Deals to Paris. Carry on only, includes destinations to other European countries, but they are extra.
Doubtful, seeing as Etihad are based in Abu Dhabi
If you booked multi-city, maybe. Etihad offers a free coach to and from Abu Dhabi airport to Dubai, it doesn't take long.
Abu dubai is fine.
Wanna go to a few cities from dubai
From*
Alternative return destinations/carriers
Melbourne/Sydney - Amsterdam w/ China Southern from $1,113
Melbourne/Sydney - London Heathrow w/ China Southern or China Eastern from $1,300
Melbourne/Sydney - Rome FCO w/ China Southern or China Eastern from $1,176
Melbourne/Sydney - Madrid w/ China Eastern from $1,185
Melbourne/Sydney - Frankfurt w/ China Eastern from $1,290
Sydney - LA w/ Hawaiian Airlines from $1,000
Have a look at google maps
Would definitely take Etihad over any of those carriers that's for sure.
And thats true. But if the specific dates are unavailable - these are your alternatives
Hawaiian Airlines are pretty good
With China Southern, you get the opportunity to visit Guangzhou on both legs … (pun not intended!)
So for me, that's a bonus, but it does add to the flight times significantly.
Also, Chinese airlines are cheaper to Europe,
because they have access to Russian airspace.
The three points you raise are all negatives.
Glad to fork out an extra $100 to not fly China Southern/Eastern.
@whyisave: Yeah and I've never seen passengers with more massive suitcases than I see in the check-in lines for China Southern. Glad to never fly them again.
Google *Flights?
Looks like some great fares available in Oct/Nov for Sydneysiders who are ready to go to Paris on Etihad in a few weeks:
e.g. $1,246 - 20 Oct - 22 Nov
Standard 3hr layovers in Abu Dhabi.
If given the choice avoid the Boeing 777-300 (aka 773), my recent experience with these is that the plane is not comfortable for these long-haul flights. ~74 decibels within the cabin and the planes interior were very worn, silicon beading throughout the toilets, toilets sink blocking half way through the flights, seats not reclining*, and IFE not working well* (plus being really old). Try to get a Dreamliner or A380 if the $ difference is minor.
** noticed this for a few people around me.
Oh, and the air con couldn't regulate temp correctly, so you were either too warm or freezing.
Sydney/Melbourne is split getting the B789 and the B77W, the A388 only runs between AUH-LHR
Coming out of Sydney. Good to know, will aim for the B789, but TBH next year I want to go on the A388 via EK….these supers are not going to be in the air for much longer, and there is nothing quite like these. I keep on sticking with EH due to our status and the 45Kg + status checked backage. But don't get me started on how the status is a scam. They put like one person on the desk @ AUH and the queue is so long with people asking questing about how much they need to pay and if their CC covers it….blah, blah blah, blah!
The A380s will be around for a long while yet. Emirates have 130 and they're certainly not getting rid of them anytime soon.
@Flying Ace: Definitely until ~2030 with QR, but EY is fascinating, as they're only servicing AUH-LHR with it.
To only fly B787 and A350 from SYD to CDG is $1,557. 20 Oct - 15 Nov.
Also has a 15:30h layover in AUH on way back.
Yep, this is one of my gripes with Etihad as well.
Used to fly Etihad a lot with work, but have since favoured Emirates due to the choice of aircraft they use.
Yeah same. If I'm flying long haul to Europe/USA (especially with a Middle Eastern airline) I am always going with an A380.
How can you work out what plane you will be on when booking planes?
When you click on the details of the flight it will show what model aircraft.
is that with any airline?
@Westpac: Yes. Airlines assign a specific model aircraft to a route and that is linked to seating layout and how many tickets they can sell and how you can select/pay for a specific seat.
On rare occasions an airline will switch out a different model but there are usually extenuating circumstances to that.
i dont think the 789 makes its way down to MEL anymore, or at least not during peak season. i think it is only 773 and in terms of cabin product it just varies how old the plane you are on is.
my recent flight AUH-MEL was on a 773 that was first used in 2013 and was really showing its age. however one made more recently wont have upgraded products (ie, J footwell not fully closed in) but would obviously be in better shape.
I never thought the aircraft model mattered so much,
as being the 'typical' OzBargainer,
I just go for the cheapest deal,
because I have no issues with sound inside cabin,
babies crying, falling asleep in the crampiest of seats,
how the toilet decor looks like, and
in-flight entertainment is usually lame anyway haha
From Melbourne with Etihad
to Paris $1,649 20 Oct - 19 Nov.
to Amsterdam $1,664 15 Oct - 14 Nov.
Airfares might be finally getting interesting / coming down.
At a time of year no one wants to go, next European summer will still be expensive given the Olympics and Euro 2024 are both on.
With the Rugby World Cup in France at the moment, you will probably need a spare $1249 for a hotel room, even more for a second hotel if the bed bugs bite:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/sep/29/bedbug-crisis-…
Paris accommodation prices are outrageous, $600 a night for a shoebox even when no event is on.
Again, $1200 are generally 'Sale' fares, which, with Etihad, do not include checked baggage.
$604 - (SYD > CDG - 17/10)
Sale
Promotion fare
1x 7kg cabin baggage only
miles per guest
2689
vs same flight
Value = $915
Budget friendly
checked baggage
30kg
Change permitted with fee
miles per guest
5379
Eligible for upgrade
Yeah Etihad isnt what it once was now that their government isn't writing a blank cheque to cover the losses.
That luggage limit is ridiculous. I couldn't imagine any situation I could keep to such a low limit on such a long flight, particularly presumably on a trip to a destination I would like to go to nice places.
Melbourne or Sydney with Vietnam Airlines to Paris, Frankfurt or London on A350s or B787s is in the $1,425-1,450 range on various dates in the next few weeks/months.
If you can score an A380 for the 14-15 hour flight to Abu Dhabi, then all good. Just make sure you check in early as Ethiad are slow as fu@# compared to Emirates for checking you in.
Where is that coming from?
I always fly through the check-in desks in Melbourne & Sydney - as well as Abu Dhabi and European airports.
Not a frequent flyer, but had awful check in wait times on two European bound evening departures from Sydney.
Emirates have been fantastic on the other hand.(For reference all flights Economy class with both airlines). We even got put up on a Hotel for free in Dubai once as our transfer wait time was more than the normal amount, which was told to us in advance.
Empty-hat dont fly the a380s anywhere except AUH-LHR.
SYD/MEL serviced only by 777-300s and on occasion a 787-9 (most likely seasonal)
Only carry on bags, hardly a bargain if they’re providing a budget airline equivalent service
Those comments were a fun read
Including the airport and public transport. You would have to be out of your mind to fly there at the moment. Bed bug infestations are no joke.
After being devoured by bed bugs in an unnamed country overseas,
it's my biggest turn off when I hear about the prospects of them.
And June July next year they want $3600 from Melbourne
Flying to Europe will be expensive in the summer given both the Olympics and Euro 2024 are on
Good early birds with SQ depending on where you are going. They finish in a couple of days though.
I thought France is currently no go. Having lots of riots and very unsafe.
Isn't there always riots there?
it's back to normal now I believe
Yeah I have friends visiting there right now for fashion week and other friends just got back who holidayed there with young children. No problems in either case.
Paris is back to its low-level sketchiness it's been for a few years where there is the possibility of terrorist attacks or riots, but nothing currently kicking off.
Recently flew with them twice. I'd say probably the most average full service airline experience I've ever had.
Most unhappy looking FAs and check-in desk people ever 😂
Agree. Done these flights with Etihad and not in a hurry to repeat. The line to board the Paris flight was the longest line I've ever seen. Seats were cramped, staff all grumpy and unfriendly. Cheap though.
check-in desk people ever
depends where you flew from, some airports they have this facilitated by the Airport ground staff rather than cabin crew.
Flew from their home airport Abu Dhabi.
right then yes, it would be Etihad staff.
I know i had a poor experience with them in Amsterdam but i believe it was Swissport(?) who checked me in, definitely not Etihad Crew.
Very bad experience as per my family from Mel to Abu Dhabi. Staff couldn't've cared less..
Most likely any other randomly picked airline would be better than Etihad.
easternculture on 01/10/2023 - 17:26 Comment score below threshold.
