Sydney - Brussels options

[biba]

I fly regulary between SYD and BRU, always with QF/BA via LHR. I am planning my next trip and I'm looking for alternative ways to get to BRU other than via LHR. I will be flying Y and I want to use OW as much as possible to maximise my SC to retain Platinum status. One option I am looking at is via HEL. How does Y in AY compare with QF? Are the chances of an opup better with AY than QF?

 

[JohnK]

One option I am looking at is via HEL. How does Y in AY compare with QF? Are the chances of an opup better with AY than QF?

Travelling WHY on AY is not too bad although I have only travelled short sectors. I find the crew, although older, a lot friendlier than QF crew generally. Service is quite good but sometimes aircraft reliability lets them down.

As for your chances of an op-up on an MD-11. Don't hold your breath.

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

Other options are fly into Frankfurt or Paris on QF (codeshare on AF for CDG) or CX (also Amsterdam) and then train to Brussels.

 

[attimo]

We have flown AY quite a lot because my partner is Finnish. So, I guess I'm biased.
There are good connections from Singapore (daily to HEL and beyond) and also other asian cities (Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai).
The Finns are a strange bunch, but they take service and safety extremely seriously. (Their flight attendents still put on leather gloves for take off and landing - in case of fire!)
Finnair is a VERY highly respected company in Finland, and often a job with Finnair is a job for life, so it is true that there are a higher proportion of older cabin crew, but not overwhelmingly so. They still have very generous company benefits, so the jobs are highly sought after.

The long-haul aircraft (MD-11) are slightly older but they have almost finished the upgrade of their business class to respectable flat-seat/beds etc.
The Y cabin though is not as good as Y in QF I woud say but still very good.

One other good thing for milage runs, is that they do a combined Econ/Business fair between Australia and Europe: Y from Aust to Asia, Business to HEL for the long haul sector and Y again to European destination for around AUD$5000. We've done that once and it was great. Very good wine in Business. It's amazing how quickly the SCs accumulate in Business.

I know, I'm starting to sound like an advertisement! HEL airport is highly acclaimed for ease of use and utility of connections. It's worth going there just once at least to get your ears around that strange language of theirs!

If you have any other questions about AY, fire away!

 

[attimo]

Partner has just added:

Airbus A340 flies from Shanghai to Helsinki and their intra-European fleet is one of the newest in Europe.

3 Finnair , 2 codeshare to Brussels most days.

Tervetuloa Helsinkiin (Welcome to Helsinki)

 

[biba]

Other options are fly into Frankfurt or Paris on QF (codeshare on AF for CDG) or CX (also Amsterdam) and then train to Brussels.

I remember reading in one of the threads that Y passengers travellng codeshare with AF cannot access the lounge at CDG. Can platinum members use the lounge?