London to Sydney - Other options?

Afternoon all,

I previously wouldn't have even considered looking at another carrier, but after successive disappointments with Virgin (most recent being the shocking customer service when my laptop was stolen from UC), my loyalty to VS is starting to wane.

I'm thinking in terms of comfort / service for the London to Sydney route in J, Singapore Airlines (On the A380) looks far superior. Does anyone have any comments or other suggestions?

Always encrypt the data on your laptop

[Neil]

EK or BA are your other main options.

You can do this run with the following one stop airlines: BA, Qantas, Emirates, Singapore, Etihad, Malaysian, Cathay and Thai. There may be others.

Of this choice, I'd go for SIA on the basis of TPs and miles and also because Singapore is a good stopping point. I've found CX J to be inferior to Upper Class, the Gulf airlines require a really long second leg and I've no experience with Thai or Malaysian unless you want to transit there.

quote:Originally posted by aspence7
Always encrypt the data on your laptop


Don't need to - nothing stored on it. That said, MacBooks encrypt the home directory automatically anyway.


quote:Originally posted by slinky09
You can do this run with the following one stop airlines: BA, Qantas, Emirates, Singapore, Etihad, Malaysian, Cathay and Thai. There may be others.

Of this choice, I'd go for SIA on the basis of TPs and miles and also because Singapore is a good stopping point. I've found CX J to be inferior to Upper Class, the Gulf airlines require a really long second leg and I've no experience with Thai or Malaysian unless you want to transit there.


Thanks. I'm surprised about CX. Whilst I have never flown with them (yet), from their web-site it looks like its up there with UC.

Looks like Singapore is my best bet. Bit of a change!

Where did it get stolen from if you don't mind me asking?

quote:Originally posted by aspence7
Where did it get stolen from if you don't mind me asking?


I had left it in the overhead locker on the aircraft. Completely my fault. However, I realised once I had left the airport and wanted to get someone from VS to get it for me before the local cleaners at Nairobi got on board. Called Virgin on the number I had and got through to one of their useless India call centres, even after entering my gold card number on the options. They told there was nothing they could do and I would have to wait until I returned to the UK to file a lost property report at Heathrow!

I thought it was putting me through to India because it was outside UK office hours, so I called back a few hours later but it did the same thing. So I asked if they could transfer me to the Premier Service Team which they did. It was a shame I didn't get through to them sooner. Whilst they couldn't contact anyone at VS in Nairobi, they did get hold of their local baggage handler who checked my overhead locker in UC. Sadly, by the time that happened, it had gone (This was now a good 2-3 hours later). If only I had got through to the Premier Service Team first time around! So thanks for their crappy, unhelpful outsourcer, someone is now the new owner of my 1,700 MacBook Pro. Bah.

quote:Originally posted by RK
I had left it in the overhead locker on the aircraft. Completely my fault.

That's nothing. My ex left a fifteen quid M&S scarf onboard a plane once in UC, and believe me the fuss caused she might as well have left behind all her limbs and most of her vital organs. My fault of course. After all, I'd paid for and organised the flight. Put a right old dampener on the holiday I can tell you. I don't think I was ever forgiven. Not that I'm bitter, of course.

H

That's because it wasn't just any scarf.... it was an M&S scarf!

quote:Originally posted by aspence7
That's because it wasn't just any scarf.... it was an M&S scarf!


[oo]