Mine is Auckland to Santiago on Christmas Eve 2011 also on a round the world trip.
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GRALISTAIR
Established Member
Impressive.
I have been in the southern hemisphere a few times but never done an RTW that was heavily Southern. My goal is to do something like -USA - THEN START RTW Buenos Aires -Santiago- Auckland-Perth (PROBABLY VIA Sydney) -Jo'burg - Rio -Buenos Aires END RTW then back to USA - so long story short - RTW southern hemisphere only.
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
Here's an odd one for people. I think a lot of rules may have been broken here, but am surprised they were.
A friend (yes, a friend, genuinely, not me) was on an easyJet flight recently which was delayed due to one of the cabin crew tripping on the stairs when boarding the aircraft and breaking her ankle (they were told).
Now I'd have expected a delay for a replacement and her taken off for emergency treatment, but apparently this did not happen. Instead she remained on board and after a short (10 mins or so) delay while a doctor who happened to be on board had a look the flight departed.
This left them with only 3 safety-capable cabin crew on an aircraft requiring 4 (which was full except 1 seat) and someone flying with a suspected broken limb which had not been properly checked. Furthermore, he was sitting at the back and heard talk along the lines of "how are we going to do X now as she was the chief steward?"
Any thoughts? This sounds highly dodgy to me if the story is as told. I'd have expected either a cancellation, a new member of cabin crew, or the bumping of 7 passengers (it was an A319) to allow three. And I really wouldn't have expected her to be allowed to fly without first visiting a hospital for X-rays etc.
It was definitely a serious issue as she was seated in row 2 (normally used for assistance passengers) and the aircraft was met by an ambulance on landing in the UK.
A friend (yes, a friend, genuinely, not me) was on an easyJet flight recently which was delayed due to one of the cabin crew tripping on the stairs when boarding the aircraft and breaking her ankle (they were told).
Now I'd have expected a delay for a replacement and her taken off for emergency treatment, but apparently this did not happen. Instead she remained on board and after a short (10 mins or so) delay while a doctor who happened to be on board had a look the flight departed.
This left them with only 3 safety-capable cabin crew on an aircraft requiring 4 (which was full except 1 seat) and someone flying with a suspected broken limb which had not been properly checked. Furthermore, he was sitting at the back and heard talk along the lines of "how are we going to do X now as she was the chief steward?"
Any thoughts? This sounds highly dodgy to me if the story is as told. I'd have expected either a cancellation, a new member of cabin crew, or the bumping of 7 passengers (it was an A319) to allow three. And I really wouldn't have expected her to be allowed to fly without first visiting a hospital for X-rays etc.
It was definitely a serious issue as she was seated in row 2 (normally used for assistance passengers) and the aircraft was met by an ambulance on landing in the UK.
I'll ask my sister, she is cabin crew for Easyjet. It sounds unlikely to me it would be allowed to happen the way it was described. They really are very strict. My sister wasn't allowed to fly with a sprained ankle. I seriously doubt the plane would have left the gate with the senior cabin crew member incapacitated. My sister has had flights cancelled for far less.
My round the world was an A-319 from Manchester to Heathrow. A BA 744 from Heathrow to Hong Kong. A QANTAS 744 from Hong Kong to Melbourne. A Jetstar A-320 from Brisbane to Christchurch. An LAN A-343 from Auckland to Santiago. A BA 773 from Buenos Aires to Heathrow. A BA A-319 from Heathrow to Manchester. The trip lasted six months. All the internal trips were on Greyhound Austraila, Intercity in New Zealand and various bus and train companies in South America visiting Chile, Peru, Bolivia and Argentina. The flight from Auckland to Santiago was the most amazing. Took off around 16:00 on Christmas Eve and landed at around 11:00 on Christmas Eve before we left Auckland. Ha ha. We also got a loco hauled train from the Britomart Centre in Auckland to Papatoetoe and then a bus from there to the airport.
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Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
Yes, it did surprise me. I suspect something to be missing from the story (e.g. they had a 5th member of crew for some reason) but I couldn't quite work out what.
I've always found easyJet to be absolutely 100% on safety otherwise, though their "signature" informal approach may suggest to the uninitiated that it is otherwise.
GRALISTAIR
Established Member
Fowler9 - Your Avatar looks suspiciously like the train station in the Macchu Pichu area
Ha ha. Yeah, that was taken in Aguas Calientes. I heard the horn and legged it out of an internet café to get a photo. A truely amazing place.
Just been speaking to my sister. That plane will not have left the ground unless there was a member of cabin crew for every fifty passengers. My sister and her colleagues even get asked if they are happy to fly by the captain if the weather is bad. If the cabin crew say no they don't go. My sister has never felt pressured in to making a flight she didn't want to. It may be a budget airline but they are full on safety critical. My sis doesn't want to die to buy a pint after the next pay day. The flight crew give a lot more respect to the cabin crew than you may expect.
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Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
That's what I would expect. I suspect something missing from my friend's story (I know it isn't completely made up), but it's hard to tell what.
Yeah, I think things sometimes get lost in translation. I was on an Easyjet flight from Barcelona to Liverpool and an off duty member of crew told an on duty member of crew that her last flight had a panel fall off in flight. They hushed each other up so as not to scare people. It was really nothing, to them it just meant they got home later, they wouldn't get on the plane if they didn't think it was safe.
Techniquest
Veteran Member
For those of you who've done RTW trips, how did you organise it? It's always been something I'd love to do but as it's not cheap if I ever get the chance to do it I'd like to have an idea of what it involves
When I did mine (nearly 20 years ago....) I just walked into Trailfinders and bought a round the world ticket. Presumably you can still do that now. Took about 30 minutes to book, and I'm fairly sure the ticket was valid on BA and partner airlines (see below). It was around £1200, but then we did leave on Christmas Eve. (Two Christmas dinners in flight though
)Although I fixed the whole itinerary at booking, it was all flexible except the first leg. Apparently almost everyone ends up changing their plans. Evidently I am not almost everyone, as we did exactly as per plan in 30 days:
Route was LHR - (KUL) - SYD - MEL (drive) SYD - CNS - AKL - NAN - LAX - LHR
First and last legs with BA, everything else Qantas except AKL-NAN-LAX with Air Pacific.
Flight highlights were the oxygen masks deploying on the BA 744 just after take off from LHR, departing Cairns on a rather short 747 in a full on thunderstorm, with the cabin crew strapped in for about an hour and looking petrified, and the smoothest ever landing at LAX on a near empty 747 at an indicated 130kts (on the IFE) - which I still can't quite believe.
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306024
Established Member
Pre internet days usually involved a specialist travel agent. Trailfinders were (and are) excellent, although seem to have moved a bit up market over the years. I used an agent in Norwich for my first RTW trip back in 1989. Just found the itinerary:
Sat 18/11/89 CX200 11.00 Gatwick to Hong Kong (09.40 +1)
Thu 23/11/89 CX101 22.45 Hong Kong to Melbourne (10.30 +1)
Sun 17/12/89 CP024 10.00 Sydney to Honolulu (22.20 -1)
Mon 18/12/89 CP024 23.40 Honolulu to Toronto (13.10 +1)
Sat 23/12/89 CP050 17.45 Toronto to Amsterdam (06.50 +1)
Sun 24/12/89 UK881 12.35 Amsterdam to Norwich (12.30)
+1 = next day
-1 = previous day, crossed the date line
So that was a round the world ticket with Cathay Pacific and Canadian, with an Air UK final leg. Cost £1150. Highlights were landing at Kai Tak, The Ghan to Alice Springs, Pearl Harbour and Niagra Falls, and so much more, including sitting next to Lester Piggott on the last flight.
Did the opposite direction a few years later with Air New Zealand and South African. Heathrow - Los Angeles - Auckland - Sydney - (Indian Pacific) Perth - Johannesburg - Cape Town - Heathrow for about £1100, booked through Trailfinders.
Wonder how those prices compare with today’s value.
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Peter Mugridge
Veteran Member
Are you saying you were lucky enough to ride on an SP? I imagine that was somewhat punchy on the take off roll, especially if you were fortunate enough to get a standing start?
I can't be sure, as it was before I knew about such things. But it was definitely short, and yes it did go like the clappers. Particularly when the pilot had had enough of dodging thunderclouds, gave the cabin crew a special code on the 'buzzer' (they all looked at each other and tightened their straps), full power, nose up and we went through and got above them in about 2-3 minutes. But it was 2-3 minutes of wild roller coaster.
306024
Established Member
I have to ask - was he on the inside?
He came from a few lengths back at the last minute after I’d bagged the window seat. Seemed desperate to read the sports pages of my paper, but didn’t say much else (no surprise there). The plane was going on to Stansted after Norwich so no doubt off to Newmarket for Christmas.
Incidentally my South African flight from Perth to Jo’burg was a rather squat 747.
AlterEgo
Veteran Member
Anyone ever done any ultra long haul flying? I’m taking Cathay Pacific from Hong Kong to New York-JFK next summer. 8,066 miles!
The flight I’m taking also includes a stop in Vancouver (to serve this destination - not a technical or refuelling stop - the 777-300 can actually make it the whole 8,000+ miles!).
The flight I’m taking also includes a stop in Vancouver (to serve this destination - not a technical or refuelling stop - the 777-300 can actually make it the whole 8,000+ miles!).
Techniquest
Veteran Member
Thanks for the comments on RTW trips, they sound like amazing experiences. I would have to have a career break at work to be able to do such a trip, but I am now sufficiently advised enough to actually go and research it. Won't happen before 2019, of that much I can assure you all, but rest assured there would be a major trip report to read afterwards!
To the honourable gentleman doing that 8,066 mile flight, I wish you luck as that is enormous! 2 take-offs in one trip though, not to be sniffed at!
To the honourable gentleman doing that 8,066 mile flight, I wish you luck as that is enormous! 2 take-offs in one trip though, not to be sniffed at!
306024
Established Member
Excellent trip, two of my favourite cities (and so is Vancouver).
The Air NZ flight I did from Heathrow to Auckland seems to be 12,072 miles via LAX. Although we had to leave the plane and actually enter the USA before boarding the same plane two hours later. This was just one week after the 9/11 attack in New York, so I don’t know if that was normal at that time or not. Arriving at 05.00 in Auckland, in need of a shower, I had to wait for the florist to open as she had the key! Things may have changed since.
Sydney to London via Bangkok seems to come in at 10,633 miles. Had to leave the plane at Bangkok but only as far as the gate. Celebrated new year three times on that trip, no shortage of champagne.
These days I would always do a three day stopover somewhere if going down under, the first trip was just to see what it was like, the second of necessity.
Longest single leg flight was London - Cape Town at 6,023 miles.
atillathehunn
Established Member
Yes, plenty of times.
Bring a good book...
Seriously though, make sure you stay hydrated. Get an aisle seat or exit row to make sure you can get out and stretch and go to the loo. It's the only time I would advocate paying for an exit row.
It's incredibly tempting to soak up the free booze on these flights, but they always end up giving me monumental headaches and I regret everything.
Cathay are great at providing snacks even in whY. BA, on the other hand, were rubbish.
Vary your entertainment intake. Bring your own comfortable headphones and back up iPad with downloaded movies. The IFE didn't work on our flight this weekend. Thankfully I had a huge mountain of work to do so wasn't an issue, but there were a lot of complaints.
AlterEgo
Veteran Member
I blew 140,000 Avios (which cleared out my BA Exec Club account and effectively signals the end of me playing the miles game)...on First Class.
It's a head-melting flight though, leaving HKG at 12:30am on a Wednesday, crossing the International Dateline and arriving New York at...7am on the Wednesday. By my reckoning there will be two sunrises on this flight and a full "accelerated" day in between. I have no idea how they will cater on this flight. It's dine on demand but is it dinner>snacks>breakfast, or what? A question for Flyertalk I think,
I agree about alcohol though, I have no wish to get steaming drunk on these flights and all champagne tastes the same to my unrefined palate. I only really drink with an evening meal, and in any case when I get to JFK I've a 4 hour layover (to take a shower!) before carrying on to Washington-Reagan in an Embraer-145. So I don't really want to be doing that with a hangover.
I'm bashing (is that the right word?) a lot of aircraft in the USA on that trip. Testing out United's and Delta's premium transcon products, taking in a few regional jets, and flying on Spirit Airlines...just to see how awful they are.
Spoiler: they're dreadful, once I add in a bag, seats, a carryon - yes they charge for those - they're on average only $20 short of the cost of a domestic First flight on AA/Delta! And that's across a variety of routes, not just a one off.
atillathehunn
Established Member
Then you should be in for a good ride! The hardest part of me is always the sleeping. On a flat bed this shouldn't be a problem.
Champagne is champagne, and everything tastes terrible up there anyway. Everything is more acidic, so serving champagne is quite stupid.
However, do enjoy the food! You'd have to post on flyertalk for the specifics, my front of the plane experience is limited. However, I would imagine it's dine on demand when you're dealing with this kind of timezone change.
I think you have access to quite a few lounges I believe in JFK - check out some research before you go to lounge hop.
Champagne is champagne, and everything tastes terrible up there anyway. Everything is more acidic, so serving champagne is quite stupid.
However, do enjoy the food! You'd have to post on flyertalk for the specifics, my front of the plane experience is limited. However, I would imagine it's dine on demand when you're dealing with this kind of timezone change.
I think you have access to quite a few lounges I believe in JFK - check out some research before you go to lounge hop.
atillathehunn
Established Member
Their LCCs are a bit of a joke compared to Europe.
JetBlue's Mint is apparently very good.
Charging for a carryon is Wizz territory...
AlterEgo
Veteran Member
Jetblue Mint is incredible and so far it's been the best *value* product I've ever flown - I did FLL-LAX last year and I'd be surprised if Delta or United are better. For one, Mint has four individual suites with closing doors in the front cabin, which gives the sensation (if not the reality) of real privacy, which is very welcome on a transcontinental flight. They also seemed to know their market very well, for example the inclusion of a tablet/laptop screen wipe in the amenity kit is one of the most thoughtful things I've seen in the air. I forgave them the 90+min delay (weather related) as a result.
Spirit's website is absolutely terrible. It's like Ryanair in their worst days, but with even more insidious pop ups in bright yellow. I really don't like how they portray fees and taxes disingenuously as "Government's Cut", as it's not a cut of the fare. And in any case, the implication from that is Spirit would be able to offer lower fares if it weren't for the pesky government. Low cost carriers are great but I don't want to feel as if, by taking them, I'm participating in some sort of honourable struggle against the bottom line - I just want an attractive air fare and a reasonable experience.
Southwest are a decent carrier though. A free drink and bag are very welcome. Didn't much like their policy of unassigned seating though, as I found that a lot of people abused pre-boarding out of anxiety at not being able to sit together. They get bonus points for having a very photogenic livery.
AlterEgo
Veteran Member
Cheers, I plan on just going to the Admiral's Club as after 18 hours' flying I'm going to be needing a shower...
flymo
Established Member
My longest single flight was last year doing HKG - Chicago on CX806/CX807 which comes in on the great circle at a smidge under 7800 miles. The actual route was just a bit north of Japan so a bit more than the great circle routeing. Around 14 hours and 40 mins eastbound if I remember, a bit less on the return.... but not much.....!.
Doing HKG-SFO at Easter next year at a little under 7000 miles on CX892, somewhere between 12 - 14 hours depending on weather.
Photo shows the routeing just as we were crossing the dateline. About 7 and a bit hours down, 7 to go.
Doing HKG-SFO at Easter next year at a little under 7000 miles on CX892, somewhere between 12 - 14 hours depending on weather.
Photo shows the routeing just as we were crossing the dateline. About 7 and a bit hours down, 7 to go.
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LHR (KUL) SYD in one go, with an hour off the plane airside in KUL. Not much to do there on Christmas Day evening.
SYD (BKK) LHR (on QF1) again with an hour airside. First time I've seen massage parlours in an airport. Not tempted.
I do know someone who has done London - Auckland for an interview, and flown back out the same day he arrived. Didn't even bother taking hand luggage. Made for an interesting discussion at customs when he arrived back.
Really easy to organise mate. What I have found interesting is people paying the same twenty years ago as I did six. First off plan where you want to go. And if you intend to travel internally within the region you are visiting. For example me and the ex flew in to and out of different places in Australia, New Zealand and South America. I think most tickets are millage based. We had a thing called Travel Butler which let us change flights for free (Not routes though).
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