Sri Lankan Airlines or? To UK

[Timtammi]

Some friends have asked me to assist with their plans to travel to the UK next June/July to visit family (2A + 2C). Flight Centre have quoted them $2K ea for Y on MH and $4K ea for Y+ on CX. I've told them I can do better but am having trouble finding anything decent for them. They have said they want to fly Y+ but IMO CX Y+ is pretty ordinary and not worth the extra they have been quoted. I was thinking Sri Lankan ex SIN might work, I can find some flights for around $2500 AUD return in J and they could add on a cheap J* or the liketo get to SIN. Anything else I should be looking at? Are all the UL A330 that fly from SIN-LHR lie flat? The connections on the way back through CMB look a bit nasty but I saw a post where someone said they had put them up in a hotel but I cant see anything about that on the UL site? Any other Y+ options I should look at? They are actually going to Birmingham so flying into another UK airport would be fine. Thanks for any and all help, I am feeling a bit like I overpromised and am worried now I can't deliver!

Cheers

Timmi

 

[docjames]

Dep mid june ret mid jul,

I can see SQ @ $1597 ea x4 (actually $1700a, $1400c), MH $1800, QR $1600 (to MAN)

I can see Y+ on CX/BA @ $3500 which is pretty decent.

 

[alieninperth]

from Matrix.

BKK-HEL-MAN-HEL-SIN total of AU$3,339.60 (includes a 25hr layover in HEL as well)

Tag on the Aus-BKK/SIN-Aus leg from our friends in br for AU$1,824.56 (assuming leaving from MEL)

Total cost is then AU$5,164.16 (give or take with the exchange rate.

MAN into Birmingham should take about 45mins to an hour depending on traffic, or they could get the train.

I found the flight through HEL to be OK, much better that going through LHR. The wife hated it though. fair warning the AY planes are not going to be anything like the MH A380 that you would get to LHR if you went that way. they are old and very tired. IFE in is Swedish/Finnish and bulkhead seats are very narrow in Y. Rows 2 onwards in Y seem to have more leg room and are quite comfy (for Y)

There is also the USDM/Avianca route to look at.

 

[Timtammi]

Thanks for the suggestions so far. Docjames where are you seeing the pricing you quoted?

 

[knasty]

Saw combos of QF/BA/JL/CX for <AUD6k equivalent total on expedia.com.br

 

[docjames]

Thanks for the suggestions so far. Docjames where are you seeing the pricing you quoted?

matrix.itasoftware.com

Then either take to a TA or book direct once flights found.

 

[Timtammi]

Thanks Docjames, are those $ ex MEL? Or somewhere else? Because its coming up much more expensive for me for those flights on matrix with a mid June departure and a mid July return.

 

[greenfish]

China Southern ex MEL at $1490 per adult, one stop. Lots of other cheap options open jaw, e.g. MEL->MAN, CDG->MEL

 

[knasty]

I find a good place to start with this type of request is UK and Europe - Cheap Flights - Phone Flights Results

Not that you necessarily need to book through them but it gives you a good idea what's out there. Another thing to consider is if they are not frequent flyers would it make sense to take a carrier which is a partner of a local program with family pooling eg. would it make sense to go on a Velocity partner such as Etihad or Singapore so that the miles/status credits can be pooled to one member for better use afterwards?

 

[greenfish]

would it make sense to go on a Velocity partner such as Etihad or Singapore so that the miles/status credits can be pooled to one member for better use afterwards?

This is a really good idea - particularly if they're willing to pay a little more for the flights and fly Singapore flexi-savers - I had a look at this recently and for around $2200 per adult into LHR out of MUC, it would have taken one person to fairly close to VA Platinum...

 

[Timtammi]

They are not frequent flyers and don't have any points or loyalty so that is not really factoring into the equation. They just want to get their for the best comfort/dollar equation and as the father is 6'5" or so they really want to avoid Y if they can although they are not made of money either! Thanks again for all of your suggestions so far, am looking into them and have already given them some suggestions.

 

[greenfish]

China Southern again are the cheapest PE option, one stop at $1934 per adult ($6966 2A + 2C) - though from the reviews I've read, the bigger seat is about all you get:

e.g.

Flight test: China Southern premium economy

But one stop, total time in both directions a little over 25 hours.

 

[smit0847]

There are lots of good suggestions in this thread already but I'm getting confused about whether the prices offered are pp or total. The OP is ideally looking for a decent Y+ product for under $4k pp and people are suggesting v cheap Y options on separate PNRs, and others are suggesting cheap J options that are well over $4k. I doubt a family with children who rarely fly would want to transit lots of cities with separate PNRs.

Perhaps some of the third tier airlines J options like VN, BI or CZ might be an option? They're not a brilliant J class but for the price of Y+ on CX they would be a much more comfortable experience than any Y+ product.

By the way, if you do book SQ Y and its a SC earning fare code on VA, I'm pretty sure a 4 person family pool into one VA account would just about make WP in one return Europe trip - VA are very generous with SQ SCs.

 

[alieninperth]

The OP quoted both Y and PE at the cheapest rates and also suggested splitting the trip into seperate PNRs; MH Y at $2k and CX PE at $4k, as well as ex SIN on UL. As far as I can see, all of the suggestions offered are in line with that post.

And rather than go 3rd tier at $4k, why not USDM and fly TG in J the whole way (2nd tier at $2.5k)

 

[smit0847]

And rather than go 3rd tier at $4k, why not USDM and fly TG in J the whole way (2nd tier at $2.5k)

Because they would need to wait for 2 promos to buy all the points, find availability and hope that TG release 2 x 2 J seats on the same flights as I'm guessing they don't want to be split up. It's a fair bit to promise someone else.

 

[docjames]

Was ex-MEL.

The other thought for "value" was Royal Brunei J class often has excellent sales but current prices i can see online were not that great.

 

[Timtammi]

Thanks everyone for your input. It's all appreciated. I think they asked flight Centre to quote them on both y and y+ even though I know they are hoping they can at least do y+. I've found a good Eva air y+ fare ex bkk that is 0 stops to lhr so thought that might combine well with jq to bkk they might even be able to get jq j if the price is right. I don't know much about Eva but can't imagine it's worse than cx y+ and it's much cheaper. Does anyone know if Eva require the cc shown at bkk like qf do?