Premium economy to London

[RooFlyer]

Some rellies of mine are planning a very rare overseas trip; they would normally be economy travellers but want to go Premium Economy this time; can't afford Business (but I will search for a cheap Biz sale ... Finnair?? and give them the option )

As I've not done PE, I'd appreciate any advice on what might be the best comfort/price combination, preferably ex MEL. They aren't flying until May next year, so plenty of time to watch prices and wait for a good sale.

As a start, I've told them to sign up for sale alerts from QF and CX, but what other airlines offer PE to London, and what ones should they really try to bag?

Finnair I see unfortunately isn't introducing their PE until later next year, else that would be ideal.

 

[ozjuice]

Having travelled to London in Y, PE & J with SQ several times and as I think I have said previously, the PE was not much better than Y and therefore the cost was not justified.
Not much input from me but that's my opinion on SQ.

 

[tdimdad]

On Finnair, could you couple J to Helsinki with Economy Comfort for the shorter hop to London or Manchester? This may require a TA to do it for you instead of attempting it online.

 

[rock86]

China Airlines PE has some pretty decent reviews, especially for the prices you can get. Or with a sale, maybe even their J class.

 

[garybatz]

In the past Finnair offered a combination fare, Y from AUS to Asia on a daytime flight, then J for the long haul overnight flight to Europe. Same on the return.. Price was in between Y and J. I believe they don't advertise them much on their website, so maybe call them direct or try a TA.

 

[RooFlyer]

In the past Finnair offered a combination fare, Y from AUS to Asia on a daytime flight, then J for the long haul overnight flight to Europe. S

Thanks for reminding me of that! I have a TA who has booked me on AY sale fares, but all in J. I'll ask them about the combo fare.

 

[cgichard]

I disagree with ozjouice. I am likely never to be able to afford J on SQ, but I find their PE a great improvement over Y. I prefer a window seat and it makes a huge difference to have to climb past or disturb only one person to access the aisle. The extra seat width helps for sleeping on my side. I like being nearer the front of the plane. As a pescatarian, "Book the Cook" enables me to add an occasional fish or prawn dish to my otherwise preferred Hindu vegetarian meals. So for me, paying that bit extra for PE is definitely worthwhile.

I travel MEL to LHR return on SQ every year, and I probably made the switch from Y when PE was first introduced and have never looked back. You don't mention the age of your relatives, but if they are at all elderly these things, especially the first, make a big difference on those long-haul flights. Younger people might prefer to have more spending money on arriavl.

 

[suze2000]

I know I've raved about it before elsewhere but Japan Airlines Premium Economy was excellent for the money. The downside is that if you want to fly straight through you need to transfer airports across Tokyo, but a stopover in both directions may be a better choice for most people anyway. Getting around Tokyo is easy and so is the bus transfer between the two airports if you choose to fly without stopping. Personally, I would stop both times, haha but that's because we loved Japan so much.

 

[Melburnian1]

A relative tried Philippine Airlines W class (premium economy) ex MEL on its refurbished A333s and said it was quite good. The food was better one way (I think ex MNL) which surprised me as I'd have assumed the reverse. There were a few spare seats but like every PE I've looked at, the placement of tray tables in a non-retractable armrest means one cannot spread out onto a second (or third!) seat if they are 'shadows.'

Between MNL and LHR, PR flies modern A359s also with W class (PE) as an option.

One has to carefully choose days as there is a split schedule to and from MEL, and at present LHR is not daily ex MNL.

This airline received the 'most improved' award from Airline Ratings for 2018. Its planes are more modern than QF, and it has (during the last 10 or 20 years) an excellent safety record. It's a privately owned airline, not a government one like struggling MH.

Cheapest is to go to Filipino travel agents in Melbourne, Sydney or Brisbane as they will have cheaper fares than online, and the better ones won't even charge a credit card fee.

The reason I don't recommend PR ex SYD or BNE is that always ex BNE and most of the time from SYD, it's an A321neo that while having a lie flat J class (as do the A333s and A359s) lacks a W class, so no PE option for PR ex these two cities. (At the weekend PR211/PR212 was an A333 on at least one night and day but that was because of school hols).

PR has fairly regular sales online (subscribe to these online) and is among the cheapest to Europe (or Asia/USA/Canada) yet its service on board is pretty good (typical friendly Filipino hospitality).

Mind you, I concur with ozjuice: PE is a waste of money, as it's nowhere near J and (if one can spread out in Y) arguably worse than Y. Above all else on an overnight plane trip, I value snoozing that in PE must be hard.

 

[bPeteb]

Air NZ PE is excellent. Two stops though from Melbourne - AKL and LAX

 

[RooFlyer]

Continuing thanks to all. Rellie and husband are in their 70s and I know they would only countenance a 'mainstream' carrier like QF, SQ, CX, AY, JL. ANZ via Nth America would be too long, I think. JAL with a Tokyo transit (hopefully an overnight stop) a possibility.

PE will be a treat for them, having only done Y before. I'm not going to hold out a cheap J possibility until I know the prices they are looking at with PE and then I'll try to get them at least a slice of J in the long haul sectors.

 

[harvyk]

I've done PE on both QF and CX.

PE on QF is like Dom J, Dom J seat, Dom J service.
PE on CX is Y service, marginally better legroom.

Edit: I'm taking Dom J on a 737, not A330

 

[wandering_fred]

If $$ are the real dividing point, BA has good W class fares on the KUL-LHR non stop flights. KUL hotels are convenient.

Just wandering
Fred

 

[Mattg]

I know I've raved about it before elsewhere but Japan Airlines Premium Economy was excellent for the money. The downside is that if you want to fly straight through you need to transfer airports across Tokyo, but a stopover in both directions may be a better choice for most people anyway. Getting around Tokyo is easy and so is the bus transfer between the two airports if you choose to fly without stopping. Personally, I would stop both times, haha but that's because we loved Japan so much.

JAL Premium Economy is underrated, and the prices ex MEL to Europe are also usually very reasonable.

If the cross-town transfer in Tokyo is an issue, they can fly MEL-NRT-HEL-LHR with the HEL-LHR leg on AY or BA.

 

[Spongbob]

I have travel to LHR in PE on QF, CX and BA, but they were all upgrades, opups or FF points awards. The only paid PE travel was with QF but I was upgraded to J.
I would rank the PE experience with QF best, CX good, and BA just OK. However, the cost value for a paid flight (compared with Y) would be reversed (BA best, CX good, and QF just OK).
I am not sure if it is still the case, but PE with JAL allows for lounge access (?).

 

[jase05]

It’s not a “ mainstream” carrier so it is probably ruled out but the DIL’s parents recently flew VN PE and were surprised how good they thought it was. They went MEL-SGN-HAN-LHR return and they didn’t mind the two short stops at SGN and HAN. They did mention that the MEL-SGN and return leg on the A350 was decent but much preferred the 787 seating on the HAN-LHR leg. Cost them approx $2800 each.
I don’t see the value in it but understand everyone is different. Personally I’d rather fly Y to DPS or CGK and then pick up a decent J fare from there. QR for instance often has J fares for $2400-2800 and occasionally even lower from CGK-LHR and WY who are outstanding from personal experience can be around the $2k mark in J

 

[Forg]

I flew Y+ on CX to SYD-LHR-SYD mid 2012. Typhoon had shut Hong Kong down so they put me on BA on the way over.

Food is never good in the air, so that’s a bit of a “who cares”, although both airlines had real cutlery which felt like a nice touch. As a 6’1” person with longer legs than most 6’1” people, I found the extra seat space a massive plus, and as a result ain’t ever doing Y again while I can afford Y+.
But ... I found the BA experience better, despite BA being B744 and CX a newer/quieter A332. In BA, you had your own cabin with your own toilets, it was something like 6-8 pax per toilet. But with CX you shared the toilets & queues with Y.

However, our London trip last year was on China Airlines J; because at $4k return, it was cheaper than we could do Y+ on BA or CX or QF or SG. And CI is Taiwanese, not Chinese; and A350 is sooo much quieter than anything apart from a 787. J’s a massive step up in terms of comfort etc, and the showers halfway are a Thing which I appreciated more in reality than in theory.

 

[RooFlyer]

QR for instance often has J fares for $2400-2800 and occasionally even lower from CGK-LHR and WY who are outstanding from personal experience can be around the $2k mark in J

Thanks for reminding me of those too! I'd like to do WY in J from CGK myself

 

[Lemon_Party]

I’ve flown CX a couple of times in PE and it’s not been enough of an improvement over Y for the price premium. China Airlines wasn’t too bad, but the fixed shell seats meant there wasn’t much room for long legs at full recline.

I put mother in law and grandmother in law (93!) in J this year buying them Avianca miles in a sale, ended up being about $3,200 each for their return fares BNE-Europe return.

 

[ellen10]

I've flown Y+ on QF a couple of times. once using points and once purchased. Overall I found the experience good, especially if you get the bulkhead seats. Service was excellent. The purchased flights were on a QF sale at $3400 each, yes I know people would think that this is still expensive but when we couldn't afford Business we were happy with our Premium Economy deal.