Flying to Honolulu ?! help...

[becinsydney09]

Hi All

In august 2010 we flew to HNL with Qantas - the aircraft was dirty and extremely old...i had never before flown in an aircraft of this terrible condition..is it still the same case?

We are flying there again this September... as 2 adults and a toddler - which i want to have his own seat as he is almost 2.

Which airlines do you recommend out of Qantas, Jetstar or Hawaiian Airlines (Economy Class).

Thank you
Bec from Sydney-town

 

[pshepvic]

Jetstar Business (ie. StarClass) - for not much more than the price of QF economy (depending when you book or if you can get a sale), you get more room in a business class seat, newer aircraft, meals etc. Would definitely do this over QF economy.

Otherwise Jetstar economy is still a newer plane, whether it's cleaner or not is another matter. And you might not necessarily be surrounded by the most experienced or professional travelers (trying to be diplomatic here ).

Can't comment on Hawaiian international, but domestic within Hawaii I've always found them good. Mind you inter-island flights are no more than about half an hour!

 

[Taezar]

Hawaiian is lovely. The staff are amazingly attentive. Can't comment on the age of the plane, but it didn't seem "tired."
Join their frequent flyer program and you can see discount business class tix if any are available on your dates. Cause they are part of the Velocity, so no points if a Qantas bunny.

 

[Major]

I would also consider ANZ via AKL, but no good if you are after OW points.

 

[BadgerBoi]

Hawaiian was OK, nice FAs but the plane was a bit tired and you really know that you are on a budget airline. Admittedly it's a few years since I've flown them (SYD-HNL-SYD), and if I found myself going back there I'd pay the extra and go Jetstar *class or whatever they call it now.

Having said that, a friend of mine found a great fare and flew Hawaiian last month and was happy with them.

 

[harvyk]

I would also consider ANZ via AKL, but no good if you are after OW points.

This is probably not a bad option... Don't forget that SYD-AKL they are pseudo LCC, so on the cheapest tickets you won't get baggage or lunch, but I have yet to be on an AirNZ plane I'd call dirty...

I agree that the QF B767's are getting very long in the tooth... Love them for short haul (where the option is that or a B737), hate them for anything longer...

 

[Anna]

My brother flew SYD - HNL in Y on HA in April and described them as "adequate".

I don't know what HA are like with customer service if something goes wrong eg volcanic ash clouds. QF is better than JQ at customer service. For this reason I would pick QF over JQ.

You can get AA points on HA so they do have a OW affiliation.

 

[Mrmaxwell]

I agree that the QF B767's are getting very long in the tooth... Love them for short haul (where the option is that or a B737), hate them for anything longer...

I flew QF003 last Nov and it was the worst flight I've ever had....I never expected my 'worst ever' flight to be on QF - but it happened.

It puzzles me why QF have one of their worst aircraft on such an important/profitable route. Really exemplifies what lack of competition on a particular route does!

 

[Limewood]

Did the Jetsar "Star Class" two years ago, found it Ok except person in front had seat all the way back, made it cramped, try and get bulkhead seats if possible. Jetstar have renamed "Star Class" as "Business Class (J)", same plane same everything, however, lots of Q flyer and status points to be gained.

Wife and I doing this flight again Nov, was on special 2 weeks ago, paid $4300 for both in J.

 

[N860CR]

Air Pacific is also a good option (although it goes via Nadi which can be a pain for connections sometimes). Wouldn't do it in economy, however return in Business is less than $3000 and it collects business class QF SC.

 

[markis10]

FJ NAN to HNL is a 737!

 

[pshepvic]

Air Pacific is also a good option (although it goes via Nadi which can be a pain for connections sometimes). Wouldn't do it in economy, however return in Business is less than $3000 and it collects business class QF SC.

Didn't think of that - I think I would do that next time over JQ J. FJ is pretty good in J anyway (short of lie flat beds). Would earn more SCs being two separate segments, plus can fly ex-Melbourne (whereas JQ has to be via SYD).

 

[pshepvic]

FJ NAN to HNL is a 737!

Can I retract my last comment then?!

 

[harvyk]

FJ NAN to HNL is a 737!

With a tech stop on return...

 

[mannej]

If you can snare 2D on one of the older JQ A330's, I would imagine that would be the best way to make it to HNL. But there are 3 of you so that is the problem.

 

[Balwyn3103]

I had to fly HA in Feb when we had a meeting in Maui (work for a US company that contracts with the US govt and the Fly America Act makes you fly to any US destination on a US carrier).

Found HA just about OK. Both going and coming I upgraded to J at the airport for a total of about $1k making a return J fare for less than $3k. Service and legroom was about on a par with JQ. Don't like HNL for getting from international to domestic. Was really ticked off when I couldn't get UA miles because I didn't have a connecting UA flight.

 

[N860CR]

The J in the FJ 737's doesn't look too bad. I'm doing it in a few months so I'll report back but my thinking is that sleeping in *Class will surely be harder than sleeping in the arm-chair style J seats on the 73's.

Depending on what day you go, it can either be direct from NAN (6 hours or so) or via Apia or Xmas Island. I'm going via Xmas Isl just so I can say I've been there!

Legs from SYD are in the 74 though so that's not so bad.

 

[Katie]

Depending on what day you go, it can either be direct from NAN (6 hours or so) or via Apia or Xmas Island. I'm going via Xmas Isl just so I can say I've been there!

Isn't Christmas Island closer to the WA coast than the Qld coast/pacific ocean?? Wouldn't NAN-Christmas Is-HNL be like flying NAN-SIN-HNL?? Or do I have my geography all confused?

 

[arraitch]

Isn't Christmas Island closer to the WA coast than the Qld coast/pacific ocean?? Wouldn't NAN-Christmas Is-HNL be like flying NAN-SIN-HNL?? Or do I have my geography all confused?

Your geographic confusion is unsurprising, because there are two Christmas Islands ... one in the Indian Ocean, and another in the Pacific Ocean! DJ flies to the former; FJ flies to the latter. See Christmas Island - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia and Kiritimati - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia respectively.

 

[N860CR]

Confused me too (to the point that I nearly called Qantas and told them they'd stuffed the website up!). Tiny little coral island about three hours south of Hawaii. It gets the one flight a week from NAN an then HNL on the way back and that seems to be the limit of it's connection to the greater world (excluding charters). Should be interesting (photos from the air look great)