Aust to UK - best economy class airlines??

[hal55]

In May 2009 I'll be travelling to the UK with my wife. Not having flown internationally in the last 20 years (except New Zealand) I'm not up to date with who the good, bad and indifferent airlines are these days. So, simple question, which airlines have the best economy class, and which airlines should I stay well clear of? We are very flexible when it comes to stopovers but will require at least one each leg.
We are in our 50s and my wife is a little on the large size, so we really don't want to finish up going "cattle class" and getting our holiday off to a bad start.
All comments much appreciated and does everyone expect the big surcharges to start dropping soon now that oil has come right down?

Thanks,

Hal55

[moa999]

I'd be aiming for any of the airlines flying the A380 on the route AND making sure that I book onto the A380 plane and no other.

By mid-next year that will be Qantas (QF), Singapore (SQ), Emirates (EK).

[Travel Guru]

IMHO, SQ eclipses them all still in economy, though i'm basing that mainly on feedback as it's been a while since i've sat down the back.

TG

[bokflyer]

I agree that the A380s will offer the best economy class and since you don't appear to be a frequent flyer, I imagine earning points doesn't matter, so go for the best deal. Unfortunately, virtually every airline these days has the same leg room in economy and they are all pretty much cramped. If your budget can stretch, going premium economy is a good idea, QF or BA. QF is the better premium economy product but BA tends to be a bit cheaper. Both are infinitely preferable to regular economy, even on the best airlines, such as SQ. Virgin has premium economy as well, but I haven't flown it, so can't offer an opinion. Also, if time is not an issue, you can think of alternative routes, such as via Tokyo or Johannesburg, rather than the normal Singapore or Bangkok. Both can be attractive places to stopover for a few days, and before anybody says Joburg is a pit, I'm suggesting going to nearby game parks.

[Travel Guru]

If it's May 2009, i'd be looking at the Qantas 2 for 1 deal, especially given you should be able to secure Premium economy (if available) for not much more than the standard economy price.

The bonus with Qantas premium economy is that if for some reason there a change in aircraft and yours doesn't have Premium fitted, they'll quite often upgrade you to business.

TG

[Mr Somerset]

I fly back to the UK every year, and am now an Singapore devotee. I'd avoid Emirates, as their economy seats are very narrow & cramped, service is ordinary, and Dubai airport is a complete state.

Haven't been on QF for a while so I'm not sure about them. Singapore's seats are fine, their service is fabulous, and there's always the opportunity to have a quick pit stop at a transit hotel in the terminal.

Mr Somerset

[hal55]

I wish we could stretch to premium economy but it just isn't possible - hence in large part this post. None of the big carriers can be recommended as having a touch more seat room in economy? How about the new 380s as mentioned earlier - any idea if the seat plans will be a bit more generous on those aircraft?

hal55

[trooper]

If you can get the SQ 380 all the way (?)... and get one of the pairs of seats on the Upper Deck then IMO you will be getting about the best economy travel there is..

Equally good for the actual flights (and I may be biased here!!) would be flying NZ... with a seat pitch on the 747 of 34", good AVOD/food/staff etc (again IMO!) it's pretty decent...

Downsides there are the extra stops in AKL (not a biggie I reckon) and... to get the 747 all the way you can't go via HKG (that is changing soon to a 777.. and I don't think they are as good...) .. so it has to be via LAX.. and THAT transit is not good.... (I'd build in a day or two there to not only break up the trip, but also to be able to avoid the "pen" they put you in when in transit)

Have a great trip whichever choice you make!

[NM]

There is little difference between the seat pitch in the major airlines flying between Australia and Europe. All will be around 32 inch pitch. If willing to go the long way you could get up to 34 inches of pitch with Air NZ, but need to look for the 747 operated flights via LAX to get the 34" pitch.

The rest of the experience can be very variable in economy. There are lots of horror stories and good experiences posted regularly relating to all of the major operators of the route, including QF, BA, SQ, CX, MH, TG, and EK.

Note that some of these airlines operate different types of aircraft on different sectors and that can make a big difference to the product. For example, SQ (and QF by the time you are looking to travel) will have A380 aircraft operating many flights to London, offering the most modern cabin features and entertainment systems etc. However, EK and CX operate 'regional" aircraft with older style seating and poor quality/feature entertainment options from some Australian ports like BNE or PER.

The service aspect of the flight will depend greatly on the particular crew you have operating the flight. Some airlines have quite a range of "quality" when it comes to the crew and in-flight service. One flight can be fantastic and the next a nightmare just because of the way you are treated. This can be especially true if there are problems or delays along the way.

One thing that some people consider important is the frequency of services, just in case there is an aircraft serviceability issue that cancels a flight. The more regular the flights from more chance of your disruption being minimised.

[QF009]

IF you don't mind the inability to credit miles to a good FFP - MH is the one to gun for in economy. Decent food, 34" pitch and heaps of legroom, comfy seats, reasonably good IFE, fantastic service, and cheap!

EDIT: I've not been on them for a while and since then I've heard some "enhancements" with their food. Nonetheless the other things haven't changed and are still good.