FLIGHTS and INSURANCE

[Guest TheBirdsIOM]

Hi

 

Can anyone suggest the best way to book flights? I keep hearing IOM? who are they ?

 

Can you book direct with Singapore Airlines and get your 40KG bag allowance or do you have to go through the IOM people.

 

Also worried about insurance, do we just insure for the flights or may be take out insurance as if we were going on holiday for a few weeks to cover us until we get some healthcare etc in place when we get there.

 

Any comments greatly received.

 

Thanks

 

TheBirds

[Guest Guest75]

I'd certainly have some form of holiday cover for your first few weeks here.

 

We now fly Emirates, 30kg luggage if memory serves me right. Faster as no long stop overs and to be honest the planes are somewhat newer. A lot of Singapore lanes look a bit tired now.

[snifter]

IOM offer limited flights with either Malaysian airlines or Emirates iirc and you get an extra bit of baggage allowance thrown in. TBH I don't find the prices cheaper than booking direct. You need your visa paperwork etc when you book.

 

http://www.iomaustralia.org/projects_selfpayers.htm is the link for IOM.

 

You book direct with Singapore airlines and upon proof of a permanent unvalidated visa you get an extra 10kg baggage each. Usually email to confirm this with them. I also find Singapore airlines generally best on price. I know when we booked Emirates was £400 more expensive.

 

Personally I like the route visa Asia with Singapore. We looked at Emirates when we flew this time but didn't like the shorter first leg and the layover in Dubai. We prefer a night flight out of London, long first leg to Singapore, spend a few hours having a swim, shower and wander at the airport then back on for the next shorter leg to Aus. Never found the Singapore airlines planes tired as we were on the new A380 and it was fab. Top notch service and flight was lovely and smooth. Plus I love having a dip in the pool and unwinding part way through the journey.

 

You can get short term travel insurance for the flight, transit and so on. We went with STA and got 48 hour cover or something for our flights, illness, baggage and so on. Wasn't expensive. We got Medicare sorted soon after arriving so didn't worry about insurance for a few weeks. Reciprocal cover exists also I think still.

[Toni]

If you are going to stay in a hotel or short term let then it is a good idea to get the travel insurance that will cover you for the first few weeks that you are staying. This is in case you have to cancel or delayed for any reason or if when you arrive something valuable gets lost that you want to be reimbursed for.

[Guest TheBirdsIOM]

Thanks everyone :0)

 

Starting to slowly chip away at sorting a few things out now, all your comments have been much appreciated, sometimes your head is so full of stuff too much stuff due to trying to sort everything in one go you just can't see the wood for the trees.

 

Thanks again.

 

Thebirds :0)

[Guest Claire-n-tel]

sometimes your head is so full of stuff too much stuff due to trying to sort everything in one go you just can't see the wood for the trees.

 

.............And breathe!.........

 

Lists are your friend, everything goes on the list, even if you did it already, write it down and cross it off, makes you realise you really are getting there.

 

Try to enjoy this time, spend lots of time with family and friends, even get them involved, have a garage sale helped by a few friends followed by takeaway and drinks!

[Mazza]

Can you use IOM if flying over to activate visa and just on a recce?

[Mazza]

Has anyone used Skyscanner to book flights to Adelaide? If so do you know if bags are checked straight through and what are the baggage allowances - Aerlingus to Heathrow and Malaysian airlines there after

 

Confused.

[snifter]

Can you use IOM if flying over to activate visa and just on a recce?

 

Maybe but tbh its not worth it as on a reccie you are not taking the extra luggage (usually). I've never heard anyone using it for reccie flights, just when actually migrating. I think one way flights may apply but can't be certain.

 

Once you validate your visa you lose the claim to the extra baggage allowance with airlines etc as its validated. You don't then get it when you actually migrate.

[snifter]

Has anyone used Skyscanner to book flights to Adelaide? If so do you know if bags are checked straight through and what are the baggage allowances - Aerlingus to Heathrow and Malaysian airlines there after

 

Confused.

 

Skyscanner are the middle man booking agent. The luggage allowances are the airlines own so refer to the airlines websites for those.

 

Bags on long haul are usually checked straight through, unless you are stopping off somewhere for a few days.

 

Personally I book direct with the airlines as I don't find much savings wise to warrant a booking company.

[Keith & Linda]

If it is all done on one ticket it should be checked all the way through, but more than likely they will be separate tickets as Airlingus is not part of 'one world' nor a partner airline with Malaysia, if this is the case then you will have to collect your bags at Heathrow ( change terminals) and check-in at Malaysian desk, you will be booked straight through and tickets issued for both legs LHR-KL; KL-ADL.

 

But to confuse you even more, sometimes your baggage can be checked all the way through, but you will have to check yourselves in for the airlingus flight and then again at LHR with Malaysia. This is because airlingus may not be able to issue the Malaysian tickets.

 

You may also need to check what the luggage allowance is with Airlingus, whether this be for the separate and/or combined ticket, as not all airlines have the same allowances.

[Mazza]

Thanks guys. Re IOM. great service but reading what you sai.. its catch 22 really as you are right I dont need huge baggage allowance on recce but if I use recce to activate visa then I cant use IOM for extra baggage when traveling in may mire permanently.Re Skyscanner ... maybe im best to go to travel agent and book flight so I kmow if checked through and confirm baggage allowance. Just really trying to keep costs low on recce trip as more permanent mone in so soon after.Thanks again guys. Most helpful. If any of ye know of reasonably priced accom in city centre fo march please let me know. Or best website to use. Want to stay in city for first few says to get feel for city etc.Thanks

[kevinr]

Hi

We came last april to activate the visa so thought when we were moving over full time in sept we couldn't get the extra allowance but as we had bought a one way ticket I emailed Singapore airlines and they gave us an extra 10kilos each so always worth asking. If you are on a permanent visa just go straight to SA Services office (One on North Terrace in centre adelaide) and register for Medicare and you are covered straight away. Australia have a reciprocal agreement for health witnOz so covered anyway. Be mindful that most take out private insurance for health as well and include ambulace cover as you pay for emergency ambulances here! SA driving licences can be applied for at the same place and if you are a PR you have to do it within 3 months but if 457 you stay on the Uk one for a few months (unto 6 I believe)

We have only been here 5 months but it is a lovely place and the people are great and so is the weather! (40C today)

[snifter]

Singapore airlines now give 30kg as standard in economy and only an extra 10kg on top for migrant baggage. I think their days of handing out extra allowance is probably over now.

Edited February 11, 2014 by snifter

[Mazza]

the best part is definitely striking tasks off your to do list - luv it!

[Misplaced]

With respect who to fly with I've flown Singapore, Emirates and Ethihad and although the journeys via Dubai or Abu Dhabi are shorter I have said to the family if we have to go back for any reason, it will be with Singapore.

 

I found that Abu Dhabi toilets were disgusting! Often water on the floor and very untidy. Dubai was similar but not as bad as Abu Dhabi. The in flight service was not as good as on Singapore. Changi was clean and tidy.

 

Obviously just how I found them!