Flights Online back to UK- Who do you Use?

[sydneyshell]

We are trying to decide whether to buy a one way to Sydney when we emigrate in February, or a return as we will be due back to show off offspring no. 2 in August sometime.

Obviously the choice online is huge in the UK for flights - but who do you use when travelling from Oz? Don;t want to get stuck calling numerous travel agencies in Sydney, so online works best while we are still here.

Any recommendations!!??

Thanks in advance

Shell

[s6_boy]

my advice would be a return, its quite expensive to buy flights here in oz due to the lack of competition.

there is plenty of flights to buy here, and i always get a seat on singapore booking directly on their web site, but cost wise i would love to pay english prices, my aunt often gets flights from english expedia return from england for 650pound the cheapest resturn ticket i have got from here was $2450 so around double that of the same ticket from england.

as i say my advice buy a return if you def know you are going back to england anyway!

Jay

[sydneyshell]

Probably should have said that the reason we are even considering buying from Oz is that on the way out from the UK our Son will be under 2, and on the way back he will be over 2 - so if we buy from the UK return, we have to pay a full child's fare for him (which makes it about £500 difference from infant to child) anyway!!!

We will also have another baby on the return flight (what were we thinking??? :-) ) so that is another consideration!

Thanks

[s6_boy]

Ahh congrats!

well there are plenty of places you can get flights online here there is an expedia. com.au too i do tend to book direct with the airline and tend to save money.

maybe do a comparison with the costs from the uk and from aus for your best option.

but maybe for convenience it might be easier for you to do a one way with the stress of moving you dont want to have to worry about getting comparison prices.

Good luck with ur move bring sun cream hehe!

[Selah]

Greetings!

Just a quick note to say I'd personally consider buying the round trip and paying for a child ticket for your under two - unless they fit in the bassinett and most don't! I've got 3 kids and as I'm american we often do the UK/US thing as well as now australia. It's an exhausting trip by yourself - much less pregnant - much less with a toddler! We just returned from Adelaide and if my three year old hadn't had an extra seat next to his as well I'm not sure we would have survived. I know it's a huge money thing but - you do want to be alive at the other end (and speaking to your OH and your child...)

Good luck!

Liz

[Gollywobbler]

Originally Posted by s6_boy

my advice would be a return, its quite expensive to buy flights here in oz due to the lack of competition.

there is plenty of flights to buy here, and i always get a seat on singapore booking directly on their web site, but cost wise i would love to pay english prices, my aunt often gets flights from english expedia return from england for 650pound the cheapest resturn ticket i have got from here was $2450 so around double that of the same ticket from england.

as i say my advice buy a return if you def know you are going back to england anyway!

Jay

Hi Jay

How much do the Oz dollar air prices fluctuate with the exchange rate - or don't they, since we all kmow how greedy airlines are?!

I'm just curious because I'm wondering why there is this huge differential?

If they do vary with the exchange rate, do you think the Oz dollar will strengthen again now that the Australian General Election is out of the way?

Thanks

Gill

[Gollywobbler]

Originally Posted by sydneyshell

Probably should have said that the reason we are even considering buying from Oz is that on the way out from the UK our Son will be under 2, and on the way back he will be over 2 - so if we buy from the UK return, we have to pay a full child's fare for him (which makes it about £500 difference from infant to child) anyway!!!

We will also have another baby on the return flight (what were we thinking??? :-) ) so that is another consideration!

Thanks

Hi SS

If you buy return tickets, you may not get the double baggage allowance unless you are able to thrash that out with the airline well in advance ad get something from them in writing that you can wave at the check-in.

Have you investigated the cost of return tickets for you and your husbands only and two one way tickets for your son so that you at least get the half-fare for him on the way out?

Thirdly, I am wondering whether it s possible to buy a ticket in the UK to enable your son to travel back to the UK once you bring the baby over? I've no idea whether it is possible to do this, though.

Cheers

Gill

[kdal]

hi when we went to oz and back to UK we used singapore airlines. they were amazing you could get snacks like sandwhiches etc and the meals weren't like microwave food it was chinese or curry yum!!!

[s6_boy]

Originally Posted by Gollywobbler

Hi Jay

How much do the Oz dollar air prices fluctuate with the exchange rate - or don't they, since we all kmow how greedy airlines are?!

I'm just curious because I'm wondering why there is this huge differential?

If they do vary with the exchange rate, do you think the Oz dollar will strengthen again now that the Australian General Election is out of the way?

Thanks

Gill

Hi Gill,

they tend to stay around the same price i think its mainly the discression of the airline rather than an effect on exchange rate.

I dont see the dollar strengthening again just yet but we live and hope it does! would be nice to have my $$ worth more when i come home for visits!

Jay