Qantas premium or Emirates Business, which would you go with?

[paddyjoy]

Hi,

I'm planning a holiday to Europe for next Aug/Sep, will be 4 of us (wife, daughter 4, son 11 months) so need 3 seats.

I managed to get 3 premium economy seats to Frankfurt to cover the trip over but not sure what to do for the way home. Was lookign at the following two options and would appreciate some opinions from the more seasoned travelers here!

Option 1) Purchase premium economy tickets home from Frankfurt (cheapest option) approx $6,000

Option 2) Plan some time in Italy and fly home Emirates business class from either Rome, Venice or Milan ($5,800 euro approx $7,500 for 3 seats)

Emirates seems like a good option, the price is so cheap flying out of Italy compared with London, Paris or Madrid which range from 9,000 to 11,500 euro for 3 seats one way.

 

[Princess Fiona]

Haven't flown PE with QF, but have flown J with EK and its rather good.
I would definitely take the EK option at that price difference.

 

[The Rok]

The cost of one way seats would be roughly the same as return would it not?

 

[Sprucegoose]

The cost of one way seats would be roughly the same as return would it not?

cheap out of Frankfurt as well.

Personally it depends on your travel plans, where do you want to go would dictate the decision.

I try to avoid Emirates after they tried to take out a Melbourne suburb. Their 'international' crew can be an interesting lot at times!


BTW i did a few long haul sectors with them. Hated that Dubai airport. There were two showers for every 20,000 pax.

 

[paddyjoy]

The cost of one way seats would be roughly the same as return would it not?

I always thought the prices were roughly the same but this is not the case, it seems to be significantly cheaper to fly to Australia.

Example.

In Aug 2012
Qantas - Return premium economy from Sydney to Frankfurt is $6,705 per person - One way Frankfurt to Sydney is 1,700 euro ($2,200)
Emirates - Return business Sydney to Rome $7,000 per person - One way Rome to Sydney is 2,000 euro ($2,600)

 

[paddyjoy]

cheap out of Frankfurt as well.

Personally it depends on your trael plans, where do you want to go would dictate the decision.

I try to avoid Emirates after they tried to take out a Melbourne suburb. Their 'international' crew can be an interesting lot at times!


BTW i did a few long haul sectors with them. Hated that Dubai airport. There were two showers for every 20,000 pax.

I'm not a huge Emirates fan, I have only flown with them once and it was ok. It was economy from Sydney to Ghana through Dubai. Dubai leg was fine but they brought out the old clunker for the Ghana leg....

Would really like to have a skybed on the way home though, especially with the kids.

 

[Sprucegoose]

I'm not a huge Emirates fan, I have only flown with them once and it was ok. It was economy from Sydney to Ghana through Dubai. Dubai leg was fine but they brought out the old clunker for the Ghana leg....

Would really like to have a skybed on the way home though, especially with the kids.

Ghana wouldnt be a money spinner with them I would have thought, but they should have the mining market sown up.

 

[eric2011]

No doubt about it. Go with EK business.

 

[haydensydney]

Have you thought about looking into return fares ex Italy and just schedule the return to Italy for ~11 months after departure date? You may find fares cheaper on other airlines, and you will have a free trip back to Europe in the near future.

 

[elbarto]

at $300 more I'd probably be taking the EK fare. You just need to look at what you're getting for your money.

 

[paddyjoy]

Have you thought about looking into return fares ex Italy and just schedule the return to Italy for ~11 months after departure date? You may find fares cheaper on other airlines, and you will have a free trip back to Europe in the near future.

Thanks yes I thought about this until I discovered you don't really pay a premium for buying one way tickets anymore. Also have the complications of not being able to book that far in advance and the fact my son will need a seat on the second flight but not the first.

It seems to be so much cheaper buying your flights starting in Europe if you can get away with a setup like that, another example of us getting ripped off down here....

 

[paddyjoy]

at $300 more I'd probably be taking the EK fare. You just need to look at what you're getting for your money.

Thanks yeah I'm starting to lean that way, also looking at the prices/schedule if I pick the right day I can get the A380 (which has the completely flat beds) all the way back.

 

[browski]

EK business, especially if flying on the A380 into SYD.

Alternatively, look at the following options if flying from MPM into:
Brisbane: Etihad, TG
Melbourne: Qatar Airways, Royal Brunei (from LHR), TG
Sydney: VA, TG, KE

 

[ajca]

I would go Emirates Business over Qantas Premium Economy any day. Especially if you can get the Emirates A380 with fully flat beds in business.

Even on the worst Emirates aircraft (A330?) they still have almost-flat beds, whereas even on Qantas's best aircraft (A380) the PE seats are still, well, seats.

I'm guessing the Qantas 747-400 that does QF6 out of Frankfurt is older than anything in the Emirates fleet.

I try to avoid Emirates after they tried to take out a Melbourne suburb.

I reckon that's a bit unfair to Emirates, especially when we're comparing them to Qantas who actually did manage to take out a Bangkok golf course some time ago...

 

[scwappy]

Flat bed versus seat. No real comparison in my opinion. Also if a
free one way in business across the Tasman interests you, this is
thrown in.

 

[skywalkerLAX]

If a one way from europe to SYD is reasonable in EK Business then I would maybe try to book a one way award going there and returning on a revenue ticket.

BMI for example is a good option.

Rule out the QF Premium Economy Idea... bad choice !!

 

[PineappleSkip]

Looked at the title and the answer to me seemed like a lay down misere.

I'm not sure I can think of any airline's long haul J that would have me prefer QF Y+. Others might.

We are talking about 38" seat pitch, which ain't much with 9" recline, vs real business class.

Cheers skip

 

[Dalescott]

I have been on both in the last 2 years, and as much as I hate to do this........ Go (sigh) EK. I am not their biggest fan, they have gone down in service levels these last few years, and a bed is a bed, not a seat.

 

[paddyjoy]

Thanks for all the replies, decided in the end to go with the emirates business class. Got the A380 back into Sydney also which is a bonus..........