Red-eye flights out of Perth

[Stadoobie]

I have a red-eye coming up soon, PER > CBR departing 0:10 on a Fri morning.
Having never been on an Australian red-eye before, I was wondering how booked out these tend to be (are there many vacant seats in economy?).

 

[straitman]

I have a red-eye coming up soon, PER > CBR departing 0:10 on a Fri morning.
Having never been on an Australian red-eye before, I was wondering how booked out these tend to be (are there many vacant seats in economy?).

Stadoobie,

Welcome to AFF.

My limited experience is that they are quit full, with few if any vacant seats. If you give a date and flight number it may be possible to look at the flight for you.

 

[QF WP]

I can remember when they used to have lower loads when flying the red-eyes to either SYD or BNE.

In the last couple of years, I can't remember many flights being empty.

As straitman said, somebody with Expert Flyer (excellent software) will be able to give you the current open seats on the differnt fare buckets on you flight. It will be fairly accurate t the time they look, however will change between then and your travel date & time.

 

[Danger]

I've only done CNB-SYD at 0010 once but because it was a 737 (and one of only two (or perhaps even one)) direct flights to Canberra each day, it tends to be quite full. If you're looking for more room to spread out, I'd suggest changing your flight to either the 0015 Sydney flight or the Melbourne flight around 1140, then connect to Canberra from there.

 

[Mal]

The red-eyes are tough on you. I've done them twice back to Brisbane from Perth, and feel it .

The issue is that you leave around midnight and arrive at around 6:00am. After the dinner service and other kerfuffle, that leaves very little time for sleep.

The last one I did, I had a nice 3 seats to myself that I grabbed as soon as the seatbelt sign went off. Managed to sleep relatively ok. The previous one was in J, but even then I didn't sleep properly.

Not sure how full the CBR ones are, but the Brisbane ones aren't too bad people wise from my experience.

 

[StevePER]

Another way you can check loads out of Perth is to use the Perth ACARS site. Search for the date you want (you might have to search for Thursday or Friday since the flight departs around midnight), then look for the "TOB" (Total on Board) line. Last Friday's flight had 126. This includes crew (not sure exactly how many that would be on a 734 - someone else might know) but does give some indication of the load.

Steve

 

[oz_mark]

The red-eyes are tough on you. I've done them twice back to Brisbane from Perth, and feel it .

The issue is that you leave around midnight and arrive at around 6:00am. After the dinner service and other kerfuffle, that leaves very little time for sleep.

The Melbourne one in my experience is the worst. Arrival just after 5 am, short flight time (just over three hours). The Brisbane one does get you more sleep

 

[alien]

I do the red eye mid week once a month from Perth to Sydney and I can tell you they have been packed.

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

The Melbourne one in my experience is the worst. Arrival just after 5 am, short flight time (just over three hours). The Brisbane one does get you more sleep

Actually I find the AKL one to be the worst despite the longer flight time. The problem being flight leaves PER significantly earlier than the east coast redeyes, thus unable to sleep until well into the flight. Then get woken up for breakfast mid tasman.

 

[SeatBackForward]

Perth is boom town, getting anything into, out of, and whilst there is tough. I was in a situation last year where not a single hotel room in Perth was available for a week, the closes room was in Bunbury, and this was searching almost a fortnight before I needed to be there!

 

[oz_mark]

Perth is boom town, getting anything into, out of, and whilst there is tough. I was in a situation last year where not a single hotel room in Perth was available for a week, the closes room was in Bunbury, and this was searching almost a fortnight before I needed to be there!

Yes we certainly have this problem to deal with at work. People coming over at short notice are finding themselves booked at hotels in Mandurah, for example.

 

[Stadoobie]

I would like to thank everyone for their contributions / opinions ... I have learnt :

1: ALLWAYS fly business class - where money permits.
2: Never do a red-eye unless you are fit.
3: Dont arrive at the QP 4hrs beforehand and get drunk.
4: Make booking for hotels 2 mnths in advance.
5: Sweet talk the Check in agent not to put anyone in the middle seat.
6: Carry many sleeping tablets.
7: Take an iPod or DVD player.
8: Take Bose headsets.
9: opt in the vegetarian meal - (get fed first).
10: Smile - Canberra is great.

Thanks people of the FF post !!

PS: thank you also to those people that offered to check on seating and flight planning. The perth flight data website thing is a beauty.

 

[thadocta]

I would like to thank everyone for their contributions / opinions ... I have learnt :

3: Dont arrive at the QP 4hrs beforehand and get drunk.

I do this all the time when on a red-eye, and I am usually asleep before push-back and need to be woken upon landing.

(Not sure about how wise this is, being asleep during the safety briefing, as far as CASA is concerned, but I won't go there if the cabin crew don't).

Dave

 

[~B~]

Ive only been on one...was a Virgin flight PER - MEL.

It was on Valentines day (well night) and it was pretty packed. 2 people on most 3 seaters... and the flight attendant kept cracking jokes about lots of singles on the plane and no sex in the toilet...gah..im so glad they dont crack jokes anymore