Low Cost not always Cheapest

[scwappy]

Just booked flights from Auckland back to Sydney on the 2nd January 2011. Prices for an evening flight were as follows (all in NZD) :

Qantas: 423
Emirates : 269
Air NZ : 289
Jetstar : 279 (with baggage)

So Emirates is the cheapest fare, and in my opinion, offer the best service on TT flights. Pays to look around and sometimes the best can be the cheapest too.

 

[ric_melb]

Used Emirates myself TT, and was best fare of the day, plus they dont use single aisle planes which I consider uncomfortable for TT.

 

[markis10]

Just booked flights from Auckland back to Sydney on the 2nd January 2011. Prices for an evening flight were as follows (all in NZD) :

Qantas: 423
Emirates : 269
Air NZ : 289
Jetstar : 279 (with baggage)

So Emirates is the cheapest fare, and in my opinion, offer the best service on TT flights. Pays to look around and sometimes the best can be the cheapest too.

I would have gone for the J option for $70 extra + OMG Tax (not an evening flight of course).

 

[yohy?!]

Whilst it is only a short flight IMHO LAN and NZ both offer superior service to Emirates.

Also the only times I've taken the A380 it's been prone to delays which are dragged out due to the sheer number of pax, I'd go with NZ if you're not chasing status.

 

[dajop]

So Emirates is the cheapest fare, and in my opinion, offer the best service on TT flights. Pays to look around and sometimes the best can be the cheapest too.

Certainly does pay to look around. Applies to other routes as well, not just TT. On my most frequent route SIN-MEL, Emirates are usually cheaper than Jetstar (eg. in a few weeks time EK are $792 SGD, Jetstar $870SGD + food + IFE + luggage - and on Emirates it is direct and comes with 30kg free luggage allowance, not having to put up with a three hour stopover in DRW). Makes me wonder why people don't shop around more.

 

[straitman]

I would have gone for the J option for $70 extra + OMG Tax (not an evening flight of course).

Booked using Australia as the country of residency and in $A LA801 on that day is $298.98 in Business (D).

As markis10 says though the trade off is the 0550 departure.

 

[kamchatsky]

Booked using Australia as the country of residency and in $A LA801 on that day is $298.98 in Business (D).

As markis10 says though the trade off is the 0550 departure.

You mean checking in at 3:50am and meaning waking up at say 3am at latest from hotels?! :mrgreen:

 

[kamchatsky]

Whilst it is only a short flight IMHO LAN and NZ both offer superior service to Emirates.

Also the only times I've taken the A380 it's been prone to delays which are dragged out due to the sheer number of pax, I'd go with NZ if you're not chasing status.

Is EK that bad on trans-Tasman? I thought they would have better service than trans-Tasman NZ and LAN.

 

[farstar]

You mean checking in at 3:50am and meaning waking up at say 3am at latest from hotels?! :mrgreen:

For a 5.50am flight I would not check in until 4.20am as immigration does not open until about 4.25am and there is usually no cues at check in. Also the lounge doesn't open until 4.30am

 

[JohnK]

That is quite right.

Anyone who truly believes Low Cost is cheapest and books them all the time then deserves to be stung. For some reason (and I can understand why with all the subliminal messages and advertising) people actually believe that Jetstar is Australia's low fare airline. Yeah right!

 

[yohy?!]

Is EK that bad on trans-Tasman? I thought they would have better service than trans-Tasman NZ and LAN.

Not particularly bad just indifferent service with awful food. My impression was of being treated like cattle.

NZ were easily the best: good communcation from crew during poor weather and tricky ATC instructions, very friendly cabin crew who were generous with the wines and some excellant food and drink.

 

[Flashback]

Not particularly bad just indifferent service with awful food. My impression was of being treated like cattle.

NZ were easily the best: good communcation from crew during poor weather and tricky ATC instructions, very friendly cabin crew who were generous with the wines and some excellant food and drink.

Agree with those sentiments in regards to Air NZ.

 

[straitman]

You mean checking in at 3:50am and meaning waking up at say 3am at latest from hotels?! :mrgreen:

For a 5.50am flight I would not check in until 4.20am as immigration does not open until about 4.25am and there is usually no cues at check in. Also the lounge doesn't open until 4.30am

As farstar says.

Stay at a hotel near the airport. Up at 3:30, shuttle at 4:00 and checkin at about 4:20 - 4:30 without issues.

 

[Flashback]

As farstar says.

Stay at a hotel near the airport. Up at 3:30, shuttle at 4:00 and checkin at about 4:20 - 4:30 without issues.

A common choice is Hotel Motel Apartment Accommodation Hamilton Rotorua Auckland Airport - Ventura Inn & Suites Hotels

 

[markis10]

A common choice is Hotel Motel Apartment Accommodation Hamilton Rotorua Auckland Airport - Ventura Inn & Suites Hotels

Or the Holiday INN on pointsbreaks for $30 a night.

 

[straitman]

A common choice is Hotel Motel Apartment Accommodation Hamilton Rotorua Auckland Airport - Ventura Inn & Suites Hotels

Or the Holiday INN on pointsbreaks for $30 a night.

The biggest difference is that the Ventura Inn has a free shuttle and the HI costs $10 per head for the shuttle.

 

[JohnK]

Or the Holiday INN on pointsbreaks for $30 a night.

That would not be so common though, would it?

In fact how many people make bookings on points + pay at one hotel and then cancel the booking to get points refunded in lieu of cash and then find a pointsbreak deal at the hotel they need for the dates they actually need? My guess would be not very many at all.

 

[markis10]

That would not be so common though, would it?

In fact how many people make bookings on points + pay at one hotel and then cancel the booking to get points refunded in lieu of cash and then find a pointsbreak deal at the hotel they need for the dates they actually need? My guess would be not very many at all.

Not many, people who know about pointbreaks would often already have 5K in their account given thats easily accrued with a nights stay, the knowledge they can replace that 5K with a $30 spend just makes it an easy decision to spend it. The HI AKL featured on the list already this year.

I suspect a lot of people are using the facility though, take a look at the current list, HI Darwin is $250-$350 a night or $30 a night using points - HMMMM. The airport hotels are often featured in the list worldwide.

 

[JohnK]

I suspect a lot of people are using the facility though, take a look at the current list, HI Darwin is $250-$350 a night or $30 a night using points - HMMMM. The airport hotels are often featured in the list worldwide.

That I can understand but surely people are not making bookings on points + pay and then cancelling them to get extra points. Enough said....