Flight Route Advice

[relocate2014]

Hi all,

It's getting near now - just waiting for either the PR visa to complete or the temporary ones arranged by my company for the transfer (it's a toss-up which will complete first)

Anyway, my company asked me to book flights through their portal as soon as visas are in order and upon looking there are quite a few choices:

Newcastle, Dubai, Sydney, Auckland
Newcastle, Heathrow, Singapore, Auckland
Newcastle, Heathrow, San Fransisco, Auckland
etc...

Just wondered if you guys had any thoughts on which is better (I'll be travelling with my wife and 12 year old son)

Any advice appreciated.

Oh, and we are very lucky in that the company are paying the costs so this isn't really a factor although I wouldn't want to waste their money.

[girlwithanewf]

My husband has done at least a dozen return flights between NZ and the UK/Northern Europe in the past 5 years. If he has the choice he always goes via LA from Heathrow with Air NZ. Quickest, tends to be the most expensive. Don't need to change planes, just get out to transit and go back in. Equal length flights, not one longer flight when you really notice the extra couple of hours.
If you have time do it in 2 steps and stay in LA or Singapore. Singapore airport is a real destination in itself, LA isn't, but if your aim is just to get to NZ that's an advantage. Personally wouldn't do the Cathay pacific Hong Kong route. Economy was really uncomfortable. (They may have changed the seats by now, but ours didn't recline). Entertainment-wise, Singapore airlines has the best. Service on Air NZ was the best, slightly idiosyncratic and eccentric at times. Singapore airlines service is efficient, excellent but lacks the charm of Air NZ. In our humble opinion.
Have a good flight when the time arrives.

[relocate2014]

Many thanks girlwithanewf

Unfortunately we cannot stop off anywhere as it causes tax implications for my company, so it'll have to be a straight flight.

So, it looks like Air NZ via LA is the one then?

Best wishes

Dave

My husband has done at least a dozen return flights between NZ and the UK/Northern Europe in the past 5 years. If he has the choice he always goes via LA from Heathrow with Air NZ. Quickest, tends to be the most expensive. Don't need to change planes, just get out to transit and go back in. Equal length flights, not one longer flight when you really notice the extra couple of hours.
If you have time do it in 2 steps and stay in LA or Singapore. Singapore airport is a real destination in itself, LA isn't, but if your aim is just to get to NZ that's an advantage. Personally wouldn't do the Cathay pacific Hong Kong route. Economy was really uncomfortable. (They may have changed the seats by now, but ours didn't recline). Entertainment-wise, Singapore airlines has the best. Service on Air NZ was the best, slightly idiosyncratic and eccentric at times. Singapore airlines service is efficient, excellent but lacks the charm of Air NZ. In our humble opinion.
Have a good flight when the time arrives.

[girlwithanewf]

To know what you're letting yourself in for, make sure you watch the Air NZ safety videos on youtube. Like nothing you've ever seen before on a plane.

[lou76]

I think there will be a few opinions as we all like different things! Personally, I would get the Singapore Airlines flight from LHR. Great airline and if you have any time in transit, Singapore airport is a great place to be. For a longer transits, you can get free bus trips around the city.

If baggage allowance is an issue, I would check these as well. Most airlines will do emigration allowances on request and the US route used to have a very generous allowance- but i'm sure not if that still stands.

[LG39]

We are booked to fly with Singapore in 3 weeks. Edinburgh-Christchurch with 10hr break in Singapore. We have booked the transit hotel for the duration to ensure we get some sleep. Worth considering if you don't want to do it all in one go. Also it isn't considered breaking your journey as you are in transit. Plus you get 30kg luggage with Singapore, not sure Air NZ give this much.

Good luck which ever option you go with, and safe trip.

Louise

[JandM]

I hated going via LA (http://www.enz.org/forum/showthread....074#post457074 Though the system will be different now as they've changed the visa requirements, it's the attitude that makes it unbearable, and I don't know anything that can change an official bully.). I loved going via Hong Kong, both with Air NZ and with Cathay Pacific (wonderful service). My daughter had a good trip via Kuala Lumpur.

[dharder]

We always go via Dubai, really have only had good experiences with Emirates so far. Have done others as well, and various routes (Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong, Singapore, LA...) with various airlines (Singapore, KLM, Air NZ, Malaysian, Cathay...), but would always recommend Emirates via Dubai (and no, have no shares in the airline )

[dharder]

I hated going via LA (http://www.enz.org/forum/showthread....074#post457074 Though the system will be different now as they've changed the visa requirements, it's the attitude that makes it unbearable, and I don't know anything that can change an official bully.)

Yes, second that, hated LA for the attitude reason as well. It is just so unnecessarily rude, and I will not put myself or my family through that again if I can at all avoid it.

[kiwieagle]

LAX is horrible but there is a flash new international terminal and I actually had pleasant interactions with official humans there last time. It was a first, though, so I wouldn't rely on that.