Flower Pot

Hi all

We are planning our 1 way flights from Manchester to Auckland via LA in June. I have found flights via STA travel which are:

Manchester --> Heathrow --> LA --> Auckland, but it doesn't state the airline, although I have my suspicions its BA up to LA and then Quantas.

I've heard bad reviews about Quantas so wanted to see if any other airlines do this route? Or has anyone flown Quantas and had a good experience?

We have flown Emirates twice via Dubai and the service and quality was faultless, therefore theres a lot to live up to!

We want to go via LA so we get the 40kg baggage allowance...and plan to stop over for a couple of days and see some sights

Thanks

Kimi-Deacon

My Youngest just arrived here and he flew BA to LAX, Quantas to Auckland and he said that it was all average service no real grumbles, i booked that flight for him and cant complain about the price beat everyone else hands down.

Persephone

Air NZ do LHR > LA > Auckland.
Never had any problems with them and the food [and wine] is usually good

If you're going one way then it is definitely worth going via America for the extra luggage allowance- 2 bags 23kg each.

Obviously it depends on cost, how much cheaper the BA/Quantas flights are compared to any other airline.

Wooly_Cow

...but if you're going return and don't mind about the baggage - go the other way - via Asia - more interesting stop overs and bigger choice of routes and carriers. IMHO only Air NZ is woth going via the US.

Have heard several times Qantas and BA are at best average.

Persephone

I would agree with that, the US is only worth it for the extra bags when emigrating, you can fit a surprising amount into that extra 23kg allowance. I was only bringing over 72 cu ft by sea so it did cut the cost down being able to bring it free by air

Also if you change planes at LA make sure you have enough time to go through immigration and collect your bags, that's if you decide not to have a stopover!.
Not a problem with Air NZ1/2 as you are shepherded into a separate area and cannot enter the airport proper, you go through immigration but your bags stay on the plane. I'm not sure whether it is that easy if you change BA to Qantas, it may well be as I've never flown with them.
Having come back from Mexico City last week via LA, we changed airlines and had to go through immigration, wait for our bags on the carousel, then recheck them in before going through customs and into airside. We needed the full two hours between flights just to do this and could have done with a little more relaxation time before the long flight to NZ

Wooly_Cow

Sorry my previous post could be read as I am only recommending Air NZ if you fly via LA, whereas I meant the reverse - going via LA is only OK if you fly Air NZ - IMHO

Air NZ are excellent and will only get better with their new design of seats / cabin.

Stoof

if your primary reason for flying through the US is the extra weight allowance (rather than the US sight-seeing), (assuming you have PR rather than work visas i think) it's worth looking at airlines flying the other way too... we got 40kg each flying with Singapore, and Emirates has just upped their standard allowance through Dubai to 30kg anyway, i've heard tell that they will also increase the allowance if you hold the correct visa.... as will some others.

we just emailed customer services for confirmation, and printed a copy of the affirmative reply off in case we needed it at check-in (which we did!)

Flower Pot

Thanks for your replies everyone

It will be a one way ticket and we will either have WTR or PR, we aren't getting a container so really need the extra allowance! So 46kg (between 2 cases) per person via LA? Thats pretty darn good.

I will look into the other airlines baggage allowance too? So if you say its a one way flight they may give you extra, am I reading that right?

We've done Dubai twice now so fancied a change and thought LA would do nicely. Would deffo stop over for a couple of nights to have a look around

Stoof

yep, if you have PR stickers in your passports and you're on a one-way flight, some airlines will increase your allowance.... for instance, with Singapore they doubled our hold luggage from 20kg each to 40kg each, (in as many pieces as we needed, each one not exceeding 32kg), then on top we got 7kg handluggage as standard each, plus laptop etc as usual... there were 3 of us, so between us we got 141kg plus laptops etc... we managed to bring all our bedding and shed loads of otherstuff too...

irnbru14

Cant go wrong with Air NZ really, especially if you are actually planning a few days in LA means you avoid the fun of getting off and on teh same plane.

I don't have a problem with Qantas, Air NZ are better but Qantas do have teh full in demand entertainment system as Air NZ have. BA didn't last time I flew with them long haul, mind you I would avoid BA anyway as they are a bit rubbish IMHO.

How about Virgin, they do London to San Fran and Air NZ do San Fran to Auckland and both are star alliance members so you can book it as one flight, just a thought!!

Have just been home and even with the two full bags was still under 40kgs!!

If you are stopping in LA for a few days can recommend Santa Monica as a lovely spot to stay and only about 20/30 mins from the airport by taxi/shuttle.

Remember if you don't book all the way through from Manchester to Auckland that you will only get the domestic baggage limit in the UK if you book a flight on its own to get to London!

Ozzidoc

United & Air NZ codeshare. I've done London - Melbourne via LA & Auckland.

I flew Air NZ for the second half of the flight - they were excellent.

bevissa65

Hi, we came via LA cos that was the only route that had spaces Baggage allowance was brilliant. Got hand luggage weighed at LA and had to jiffle things around so they were all within limits. LA was boring, shopping absolutely crap. Spent 8 hours trying to kip on the floor!!! BA were fine, no complaints, didn't spend more than 3 hours awake on Qantas leg but they seemed fine. Probably not as good as Singapore but no major issues. Bevissa

blackburn lass

We want to go via LA so we get the 40kg baggage allowance...and plan to stop over for a couple of days and see some sights

Thanks [/QUOTE]

Hi,

I have been looking at flying via LA for baggage allowance from Manchester and a lot of those flights give you a 24 hour stop over in LA anyway.
Think we will make the most of that

Also found that the extra cost to fly from manchester if you book with AirNZ is quite high,(£200 per person) so considering hiring a car and driving to Heathrow. (£60)

Dawn X

lapsed kiwi

Although I'm not a fan of the LAX route, I have found that doing a 24-48hr stopover lessens the pain a great deal and makes the immigration hassle seem more worthwhile.

AndyR

Air NZ 100%!! Flown a lot of airlines in the past and Air NZ were head and shoulders above all of them. Flew LHR - LAX (4 day stopover) - AKL (2 week stop) - Brisbane (9 month stop!) - AKL (staying for good)