Best airline

Old Apr 22nd 2015, 5:41 pm
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Default Best airline

Hi

Can anyone recommend the best airline to use when flying to new zealand ?

Thanks
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Old Apr 22nd 2015, 5:43 pm
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Default Re: Best airline

Air New Zealand, Cathy Pacific, Qantas or Singapore Airlines are all good options.
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Old Apr 22nd 2015, 7:18 pm
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Default Re: Best airline

Originally Posted by Gemmae31
Hi

Can anyone recommend the best airline to use when flying to new zealand ?

Thanks
emirates, are cheaper than most, with bigger planes more comfort, air nz is £8,500 business emirates £7,200 thought we would treat ourselves
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Old Apr 22nd 2015, 7:28 pm
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Default Re: Best airline

We came Korean air. Very nice planes and service.
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Old Apr 22nd 2015, 8:41 pm
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Default Re: Best airline

Where is your final destination when arriving into New Zealand

If its Christchurch, Singapore Airlines no brainer

Actually come to think of it, Singapore Airlines is a no brainer no matter what. Mainly because you get to transit in Changi Airport. Arguably the best airport in the world to transit through. There are plenty of facilities at Changi to keep yourselves and the kids entertained (if coming with kids). If you have a long stop over there, there's a hotel to rest at (I wouldn't advise coming over since all the flights are overnight to NZ from Singapore). You also have the opportunity to do a city tour of Singapore as well. Lastly, Singapore Airlines do a Singapore holiday stop - and have some excellent deals with hotels for you to stay there for a few nights.

I recently flew Cathay Pacific and Air New Zealand back from a meeting in London via Hong Kong. I was very impressed with Cathay Pacific. I'm kind of tied to Air New Zealand and can't fault them. The only thing I will say with them is that I recommend you fly via Hong Kong or Singapore. When they announced the codeshare with Singapore Airlines - that was almost a Christmas come early moment.

Can I ask how many stops you'd want to do? Flying with Qantas or Emirates, you'd have a minimum of 2 stops. Dubai airport is impressive but I don't think much of Melbourne, Brisbane or Sydney as you stop at one of those airports as well. Never come with British Airways as you have at least a 9 hour wait in Sydney airport, although you may want to pay a lot more money to get a faster connection

One thing I won't recommend is the NZ1 route. Seriously, don't do that. Unless you want to have around 3 hours of being treated like your the next Osama Bin Laden and experience staff that would take 90 years to be trained to learn to smile. Not even going in the Tom Bradley terminal has made any difference. Actually i'd rather be stuck in that box room, at least that way you only experience a small amount of miserable workers - not a terminal full of them.
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Old Apr 23rd 2015, 8:13 am
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Default Re: Best airline

I've flown on Emirates, Air New Zealand and Virgin Atlantic in my various forays back and forth.

Emirates: Okay-ish we had some problems with our booking and ended up stuck at Melbourne airport for 8 hours at night before the rest of our long haul home. The Economy sections are crowded 3-5-3 formation which again I didn't like and if you fly with them you have that horrid 14-15 hour haul between Aussie and Dubai. The service was otherwise good and the A380s were cool They're a cheaper option if that's crucial but generally I didn't enjoy the experience and have sought not to repeat it.

Virgin Atlantic: Have some serious fails in their communications processes which caused me unnecessary stress and put me off. Their service on board was good (I especially like that you can purchase exit row seats for a bit extra in economy) and entertainment systems were pretty cool. I found that US security wasn't as hardcore as I'd feared - I just yes sirred no sirred 3 bags full sirred until I was through and I liked that I could sit outside the airport in the fresh(ish) air. I prefer to do my trips home in two big jumps of 10-11 hours each and Virgin code share with Air NZ via LA which offers this. They're an okay option in my book

Air New Zealand: I'm a bit biased. I like Air New Zealand. They are a bit more expensive but I personally find it worth my while as I am signed up to their loyalty programs. They haven't ever let me down or messed me around and I find their website easy to navigate and intuitive when I've needed to change or alter a booking. As with the other airlines I can't really fault the service provided on board though I don't think the entertainment selection is as comprehensive as Virgin's. Plus with them you have the option of Shanghai, Hong Kong or LA as transit points all of which give me that 'two big chunk option' that I prefer.
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Old Apr 23rd 2015, 9:23 am
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Default Re: Best airline

Thanks for the replies

We will be flying with a one year old at the time

Would like to fly with airline that gives you the most leg room as my partner is tall and normally struggles with the leg room
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Old Apr 23rd 2015, 9:38 am
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Default Re: Best airline

Phone them and ask.
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Old Apr 23rd 2015, 9:41 am
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Default Re: Best airline

Check seatguru for legroom options and then look at transit times would be my opinion. You may prefer an overnight layover to catch some rest if you are flying economy or to do it in two swift legs and just get there. At least with a youngster you should get bulkhead seats which is an improvement!
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Old Apr 23rd 2015, 9:44 am
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Default Re: Best airline

Originally Posted by Gemmae31
Thanks for the replies

We will be flying with a one year old at the time

Would like to fly with airline that gives you the most leg room as my partner is tall and normally struggles with the leg room
Don't bother with BA, ANZ or Qantas if coming with a one year old

Their attitude towards youngsters is Daily Mailesque. My wife had a terrible time when she bought the kids over with BA to Perth and then ANZ to Auckland before Christchurch.

Worse is that the Perth to Auckland flight, they had no food, had to fork out extra for their luggage and had to pay for movies. Ryan Air service on a national airline, disgraceful.

Go with an Asian Airline. At least you get looked after properly. That's all the passengers.
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Old Apr 23rd 2015, 9:46 am
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Default Re: Best airline

^This. Korean has been great - looked after a coupe with a two year old and a five year old very well.
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Old Apr 23rd 2015, 9:58 am
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Default Re: Best airline

Originally Posted by Tom H
Where is your final destination when arriving into New Zealand

If its Christchurch, Singapore Airlines no brainer

Actually come to think of it, Singapore Airlines is a no brainer no matter what. Mainly because you get to transit in Changi Airport. Arguably the best airport in the world to transit through. There are plenty of facilities at Changi to keep yourselves and the kids entertained (if coming with kids). If you have a long stop over there, there's a hotel to rest at (I wouldn't advise coming over since all the flights are overnight to NZ from Singapore). You also have the opportunity to do a city tour of Singapore as well. Lastly, Singapore Airlines do a Singapore holiday stop - and have some excellent deals with hotels for you to stay there for a few nights.

I recently flew Cathay Pacific and Air New Zealand back from a meeting in London via Hong Kong. I was very impressed with Cathay Pacific. I'm kind of tied to Air New Zealand and can't fault them. The only thing I will say with them is that I recommend you fly via Hong Kong or Singapore. When they announced the codeshare with Singapore Airlines - that was almost a Christmas come early moment.

Can I ask how many stops you'd want to do? Flying with Qantas or Emirates, you'd have a minimum of 2 stops. Dubai airport is impressive but I don't think much of Melbourne, Brisbane or Sydney as you stop at one of those airports as well. Never come with British Airways as you have at least a 9 hour wait in Sydney airport, although you may want to pay a lot more money to get a faster connection

One thing I won't recommend is the NZ1 route. Seriously, don't do that. Unless you want to have around 3 hours of being treated like your the next Osama Bin Laden and experience staff that would take 90 years to be trained to learn to smile. Not even going in the Tom Bradley terminal has made any difference. Actually i'd rather be stuck in that box room, at least that way you only experience a small amount of miserable workers - not a terminal full of them.
Yeah, I'd recommend Singapore Airlines too, and Singapore airport. I think any route via the states is best avoided.
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Old Apr 23rd 2015, 8:21 pm
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Default Re: Best airline

Originally Posted by Blade Down Under
Don't bother with BA, ANZ or Qantas if coming with a one year old

Their attitude towards youngsters is Daily Mailesque. My wife had a terrible time when she bought the kids over with BA to Perth and then ANZ to Auckland before Christchurch.

Worse is that the Perth to Auckland flight, they had no food, had to fork out extra for their luggage and had to pay for movies. Ryan Air service on a national airline, disgraceful.

Go with an Asian Airline. At least you get looked after properly. That's all the passengers.
Hi Blade

Could you please inform me the following

1: Who did you book your flights with
2: Did your family have a stop over in Perth?

The reason why I ask is because Air New Zealand or Air Auckland as known in the South have an agreement with travel agencies where they cannot sell 'seat only' seats on trans-tasman and long-haul flights unless requested. They have to offer seat and bag tickets on short haul flights for trans-tasman, and then have to sell works tickets on flights to places like Perth and Hawaii. Long flights where if you book through ANZ themselves, you could get seat only fares. I am amazed that you had to go through this and find it unacceptable that if you booked through a TA, they put you in a seat only ticket.

Do you have your ticket at all? I have a few contacts with the airline and would be happy for this to be investigated. There is no way your wife and kids should have been treated like that. I do agree with you though about the services between the Oceania and Asia airlines. My wife didn't have the best of experiences with Air New Zealand and my cousin would never ever fly Qantas again with youngsters. The Asian attitude though I cannot fault, they do have an excellent reputation for customer service.

By the way there is one airline that hasn't been recommended yet which I would use with caution and that is Malaysian Airlines. They are one of the best airlines around but the flight arrival into Auckland I believe is around midnight. You would ideally look into a flight that gets you to Australia but you might have to get your bag and recheck in. Sydney Airport has a terrible reputation for this. You need to make sure your flight is ticketed from home destination to final destination, not just to Australia. Otherwise, they will offload your luggage onto the belt and your connecting flight to New Zealand will not include your luggage.
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Old Apr 24th 2015, 6:38 am
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Default Re: Best airline

I can recommend Emirates, they were faultless with our flight in January.

They also let you choose your seat at no extra cost and I found the leg room to be very generous.
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Old Apr 25th 2015, 12:56 pm
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Default Re: Best airline

I am due to fly out in August with Singapore Airlines on the big airbus I have booked a handful of economy upstairs, anyone know if the seats are of a good size upstairs?
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