Night Nurse

Hi Sue,

Sorry for interrupting on the 'girls thread' but airlines and aeroplanes are being mentioned, so couldn't resist.

I've just had a look at the BA website. I know I'm biased but a lot of people still think BA are way over-priced and don't have a look at them (BA's fault for not getting the message through by advertising properly ).

Anyway: 5/12 - 3/1. 2 adults, 2 children (under 12).

MAN-BNE (MAN-LHR-SIN-SYD-BNE & return) = £3981.20 (including ALL taxes)

If you chose to drive to LHR, rather than fly, the trip would cost £3499.20.

I emphasise the taxes because a lot of the cheap flights booking centres 'forget' to mention them until they are printing up your tickets and then present you with a fairly hefty bill. Many airlines also hide things without telling you what taxes etc you are paying. At least with BA they show you how much goes to Departure tax (thank you Mr Brown), security charges (thank you USA), fuel charges (thank you Mr Brown) etc.

I sound like a travelling salesman, so I'll shut up now. If the prices look reasonable then have a look at

http://ba.com

The options will include QANTAS to SIN, but I'd take the BA flight option. Same price but I reckon better seats & IFE. Service about the same.

NN's Old Man again. Back in the USA, awake since 0100 local and bored with rainy San Francisco

tiredwithtwins

hehe....you should have your own username 'insomnia of the bay' or something!
Yes, they can be quite crafty with the old taxes etc, but the £3494(singapore airlines) i have so far found includes everything. I too have been caught out by that one! Funnily, the last time i had to fly the departure tax was only £15 long haul!!!
Im torn between buying the flights now, or waitng a couple of months until the reduced prices for nov/dec flights come out.
watch em not bring any out this year!

so, its raining in SF is it? its nice and sunny, but freezing, here in sheffield!

sue

tiredwithtwins

forgot to mention, that the prices for the dates we want went up to over £8k each!!! and that was economy!!!????

lynnlovessun

You can't do it online but have you tried Trailfinders? We normally book through them - they are online but you are better to phone them or pop into the local branch for quotes - they specialise in australia and long haul travel.

Unbelievable prices - we flew boxing day 2003 and got our flights for 600 pound each (emirates, Glasgow-Heathrow-Dubai-Singapore-Brisbane) Maybe the prices come down then? We had 2 night stopover in Dubai and arrived in plenty of time to recover from the jet lag and bring new year in Oz style (Lovely meal on Southbank Brisbane, then watched the fireworks over the river from our riverside restaurant!!!) It was absolutely fantastic and we will hopefully be doing it again New year 2006

Good luck - let me know how you get on!
Lynn

tiredwithtwins

hi lynn,
do you think this is a bit excessable then?
the cheapest was with emirates on airlinenetwork.com at 3386 for 2 adults and 3 kids?

hmmm...need to rethink this dont i?
where am i going wrong......
the £3541 was with singapore through their website.

sue

lynnlovessun

Have you tried Trailfinders?
Yeah I think those fares are crazy! I find that the airlines are most expensive on their own websites - travel agents like 'flight centre' and trailfinders usually cheapest.
Lynn

tiredwithtwins

will try trailfinders tomorrow....their website wont let you do a search so i will submit a query and ring em tomorrow!
flight centre was having an off day today i think....wouldnt let me in!!!

sue

lynnlovessun

I checked flightcentre but dosen't let u search either - best to phone their number www.flightcentre.co.uk

Lynn

lynnlovessun

Ho hum the silence on hear is deafening - when are we all going to get some got news and 'got it' posts?????

I can't believe that only 2 weeks have passed since I put my application in! Its gonna be a long wait but I can always hope

Lynn x

Foster Clan

I'm going scatty here. Everything seems to have gone quiet don't you think??
We put our application in beg Dec (frontloaded). I know they are looking at it because last week DIMIA asked for a copy of James divorce papers. Well of course we didn't have it because it has been packed up and is in storage. We managed to get a copy from the courts and faxed it thinking great we will have our visa any day now. Guess what - a faxed copy wasn't good enough. So we spent 46 quid on a courier and it got to DIMIA Mon/Tue this week. So everyday this week we have got up at ridiculous times throughout the night thinking the e-mail would be there but NO NO NO NO NO. I can't cope. Our agent has told us this morning that it takes 10 days from DIMIA receiving it to get to our file!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It takes 3 days to get to the other side of the world but 10 day to get to the other side of the building at DIMIA.
So to sum up the divorce paper will reach our file end of next week or beg of week after. Do not know what happens after that? Do they make a decision then or could it be a further wait???????
I know that we are in a better position than some but it still doesn't make it any easier having this wait. I keep having to remind myself that some have been waiting 12 months and at least I know that they are dealing with us but the wait is a nightmare.
We have been living at my parents since 7 Jan and it's not ideal for my baby. Plus there's no room here for my 13 year old and she is having to sleep at her dads. I hate us being apart. I know it's a chance for the two of them to spend precious time together but I want us all to be a family again. I just want to be in a position to book the flights so I know there will be an end to it all.
Also James is now being messed about with a job he had lined up (another long story so I will not bore you) but it all adds to the disappointment.
Very, very sorry for ranting on but I've got it off my chest now. Thanks for anyone who is listening.
Joanne

lynnlovessun

Hi Joanne and the rest of the Foster Clan,

I don't think you will have long at all to wait now if they have requested additional information - will be interesting to see if frontloading pays off as thats what I have done too.
Ad4oz submitted mid December and still hasn't had her med requests.

Can't believe it still cost 46 pound at DHL for 1 piece of paper - My whole application pack cost that so can't be based on weight of the contents

I check my e-mail enthusiastically every day too and i've only been waiting 2 weeks!!! How sad am I!!? But will feel so much better and secure if and when I finally get my visa. It really does take over your life dosen't it!
Yes its quiet on here but hopefully things will start to move post xmas period soon.
Where are you off to in Australia?
I'm hoping to move to Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast!
Lynn

tiredwithtwins

lol!
I think when my time comes to submit this application I will disconnect from the internet.......i'd be on here all day otherwise!!

sue

CasG

Had SO much fun applying for 457 , that I thought I'd apply for PR now - must be a glutton for punishment!!

Least I don't have to have more meds for them to lose!!!

Cas

lynnlovessun

This waiting is torture isn't it?

T-i-m-e i-s m-o-v-i-n-g s-oooooo s-l-o-w-l-e-yyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy

Well Night Nurse is off on the 25th February so at least some of us are moving lucky so and so that she is!!!

Ann are you still out there - heard anything yet?

Primrose - have you sold your house yet?

Lynn

paulb

......and I'm still waiting for my NSW registration.