My Awesome RTW Itinerary (any Suggestions?)

Birdwatching · Tue Apr 05, 2011 6:02 pm

I'm planning 1 week of vacation in early November, so I thought about piecing together a round-the-world to catch a bunch of rare old planes that might not be around for much longer or that I'm still missing in my log.

I'm starting and ending in Germany, here's what I have so far:

* Germany-MCT: Still undecided, found several good offers on the Gulf airlines. I'll book this later down the road.
* overland to Abu Dhabi via Dubai (Bus)
* AUH-DAC Biman Bangladesh DC-10
* some domestic flights in Bangladesh on Fokker 28, DC10, A310 (will plan this on short notice, still too early, I expect schedules and equipment to change till then)
* DAC-HKG Biman Bangladesh DC-10
* HKG-PVG via Nanjing, catching an EMBRAER 110 Bandeirante on the way (not too many of those around any more)
* Ride the PVG Maglev
* PVG-Tianjin either rail or plane
* Tianjin - Shenyang via Dalian on Okay Air Xi'an MA60 (now that's a rare bird)
* Shenyang - Beijing by rail
* PEK-NRT Iran Air Boeing 747SP
* NRT-BOS on AA using miles (they have inventory at an amazing 25.000 miles)
* BOS-KEF-FRA on Icelandair (super cheap student fare)

So what do you think? The amazing part is that the whole trip is surprisingly cheap. Now I'm 100% sure that I'll run into some changes, problems or delays on the way, and might not end up flying on all those rare planes, but that's ok. I'm very excited as (if all turns out well) I'll be able to log the following:
DC10
F28 (even though I have flown on it before)
Embraer 110
747SP
Xi'an MA60 (have never heard about this plane until recently)
and, not completely unrelated, the Shanghai Maglev train!

So what I'd like to ask now, do you see any possibilities to make this itinerary even better? Any rare planes that I'm missing? (I can't make it much longer though, as I only have 1 week)
Especially the Europe to Muscat part (or other Gulf gateways), any exciting ways to do that?

Soren

jetblue777 · Tue Apr 05, 2011 9:17 pm

Quoting Birdwatching (Thread starter):
Germany-MCT: Still undecided, found several good offers on the Gulf airlines. I'll book this later down the road.

Based on the TRs on this site and (Skytrax) Oman Air seems to be the best option. EK, EY, QR are all great, but Oman Air (don't know the code lol) is also great and it's definitely unique.

Quoting Birdwatching (Thread starter):

Wow. Never knew that they operated this route. We're planning to go to Hong Kong - China - Japan in 2012, so this might be interesting.

Quoting Birdwatching (Thread starter):
* NRT-BOS on AA using miles (they have inventory at an amazing 25.000 miles)

Yes, I'm also using AA Miles to do a day trip this year, I might try AA's signature service from JFK-LAX in J, I couldn't go international though :/

And out of curiosity, on the map that you included above, JFK is included but you didn't mention JFK on your itinerary

airtrainer · Tue Apr 05, 2011 9:18 pm

That's an exciting routing for sure !
Going to MCT from FRA you could take the opportunity to fly with Oman Air, or maybe Egyptair via CAI...

Have a nice trip !

airtrainer · Tue Apr 05, 2011 9:25 pm

Quoting JetBlue777 (Reply 1):
Based on the TRs on this site and (Skytrax) Oman Air seems to be the best option. EK, EY, QR are all great, but Oman Air (don't know the code lol) is also great and it's definitely unique.

Beaten by one minute

Oman Air code is WY if I'm correct.

[Edited 2011-04-05 14:29:23]

You can also connect in ATH or IST and catch an Air Arabia flight to SHJ.
(note, not sure if all the info are correct as I only have a limited access to internet via my cell phone).

[Edited 2011-04-05 14:39:19]

gabrielchew · Wed Apr 06, 2011 4:15 pm

Quoting Birdwatching (Thread starter):
HKG-PVG via Nanjing, catching an EMBRAER 110 Bandeirante on the way (not too many of those around any more)

I used to live in Nanjing, and I would be VERY surprised if there was an EMB110 operating anywhere near HKG,PVG or NKG. They opened a new fast train between Nanjing and Shanghai, so the journey only takes 2 hours - so don't think there are any scheduled flights. You could try taking the ferry from HK Island to Shenzhen airport, and then flying from there up to Shanghai as the fares will be a lot cheaper than flying out of HKG.

Quoting Birdwatching (Thread starter):
* overland to Abu Dhabi via Dubai (Bus)

Air Arabia fly MCT-SHJ (Sharjah, which is about 100 miles to AUH), or Fly Dubai now flight MCT-DXB. Better than the bus!

Quoting Birdwatching (Thread starter):
* Ride the PVG Maglev

4 trains an hour, but most "only" go 301kmph. There are a few trains in the morning (around 10am?) that run at 400kmph. Not sure why so few run at the top speed. Fare is around Euro 4 o/w. If you show a same day plane ticket, it's a bit cheaper.

Quoting Birdwatching (Thread starter):
BOS-KEF-FRA on Icelandair (super cheap student fare)

If you can, stopover in KEF (at least for a night) and go to the Blue Lagoon.

Rest of the itinerary looks great! Have fun!

Birdwatching · Thu Apr 07, 2011 8:00 am

Quoting gabrielchew (Reply 4):
I used to live in Nanjing, and I would be VERY surprised if there was an EMB110 operating anywhere near HKG,PVG or NKG.

Really? The Airline Route Mapper software shows a massive EMB110 network around Nanjing, and even the Chinese flight info sites like this one show these flights: http://www.feeyo.com/enflight/result/nkg_pvg.htm

What's strange though, is that there is NO evidence on these EMB110 on the internet, whatsoever. No photos or anything. Very strange. Any info on this?

Soren

wilco737 · Thu Apr 07, 2011 8:10 am

Hey Soren,

I would seriously consider a stop in Greenland. It is a lovely place and during summer it is actually very nice.

wilco737

gabrielchew · Thu Apr 07, 2011 9:40 am

Quoting Birdwatching (Reply 5):
Really? The Airline Route Mapper software shows a massive EMB110 network around Nanjing, and even the Chinese flight info sites like this one show these flights: http://www.feeyo.com/enflight/result/nkg_pvg.htm

What's strange though, is that there is NO evidence on these EMB110 on the internet, whatsoever. No photos or anything. Very strange. Any info on this?

Ok, my bad. For YEARS I have been looking to flying between NKG and SHA/PVG and there have never been any scheduled flights. However, I just had a look on elong.net (they are owned by Expedia, and I pretty good for buying domestic tickets) and yes, indeed there are flights (2 daily) from NKG-PVG. They are operated by MU, and so I think their EMB is actually an E-145 Jet. I don't think they have any EMB110 in their fleet. I presume the flight runs to connect to the MU internation network in PVG as I can't imagine anyone would go all the way to NKG airport (an hour from the centre) to take a flight to PVG (which is also an hour outside the centre) when the train centre to centre is only 2 hours.

YYZflyer · Thu Apr 07, 2011 11:54 pm

Quoting Birdwatching (Thread starter):
BOS-KEF-FRA on Icelandair (super cheap student fare)

How do you get a student fare with them? (I'm 20, starting college in September) I'm going to AMS in August and I'm open for whatever I find interesting. So far I'll be flying TS direct from YYZ which is cheapest.

BNE · Sun Apr 10, 2011 12:15 am

Quoting Birdwatching (Thread starter):

So what do you think? The amazing part is that the whole trip is surprisingly cheap.

Great, what dates are you looking to depart Germany.

DC10 would be nice but if you have already flown F28 I am not sure whether Bangladesh domestic would be that much fun.

Quoting Birdwatching (Thread starter):

So what I'd like to ask now, do you see any possibilities to make this itinerary even better? Any rare planes that I'm missing? (I can't make it much longer though, as I only have 1 week)
Especially the Europe to Muscat part (or other Gulf gateways), any exciting ways to do that?

Royal Jordanian could be another option to reach Dubai.

I have a plane ticket that gets me back to London in November and need to think of an interesting way to get home.

PlymSpotter · Sun Apr 10, 2011 11:54 am

Just a thought, how about flying Biman up to KTM, looking at dates in November they are still scheduling the DC-10 on the route (09/11/11) and the fare is US $145 o/w. Then KTM-HKG is €220 o/w, or KTM-KUL/BKK are €140-150 o/w - you can actually get J class on these routes for the price of Y to HKG, and then just jump up to HKG/MFM on a LCC for like £50, although I'll probably fly back from there, depending on where the lowest miles offer is in the region with Flying Blue. The reason I'm suggesting these is because Nepal Airlines operate the only factory new B757-200M ever produced, so if we could find out which routes it operates on that would be another very rare type. Or even do it the other way, DOH/DXB-KTM are also about €140-150 o/w, but I don't think there's as great a chance of it being operated by the Combi.

Whilst in Nepal we could also fly a quick domestic return, one way on Nepal Airways DHC6 and the other on Yeti's J-41, which would log another unusual type. That should be under €100 too return, if not less.

Can you guess that I've pretty much accepted your offer to come along for that part of it?

Once I know if I'm doing an MA next year or a MRes then I'll know which University I'm going to, and I can contact them and find out if there are any exams or presentations for early November, if not, I'm definitely in! Would you have time to visit the Chittagong shipyards? I can't go to Bangladesh and miss those, so if you don't have time I'll go a day or two earlier and meet you there.

Dan

PlymSpotter · Sun Apr 10, 2011 12:58 pm

Quoting PlymSpotter (Reply 10):
then just jump up to HKG/MFM on a LCC for like £50,

Or, BKK-HKG on EK with the A388 for £128. Not a bad price for logging the type, alternately there is ET on a 763 for £134 or UL on a 332 for £160.

Dan

coachclass · Sun Apr 10, 2011 9:47 pm

Why are you traveling eastward rather than westward. It seems to me that by going west your days are longer, and it would be easier on your internal body clock, I think. Either way it sounds terrifically exciting.

Birdwatching · Mon Apr 11, 2011 2:32 pm

Thank you all for your replies!

Quoting YYZflyer (Reply 8):
How do you get a student fare with them?

Try Studentuniverse.com. You will find that on most flights there is no difference in price, but on some airlines, Icelandair in particular, the difference is huge.

Quoting CoachClass (Reply 12):
Why are you traveling eastward rather than westward. It seems to me that by going west your days are longer, and it would be easier on your internal body clock, I think. Either way it sounds terrifically exciting.

Good thought, but I'm going eastbound for a specific reason: Eastbound flights are mostly overnight, so I'm saving time by sleeping on the plane in some cases. Westbound flights are mostly daytime, so I'd waste whole days for just a flight.

Soren

sw733 · Mon Apr 11, 2011 4:18 pm

Quoting Birdwatching (Reply 13):
Good thought, but I'm going eastbound for a specific reason: Eastbound flights are mostly overnight, so I'm saving time by sleeping on the plane in some cases. Westbound flights are mostly daytime, so I'd waste whole days for just a flight.

Bravo for that. I did the same thing when I did my RTW...and it KILLED me. I have never felt so awful as I did after that trip. I didn't know half the stuff that happened to me were even side effects of jet lag, but my doctor confirmed that they were. I will never, ever fly RTW from west to east again.

debonair · Mon Apr 11, 2011 6:00 pm

Quoting Birdwatching (Thread starter):
* Germany-MCT: Still undecided, found several good offers on the Gulf airlines. I'll book this later down the road.
* some domestic flights in Bangladesh on Fokker 28, DC10, A310 (will plan this on short notice, still too early, I expect schedules and equipment to change till then)
* DAC-HKG Biman Bangladesh DC-10
* PEK-NRT Iran Air Boeing 747SP

-you will find several low-cost airlines from SAW to the Gulf region, like Air Arabia, flyDubai and Jazeera Airways. PC and XQ are offering good connections
-Bangladesh will be fun, but there are much more exotic ailrines like GMG Airways, Regent Airways and United Airways
-DAC-HKG, you will need some extra time in HKG (as the arrival of BIMAN can be delayed by 1 or 2 days....)
-PEK-NRT IR B747SP sound great, but after the tsunami and current IR fleet status you might expect several changes (flight times, a/c types etc.)

UK_Dispatcher · Mon Apr 11, 2011 6:25 pm

Quoting PlymSpotter (Reply 10):
Or even do it the other way, DOH/DXB-KTM are also about €140-150 o/w, but I don't think there's as great a chance of it being operated by the Combi.

I was supposed to be doing DXB-DOH-KTM this weekend on the RA B752, but the weather in Nepal didn't look too good so I'm postponing it to later in the year. Apparently the Combi is now in full pax config, therefore you have a 50/50 chance of getting on it. It was fresh from a check in TLV in January.

I may be interested in joining the AUH-DAC part of the trip since I live in AUH. I flew the DC-10 DAC-KTM a couple of years ago and it was great. It is an amazing place to fly to, especially on such a beast of an aircraft.

Quoting sw733 (Reply 14):
Bravo for that. I did the same thing when I did my RTW...and it KILLED me.

My only ever RTW trip was eastbound. It didn't affect me too badly. My worst ever jetlag was when I flew AUH-DAM-CCS-HAV-SDQ-JFK-AUH in 4 days. I guess flying all that way and then turning back is not good for you!

Quoting debonair (Reply 15):
PEK-NRT IR B747SP sound great, but after the tsunami and current IR fleet status you might expect several changes (flight times, a/c types etc.)

I know last weekend's flight (EP-IAC) did not continue to NRT, but hopefully that will return to normal soon. B747-100 EP-IAM operated the flight once last month too.

ndebelebev · Tue Apr 12, 2011 6:01 pm

MA60's are cute... Check out my pics from Laos on my Facebook page.. Sounds an awesome trip Soren...

My Awesome RTW Itinerary (any Suggestions?)

My Awesome RTW Itinerary (any Suggestions?)

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