telelynx

Looking at another thread, economy vs. business, I thought it might be good to compare everyone's economy experiences between UK - Oz and vice-versa

I've stuck, largely with Singapore Airlines for the last 3 years or so, they are very helpful when changing flights and cities and I've never been charged for an alteration from my original itinerary

I used a BA/Qantas code share once in the last 3 years, it was a disaster, even though I was confirmed they only just got me back to Adelaide on time -ish via Darwin, service was not good, cabin too hot, no video on demand

Even though I live in Adelaide I fly Virgin Blue to Melbourne and go on the 00:50 to Singapore, after a 2 hour wait it's on to London for 15:30 in the afternoon I find this much better than getting in at 06:00 completely knackered trying to stay awake all day

What are other people's experiences???

jamiecairns

I have flown BA, Qantas and Singapore economy (to, or from UK) in the last 3 months.

I would say that the best experience I had was with Qantas, although check-in at LHR was at a BA desk. They did have on-demand entertainment (although it needed to be restarted a couple of times mid-flight, so I guess it's new) as does Singapore. No on-demand on BA.

Cabin crew were friendlier on Singapore than Qantas and BA were the least impressive, BUT I think that the in flight food was better on Qantas than the others (mitigated on BA by the "raid the larder" service)

I guess what I'm saying is that I don't think there is much between them but that Qantas shades it over Singapore with BA just behind.

JC

Deer Hunter

I've flown with United and they are terrible all around, service food everything is bad. Austrian and Singapore are pretty good. I haven't flown Virgin but apparently they have lots of legroom and video on demand.

telelynx

Do Virgin have a direct service from Australia to UK? via HK or Singapore?

Sandra

We have just flown Cathay, Sydney to London Return in July. Apart from no video on demand everything else was great for the price just over $2000 each - which counts a lot when paying for four of us. I like the flights that get me back to Sydney late in the evening so I can sleep asap.

I have flown Singapore, Gulf Air, Lauda Air all in the past three years on economy and apart from Lauda would fly them all again. I look for the cheapest every time.

The connection time in Hong Kong was only an hourish both ways.

The Cathay Flight got us into Heathrow for 5.45 in the morning then we had a five hour wait for our connection to Alicante - this was a pain but we had a super breakfast in 'Weatherspoons' and some family came up to meet us. I know my husband enjoyed his breakfast of 'beer' from a handpump.

Cheers

telelynx

Breakfast beer is completely allowable owing to jet lag, if hubby is still drinking breakfast beer 3 weeks later you may want to have a word with him, BA does have canned 'London Pride' on the flights but that really doesn't make up for all the downside

Deer Hunter

Yes via HK

telelynx

Be interesting to hear from anyone who has used Virgin

Deer Hunter

I've heard really good things. Mmmm breakfast beer. I always get ratted on planes, why not it's free!

telelynx

I used to but found it got too dehydrated, I tend to get pissed in Singapore airport sports bar and then drink more on the 'plane, sleep for a bit and sober up by Heathrow

If you run a tab in the bar it's cheaper to settle up in one hit rather than keep changing currency

Adelaideman

ahh yes nothing like drinking a nice cold beer in a oversized soccerball

Deer Hunter

I got rather 'rosy' on my way back from Saffa in May. They have free drinks in the business lounge . I ended up buying hundreds of pounds of make up and electronics...... Best park yourself at the bar and don't leave.

telelynx

Myself and colleague got so tired and emotional in Lisbon business lounge we missed our flight

Deer Hunter

LOL!!!

telelynx

We'll have to change your name to the 'beer hunter'