct flight to Adelaide.

 

You'd get into Singapore around teatime their time and then depart for Adelaide around 9-10pm and land then in Adelaide at around 7am.

 

We always do this route and those times and find it so much more bearable and easier on bodyclocks and travelling with kids. Our son was just coming up 2 the last time we flew this and he slept 8.5 hours on the flight from Heathrow to Singapore! Result It was only a 13 hour flight so we were chuffed.

[Willber]

Hi, we are flying out on May 1st with Quantas/BA. We fly Manchester,(Heathrow,Singapore,Melbourne A380) then to Adelaide. I'm just over 6'2 and i had plenty of room on the A380 when we flew over in Sept and its really comfy. Cost is around £2000 for a family of four. Hope this gives you an idea of cost for flying soon.

Andrew

[Guest D&L]

Wow - thanks for all your help everyone!

 

It would seem Singapore Air is very popular! As we're not actually booking the flights ourselves (much to my control freak self's frustration!), any ideas on 'edging' the company in the direction of Singapore Air (or any othe the other highly rated ones) other than picking a date/time when only the 'good' airlines fly? I did think we'd ask for a stopover in Singapore, but it seems other airlines also use Singapore.

 

Snifter - you advised to try and get night flights - I thought flying during the day would be best so we can sleep properly in a hotel at 'real' nighttime? I guess there's compelling arguments both ways (who wants to be awake all that time on a plane?!).

 

We're also thinking about upgrading (we're getting economy seats paid for) at the airport - does anyone have any experience of this? The cost differences are astronomical in advance!!!

 

Willbur - That's a bargain for a family of 4!!!!

[snifter]

Snifter - you advised to try and get night flights - I thought flying during the day would be best so we can sleep properly in a hotel at 'real' nighttime? I guess there's compelling arguments both ways (who wants to be awake all that time on a plane?!).

 

We're also thinking about upgrading (we're getting economy seats paid for) at the airport - does anyone have any experience of this? The cost differences are astronomical in advance!!!

 

I personally find night flights easiest to cope with as your body goes through so many timezones during the flight its insane. Flying during daytime for 14 hours is boring as hell and then another leg on top of that again in daylight just makes it that much harder.

 

Nightflights in my experience always seem be easier to cope with as people sleep/doze and its generally much quieter than a daytime flight. Time passes a lot more quickly on a night flight, especially with kids And you are tired so you do nap/sleep as a rule. Same with kids, you are flying when its their evening/nighttime so usually much more peaceful as they will conk out.

 

When you land in Australia jet lag will happen no matter what time you have left the UK but when we take a nightflight out and a late flight out of Singapore we land in Adelaide at 7-8am and then power through the day (having had a good snooze on the flight from Singapore to Adelaide as thats 7 or so hours overnight) and go to bed early that night. It seems to help body clock adjust easier.

 

I've travelled long haul both east and west and always fly nightflight from the UK to Oz/Asia. And coming back from Oz we always depart around lunchtime from Adelaide so we have the night part on the long leg to Heathrow.

 

Flying to the US its different again. We depart in the morning/lunchtime to arrive there in the day and coming back depart in the early afternoon so as to land early/mid evening.

 

We never stop overnight in a change over. We only spend 3-4 hours in Singapore and during that time we shower, relax, find a nice sofa to lounge on, use the airport computers and internet and eat a nice meal. Also get some fresh air on one of the outside decks

[Guest D&L]

Thank you very much for that explanation, Snifter. Now you put it like that, it does make sense! I hadn't thought of the flight being generally quieter, as people will sleep/doze. I think we'll hope to have 6 or so hrs in Singapore airport....mainly because I love the idea of being able to have a swim in an airport! I guess we'll have to get used to the idea that Singapore is probably not going to be anything like any of the airports we've been to before - the thought of 6hrs hanging about in an airport normally sends shudders down my spine!

 

Guess what flights we'll be pushing for?!

 

Thanks again

[RockDr]

If it's any help to swing it, if you're flying to Adelaide, then Singapore airlines is one of the only ones that has direct flights, rather than going via Sydney. It's so nice to just be able to get off the long haul flight and be there rather than having to wait around another few hours and change terminals and then get on another flight looking and smelling awful and surrounded by people who are looking "normal" as they're just doing the one domestic flight.

 

Also, the pool at Singapore airport is bliss. Definitely highly recommend if you have two or more hours in transit. It's so good to be able to rehydrate skin/eyes etc in the warm humid air, and swim looking up at the moon (well or sun depending which flight connection you're on, I'm usually on the late night flight out of singapore)

[snifter]

6 hours would be way too long. I find 4 pushing it. Also then if you get a nightflight out of Heathrow you won't have time for 6 hours in Singapore as otherwise you'd not make the last flight out (about 10pm Singapore time iirc). You really won't need longer than 3-4 hours tops for a changeover.

[Guest tinkham_lee]

There are a few airlines that now fly direct to Adelaide and most of them are night flights.

 

I flew out with Cathay pacific they were excellent, both flights left and arrived on time, the legroom was good, (I'm 6'2) and the in flight service was excellent. flight was from Heathrow-Hong Kong-Adelaide. only down side was the 7 hour transit.

 

I'm going to England on holiday next month and were flying with Malaysian airlines. they have more legroom than Singapore and Cathay pacific. again direct flights to and from Adelaide and night flight when we return. also only 3.5 hour transit in Kuala Lumpur both ways (the best that I have found) have heard a lot of good reviews about them.

[wizzywozza]

Has anyone used Emirates? I'm thinking I might go with them in Sept as I really need to land at Gatwick rather than Heathrow.

 

Sharon

[RockDr]

I haven't used emirates personally, but have a friend who always uses them from perth to manchester and says they're really good.

[Anne B]

I've done the flight down to Australia 8 times now (5 times with kids in tow) and by far the best combination was this:

 

Overnight stay at hotel at Heathrow

Singapore Airlines morning flight to Singapore. You arrive at approx midnight UK time, so nice and tired ready to sleep.

Book 10 hours in a room at the transit hotel at Singapore Airport - get a full 8 hours sleep in a big comfortable bed - bliss.

Wake up, go and have a leisurely breakfast, maybe go for a swim at the transit hotel (if you are at the right terminal) then browse around the shops for a bit, then get on the evening/night flight down to Adelaide (in reality we flew to Brisbane but it's similar). OK you are not tired on the flight, but it's a short flight and you will importantly arrive in Australia feeling like a human being with all your wits about you and not like a zombie.

 

I hate night flights, I used to be able to sleep on them but the older I get the harder I find it to sleep. My children seem incapabale of sleeping on them as well, so I prefer a daytime flight when you are feeling normal (not cranky) and can watch a movie, read etc, have a little doze, without the pressure of having to try and get a decent night's sleep. I know other people will recommend differently, but after many different combinations of flights I have found this to be by far the most civilised.

 

As for airlines, they are all pretty good - Malaysian and Cathay fly direct to Adelaide too, the worst flight I have had was with Qantas, and too be honest it wasn't bad, just not as good as the others.

[Guest D&L]

Hi All

 

Many thanks for the advice. We're able to 'suggest' airlines and stopovers etc to the company booking our flights, I think the hardest bit is going to be getting from our regional airport to one of the main ones. But they can sort that out!

 

Wowee, it's all becoming real now.....just need to get the flights booked now!

 

thanks again

 

D&L