BNE - LAX the hard way

[markis10]

The major reason for me starting the post was what is written below, as as yet no-one has made any comment or response.

Quote: So upart from the cost difference what do AFF'ers think of the Fiji air A330's over the QF747, your opinion on service etc etc.
SWMBO also doesn't really like QF full lie flat seats and I have explained the A330 seats have a small incline and she doesn't mind that Unquote

So, for me to ask this in the post it would seem that I have already made up my mind as how I was going to travel, was just putting in the cost info as a reason why I would want to do it and I really needed clarification on the A/C. Sorry if what was between the lines wasn't clear.

http://www.australianfrequentflyer....questions/what-catch-fiji-airway-j-57795.html might be worth a read.

 

[eric2011]

Thanks markis, this is the post I mentioned back in post #3 but I had a "man look" for it and couldn't find it. thanks for the link

 

[madrooster]

Given you have a long time until the actual flights, if QF puts on a sale for business class you can often find BNE-LAX to be anywhere from $5k to $6k return pp. Something that is worth keeping in mind. Still not as cheap as the FJ option though.

 

[eric2011]

Given you have a long time until the actual flights, if QF puts on a sale for business class you can often find BNE-LAX to be anywhere from $5k to $6k return pp. Something that is worth keeping in mind. Still not as cheap as the FJ option though.

Yes, those sales and special fares are triggered usually by my booking and paying for something else the day before.

Damn you Murphy, and your bloody laws. :evil:

 

[vet]

Yes, those sales and special fares are triggered usually by my booking and paying for something else the day before.

Damn you Murphy, and your bloody laws. :evil:

Let us know when you book

 

[eric2011]

Let us know when you book

10% off the top of your savings and we have a deal

 

[ozbeachbabe]

http://www.australianfrequentflyer....questions/what-catch-fiji-airway-j-57795.html might be worth a read.

this 'deal' has been around for a long time. For best results it is purchased as three separate tickets. 1: AU-NAN 2: NAN-USA-NAN and 3: NAN-AU (the last leg agin taking advantage of the FJD and often offering significant savings over buying the AU-NAN-AU as a single ticket originating in Australia.

total business class with three ticket combo should be just on $3000 return. Cheaper than QF PE.

A friend of mine did it and was told they needed to collect their bags in NAN, but given the priority services and time on the ground it wasn't so much of a deal. Plus you get points and stuff.

I never collected bags in NAN. I through-checked MEL-SYD-NAN-LAX-DFW-AUS on QF/FJ/AA no problems, and similarly on the return LAS-LAX-NAN-SYD-MEL

For the above prices I'd be learning to like FJ's angled bed on the A330's if it means literally saving thousands of dollars.

IIRC a Classic/Partner award using QF frequent flyer points is 72,000 points pp LAX/NAN plus USD2.50 taxes so you could purchase separate tickets BNE/NAN, NAN/LAX & NAN/BNE then do an award ticket LAX/NAN.

Some of the taxes on QF Partner awards are quite low compared to those for Classic/JASA's etc on QF metal so check first before writing off the idea.

 

[Timtammi]

Its a while since I've done QF 747 to the USA in J (last few have been A380) but I've done it more recently on other routes and have done FJ on both their older 747 in J and the newer A330. While the FJ product is not as good with regards to the seat itself and the food and wine, for the price differential I would pick FJ every time, even taking into account having to transit through NAN. In fact I have just rebooked FJ for my annual trip to the US in July simply due to the staggering price difference. If there is anything specific you want to know about the FJ service I will do my best to answer for you.

Cheers

Timmi

 

[eric2011]

Its a while since I've done QF 747 to the USA in J (last few have been A380) but I've done it more recently on other routes and have done FJ on both their older 747 in J and the newer A330. While the FJ product is not as good with regards to the seat itself and the food and wine, for the price differential I would pick FJ every time, even taking into account having to transit through NAN. In fact I have just rebooked FJ for my annual trip to the US in July simply due to the staggering price difference. If there is anything specific you want to know about the FJ service I will do my best to answer for you.

Cheers

Timmi

Thanks very much Timmi, this post and also the link which Markis supplied is pretty much all I needed to make up my mind to give it a try.

I think it was Markis in an earlier post said that he dislikes anything over about 12 hours and I must admit I am the same, so to be able to break it down to about a 10 & half over and around 11 hours back with a day or two of the good ol Fiji bitter during the breaks what more enticement do I need.

oh, and the small matter of the price differance

 

[docjames]

Here's an AusBT article that has interior shots:

First look: inside Air Pacific's new

(No affiliation with AusBT just recalled it had pics for the OP).

 

[eric2011]

Here's an AusBT article that has interior shots:

First look: inside Air Pacific's new

(No affiliation with AusBT just recalled it had pics for the OP).

Thank you very much doc. Appreciate the trouble you went to too find this..... Helpful

 

[Timtammi]

Suggest you book it as 3 flights. Aus- nan, nan-lax-nan, nan-aus to minimise cost.

 

[eric2011]

Suggest you book it as 3 flights. Aus- nan, nan-lax-nan, nan-aus to minimise cost.

Yes, exactly what I was going to do

 

[drewbles]

Suggest you book it as 3 flights. Aus- nan, nan-lax-nan, nan-aus to minimise cost.

Just out of interest, this doesn't seem to work for LAX-SYD. A friend wants to come visit and it's cheaper to just book LAX SYD return.

 

[Timtammi]

Just out of interest, this doesn't seem to work for LAX-SYD. A friend wants to come visit and it's cheaper to just book LAX SYD return.

Interesting but not really surprising, the old "Australia Tax" at work again. The first time I booked to the US on FJ I did SYD-NAN-SYD and NAN-LAX-NAN without realising that by booking the SYD-NAN as 2 one ways rather than a return there were further savings to be made. Won't make that mistake again although its always wise to price out the different ticketing options.
Cheers

 

[OZNB]

Great thread --thanks. I'm mulling over all the options for LAX-AKL and SYD-LAX. Think we will go Hawaiian using similar strategies.

 

[Allegro Vivace]

Can anyone tell me if you can earn QFF SCs on Fiji Airways flights and are there any "small print" catches -such as having to fly a QF code
share?

Yes the price does fluctuate on different days of the week but if you pick the cheapest days and use your points to go BNE-NAN (Im not sure what the fuel surcharge and taxes would be?), then based on todays exchange rate you would be looking at:

$2295 NAN-LAX-NAN FJ J pp and
$700 NAN-BNE FJ J pp.

Excluding the 'cost' of the BNE-NAN points redemption that would be just under $3,000 pp return to LAX in J which is sensational value IMO. If you want to spend more than double that to go direct on QF go ahead but I don't know why you bothered starting this thread?!

I *believe* you earn SCs and QFF points on FJ anyway? Frequent Flyer - Earning Points - Fly - Airline Partners

 

[mannej]

Can anyone tell me if you can earn QFF SCs on Fiji Airways flights and are there any "small print" catches -such as having to fly a QF code
share?

It's all on the Airline Earning table on the QF site (a search of this site will also yield the same info).

You earn points and SC's on the FJ code.

 

[Allegro Vivace]

Many thanks for drawing my attention to that

It's all on the Airline Earning table on the QF site (a search of this site will also yield the same info).

You earn points and SC's on the FJ code.

 

[whoistheg]

We did this route but Via Mel at Xmas.

you will get approx 140 SC one way and around 7000 FF points, i got 12423 as im QF gold

The 333 is fine. Cabin is new and nice and to me just as good as QF. Service is another issue. If you are used to QF/SQ/CX
quality just keep reminding yourself its Fiji time and relax. Drinks were cold and fine but we did not get the meal we requested
which to me is poor. Reminder to pick seats on the left hand side of the aircraft. They always get served first. My bourbon and
coke was a 60/40 mix usually i have it around 20/80.. after 3 i spose thats why i slept so good.

One thing to note is FJ have now changed their flights out of LAX. We liked the idea of a 12pm (lunchtime) departure. It allowed us
to hotel at LAX the night before and just check in the morning. Im pretty sure its now a night flight.

Connections at Nan are also pretty bad. On the way there we had to overnight. We stayed at Raffels. It was nice but nothing to
write home about. Food was pretty exy and room was around $220 a night

On the final trip back to Mel we got stung with baggage allowance as we had Y seats from Nan - Mel and had to pay around $200 AUD to check extra
bags. Seems crazy when our J flights allowed 3x bags per person. Again FJ staff were totally useless and no help at all. I asked for manager
and just smiled, No help at all.

All up if you don't mind this and want to save some $$ go for it.

Personally i would not do it again and never go back to Fiji.

We did this at very late notice over Xmas and the J fares were around $2200 return

I used YASA from mel-nan and nan-mel. Those Y fights were terrible, Old 737 via Syd
with no screens and even worse staff.