TRAVEL BLOG
Thursday, May 08, 2008
Open Skies for Australia
Australia and US
When booking international flights from Australia it is not uncommon to see the ridiculous situation of flights to London being cheaper than flights to Los Angeles.
This currently stands because only two airlines, Qantas and United, are allowed to operate direct flights between the US and Australia.
This is set to change with the Open Skies Accord that was agreed between Australia and the US. V Australia will commence flights between the two nations in December, which has already prompted fare reductions from Qantas.
Australia and Europe
The next frontier is for an open skies agreement between Australia and the EU. Talks have already begun for an Open-sky pact with the EU.
There are currently no European airlines operating flights to Australia. No Continental European I should say. British Airways and Virgin Atlantic still fly to Sydney. The obvious cultural ties keeping British long haul services active. Austrian Airlines was the last Continental European airline to fly to Australia, ceasing operations in 2007.
Further reading on the Flight of the European airlines.
I recently saw a reminder of European airline presence in Australia with a JAT Yugoslav model aeroplane, like you used to see in travel agents, at a second hand shop.
JAT Yugoslav. Seen at tarlo & graham, 60 Chapel St Windsor, Vic
An open skies agreement may not bring back the European airlines to Australian skies anyway. The big Asian and Middle Eastern airlines are better suited to operating between the two lands, and the European airlines only need to fly to an Asian hub and partner with an alliance airline from there.
An open skies agreement between Australia and the EU would benefit Qantas, who plan to operate Jetstar services to Athens and Rome.
Airfares to London and L.A
When booking international flights from Australia it is not uncommon to see the ridiculous situation of flights to London being cheaper than flights to Los Angeles.
This currently stands because only two airlines, Qantas and United, are allowed to operate direct flights between the US and Australia.
This is set to change with the Open Skies Accord that was agreed between Australia and the US. V Australia will commence flights between the two nations in December, which has already prompted fare reductions from Qantas.
Australia and Europe
The next frontier is for an open skies agreement between Australia and the EU. Talks have already begun for an Open-sky pact with the EU.
There are currently no European airlines operating flights to Australia. No Continental European I should say. British Airways and Virgin Atlantic still fly to Sydney. The obvious cultural ties keeping British long haul services active. Austrian Airlines was the last Continental European airline to fly to Australia, ceasing operations in 2007.
Further reading on the Flight of the European airlines.
I recently saw a reminder of European airline presence in Australia with a JAT Yugoslav model aeroplane, like you used to see in travel agents, at a second hand shop.
JAT Yugoslav. Seen at tarlo & graham, 60 Chapel St Windsor, Vic
An open skies agreement may not bring back the European airlines to Australian skies anyway. The big Asian and Middle Eastern airlines are better suited to operating between the two lands, and the European airlines only need to fly to an Asian hub and partner with an alliance airline from there.
An open skies agreement between Australia and the EU would benefit Qantas, who plan to operate Jetstar services to Athens and Rome.
Labels: airlines, australia, europe, usa
Posted by James Clark - editor of itravelnet.com
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Friday, April 18, 2008
Multi leg flights and low cost airlines
The typical low cost airline operates on a point-to-point basis. Costs are kept down as there are no bags to check through to another flight, and no waiting for connections due to delayed flights.
Some of the low cost airline networks have become so big though that passengers independently book multi leg flights to get to where they want to go as it still works out cheaper than booking through a scheduled airline.
There is the risk that if your first flight is delayed and you miss the connection you will lose your second flight, but if you are savings hundreds of £/€/$'s, it is a gamble I know many take.
Tigers Airways offers the ability to booking two flights in the one booking session with their Flight Combo service. This is a great idea as it saves you having to work out if both flights you need are available and you save an extra booking fee.
Tiger Airways Destination Map
On the Tiger Airways network possible combination examples include:
Melbourne - Darwin - Singapore
Darwin - Singapore - Chennai
Perth - Singapore - Ho Chi Minh City
Passengers need to be aware that this is still a point-to-point service so connections are not guaranteed. Tiger Airways conditions of carriage state:
We are strictly a point-to-point carrier and shall not be responsible to you for any connecting flights.
A European airline that offers multi leg bookings is Air Berlin. Their destination map show where you can fly to (although it doesn't indicate that it is a connecting flight until you are at the booking stage).
Air Berlin - London Connections
Air Berlin Multi Leg Booking
I would like to see such booking facilities on other low cost airlines with large networks, like Ryanair and easyJet in Europe. Low cost airline flyers are savvy enough to know that you must reclaim baggage and check in again on the next flight.
With oil prices going through the roof and airlines feeling the pressure of fuel prices, connecting flights through hubs may become more viable for low cost airlines rather than operating so many point-to-point services.
Some of the low cost airline networks have become so big though that passengers independently book multi leg flights to get to where they want to go as it still works out cheaper than booking through a scheduled airline.
There is the risk that if your first flight is delayed and you miss the connection you will lose your second flight, but if you are savings hundreds of £/€/$'s, it is a gamble I know many take.
Tigers Airways offers the ability to booking two flights in the one booking session with their Flight Combo service. This is a great idea as it saves you having to work out if both flights you need are available and you save an extra booking fee.
Tiger Airways Destination Map
On the Tiger Airways network possible combination examples include:
Melbourne - Darwin - Singapore
Darwin - Singapore - Chennai
Perth - Singapore - Ho Chi Minh City
Passengers need to be aware that this is still a point-to-point service so connections are not guaranteed. Tiger Airways conditions of carriage state:
We are strictly a point-to-point carrier and shall not be responsible to you for any connecting flights.
A European airline that offers multi leg bookings is Air Berlin. Their destination map show where you can fly to (although it doesn't indicate that it is a connecting flight until you are at the booking stage).
Air Berlin - London Connections
Air Berlin Multi Leg Booking
I would like to see such booking facilities on other low cost airlines with large networks, like Ryanair and easyJet in Europe. Low cost airline flyers are savvy enough to know that you must reclaim baggage and check in again on the next flight.
With oil prices going through the roof and airlines feeling the pressure of fuel prices, connecting flights through hubs may become more viable for low cost airlines rather than operating so many point-to-point services.
Labels: airlines, low cost airlines
Posted by James Clark - editor of itravelnet.com
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Thursday, April 17, 2008
Airbus thinking outside the cubicle
The Airbus A380 could soon have the option of being fitted out with male urinals. On long haul 747 flights there is always a long queue down the aisle at breakfast time, so this is a good idea for A380's that will eventually be carrying over 600 passengers.
With the space they save by using urinals they can then the water savings for showers.
Male Urinal for A380. Photo from DASELL Cabin Interior
With the space they save by using urinals they can then the water savings for showers.
Male Urinal for A380. Photo from DASELL Cabin Interior
Labels: airlines, public toilet
Posted by James Clark - editor of itravelnet.com
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Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Air Asia Sale - Gold Coast to KL
Oasis Hong Kong may have gone under last week but there is still a budget long haul airline making a go of it in Asia. Malaysian airline Air Asia have released a sale fare for its Gold Coast to Kuala Lumpur route for 169 Aussie dollars, including taxes.
Air Asia Sale - April 2008
Air Asia are awaiting delivery of more aircraft so they expand their network. They propose to expand in Australia to Perth, Adelaide, Newcastle and Melbourne (Avalon). To Europe possible destinations include London (Stansted), Manchester, Prague and Moscow. This could mean sale fares that sees $1000 AUD return flights from Australia to Europe.
Air Asia Sale - April 2008
Air Asia are awaiting delivery of more aircraft so they expand their network. They propose to expand in Australia to Perth, Adelaide, Newcastle and Melbourne (Avalon). To Europe possible destinations include London (Stansted), Manchester, Prague and Moscow. This could mean sale fares that sees $1000 AUD return flights from Australia to Europe.
Posted by James Clark - editor of itravelnet.com
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Thursday, April 10, 2008
Budget Airline Oasis Hong Kong in liquidation
Hong Kong budget airline Oasis abruptly stopped flying Wednesday, leaving passengers stranded in Hong Kong, London and Vancouver. Passengers who have been caught out have been forced to make their own arrangements home. What a hassle that would be. They have been given phone numbers of other airlines to arrange return flights.
Oasis Hong Kong at Gatwick
I took an Oasis flight last year from London to Hong Kong. It was their price that got me to fly with them. It seems now though that the long haul low cost airline concept might be doomed with spiralling fuel prices. Jet fuel prices nearly doubled in the 18 months that Oasis was operating. Such increases are proving difficult enough for established airlines, let alone newly started airlines.
Oasis Hong Kong at Gatwick
I took an Oasis flight last year from London to Hong Kong. It was their price that got me to fly with them. It seems now though that the long haul low cost airline concept might be doomed with spiralling fuel prices. Jet fuel prices nearly doubled in the 18 months that Oasis was operating. Such increases are proving difficult enough for established airlines, let alone newly started airlines.
Labels: airlines, hong kong, oasis hong kong
Posted by James Clark - editor of itravelnet.com
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Tuesday, April 08, 2008
Tiger Airways Flight Review - Singapore to Melbourne
Flight: Tiger Airways TR 702 Date: 27 Feb 2008
Flight: Tiger Airways TT 7567 Date: 28 Feb 2008
Tiger Airways is a low cost airline based in Singapore, with its primary hub at Singapore Changi Airport. Tiger Airways began operations in 2004 and has since set up Tiger Airways Australia in Melbourne and plan to launch Incheon Tiger Airways based in Seoul in 2009.
Tiger Airways at Singapore Airport
Tiger Airways fly from Singapore to Melbourne via Darwin. The flight is with Tiger Airways and Tiger Airways Australia on separate aircraft. Unlike other low cost airlines Tiger facilitate the booking of these separate flight segments in the one booking.
Go to Flight Combo on the Tiger Airways website and you can book two segments in one go. It is important to note that this is two separate flights so your bags are not checked through to the final destination.
Another good feature of the Tiger Airways booking procedure is that you can pick your seat when you book your flight. Oh how I loath the mad scramble for a seat that occurs on low cost airline flights with unallocated seats.
Singapore to Darwin
The entire Tiger Airways fleet consists of Airbus A320 aircraft, thus Tiger only fly within a five-hour radius around Singapore. The flight time from Singapore to Darwin is approximately 4 hours 20 minutes.
As Tiger Airways is a bare minimum no frills airline the onus is on you to keep yourself entertained. There is no TV entertainment and no complimentary meal and drink service.
Tiger Airways Uniform
Darwin Airport
In Darwin you must claim your bags and clear Australian customs. Then you must check in again for the Tiger Airways Australia flight from Darwin to Melbourne. Darwin Airport is small enough to make this a simple transfer and there is about 2 hours between the Singapore arrival and the Melbourne departure.
With a population of just over 110,000 people Darwin is a small capital city, even by Australian standards. When you look at a map though of Australia and Southeast Asia Darwin is well situated to be a major hub of air traffic between Australia and Asia. Jetstar have floated this idea recently with a plan to make Darwin a springboard into Asia, and I will revisit this idea in another post.
Time to spare at a laptop bench - Darwin Airport
Darwin to Melbourne
The second leg of this flight is with Tiger Airways Australia. Flight time from Darwin to Melbourne is just over 4 hours, leaving Darwin at 2.20am and arriving at Melbourne Tullamarine at 8am. I always forget what a big and empty continent Australia is. Asia seems so far away and exotic to us Aussies. Exotic certainly, but Darwin is much closer to many Asian cities than most other Australian capitals.
Like the flight from Singapore this is a no frills service. Drinks and snacks are available to purchase. Here is a price sample (in Australian Dollars):
Muffins $3
Pot Noodles $4
Coke(250ml) $2.5
Coffee $3
Beer (VB/Hahn) $6
At the moment Tiger Airways Australia only operate in and out of their Melbourne base. They are scouting around for new Australian hubs which should be known sometime in 2008.
Tiger Airways - Proudly Calling Melbourne Home
Flight: Tiger Airways TT 7567 Date: 28 Feb 2008
Tiger Airways is a low cost airline based in Singapore, with its primary hub at Singapore Changi Airport. Tiger Airways began operations in 2004 and has since set up Tiger Airways Australia in Melbourne and plan to launch Incheon Tiger Airways based in Seoul in 2009.
Tiger Airways at Singapore Airport
Tiger Airways fly from Singapore to Melbourne via Darwin. The flight is with Tiger Airways and Tiger Airways Australia on separate aircraft. Unlike other low cost airlines Tiger facilitate the booking of these separate flight segments in the one booking.
Go to Flight Combo on the Tiger Airways website and you can book two segments in one go. It is important to note that this is two separate flights so your bags are not checked through to the final destination.
Another good feature of the Tiger Airways booking procedure is that you can pick your seat when you book your flight. Oh how I loath the mad scramble for a seat that occurs on low cost airline flights with unallocated seats.
Singapore to Darwin
The entire Tiger Airways fleet consists of Airbus A320 aircraft, thus Tiger only fly within a five-hour radius around Singapore. The flight time from Singapore to Darwin is approximately 4 hours 20 minutes.
As Tiger Airways is a bare minimum no frills airline the onus is on you to keep yourself entertained. There is no TV entertainment and no complimentary meal and drink service.
Tiger Airways Uniform
Darwin Airport
In Darwin you must claim your bags and clear Australian customs. Then you must check in again for the Tiger Airways Australia flight from Darwin to Melbourne. Darwin Airport is small enough to make this a simple transfer and there is about 2 hours between the Singapore arrival and the Melbourne departure.
With a population of just over 110,000 people Darwin is a small capital city, even by Australian standards. When you look at a map though of Australia and Southeast Asia Darwin is well situated to be a major hub of air traffic between Australia and Asia. Jetstar have floated this idea recently with a plan to make Darwin a springboard into Asia, and I will revisit this idea in another post.
Time to spare at a laptop bench - Darwin Airport
Darwin to Melbourne
The second leg of this flight is with Tiger Airways Australia. Flight time from Darwin to Melbourne is just over 4 hours, leaving Darwin at 2.20am and arriving at Melbourne Tullamarine at 8am. I always forget what a big and empty continent Australia is. Asia seems so far away and exotic to us Aussies. Exotic certainly, but Darwin is much closer to many Asian cities than most other Australian capitals.
Like the flight from Singapore this is a no frills service. Drinks and snacks are available to purchase. Here is a price sample (in Australian Dollars):
Muffins $3
Pot Noodles $4
Coke(250ml) $2.5
Coffee $3
Beer (VB/Hahn) $6
At the moment Tiger Airways Australia only operate in and out of their Melbourne base. They are scouting around for new Australian hubs which should be known sometime in 2008.
Tiger Airways - Proudly Calling Melbourne Home
Labels: airlines, australia, darwin, flight review, melbourne, singapore, tiger airways
Posted by James Clark - editor of itravelnet.com
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Monday, March 31, 2008
V Australia announces SYD-LAX as launch route
Good news for Australian travellers (and American travelers) looking for flights between the US and Australia.
Australia's newest international Airline, V Australia, has announced daily direct Sydney-Los Angeles flights as its inaugural trans-Pacific route when it takes to the skies from 15 December 2008.
Fares are on sale now from $999 AUD return, inclusive of taxes and charges of approximately $415 AUD.
The airline has also announced that Northwest Airlines will offer codeshare flights across the United States and Canada.
V Australia, part of the Virgin Group, will be the first Australian airline (subject to regulatory approval) to offer an alternative to Qantas on the trans-Pacific route, which is possible now after the Open Skies Accord between Australia and the US that was agreed to last month.
Australia's newest international Airline, V Australia, has announced daily direct Sydney-Los Angeles flights as its inaugural trans-Pacific route when it takes to the skies from 15 December 2008.
Fares are on sale now from $999 AUD return, inclusive of taxes and charges of approximately $415 AUD.
The airline has also announced that Northwest Airlines will offer codeshare flights across the United States and Canada.
V Australia, part of the Virgin Group, will be the first Australian airline (subject to regulatory approval) to offer an alternative to Qantas on the trans-Pacific route, which is possible now after the Open Skies Accord between Australia and the US that was agreed to last month.
Labels: airlines, australia, usa, v australia
Posted by James Clark - editor of itravelnet.com
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Friday, February 08, 2008
Jetstar Flight Review - Melbourne to Bangkok
Flight: Jetstar JQ 29 Date: 27 Jan 2008
Jetstar is the low cost airline brand of Qantas. They operate flights from Australia to popular destinations in Asia as well as New Zealand and Hawaii.
Jetstar at Melbourne Airport
As Jetstar is a low cost airline it doesn't have the usual frills of a full service airline such as free food and drink and personal entertainment units.
If you are used to flying long haul flights with full servive airlines like Qantas or Thai Airways then flying with a low cost is a step down in the travel experience. What you need to remember is that you are paying for the service of a cheaper flight.
Before you Fly
If you want extra frills onboard you can pre-purchase the following items online when you buy your ticket:
- Buy before you fly and drink free $30 (2 meals and unlimited drink)
- Blanket and amenity pack $7
- Video on demand with headsets $10
If you want to save money on the flight come prepared before you fly. Have a big meal before you go and bring some snacks and you wont need to buy anything onboard.
Onboard
If you didn't pre-purchase you can buy onboard. A selection of prices include:
- Cadbury Chocolate $3
- Sandwiches $6
- Light meal $10
- Full meal $15
- Beer (375m) $6
- Coffee $3
For entertainment there are video screens onboard that show tv programs and a movie during the flight for free. If you want your own personal video screen with movies on demand then you can still rent it onboard if you didn't pre-order it online.
Jetstar is the low cost airline brand of Qantas. They operate flights from Australia to popular destinations in Asia as well as New Zealand and Hawaii.
Jetstar at Melbourne Airport
As Jetstar is a low cost airline it doesn't have the usual frills of a full service airline such as free food and drink and personal entertainment units.
If you are used to flying long haul flights with full servive airlines like Qantas or Thai Airways then flying with a low cost is a step down in the travel experience. What you need to remember is that you are paying for the service of a cheaper flight.
Before you Fly
If you want extra frills onboard you can pre-purchase the following items online when you buy your ticket:
- Buy before you fly and drink free $30 (2 meals and unlimited drink)
- Blanket and amenity pack $7
- Video on demand with headsets $10
If you want to save money on the flight come prepared before you fly. Have a big meal before you go and bring some snacks and you wont need to buy anything onboard.
Onboard
If you didn't pre-purchase you can buy onboard. A selection of prices include:
- Cadbury Chocolate $3
- Sandwiches $6
- Light meal $10
- Full meal $15
- Beer (375m) $6
- Coffee $3
For entertainment there are video screens onboard that show tv programs and a movie during the flight for free. If you want your own personal video screen with movies on demand then you can still rent it onboard if you didn't pre-order it online.
Labels: airlines, bangkok, jetstar, melbourne
Posted by James Clark - editor of itravelnet.com
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Friday, January 11, 2008
The Fourth Busiest Air Route in the World
This billboard in Melbourne is promoting 167 flights a week to Sydney with Virgin Blue. If you think that sounds like a lot, that's because it is. According to OAG the Sydney to Melbourne air route is the fourth busiest in the world. In 2007 there were 851 flights per week between the two biggest cities in Australia.
For the record, here is the top 10.
Top 10 Busiest Routes Worldwide by Weekly Number of Flights
Barcelona (BCN) <> Madrid (MAD)
Sao Paulo Congonhas (CGH) <> Rio de Janeiro Santos Dumont (SDU)
Jeju (CJU) <> Seoul (GMP)
Melbourne (MEL) <> Sydney (SYD)
Cape Town (CPT) <> Johannesburg (JNB)
Mumbai (BOM) <> Delhi (DEL)
Sapporo Chitose (CTS) <> Tokyo Haneda (HND)
Jakarta Soekamo (CGK) <> Hatta Surabaya (SUB)
Honolulu (HNL) <> Kahului (OGG)
Fukuoka (FUK) <> Tokyo Haneda (HND)
It will be interesting to to see the changes in list for 2008. A high speed train line has just been built between Barcelona and Madrid, so they may drop from the top spot eventually. Also watch the rise of the Mumbai and Delhi route.
For the record, here is the top 10.
Top 10 Busiest Routes Worldwide by Weekly Number of Flights
Barcelona (BCN) <> Madrid (MAD)
Sao Paulo Congonhas (CGH) <> Rio de Janeiro Santos Dumont (SDU)
Jeju (CJU) <> Seoul (GMP)
Melbourne (MEL) <> Sydney (SYD)
Cape Town (CPT) <> Johannesburg (JNB)
Mumbai (BOM) <> Delhi (DEL)
Sapporo Chitose (CTS) <> Tokyo Haneda (HND)
Jakarta Soekamo (CGK) <> Hatta Surabaya (SUB)
Honolulu (HNL) <> Kahului (OGG)
Fukuoka (FUK) <> Tokyo Haneda (HND)
It will be interesting to to see the changes in list for 2008. A high speed train line has just been built between Barcelona and Madrid, so they may drop from the top spot eventually. Also watch the rise of the Mumbai and Delhi route.
Labels: airlines, australia, melbourne, sydney
Posted by James Clark - editor of itravelnet.com
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Thursday, December 20, 2007
Fly from London to Australia with Low Cost Airlines
The New Kangaroo Route - London to Sydney with Low Cost Airlines
Low cost airlines have now covered just about every short haul route possible and are now looking at inter-continental long haul flights. It will soon be possible to fly from the UK to Australia one stop, just like the traditional scheduled airlines.
Of course you don't have to fly to Australia in one stop. There are so many low cost carriers along the way that it is possible to break to trip up into multi stops like you would on a round the world ticket.
Flying like this though won't necessarily mean that your flight will be cheaper. And because most low cost airlines aren't in the booking systems of travel agents or online booking engines you have to do all the flight segment research yourself. For someone like me though that is half the fun.
If you are trying to fly straight through it's advisable to leave enough time between connecting flights. If one flight is late and you miss the next you will not just be able to get on the next flight like on a scheduled service. If you are trying to go straight through then one or two stops would be the most managable. Anything over that and you are better off enjoying the city you have flown to.
Here is a list of some route options to fly from London to Australia I have put together using only low cost airlines. Some stop over cities arrive in one city and depart from another city close by (eg Sharjah - Dubai and Hong Kong - Macau). Overland options (eg fly into Mumbai, out of Chennai) aren't included as there are so many possibilities.
One Stop
These options for Macau are planned for 2008:
These options for Kuala Lumpur are planned for 2008:
Two Stops
Three Stops
Four Stops
I have only covered the kangaroo Route for the list, but it is possible to fly around the world using low cost airlines. If you have you flown from the UK to Australia or around the world on low cost airlines, or have made up some other possible itineraries, leave a comment.
Low cost airlines have now covered just about every short haul route possible and are now looking at inter-continental long haul flights. It will soon be possible to fly from the UK to Australia one stop, just like the traditional scheduled airlines.
Of course you don't have to fly to Australia in one stop. There are so many low cost carriers along the way that it is possible to break to trip up into multi stops like you would on a round the world ticket.
Flying like this though won't necessarily mean that your flight will be cheaper. And because most low cost airlines aren't in the booking systems of travel agents or online booking engines you have to do all the flight segment research yourself. For someone like me though that is half the fun.
If you are trying to fly straight through it's advisable to leave enough time between connecting flights. If one flight is late and you miss the next you will not just be able to get on the next flight like on a scheduled service. If you are trying to go straight through then one or two stops would be the most managable. Anything over that and you are better off enjoying the city you have flown to.
Here is a list of some route options to fly from London to Australia I have put together using only low cost airlines. Some stop over cities arrive in one city and depart from another city close by (eg Sharjah - Dubai and Hong Kong - Macau). Overland options (eg fly into Mumbai, out of Chennai) aren't included as there are so many possibilities.
One Stop
London (LGW) (Ferry to Macau) Macau (MFM) | to to | Hong Kong (HKG) Sydney (SYD) | Oasis Hong Kong (no longer operatiing) Viva Macau |
These options for Macau are planned for 2008:
Macau (MFM) | to | Melbourne (AVV) | Viva Macau |
These options for Kuala Lumpur are planned for 2008:
London (STN) Kuala Lumpur (KUL) | to to | Kuala Lumpur (KUL) Melbourne (AVV) | AirAsia X AirAsia X |
Two Stops
London (STN) Dusseldorf (DUS) Bangkok (BKK) | to to to | Dusseldorf Weeze (NRN) Bangkok (BKK) Melbourne (MEL) | Ryanair Jetstar |
London (STN) Dusseldorf (DUS) Phuket (HKT) | to to to | Dusseldorf (DUS) Phuket (HKT) Sydney (SYD) | Jetstar |
London (STN) Munich (MUC) Bangkok (BKK) | to to to | Munich (MUC) Bangkok (BKK) Melbourne (MEL) | Jetstar |
Three Stops
London Luton (LTN) Larnaca (LCA) Dubai (DXB) Kuala Lumpur (KUL) | to to to to | Larnaca (LCA) Dubai (DXB) Kuala Lumpur (KUL) Sydney (SYD) | Thomsonfly Jazeera Airways Air-India Express Jetstar |
Four Stops
London (LTN) Istanbul (SAW) Dubai (DXB) Kochi (COK) Singapore (SIN) | to to to to to | Istanbul (SAW) Sharjah (SAH) Kochi (COK) Singapore (SIN) Perth (PER) | easyJet Air Arabia Jazeera Airways Tiger Airways Tiger Airways |
London Stansted (STN) Larnaca (LCA) Kuwait (KWI) Mumbai (BOM) Kuala Lumpur (KUL) | to to to to to | Larnaca (LCA) Kuwait (KWI) Mumbai (BOM) Kuala Lumpur (KUL) Gold Coast (OOL) | Thomsonfly Jazeera Airways Jazeera Airways Air India Express AirAsia |
London (LGW) Prague (PRG) Dubai (DXB) Mumbai (BOM) Bangkok (BKK) | to to to to to | Prague (PRG) Dubai (DXB) Mumbai (BOM) Bangkok (BKK) Melbourne (MEL) | easyJet Smartwings Jazeera Airways Air India Express Jetstar |
I have only covered the kangaroo Route for the list, but it is possible to fly around the world using low cost airlines. If you have you flown from the UK to Australia or around the world on low cost airlines, or have made up some other possible itineraries, leave a comment.
Labels: airlines, australia, kangaroo route, london, low cost airlines, round the world, uk
Posted by James Clark - editor of itravelnet.com
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Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Air Spray on flights to Australia
Aircraft entering Australia are sprayed with pesticide as part of quarantine arrangements.
Air Spray
Air Spray
Labels: air spray, airlines, australia
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Monday, December 10, 2007
Viva Macau Flight Review - Macau to Sydney
Flight: Viva Macau ZG 9501 Date: 8 Dec 2007
Viva Macau is a low cost airline based in Macau. They currently fly 3 times a week to Sydney.
Viva Macau offer a no frills long haul service so you need to come prepared before you fly, as you will not be fed and entertained like you would on a full service airline.
What they do offer is one of the cheapest flights you will find from Sydney to East Asia. I picked up a sale seat for $199 (one-way) plus taxes, bringing the total to $320 Australian Dollars. I bought this online about one month before flying.
Aircraft
Viva Macau use a Boeing 767 for this route. The seating arrangement is 2-3-2 across.
Entertainment
Viva Macau show movies on a projector screen. There are no personal screens. They show an English and Hong Kong film during the flight. Bring your own headphones, otherwise you will need to purchase one.
Food and Drink
There is no inflight meal service so make sure you have a big meal at the airport or bring enough food. The only hot meal available to purchase was pot noodles. Drinks have to be bought as well.
Currencies accepted include Macau Pataca, Hong Kong, US and Austalian Dollars.
Here is a list of items available for purchase onboard, in Hong Kong Dollars
Blanket 40 HKD
Neck Pillow 20 HKD
Headphones 20 HKD
Coffee 10 HKD
Coke (can) 20 HKD
Heineken (can) 30 HKD
Pot Noodles 30 HKD
Viva Macau is a low cost airline based in Macau. They currently fly 3 times a week to Sydney.
Viva Macau offer a no frills long haul service so you need to come prepared before you fly, as you will not be fed and entertained like you would on a full service airline.
What they do offer is one of the cheapest flights you will find from Sydney to East Asia. I picked up a sale seat for $199 (one-way) plus taxes, bringing the total to $320 Australian Dollars. I bought this online about one month before flying.
Aircraft
Viva Macau use a Boeing 767 for this route. The seating arrangement is 2-3-2 across.
Entertainment
Viva Macau show movies on a projector screen. There are no personal screens. They show an English and Hong Kong film during the flight. Bring your own headphones, otherwise you will need to purchase one.
Food and Drink
There is no inflight meal service so make sure you have a big meal at the airport or bring enough food. The only hot meal available to purchase was pot noodles. Drinks have to be bought as well.
Currencies accepted include Macau Pataca, Hong Kong, US and Austalian Dollars.
Here is a list of items available for purchase onboard, in Hong Kong Dollars
Blanket 40 HKD
Neck Pillow 20 HKD
Headphones 20 HKD
Coffee 10 HKD
Coke (can) 20 HKD
Heineken (can) 30 HKD
Pot Noodles 30 HKD
Labels: airlines, china, macau, sydney, viva macau
Posted by James Clark - editor of itravelnet.com
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Tuesday, December 04, 2007
Oasis Hong Kong Flight Review - London to Hong Kong
Oasis Hong Kong is a long-haul low-cost airline based in Hong Kong. They currently fly to London and Vancouver and are expanding to other destinations in 2008.
Oasis Hong Kong at Gatwick
I had not considered flying a low-cost airline long-haul due to the perceived lack of services, but the price difference was enough for me to consider again.
Price
This was what got me through the door. The cheapest advertised price was £99, with an asterisk of course.
Fare Breakdown:
Air Fare GBP 99
Fuel Surcharge GBP 29.96
UK Air Passenger Duty Economy GBP 40.00
UK passenger Service Charge GBP 7.90
Total: GBP 176.86
This is for a one way fare from London to Hong Kong. This was booked about one month before travel, and was about half the price of the next best fare found on expedia/opodo with regular airlines. Booking as a one way flight might have made a difference to the fares with other airlines.
Low-cost and Long-Haul?
The low cost model works well for short haul flights as a cooked meal and entertainment isn't necessary on a 2 hour flight. For inter-continental flights though these extras are required to make the long flight bearable.
My perception was that you would have to pay for your meals and your entertainment. Some long-haul low cost airlines are following this route but Oasis haven't.
Meals
Yes, meals are free. There is a dinner service shortly after take off, then a breakfast service before arrival. You can order other meals any time during the flight for a cost.
Oasis Hong Kong Dinner
Oasis Hong Kong Breakfast
The meals are your standard inflight fare you would find on a BA/Cathay flight, and you get two choices.
Drinks
Juice and soft drinks are free but you have to pay for alcohol.
Entertainment
Another low cost misconception busted. There is inflight entertainment onboard. Each seat has its own tv screen and has 16 channels plus the usual where are we now Air Show.
London - Hong Kong Air Show
Oasis Hong Kong have their own inflight magazine and a selection of newspapars and magazines are provided free as you board.
Free newspapers and magazines
Remarks
Overall the flight was as comfortable as any flight I have taken in enonomy long haul. The winning difference is in the price difference, though if I found a flight with a comparable price with a traditional alliance airline I would have taken that, if only for the frequent flyer points. The large price difference in this case made gaining points irrelevant.
oasishongkong.com
Oasis Hong Kong at Gatwick
I had not considered flying a low-cost airline long-haul due to the perceived lack of services, but the price difference was enough for me to consider again.
Price
This was what got me through the door. The cheapest advertised price was £99, with an asterisk of course.
Fare Breakdown:
Air Fare GBP 99
Fuel Surcharge GBP 29.96
UK Air Passenger Duty Economy GBP 40.00
UK passenger Service Charge GBP 7.90
Total: GBP 176.86
This is for a one way fare from London to Hong Kong. This was booked about one month before travel, and was about half the price of the next best fare found on expedia/opodo with regular airlines. Booking as a one way flight might have made a difference to the fares with other airlines.
Low-cost and Long-Haul?
The low cost model works well for short haul flights as a cooked meal and entertainment isn't necessary on a 2 hour flight. For inter-continental flights though these extras are required to make the long flight bearable.
My perception was that you would have to pay for your meals and your entertainment. Some long-haul low cost airlines are following this route but Oasis haven't.
Meals
Yes, meals are free. There is a dinner service shortly after take off, then a breakfast service before arrival. You can order other meals any time during the flight for a cost.
Oasis Hong Kong Dinner
Oasis Hong Kong Breakfast
The meals are your standard inflight fare you would find on a BA/Cathay flight, and you get two choices.
Drinks
Juice and soft drinks are free but you have to pay for alcohol.
Entertainment
Another low cost misconception busted. There is inflight entertainment onboard. Each seat has its own tv screen and has 16 channels plus the usual where are we now Air Show.
London - Hong Kong Air Show
Oasis Hong Kong have their own inflight magazine and a selection of newspapars and magazines are provided free as you board.
Free newspapers and magazines
Remarks
Overall the flight was as comfortable as any flight I have taken in enonomy long haul. The winning difference is in the price difference, though if I found a flight with a comparable price with a traditional alliance airline I would have taken that, if only for the frequent flyer points. The large price difference in this case made gaining points irrelevant.
oasishongkong.com
Labels: airlines, gatwick, hong kong, london, oasis hong kong
Posted by James Clark - editor of itravelnet.com
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Sunday, December 02, 2007
Virgin America Safety Video
Here is a refreshingly different take on the usually dry airline safety video from Virgin America.
Virgin America Safety Video
Virgin America Safety Video
Labels: airlines, virgin america
Posted by James Clark - editor of itravelnet.com
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