1st Time International Flyer

[Cruiserman]

Hi.

I am just recovering from a separation and have made my mind up to finally go OS at 50. Anyway thats another story.
I just have a couple of questions:

1. Decided to fly business as its my first solo international flight in July this year and might as well enjoy it. Have narrowed down to BA or Qantas. So Qantas to Singapore then A380 BA to London or simply Qantas from Sydney to London.
Bit worried about the long flight over the Indian Ocean with Qantas because I'm think if they have to land because of a problem then there is nowhere to land. Also the time from Sydney to Dubai seems very long.
Wondering if Qantas to Singapore then BA might make the trip easier like 9hrs land then 12 hrs and land again ?

2. Looked on the Qantas website and I have to pay for the seat before I can choose it. So for example if I wanted 21 A or B I might be better going through the Qantas operator ?

3. With these very long flights, do they take two flight crews or just one ?

Sorry if these questions sound pretty dumb but being my first OS trip and going solo I'm finding there is a lot to think about and a bit nervous about going solo but need to do it.

 

[travelislife]

Great to hear you are making the big leap!

For Sydney to London I would contend there are much better airlines than Qantas in business class. Cathay, Etihad, Singapore and Qatar all have a better product and likely cheaper too!

No you don't have to pay to select a seat in any of these airlines in business class, nor do you on Qantas. But, you do on have to pay on BA. And their business class product is cramped!

 

[Cruiserman]

Great to hear you are making the big leap!

Thanks for the reply.

Yes it is a big leap (literally). I have flown Qantas from Sydney to Melbourne about 12 times in the last 18 months and generally try to get the A 330.

I take your point about there being better airlines.

But seriously ( and I know it might sound stupid to seasoned fliers) but that long stretch across the Indian Ocean really bothers me. From what I can see on the map it must be about 10 hours or so. I'm trying to rationalise that Qantas must have some emergency plan going across that long stretch in case they need to land somewhere on their way to Dubai.

I would prefer Qantas but there is this thing thinking BA at least travel over land from Singapore as well as I think their planes are newer.

Sorry, Yes I'm a pain but once I get this part sorted I'll be happy and plan the rest of the trip.

 

[opusman]

Trust me, all airlines have "emergency plans" for if something goes wrong!

 

[BacchusMarsh]

Qantas must have some emergency plan

Indeed. I think you can quite safely assume that these issues have been addressed.

If it helps, ask yourself how often you've heard about them (or any other airline) having problems in that regard before.

 

[amaroo]

Never too late! Welcome to AFF..

Putting aside your concerns about long stretchers over water .... I would focus on where you want to go. Do you want to enjoy a stopover? Hong Kong, Bangkok, Singapore, Middle East..... stopovers are an excellent way to enhance a trip, and are great value. Two or three holidays for the price of one - type of thing.

Another thing to note is that not all business cabins are the same i.e. BA have rear facing seats (not the best privacy) .... CX (Cathy Pacific) have seats that offer all aisle access i.e. no stepping over anyone / or over you.

Enjoy the planning - it's critical and also enjoyable!

 

[Pushka]

Enjoy your first OS trip. Could I make a suggestion? Given your anxiety over flying long distance - maybe you should start for a shorter international trip as a taster to see if you really enjoy or even cope with the flying?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Thanks for the reply.

Yes it is a big leap (literally). I have flown Qantas from Sydney to Melbourne about 12 times in the last 18 months and generally try to get the A 330.

I take your point about there being better airlines.

But seriously ( and I know it might sound stupid to seasoned fliers) but that long stretch across the Indian Ocean really bothers me. From what I can see on the map it must be about 10 hours or so. I'm trying to rationalise that Qantas must have some emergency plan going across that long stretch in case they need to land somewhere on their way to Dubai.

I would prefer Qantas but there is this thing thinking BA at least travel over land from Singapore as well as I think their planes are newer.

Sorry, Yes I'm a pain but once I get this part sorted I'll be happy and plan the rest of the trip.

Avoid BA, terrible business class layout. Qantas... drooping seat and pretty average food. Crews can be great, but not a guarantee.

No airline offers a perfect business class, but there's also no reason to pay top dollar for a 'not perfect' product. Fly any of a multitude of carriers as other have mentioned... etihad, Cathay, Singapore. None are perfect, but you'll pay a lot less. Cathay avoids the long overwater flight. I'd recommend them. Not perfect, but a better overall product than QF or BA.

All airlines operate to strict safety requirements, and these safety requirements are usually enforced by local authorities in the countries they fly to. for major minter national long haul travel, I wouldn't necessarily factor 'safety' as a consideration (maybe one or two exceptions).

 

[bam71]

+1 Avoid BA business class. If I'm paying to go to Europe my preferred carrier is actually Garuda! They are very safe these days, the service is excellent, and you can have a free stopover in Jakarta or Bali . We try to do that on the way home to help ease the jet lag.

 

[RooFlyer]

Welcome to AFF cruiserman

I'd re-iterate what others have said.

Shop around for business class products/airlines. Look at Cathay (SYD-Hong Kong-London), Etihad (SYD-Abu Dhabi-London), Qatar (SYD-Doha-London), Singapore Airlines (SYD-Singapore-London). Qantas is nice, but having flown them all, these are better overall. SOme people don't like flying via the Gulf; I'm Ok with it but would always choose HKG or SIN if it was a complete choice.

Do you want or need to do it all in one go? Maybe stop-over en route, although it will cost a bit more. If you get a gap of <24hrs between flights, then its not a stop-over (ie won't cost more) and you can spend a night and do a quick tour of the layover city, making the overall long journey much easier. In this regard Singapore and Hong Kong would top my list - both really easy to have a quick tour of. Note that a wide gap may not be apparent on-line. Call up to see if that sort of scheduling is possible and if so, you should be able to book it over the phone without the fee they charge for phone bookings.

Most of those airlines web sites have facilities where you can do a 'tour' of the cabin, and you can sometimes do a 360 degrees thing. Check out things like direct aisle access, position of galleys and toilets etc.

To your questions:

1) Absolutely don't worry about the flight over water. There definitely ARE contingencies in the VERY unlikely event that a diversion is needed. The A380 has 4 engines and it can fly quite happily on less than that.

If you have any doubts, head over to "Ask the Pilot" thread and ask about those contingencies. There is a real Qantas A380 Captain who quite happily answers such questions (other pilots as well). Don't feel embarrassed - we all started somewhere! Its a friendly place.

2) In business you can select your seat during the booking process. Later on, if you change your mind, you can go to the 'Manage my Booking' area of the airline web site (with your booking reference etc) and change it if you like. You can come back and ask about this in this thread if needs be. Seat Guru shows the pros and cons of each seat on particular flights. Personally I like direct aisle access and to be away from the toilets and galleys, to be disturbed less.

3) Long haul flights do take 2 sets of coughpit crew - they have their own rest area with beds to help rest. Cabin crew also have rest areas.

Going business is a great idea for the first time. The in-flight experience is so much better, you get lounge access on departure everywhere you are likely to go (food, drink, Wi-Fi, relaxation) and lots more points of contact/help.

Lastly, do you intend going beyond the UK? if so, consider flying into (say) Paris or some other non UK port. the UK charges very high landing fees. May not be material in the overall cost and may be more hassle than its worth, but put it in the back of your mind.

All this may make it sound very complicated. Don't be put off - its not!! Just shop around for airlines/price and narrow it down to one or two then come back and ask some more.

 

[Melburnian1]

Cruserman, instead of flying to LHR, why not choose Singapore Airlines - arguably world best (and way ahead of QF) and fly into one European port and out of another? You could use point-to-point rail tickets or a Eurail pass to experience the best trains(and perhaps some fun local ones) that Europe has to offer.

Changi is a wonderful airport as your first introduction to an overseas landing. A pool, butterfly garden, carpeted almost throughout unlike the unfriendly tiles that many Australian international airports at least partly use and a good range of food, beverage and if you must, shops.

Don't settle for QF or BA. They may put you off ever flying again, and the three main Middle Eastern airports are horrible when one can fly via innumerable points in non-mainland Chinese Asia and have an enjoyable experience.

And remember, apart from RooFlyer's usual excellent advice, many have been nervous fliers. Jeff Kennett, former Victorian Premier, was (and may well still be) one if I correctly recall. Nothing to be ashamed of: quite a few passengers on every RPT flight worldwide may be in this category.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

arguably one of the best... except for seating. sadly lacking in that department... unless you're very short! The business class lounge at changi is behind CX's offerings in Hong Kong.

 

[Himeno]

Until a few years ago, my parents flew economy for their overseas holidays. Mum refused to be on a plane for more then 7-8 hours at a time, so they would take trips like MEL-SIN-DXB-FCO/FRA-DXB-BKK-SYD with 1-2 days stop at each port around the main stop in Europe.

 

[Skyring]

Instead of going SYD-LHR-SYD, why not take a oneWorld Explorer and do a round-the world trip for about the same price? You can choose from many different airlines and routes, you get sixteen flights on the ticket, and if you do it right, you can end up as a Platinum flyer.

BA = Best Avoided. Their product is okay, but they tend to be a little mean and stingy, the cabin crew often see a trip as a social event - for the crew - and you end up flying in and out of Heathrow, which is not a great travel experience. Fly longhaul out of any UK airport in a premium cabin, and you'll be paying a heap of tax.

Cathay Pacific and Qatar do really nice business travel. You'll be totally spoilt, which sounds like something you could use.

In America, American Airlines can be hit and miss for quality, but their longhaul 77W J cabins are fantastic. For domestic flights they can be pretty ordinary.

 

[BacchusMarsh]

the three main Middle Eastern airports are horrible

What specifically did you dislike about them?

 

[opusman]

What specifically did you dislike about them?

Presumably no lounge access

 

[Maca44]

When you have gone through a separation/divorce you are at the lowest part of your life so you need to pamper yourself, and 'go on all the rides'. You have no doubt given this considerable thought; decided to take an overseas trip and business class is one of the best ways to forget and start your new life. Although I believe there is about a 10% different in business class seats (not counting the age of the plane) it is the cabin crew that makes the difference. They can make it or ruin a flight and the food in J class is generally quite good on most carriers. I fly QF because i have a heap of points to get rid of, but once they are gone..so are QF. I have flown Cathay (CX) several times over the past couple of years and can not fault them one bit, and in this regard i am referring to cabin, food and especially cabin crew. I agree with others that, if this is your first overseas trip..break it up. Spend time, smell the roses and see what the world has to offer. Others have mentioned Hong Kong but i find this dirty and extremely expensive even by Australian standards. There are many other places for a stopover and don't forget RooFlyer's advice about the 24hrs. Another good point raised by others is to fly into say Paris and train it into London, and by dong so you see a lot more of the country; save heaps of taxes and you arrive in the heart of the city. Can't beat that.

I have not flown Japan Airlines (JAL) but have two business class seats booked later this year, but you might consider flying J class with them into Tokyo, then through to Paris etc..then train or continue through the LHR. There are so many options open to you, and it's time to start the healing process with places to visit together with nice food, nice wines etc. (and that's only the flights). There are many members of this forum that, I suspect, spend most of their life in a pressurised tube be it work or otherwise, and they are more then happy to freely provide the best advice on travel. Keep us informed of your decisions and really enjoy what life brings you.

 

[VPS]

Good luck with taking the plunge -you can't go wrong listening to the advice from this forum

 

[Cruiserman]

Hi All.

Thanks for all the replies and suggestions. Sorry I didnt respond earlier.

I have been reading and taking some notes on your responses. Cathay got a few mentions and I really appreciate the advice and dont want to sound ungrateful, honestly.

I do prefer an A380, got no basis for this except I like 4 engines and the 2 levels. I have taken your point about Qantas and will look at other alternatives.

Planning to rail Europe London-Paris_Turin-Rome-Florence.....only because I think I see more and like the rail trips.

 

[bryanjones]

Absolutely avoid BA business class. It is premium economy plus. Book Cathay or Singapore airlines and you won't be disappointed...