I'll planning a trip to Europe and can anyone tell me what's the best airline to travel from Australia (BNE) in terms of
service,
aircraft,
PTVs or not,
ffp miles,
food, etc.

Exclude SQ, TG and MH for the time being, I want to try something new... (NG perhaps....)  

Thanks very much!


Best Regards

Oh dear, you're excluding the best airline in the world. Oh well, I suppose you'll change yer mind after you come back on the other airline whatever yo ufly with. I would reccommend...

What class?

I'll be travelling in Economy Class... (obviously for a student like me...)
I know SQ and MH and CX and TG are good but I just want to try something different. If they are good, I'm in luck, if they're not, I'd be more "appreciative" next time I'm on SQ/CX/MH etc...


(Some people told me terrible stories about services at LH, but I still want to try it)

But safety is something I wouldn't bet on (ie forget KE...)

Why don't you give Virgin Atlantic a try? I haven't tried them, but they certaily sound good.



regards,

Andrew

Although I understand your concern with KE, their service is apparently second to none.

In terms of FF mileage-I would forget it, none of the airlines like awarding points/miles to Economy class travellers unless the'yre flying on full-fare tickets.

In terms of service

-SR I have flown once (to Buenos Aires)-extremely good. I'm not sure what they fly to SIN on though. MD-11's may not have the PTV's in Y.

-BA service generally very good, sometimes let down by rude attendants. PTV's more or less guaranteed-744 from SIN. The food will be good, as Asian routes have spicy choices.

-QF never flown them-it's another option though. 744

-NG never flown-high reputation though. If you connect via BKK, I think 777 to EU.

I'm sure there are others, maybe the rest will be able to give you first-hand advice.

I think CX and Sq does five FFP points for passengers travelling on some discounted tickets.

Why dont you give a try at olympic airways? they have ptvs in economy too and the service is quite good.

I'd choose Virgin Atlantic between London & Hong Kong* and Ansett Austrailia between Hong Kong and the land of oz.

*i think it's Hong Kong that the conections are at.

You can book the 2 flights in one go at virgin's website.

KLM of course....

Yeh, Virgin Atlantic would be a good airline to fly to Europe, KLM is good too.  

KLM747 

Fly on BA, they'll treat you well, LH is fine too, but they have no PTVs if that's important to you

LH give you miles on every paid ticket, regardless of how discounted the ticket is.
From BNE you´d have to take a TG/SQ flight with LH flight number to BKK or SIN, there connect onto a "real" LH flight.
I like their service, perhaps BECAUSE of lack of PTVs.

Daniel 

P.S:: where in Europe you want to go?

Since you are local in BNE, you should know what are the options you have. Basicall you still need to stick to MH, SQ and TG before you could get the real European airliners to go to Europe. CX would be good if u stick to Oneworld and SQ and TG would be good if you stick to Star. MH/KLM would be a good choice if u r in WorldPerks (miles never expires, joins for free online) and right now all the MH flight in Australia carried KLM code. QF and BA combination would be the most expensive options in Perth if you go to LHR or Europe. Anyway, most of my friends studies in UK always have bad experienced with BA and switch to other carrier after that. So, it wasn't really recommendable. Does KE fly to BNE, maybe you could take this opportunity to try KE and AF. Anyway, if I'm you, I'll take the cheapest ticket with the best connection and the nicest aircraft and airport. If you talked about airport, KLIA and CLK would be the best.

I like KLM, Lufthansa as well as Cathay Pacific.

A combination of Swissair and Cathay Pacific! Collect Qualiflyer Miles on both segments and enjoy the best service of Asia and Europe on the same trip.

Thepoor dear's travelling from OZ! How can he pick a VS flight???????????????

You can fly QF and AY, connecting in Singapore or Bangkok, from Helsinki, you could fly to any european city on AY or BA. Then about service, Finnair doesn't have PTVs in economy   , and the Economy Class is pretty cramped and uncomfortable, the last time i've flown a scheduled long haul flight on AY was in 1997, and i've heard they have a new economy class without PTVs, but
the new economy class is only in the middle section of the aircraft, for some reason they haven't changed the rear section of their aircraft. Maybe they change them when the aircrafts go through the D-mainteance check (OH-LGA is currently in the D-mainteance check and will get the new paint scheme).

Regards
Alexander Holst
Helsinki, Finland
ICQ 94604005

Airsicknessbag:

I guess you have never experienced a flight with a PTV?


Tom

The usefulness of PTVs depends on the airline, it's not always a minus. BA has a lot of choices (movies other programs) most of them free, AA and UA are OK, nothing great though and SR is pobably the most lousy one, where you watch one of two movies on a postcard sized display and most other choices cost you $$s (or euros).

I would say BA or SQ. Also, for the service, try Emirates if you don't mind connecting at Dubai.

I don't have this screen name just so people can laugh at me!  Go take VS... and I'll be insanely jealous. PTV's great (they just added more movies and more games), Service great, food decent (actually, i'm a picky eater and I ate the most airline food on VS) Have fun and fly Virgin!

if you want comfort and good looking stewardess                and new planes go for AirFrance

I can't believe that no one has said AirNZ!!!!

Why not take AN to Sydney and then AirNZ to LAX and the LH to FRA. Much better. then you get a real experience of the three airlines in the top 20 in the world.

Service..... Simply superb!! Food is great, flight attendants very friendly!!

PTV's..... Are getting installed now and will be placed on the SYD-LAX v.v flight first due to how long it is.
If you are flyin in July then you will get them.

Luthansa is also meant to be very good. But remember PTV's are not everything.

Remeber AirNZ offer the best seatpitch in the skies, with a wooping 34"!!!! oh my god!!!!

If you donot want to do so many connections thenm i recommened Korean Air.

State of the art Airport opening in March. The newest in the world!! Woohooo!

Very good service!! I can tell you that, planes very nice and on almost every flight you take wth them you will have a Western pilot.

PTV's are out on Flights now!! So you will get the PTV. I bet once you fly Korean Air you will want to keep flyin them. The FA's also speak very good enghlish compared to most other Asian Carriers.

I recommened AirNZ, Ansett, Luthansa or Korean Air.

Remember Korean Air has not had an Incident since 1997/8.

Cheers
mikey
     AirNZ: The worlds warmest welcome!!     

PS Tell us your decision.

Try SAS (SK) from Singapore or Bangkok to Copenhagen (voted best aiport in the world 2000). In Copenhagen you will have a smooth and enjoyable transfer to whereever your final destination is.

Click for large version

Photo © Jan Mogren

Tom,

I actually did (UA 777), tried it out some time and became bored with it very quickly...

Daniel 

Thank you all for the suggestions. Tell you what, I want to fly ALL of them (well that's why I asked you guys...), you know, imagine flying with EK (with the F/As dressed in Arabian uniform...), or KE (and the new Inchon Airport) !!
I think I'll go check all the prices and even a few RTW fares (since I work for a travel agency here in Brisbane), I think it would be the cheapest travelling Skyteam RTW... but I'll let you guys know...
Thanks again and if you have any other suggestions (like Egypt Air..........uh.....) please tell me and don't forget to tell me WHY is that airline better....


PS I'd love to go to Austria, Switzerland, Scandinavia, Russia, and Spain and Czech Rep and Turkey and............... go broke!!


Best Regards from Brisbane

Jimmy

KLM forever