HKG lounge crawl 8 June 2014

[JohnK]

To get out of NRT, I don't know how much longer the QF 744s will be doing the rounds. While it's possible to take JL or CX out, the schedule won't work in terms of transfers unless we stay a night at the next port. By that time though, SIN will be serviced by only A330s. HKG wins again in that regards, as it's possibly the port that is most likely to keep a 744, although it probably won't have F.

Try getting to NRT from BKK. I have been searching airfares for the Japan DO next year and the cheapest economy return is close to AUD1,000 on classy airlines such as Korean Air and China Southern/Eastern which are not even Oneworld.

Then I tried using SQ miles. Impossible as it is back tracking. :shock:

I give up. Some things are not meant to be.

 

[Awesom Andy]

Try getting to NRT from BKK. I have been searching airfares for the Japan DO next year and the cheapest economy return is close to AUD1,000 on classy airlines such as Korean Air and China Southern/Eastern which are not even Oneworld.

Then I tried using SQ miles. Impossible as it is back tracking. :shock:

I give up. Some things are not meant to be.

Doubt they would've loaded their discount fares so far ahead in advance though. Can't really speak for BKK, but ex-SIN, JAL discount Y goes on sale religiously about mid-way through the previous quarter. eg. for travel in Q2, (April/May/June), discount tickets come out around mid-Q1 (February).

Either way, probably best to take a refundable hotel booking somewhere first. If a cheap flight comes up, you already have your accommodation sorted, and also have the option of looking for somewhere cheaper, possibly with non-refundable rates. Otherwise, just cancel it at a later date. I'm currently in the same boat, having a refundable hotel booking while taking a sit and wait strategy for flights.

 

[Mal]

A couple of people asked about the piers fish'n'chips menu item.

Here is the photo.

Rating: average.
Reasons : bland fish, chewy, bones found.

 

[Joshua]

Thanks it is a bit disappointing about the fish, but hardly their speciality. Definitely worth sticking to weekend trips to Yorkshire

Try getting to NRT from BKK. I have been searching airfares for the Japan DO next year and the cheapest economy return is close to AUD1,000 on classy airlines such as Korean Air and China Southern/Eastern which are not even Oneworld.

Then I tried using SQ miles. Impossible as it is back tracking. :shock:

I give up. Some things are not meant to be.

NRT is certainly that bit harder to get to. What about using Krisflyer to book onto TG? Commercial xKUL on MH is $500 in Y and 1500 in J stock pricing

 

[JessicaTam]

I think the KUL-SIN idea has merit, as it gives lots of lounges, is easy to get to, and ticks off another airport.

 

[Ansett]

I think the KUL-SIN idea has merit, as it gives lots of lounges, is easy to get to, and ticks off another airport.

Book it I say and lock this in

 

[cmon0005]

Book it I say and lock this in

Yep I'm pretty happy with that!

 

[Joshua]

If anyone else still waiting for credit... I also put in a missing points claim and it showed up in minutes... Quite odd.

As for KL-SIN, there are only a few flights loaded right now.

MH603 1150 departure and MH623 at 1340 look best. 1 hr flight times.



Again just presenting ideas... The daily CX BKK-SIN flight departs around midday and arrives in around 3. It often has pretty cheap fares (I remember booking SIN-BKK for 250 in J once, was cheaper than 3K haha)

 

[serfty]

... Unfortunately, QF was 1 step ahead of me, with the flight I was looking at being replaced by an A330 before I booked it. :-|

I have a booking for April on a 744 - I doubt Qantas are in a hurry to eliminate PE altogether on the NRT route - yes they may change to a 330 eventually but they must use the 9 744 for something.

Anyway, I was commenting on what was either a simply incorrect (BKK finigle notwithstanding) or deliberately obfuscating post.

 

[Awesom Andy]

MH603 1150 departure and MH623 at 1340 look best. 1 hr flight times.

If we start really early (the MH lounge is 24/7), by 7am, we can also get a view of the Malaysian sunrise. (Taken from the regional lounge)


The KUL CX lounge is not really worth the visit. Just 5 mins to tick off the bucket list will be plenty.

Arriving in SIN early means we can head outside of the airport for a stroll, have chilli crab for lunch, before heading back to the airport. What I have in mind is a little adventurous, heading to Palm Beach at Fullerton One for chilli crab next to the water at Marina Bay, with the water and MBS casino as a backdrop. Ok... I should stop dreaming about chilli crabs for the time being...

(photo "stolen" from The Little Teochew website which also has a full review)

Moving on to the airport, if we haven't got our boarding passes sorted, the CX counters are pretty much manned all day, QF has early check-in available between 10am and 3pm (although I never tested this one out). The full list is here.

As for the lounges, MH has a tiny lounge in T2, opens 5am - 9pm. Nothing much in there, except for a couple of OSIM massage chairs. The rest of the *O lounges are in T1 - Skyview (if it can be called an *O lounge) opens 24/7, both QF and BA open 2.30pm - 11pm, and for those who have access to EK, it is a little bit tricky: 6.30am - 10am, 12pm - 3.30pm, 6pm - 2am.

For flights, I don't think I need to go into details here, but there are QF flights to SYD/MEL/BNE between 8-9pm, and then QF6 at 11pm. At this timeslot, there are also:
BA16 to SYD at 7.20pm,
2x BA flights to LHR at 11pm (BA12 being the A380 from later this year),
CX636/714 to HKG at 8:15pm/1:20am,
CX711 to CMB at 9.30pm that operates on 1,3,5,6,
JL36/38 to HND at 9:50pm/1:50am,
AY82 to HEL at 11.35pm
MH610 to KUL at 9.15pm
QR939/945 to DOH at 9.20pm, 2.20am

And people say I spend too much time at the SIN airport...

 

[Aeolus]

What dates are we looking at for next year's run? Anna, cherry blossoms in Japan happens to coincide with our birthdays, what are we waiting for, let's GO!!!

 

[ReLoad]

What dates are we looking at for next year's run? Anna, cherry blossoms in Japan happens to coincide with our birthdays, what are we waiting for, let's GO!!!

I think the whole idea of doing the *O Flagship lounges is the way to go, I mean no offense to SIN, but there are not any spectacular *O lounges there.
KL however sounds ok, but NRT is my preference. (I'm thinking of slotting in from/to BOS on a JAL 787)

So perhaps we need a poll?

(NOTE: Poll is superfluous, as im only going where Joshua goes, and only if he books us on some bizarre ticketed/unusual fare/routing)

 

[medhead]

A poll? Do we really need a poll?

 

[Aeolus]

No poll required, happy with NRT as the base, just need some creative routings for those keen to cover Sin/KUL/Hel/Dxb What dates are we looking at?

 

[Anna]

June long weekend 2015 for KUL SIN

For those keen on cherry blossom, perhaps Easter in the north of Hokkaido there might still be some flowers left.

That leaves Anzac Day weekend, and there's still the October long weekend 2014 as well to fill

 

[JessicaTam]

June long weekend 2015 for KUL SIN

For those keen on cherry blossom, perhaps Easter in the north of Hokkaido there might still be some flowers left.

That leaves Anzac Day weekend, and there's still the October long weekend 2014 as well to fill

Sounds good. Now to decide the most interesting way to get there and back...

18 days to book a mASA.

 

[serfty]

Note there is an FT do at Japan in Easter focusing on cough - April 2-6.

I will be attending that (although I am going via NRT both ways).

As for NRT lounges in relation to a crawl, the place is nothing like Hong Kong.

 

[JohnK]

NRT is certainly that bit harder to get to. What about using Krisflyer to book onto TG? Commercial xKUL on MH is $500 in Y and 1500 in J stock pricing

Thanks I had not thought about booking direct on TG although that would mean losing the KrisFlyer 15% online dicsount. Amex MR transfers to TG as well although I am not sure what their award levels are like.

Ideally I had hoped to find some cheap cash fare from CNX but gave up after 3-4 hours of trying.

 

[Awesom Andy]

Come to think of it, HEL might not be a bad place?

Easter is quite early next year, just before an average year's full bloom. Hokkaido would be roughly early-mid May. Anyway, I'll be at the FT do as well, probably be flying something like SIN-HKG-TPE-NRT-cough-NRT-TPE-KUL-SIN so I guess I would cover all of the major lounge crawl destinations.

Not sure if I've mentioned this before, but by June 2015, the A330s with the new J should be doing their rounds to SIN.

 

[madrooster]

Come to think of it, HEL might not be a bad place?

Easter is quite early next year, just before an average year's full bloom. Hokkaido would be roughly early-mid May. Anyway, I'll be at the FT do as well, probably be flying something like SIN-HKG-TPE-NRT-cough-NRT-TPE-KUL-SIN so I guess I would cover all of the major lounge crawl destinations.

Not sure if I've mentioned this before, but by June 2015, the A330s with the new J should be doing their rounds to SIN.

A330s on AY?

For the Christians who go, fly to HEL via SIN? :!: