Which of these flights would you take from MEL-LHR?

[dsotm]

I'm going to book a J saver redemption for the wife and myself to London, and I'm in a tizz about which flights I should book. We want a short overnighter in Singapore to break the journey. I want to arrive in later afternoon or early evening. Here are my options:

SQ248 MEL 05.55 - SIN 11.45 A350
SQ308 SIN 09.00 - LHR 15.40 A380
Overnight 21hrs
* Early start for check-in
* More daylight time in Singapore

SQ238 MEL 09.15 - SIN 15.25 777
SQ318 SIN 12.35 - LHR 19.15 777
Overnight 21hrs
* More civilised check-in time
* 777 on long leg. A380 better for this?

SQ238 MEL 09.15 - SIN 15.25 777
SQ308 SIN 09.00 - LHR 15.40 A380
Overnight 17hrs

SQ218 MEL 23.35 - SIN 5.30 A350
SQ308 SIN 09.00 - LHR 15.40 A380
Overnight 3hrs (quicker option)
* Save on a night's accomodation at MEL Airport.
* Sleeping an issue on the first leg

I find the night-time SQ218 MEL-SIN hop too shoot a flight to get a decent sleep; by the time you settle in, have a late dinner, watch a movie, etc, it's time to prepare for landing. Also considering if the 777 is a bit noisy with older seating, IFE, etc. But it's an option. It's the flight I've done on the last three UK trips but time to mix it up.

Any opinions or advice greatly appreciated!

 

[Quickstatus]

@dsotm
I have no problems choosing the SQ777
I would actually do a stopover on the way back. For most people flying west is better for jetlag than flying east

Note that SIN is +8 hrs ahead of LHR
MEL is +10hrs ahead of LHR
(adjust for daylight saving)

From a jetlag point of view,
SQ238/318 is the better of the 4 because using LHR time the times are
SQ238 MEL 2315hrs- SIN 0725hrs
SQ318 SIN 0435hrs - LHR 1915hrs
So in theory, dont sleep the night before travel, sleep on the first sector, wake up in singapore, dont sleep on the second sector, sleep in london hotel on arrival

 

[Scr77]

Is SQ228 avaiable? I’d take that and then SQ318. That gives a full 8hrs of sleep at Crowne Plaza. Then I stay awake for the flights. Arrival in London is then bed time.

As Quickstatus says, coming home is more problematic.

 

[Human]

I would choose option 2 or 3. I'm not a "morning" person, so I'd value the sleep-in before taking SQ318. If you don't mind two dawn wake-ups in a row, then SQ308 would be a good option.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

The problem i have a with a ‘short’ stopover on the way back is that by the time you’ve disembarked, got through immigration, got your luggage, got to the hotel and - finally - settled in… you’d be half way to australia already!

While the second leg is short between SIN and AU, you’ve generally eaten well in the preceding leg, and watched everything, so you can go straight to sleep.

 

[dsotm]

@dsotm
I have no problems choosing the SQ777
I would actually do a stopover on the way back. For most people flying west is better for jetlag than flying east

I might rejig my thoughts on this.... Fly direct to LHR.
We're flying on QR J from Athens, so can do up to a 38hr stopover in Doha.

 

[Quickstatus]

Fly direct to LHR.

What do you mean by "direct"

 

[dsotm]

While the second leg is short between SIN and AU, you’ve generally eaten well in the preceding leg, and watched everything, so you can go straight to sleep.

We'll be coming back on QR, so have to do DOH-MEL direct. I could switch them around and come back on SQ but would have to fly ATH-IST-SIN-MEL to pick up the homebound SQ flight. If I was going to transit in Istanbul, I'de want to get off and stay for a couple of days.

 

[dsotm]

What do you mean by "direct"

Sorry; as-in fly without overnighting in Singapore with a minimal stopover of 50min on SQ248/318.

 

[Quickstatus]

We'll be coming back on QR

By all means do a stop over heading west. Jetlag is but only one consideration for a trip.

 

[dsotm]

Is SQ228 avaiable? I’d take that and then SQ318. That gives a full 8hrs of sleep at Crowne Plaza. Then I stay awake for the flights. Arrival in London is then bed time.

Yes that option looks very attractive. Thanks.
SQ228 MEL 15.40 - SIN 21.30 777
SQ318 SIN 12.35 - LHR 19.15 777
Overnight 15hrs

 

[dsotm]

Is SQ228 avaiable? I’d take that and then SQ318. That gives a full 8hrs of sleep at Crowne Plaza. Then I stay awake for the flights. Arrival in London is then bed time.

Thanks, all remaining 15 flights opened up this morning. I booked the SQ228/318 as per your advice. Cheers!

 

[Scr77]

Thanks, all remaining 15 flights opened up this morning. I booked the SQ228/318 as per your advice. Cheers!

Well done. Enjoy and have a Japanese Fruit Liquor for me.

 

[dsotm]

After watching and refreshing the SQ booking page regularly over the past few days, I reckon they initially release around three or four flights with short layovers at 00:00GMT, then up to 48 hours later around another 15+ MEL-LHR flights are loaded. The "good" flights only last a few hours (up to a day) then they're gone, transitioned to "waitlist". All the ones I was interested in are now waitlisted.

I noticed this when booking last year. A couple of flights opened up at short notice just before my planned journey, but this doesn't help long-term trip planning. My advice is snag the flights and layover times you want as soon as they are released, or forget about it.

 

[muppet]

The OP in this thread is a question that would never be asked in the Qantas Frequent Flyer forum.

SQ gives so many options its members start to get picky.

 

[dsotm]

SQ gives so many options its members start to get picky.

Yep for sure. That was the last of my KrisFlyer miles so it’s just Avios and QF/VA after this trip. I’ve been finding good saver availability on QR whilst planning this trip, but only outbound from Europe, not from Melbourne.

 

[upgrademe]

Having done this route many times with SQ out of Australia, the best option by a long way is SQ218 late night departure. Skip dinner, movie, breakfast and maximise sleep. Shower and breakfast in the lounge in Singapore, onto the 9am departure to LHR. A full daylight flight, have a nap early in the flight then work, watch movies etc for the rest of the flight. 4pm arrival, into the city by 5.30pm, shower, early dinner, and bed. You wake up next morning with zero jet lag.

 

[dsotm]

Having done this route many times with SQ out of Australia, the best option by a long way is SQ218 late night departure. Skip dinner, movie, breakfast and maximise sleep.

I’ve done the SQ218 on the last three Euro trips. I really can’t get much sleep on this one. With all the distractions (dinner/movies/excitement of what’s ahead/etc), I find it’s hard to get a quality sleep. By the time I nod off it’s nearly time to start prepping for landing the connecting SQ.