LHR-PER-SYD with a 737 for the connecting PER-SYD

[LondonAussie]

I'm booking a whirlwind trip to Sydney and back for my cousin's wedding in March next year.

I usually fly into Melbourne (where I'm originally from) and have done the QF10 before, all the way on the 787, and found it was excellent for minimising jetlag compared to the routes through Asia or ME3.

But it seems for LHR-PER-SYD the connecting flight to SYD is a 737... and there's no discount for putting you into an inferior recliner seat for the last hop. Though I wouldn't want to sleep on that flight anyway, it doesn't seem like good value for money I suppose. This is flying Business class if that wasn't clear.

I can pay the same to get a lie-flat seat on an A380 for the entire journey, going via SIN or DXB for example.

What would you do?

 

[downgraded]

Since QF has now turned QF9/10 into a PER-LHR flight I'd definitely go with plan B. Even though there are A330s on PER-SYD there are no guarantees they will stick on any given flight.

 

[Flyfrequently]

Guess you need to weigh up cost v comfort v convenience @LondonAussie.

Personally, I'm a "journey girl" and enjoy Lounging
I am not keen to do more than 13 hours in flight so QF 9/10 is not for me, and domestically I would prefer to end my journey in comfort ie not the 737. YMMV.

Interested to hear other AFFer's thoughts

Good luck let us know what you decide.

 

[RichardMEL]

IMO unless there's a significant price advantage to going via PER then why do it when the destination is SYD? If you're looking to pay for J (which it seems like you are) then I'd look to go direct via SIN on QF, or even EK, or potentially other options if cheaper. If SC's are important then go with QF or even potentially AY/QF (a bit cheaper perhaps) to SYD.

 

[CaptJCool]

looks like you could snag CR J ex-London but not going back
'
If you don't mind flying back to Amsterdam for example you could score CR F seats in mid-March on EK...

depends if you have points and how well the available dates work for you

i suspect unless others have better ideas, you would need to book them as separate CR tics given departure and final destination are different cities...

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

What I would do, is to fly EK with a QF flight number, is what I would do, for the J experience, maybe some city of dep from Europe, apart from the UK, as their APD is very high.
If you cant find an EK metal QF flight number, from CDG, maybe try to find another city that has the QF flight number, getting a cheap flight from LGW/LHR/LCA (London city airport) to get to that city.
Maybe the Chunnel train from London to Paris, and then an EK with a QF flight number, if they have that, from CDG to DXB to SYD.
QF have now got the habit, of even if you book a J on the dom 330 from PER - SYD/MEL, we on here love to call it the "dreaded" equipment swap.
Weekends, QF will always put the 737 on all their dom flights, and weekdays, even if it shows a 330, chances are that they will swap it to a 737, with little or no notice.
Sorry for the waffly.

 

[arrow]

I would do EK or QF 1/2. I know people choose 9/10 as it comes with a serve of 80 extra SCs, but I wouldn’t

 

[LondonAussie]

Thanks all, the main reason not considering QF2 via SIN is the timing and jetlag. I'd prefer to avoid an early morning arrival into Sydney from a relatively short overnight flight from Singapore.

Would be happy with a morning arrival from DXB, so will probably go with EK.

 

[openseat]

Nothing worse than being dumped onto a 737 for a transcon after an 18 hour flight from London to Perth.

 

[LondonAussie]

Nothing worse than being dumped onto a 737 for a transcon after an 18 hour flight from London to Perth.

It's only a 4 hour flight, so not the worst, but agree not ideal.

Is it at least a smooth transfer/transit in Perth airport? Arrive and depart from T3/T4.

And does anyone know if there's decent shower facilities in the Qantas Club in Perth? Assume the International Lounge can't be used on arrival?

 

[openseat]

It's only a 4 hour flight, so not the worst, but agree not ideal.

Is it at least a smooth transfer/transit in Perth airport? Arrive and depart from T3/T4.

And does anyone know if there's decent shower facilities in the Qantas Club in Perth? Assume the International Lounge can't be used on arrival?

4 hours flight when jetlagged is very different to a 4 hours single flight.

 

[torks]

It's only a 4 hour flight, so not the worst, but agree not ideal.

Is it at least a smooth transfer/transit in Perth airport? Arrive and depart from T3/T4.

And does anyone know if there's decent shower facilities in the Qantas Club in Perth? Assume the International Lounge can't be used on arrival?

I did the LHR-PER-SYD routing about 3 months back. Very smooth transfer. One benefit is that you clear immigration in Perth so arrive in Syd and can walk straight out. Passport control was quick, then go and pick up bags, walk outside and they had a people directing you to a dedicated counter to drop bags odd again.

I had access to the Perth domestic business lounge. Was satisfactory and it did have 3 or 4 shower cubicles which did the job. Whilst not amazing I found them perfectly acceptable and was nice to have a shower after coming off the long flight.