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My parents are going up Australia to see my brother in the next year. They used to fly business, but the costs are now extreme and they can’t justify it.
I’ve suggested they travel economy (day flights) with a stop over for a few days somewhere nice.
Any suggestions on routing? I was thinking Thailand?
Will they only fly with BA (as you’ve posted this in the BAEC forum)? They stopped flying to BKK in the pandemic and it sounds as though there are no plans to re-start the route. I quite fancy Singapore as a stopover if we do visit Oz/NZ again one day.
Other airlines will obviously give other options.My in-laws have travelled to Australia on Qatar in economy and didn’t have any complaints, which might be an option for your parents as that would give plenty of options for stopovers.
Via SINgapore with BA/QF may be ok in Premium Economy.
My feeling is if you’re going to do it in economy just get the whole thing out of the way ASAP and have a short transit, unless you really really want to go to the stopover destination as well.
If you really want all the flights to be day flights then SQ seems to work, but then you have some early starts and late finishes.
Is there some way you and they – and any other family members – can’t get sufficient avios to book BA from “the provinces” on a 241.
There is – only visible once you have a 241 – loads more “regional” long-haul via LHR availability.
It would take a lot of time and effort to build up enough avios to do this trip within the next 12 months, also OP’s parents might not want to sign up for the BAPP, which one of them would have to do to get the 241. My in-laws are like this – they are suspicious of credit cards and points and would rather just pay cash to travel in Y or PE.
Stop overs might be nice but they can also bump the price up quite considerably as can merely choosing a later or earlier flight.
I’d start by doing a simple search on google flights and see what that comes up with in terms of connecting points and then move onto multi city when you see some of the connecting airports options to add in stop overs.
My feeling is if you’re going to do it in economy just get the whole thing out of the way ASAP and have a short transit,
Wouldn’t recommend for old people. They’ll be losing sleep already and if they are on any medication, it’ll make matters worse.
SIN is probably the best option for layover. Plenty to do or just rest at the airportyes they will need a stopover. My dad turns 71 this year and even the last trip he did in business really took it out of him. I think its best for them to go day flights with a few days somewhere. If it was ok to rest in the lounge it wouldn’t be an issue, but I think without business fares (they are crazy in price) they’ll have to take it a bit more slowly.
London-Doha-Denpasar-Brisbane
or
London-Doha-Kula Lumpur-Denpasar-Brisbane.
Comfort in Y (relatively), SQ or EK. SQ PY is OK.
Personally I’d go via Singapore Airlines and stopover in Singapore, this doesn’t (usually) increase the price at all and they’ll have day flights on both legs to pick. Qantas into Aus I suspect will be a night flight
However personally speaking (and doing one tomorrow, yuk!) I hate a day flight to Asia, you land in the morning when it’s night time back in the UK and it’s very hard to stay awake all day. I’d do night out of London and day into Aus after a couple of days in Singapore.
Back out of Singapore to the UK then SQ have a lunchtime departure arriving back here in the evening which isn’t too bad for jet lag
Comfort in Y (relatively), SQ or EK. SQ PY is OK.
in my opinion their PY isn’t worth the premium over economy. But they do sometimes have good deals on their bidding system
My dad likes doing London-Dubai-Singapore-Aus (Perth in his case usually) . Books Emirates to Singapore and ScootPlus to Perth. Personally I’d find that tedious on the way home but they enjoy it ! Emirates A380 is very comfortable in Y
Don’t forget you can also get to OZ via the USA.
Malaysian via KUL? They even chuck in a free side trip flight for the stopover.
Do you have any more details on this?
the deal I had seen was that you can book LHR-KUL-BNE say and then their website would allow you to add KUL-langkawi rtn for example for free
But to be honest I’m not sure that many people want to fly during their stopover and I’ve got a feeling they canned Brisbane anyway!
Don’t forget you can also get to OZ via the USA.
This probably wouldn’t be the best route in this case, when the idea is to make an economy journey as gentle as possible. A roughly 11 or 12 hours to the West Coast followed by another 14 hours or so to Australia, even after a stopover of a few days, is hardly gentle. Personally I would second the suggestion from @SamG for a stop over in Singapore with a day flight into Australia as the most manageable.
@lyn Joe asked for options so I’m giving him an option to consider.
It has its advantages and it’s disadvantages (just the same as going the more traditional way does too)
And going via the US can also reduce jet lag compared to the other way.
Via US way London-Boston-San Francisco or Los Angeles-Honolulu-Brisbane.
yes they will need a stopover. My dad turns 71 this year and even the last trip he did in business really took it out of him. I think its best for them to go day flights with a few days somewhere. If it was ok to rest in the lounge it wouldn’t be an issue, but I think without business fares (they are crazy in price) they’ll have to take it a bit more slowly.
Singapore Changi for me is a Disneyland transit airport for adults. Amongst other advantages there is at least one, probably more than one but I’ve only ever used one, Plaza Premium lounge there right in the terminal.
Prices are reasonable for 1 person for services such as shower, massage, you can pay for a small sleeping room or just lounge time. There is a website you can prebook on to make sure, enter flight details so they will know if flight late. I’ve done that route in Y a few times and always use shower and massage there at a minimum. Massage usually excellent, my first one found 3 layers of tenseness everywhere and I was walking on air for a week (even after a following 9-hour flight).
For 2 of you a hotel even just day room rate might work out better. Don’t forget the new Jewel Garden, or the swimming pool on top of one of the terminals too. Fresh air can make all the difference if the transit is long enough. I’d choose Singapore over Hong Kong if I don’t want such a long transit that means I’ll leave the airport, and because I choose SQ if flying in Y whenever I can anyway. Though Emirates Y is the other one that always gets good reports.
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