Has anyone flown to Oz in one go. I would like to know just how it feels going that long on a plane. Plus adjusting to the time difference once you get off the plane?
It's a something our parents are worried about doing, especially as they arent getting any younger!
Hi we did it in 2005 and this year - it isn't too bad. My dad who is 69 will do it later in the year and also did it in 2004. The only thing he said was that the first time, he went from Manchester to Heathrow, then onto Aus, he found this a bit of a rush, so will just fly from Manchester this time.
I found it more difficult going to Brisbane as we flew Manchester - Dubai - Singapore, this time to perth it was just Manchester - Singapore - Perth, I think it's psychological, but when we arrived in Singapore I just thought the bulk of the journey was over and I just wanted to get here.
We didn't get much sleep on the plane, but chose a morning departure from the UK which arrived late afternoon in Perth. We also chose a flight that only had a 2 hour turn around in Singapore, We stayed up late, and had a bit of jet lag the day after but was fine the 2nd day.
Ali
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I all depends what your total flight time is . It can be anything from 24hrs to 48 hrs depending on your chosen Airline and its flight routing . We have flown back and forth between Oz and Uk loads of times , both with stopovers to break the journey and also direct to save time . If you have chosen one of the quicker flights , you should be ok .As Ali said , it can be a pyscological thing . Don't get on the plane and think , its 24hrs to go , but look on each leg as an individual flight , drink loads of water and try and sleep ..
Happy travelling .
Dave
Location: From Bury,Manchester To Jimboomba, Brisbane
Posts: 6,444
Hiya we flew with Singapore air stopping in Singapore for 4 hours ,we found it ideal as you had enough time to stretch your legs,grab something to eat,have a wander around the shops,not to mention 40 cigs in the sunflower garden to top my levels up !!!!We also made sure we landed in Brisbane around 7am as we had flown these times before and they work well for sleeping due to most of the travelling being evening (dark),kids travelled well and slept which was a godsend.Your luggage is transfered for you so you dont collect it at Singapore,hope this helps
Cal x
We did London to LA. LA - Auckland and Auckland to BRissie. KEpt going! Left 230pm london time on a monday and landed 10am on wednesday Oz time!
AIr NZ were great! FLights good!
Joanne
We flew Qantas and BA to Brisbane.We stopped at Singapore for 4 hours and it was lovely just getting out and freshening up...There is a swimming pool at changi airport and also facilities for a massage.Our nephew had a massage when he went and he said it was fantatsic as it helped just to relax him ready for the next leg of the journey..It isnt so bad doing it all in one go although I would never ever fly BA again..We have flown to America with BA too and both times the service wasnt all that good..Qantas were fab and would definately use them again..However we have only ever heard good things about Singapore airlines, so in August we are flying with them and stopping over in Singapore for a few days..Gabrielle cant wait to go Via Singapore again as last time we were sitting in the garden there, a lampshade smashed on her head and arm and burnt her, the staff were fantastic with her and luckily she was ok, but when Paul went back 8 months later the lampshade hadnt been replaced.Gabs is itching to find out if it has been fixed yet!! :)
Well we are off again to Sydney this coming Saturday, and yes we are doing it the non-stop way. I personally don't like doing it this way, but with a new grandson waiting for us, we decided to get there as quickly as possible. We are flying with Qantas via Singapore, which is a total of 21 hrs. 15 mins and that includes a rather quick changeover at Singapore of only 1 hr 15 mins. We have travelled this way before but we do prefer a day or two break to the journey somewhere en-route. Coping with jet-lag is easier if you quickly get into the time of day that is current on your arrival. We arrive at 7.30 p.m. Sydney time and it will be more like 10. 30 p.m. by the time we get to our daughter's house, so therefore we will take ourselves off to bed pretty soon afterwards. A day or two of persevering with odd bouts of tiredness and we are usually into the swing.
Anyway, must go and get on with all the last minute packing and organising that needs doing, always seems to be a bit of rush, no matter how far in advance you prepare.
I thinks its easier going to aus than coming back to the UK with regard to jet lag.
We flew with Emirates from birmingham to Dubai then to perth.
Left brum at 13hrs on the friday,landed Dubai midnightish local time,then left for Perth 02:00 hrs dubai time landed perth 19:30 hrs on the saturday.
No jet lag at all when we got there.
coming back we were all wasted .......
Please reassure your parents from me. My mother is 86 and can't walk without a zimmer frame now, after breaking her back some years ago. She uses the frame at home and she has a wheelchair for anywhere further afield.
She flies to Perth & back regularly on her own, always non-stop apart from the change-over in Singapore.
This is possible because we always use Singapore Airlines for Mum and once the flight is booked, I ring them and book their "meet & assist" service for Mum which is free and is second to none. They arrange for her to use her own wheelchair as far as the door of the plane, and they give her the most convenient seats for the loos - shifting other passengers if they have to. If they think Mum is tired they use the in-flight wheelchair to take her to the loo. They have disabled loos on board the planes and the girls even offer to go into the loo with Mum if she wants (she doesn't need that.) If she wants to walk anywhere during the flight, they get 2 girls and 2 men walking with Mum to make sure she can't fall. They also have rest rooms where any passenger who needs to can lie down on a proper bed for a few hours.
At Singapore Airport they arrange for Mum's own wheelchair and her zimmer-frame to be ready & waiting at the door of the plane and they get her up onto her feet with another four people walking with her. Mum uses the frame in the airport and can only walk a few yards at a time. One of them pushes the wheelchair just in case Mum needs to sit down quickly and the others hover around her to make sure Mum won't fall, and to be ready to catch her if her legs do start to buckle. They reckon it is good for her to walk around during the stop-over (it is) and they have a special area for the meet & assist passengers, where they have special staff members on duty to look after them. From the moment Mum gets onto the plane in London or Perth to the moment she gets off at the other end, Singapore Airlines literally don't let her out of their sight for an instant and they cosset and pamper her as much as if she was their own beloved Granny.
It is only a 2 hour stop-over in Singapore for flights to & from Perth. It is longer for onward flights to & from other parts of Oz. They have bedrooms with en suite bathrooms actually in the transit area in the the new airport building in Singapore now. Passengers who want to can book one of these rooms, kip for a while and then shower and change before the next flight. They go and call them in plenty of time to allow for a shower etc before the next flight.
It would not be possible for Mum to travel alone with any other airline, but with Singapore Airlines there is no point in anyone else travelling with Mum. They make far more of a fuss of her than my sister or I ever do if one of us travels with her for any reason.
Your parents need not worry in the least, regardless of how they choose to make the trip, I promise.
Cheers
Gill
Last edited by Gollywobbler; 13-03-2007 at 01:00 AM.
