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Been threatening it for a few years, but have now take the plunge, and have booked a holiday down under, I have been to Perth, 5 years ago and thus looked at Sydney but in the end the convenience of Rhoose has swayed it to Perth again, I only went (to Perth) two times 5 years ago as i stayed in Freemantle and Doris didn't go with me the last time so it will be a new adventure for her.
going to hong kong via there in a few weeks
If she's a sort , I've done her
I flew back from Doha to Rhoose in October.
They use the Dreamliner...best plane I’ve been on, even better than a 380 IMO...I was in business though.
The plane was only about a third full.
They reckon that they only need to sell 3 business class seats to break even due to the revenue they get from their cargo charges.
So in short, yes I can recommend it.
Aye Dreamliner to Doha, and 380 onto Perth, was our 36th Anniversary this week so we have treated ourselves to Business for the flight's and a nice hotel for the stay. A few months away yet and don't take tomorrow as a given, but hopefully will be celebrating my birthday on Cottesloe beach with a beer :hehe:Quote:
Originally Posted by Blue Tone
That's really interesting, re the 3 business class seats. At that rate we should be able to keep them at CWL. I have flown Qatar twice and they are hands down the best airline I have flown with. Although I am hoping that will change when I fly to Singapore with Singapore airlines early next year.Quote:
Originally Posted by Blue Tone
Singapore Airlines is no 1 in my opinionQuote:
Originally Posted by Peajay
Sorry to disappoint she's form the Barry ,hope she doesn't drone onQuote:
Originally Posted by SLUDGE FACTORY
I lived in Perth for 8 years came back in 2013 let me know if you want any advice on things to do whilst thereQuote:
Originally Posted by Nelsonca61
Flew to India with Qatar a few years before they flew out of Cardiff and they were outstanding. From London and that was also half empty but we lost track of how many bottles of wine we consumed ( knew I wouldn’t see another in India for some time so went to town so to speak lol). I would love to fly somewhere with them from Cardiff.
Second that.Quote:
Originally Posted by lardy
From my experience flying from oz to the uk over 8 year period
Emirates
Singapore
Qatar
Thai
Malaysia
Royal Brunei
Fly a lot, but have never flown Emirates, Qatar, or Royal Brunei. Really have no desire to set foot in any of the Gulf States.Quote:
Originally Posted by walinoz
But do have happy memories of flying back to the UK with Thai. After a pretty good dinner, they brought a bottle of brandy round and asked did anyone want an after dinner drink. As I recall, my answer was yes please. As it was when they came round again.
These little things really colour your impressions of an airline.
Thank you, I will message when nearer the date :xmasthumbup:Quote:
Originally Posted by walinoz
I flew from doha to Bangkok with Qatar and the plane, a 777, was like a cattle truck. It was going on to Ho Chi Min with a supposedly quick stop in Bangkok.
Unfortunately someone took sick on the plane and there was no qualified person on board to help, so they said when we landed we would have to wait while a Doc came on board to treat her.
The plane on our stand left 20-30 minutes late then we had to wait for the doctor to see this woman then attendants to get a stretcher into the rear passenger cabin and get her out before anyone could disembark.
The plane was totally rammed, a lot of people changing to go on to go to India and Bangladesh. The poor passengers who were going on to Ho Chi Min weren't even earmarked to disembark so they were still sitting on the pane, waiting for the on coming passengers when we eventually got out into reasonably fresh (air-conditioned) air.
We actually got off the plane about 11/2 hour late. In the mean while 2 380s which should have been behind us had disembarked in front of us so there were over 1000 people in the queue for immigration in front of us. I got out to where I was supposed to be meeting someone about 3 hours after we landed.
It wasn't much better coming back.
As for the Dreamliner, I fly on it often to Baku and back with Azal. I agree it's a lovely aircraft. It flies higher and gets me where I want to go faster, and in more comfort. I's choose it every day given the choice.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ryder bluebird
They’re good and provide consistently good customer service but honestly New Zealand airlines is the best IMHO
However they NZ air don’t fly from Cardiff and neither do SIngapore airlines. Qatar are very good Doha is a shithole but as you will transit rather than stay it doesn’t matter
It’s a long long haul so anything you can do to make the time pass makes everything else seem better
Quote:
Originally Posted by xsnaggle
I was chatting to a flight engineer in Seoul who told me he’d never fly in a Dreamliner until certain safety works had been completed
Makes you think doesn’t it
Haven't flown with Qatar yet but I have heard great things about them, I've flown Singapore Airlines and they were amazing. I was very happy when Qatar announced they were flying out of Cardiff, a world class airline and it saves the dreaded 3-4 hour commute, each way for me to get to London.
Although I am worried that if we don't use it then we'll lose it soon, a family member used it last month and said it was very quiet on the Cardiff - Doha leg in both directions, so I like to encourage people to use it. For me personally it's easily worth paying £50-100pp extra to mean I haven't got to get to/from London in both time and fuel/transport.
You can still get great deals from Cardiff even though it's doesn't have the same offering as major airports, I'm living in Adelaide and I'm flying back to Cardiff for a month next year and I managed to get my flights for £660 return!! Insane to think I can fly from Australia to Wales with one stop for so little. I actually saw the other day there are Cardiff to Kathmandu flights between January and June for £367 return so there are amazing deals to be found.
Westminster needs to devolve APD to WAG though, Scotland has it fully devolved and even N.I have long haul devolved so unfair on us, if APD could be lowered or scapped it would bring fares right down!
Hey Wozza, I’m away ATM and typing on my phone, so will PM you later. I would like some gen on Adelaide. Thanks
Of the two trips i have done to Dubai, i thought Etihad were better than Emirates and the 1st trip I did to Perth was with Cathay Pacific (business) which was top qualityQuote:
Originally Posted by walinoz
I flew to economy AD with Etihad, and although just OK, I'd paid extra for exit row seats. First mention for Cathay in this thread and agree with you, I flew to HCM via HK with them premium economy which was top drawer.Quote:
Originally Posted by Nelsonca61
I had a 7 hour wait in HK for the flight to Perth, had to suffer the wing lounge in HK airport, its the only business class lounge that i have been in, so cannot compare it to any other but it was brilliant (facilities, food, beverage, showers etc.)Quote:
Originally Posted by Peajay
But still no flight to NYC.
You can fly to NYC via Dublin or Amsterdam from Cardiff! You can also clear customs by flying via Dublin, a lot quicker than trying to get through customs in America?Quote:
Originally Posted by NYCBlue
Just checked out a pair of return flights for next Autumn, cost £700 more than from Heathrow. That's a non-starter.
Dublin is quite a good idea, to avoid the usual 1.5 hr wait state side. A New York flight from Cardiff would be amazing and knock 30 mins off the flight too as it’s closer and quicker to land here rather than Gatwick.Quote:
Originally Posted by Ianto13
Pm'd :xmasthumbup:Quote:
Originally Posted by Peajay
Cheers, I've replied.Quote:
Originally Posted by Wozza16
Having now finished our Holiday in Perth and used Qatar from Rhoose to Perth via Doha, business class, it was bloody great, I have been once before and went business class with Cathay Pacific, in all honesty I would not pick a favourable between the two airlines as they were both excellent, the Qatar trip though uses the A380 from Doha to Perth and is the only aircraft (I think) that has a dedicated section of a bar!!, me and 'err' indoors gave it a right hammering as well :hehe: just to be able to get out of the seat for a few hours go to a bar at 38,000 ft is quite surreal, the bar seats even have seat belts so if turbulence, you can sit in the bar with seat belts on :hehe: the leg from Cardiff to Doha is on the Dreamliner, the Dreamliner flies at a slightly higher altitude and was a bit smoother I thought, nice plane but the A380 has a bit more style, the food is wasted on me being an egg'n chips sort but Doris liked it, selection of champers and wine was excellent, my only gripe was that it is just two hours at the business lounge in Doha, by far the most lavish airline lounge i have been in but did not have time to enjoy it, in pure monetary value it isn't worth it, there is only so much you can eat and drink, but the comfort aspect alone made it worthwhile and as someone who has had a blood clot previously, sitting in a bucket seat for 7.5 and 13 hours isn't a good option the cost of the flight's were approx. £6,700 for the two of us, Doris has been putting a bit aside since i went alone 5 years ago. Perth, the most fabulous city I have ever visited for many reasons, and to have my 58th birthday there sat on Cottesloe beach is a memory I'll cherish to the coffin, never say never but distance alone make it highly unlikely I'll get there again, I think I have only one more long haul trip left in me and that is China and Singapore for my 60th if i reach it!!
60 isn’t that old, I’m mid 40’s but I know some of my folks mates in there 70’s and some in 80’s going here there and everywhere.....you do get more fussy as you get on, I couldn’t do what I did at 20, a ticket to Oz but with so many stops I can’t even remember some of the places I transited in...
I’ve not flow to the US from anywhere other than Dublin for a few years now.Quote:
Originally Posted by goats
Flybe from Cardiff to Dublin, then Aer Lingus or Norwegian to NY.
Clearing customs in Dublin is great, saves so much time.
Emirates has a bar on their a380 too. I just wish there was one in economy.
Aye, I meant the A380 plane not the specific A380 from Doha to Perth :thumbup:Quote:
Originally Posted by Brisbane CCFC
The FB updates you posted were great. Glad you enjoyed it.
What time do you leave from Rhoose? I've looked a couple of times the flight is so early and there's a long wait in Dublin.Quote:
Originally Posted by G rangetown Blue
Good plan. For those with avios, also worth noting that the tax and surcharge you pay from Ireland on redemption flights is a fraction of the amount from the UK (shockingly, over £650 for a return to the US in biz or first now, and it is still hundreds in economy and PE too)Quote:
Originally Posted by G rangetown Blue
In my experience these 3 are the best 3 by some distance, in that order as well.Quote:
Originally Posted by walinoz
Retired 12 months ago after spending the last 16 years living in Dubai.Quote:
Originally Posted by ryder bluebird
Emirates were the best but have gone backwards in last 2-3 years.