Hypothetically speaking...

[reynardo]

If one were travelling from Melbourne to the UK next year (in late March), and then from the UK to the East Coast of the US (in early April), what airlines and online booking places would you NOT recommend? I want to know horror stories of planes held together with duct tape, booking sites who mysteriously lose your bookings and require you to pay a fortune to fix the issue, and any other scams that really need avoiding.

No, I will not be booking *anything* through Craigslist, especially Amazingly Good Accommodation.

And we already know to avoid United the Cattle Class Specialist.

Also, recommendations for good online booking places, airlines that are worth a little more...

I shall be dubious of anonymous entries, but not completely dismissive.

[Poll #1958971]

Oh - and yes, I know a lot of people want to catch up. That part I'll be arranging much later in the year.

Comments

[sootysmudge.livejournal.com]

We flew with Singapore Airlines, Melb-Singapore-London (and return)

I booked the flights through Flight Centre. Note: first check prices online with airlines, if Flight Centre quote you more, then tell them the price you got online, and they will match it.

I booked all accommodation directly, via the accommodation's own website. l spent an awful lot of time researching the places l booked. Remember: TripAdvisor is your best friend. I also would email places and ask lots of dumb Australian tourist questions. We even did things like book train tickets (for the UK) online. Admittedly we tended to stay in 4 star accommodation, and l'm the super organised type, but we had no problems whatsoever.

[rivertempest.livejournal.com]

You're coming here, right???? (coughs... our airport code is CMH... coughs)

I know when I booked my flight to London in 2001, I intentionally used Air Canada, booking through Economytravel.com - but now, they specifically only offer lower airfares to missionaries. So, if you could say that you're coming to Ohio to spread the gospel of St. Gillian, that'd be swell. ;)

But here are some helpful sites:

http://www.yapta.com/

(website that tracks airfare price changes even after you buy your ticket. If the price drops on an airline ticket you've already purchased, Yapta will send you a refund alert. You can even claim your refund through the site.)

www.priceline.com

(you can negotiate your airfare!)

http://matrix.itasoftware.com/

(fast, no fuss way to search for flights)

www.kayak.com

(awesome site where prices on flights/car rental/hotels change like the stock market - like every few seconds)

www.travelocity.com or www.expedia.com

(both specialize in booking flights/hotels/car rental etc.)

Airfare prices go up and down depending on the day of the week. New travel research says you can score more deals if you wait until the weekend to buy. The Tuesday afternoon after one airline offers a Monday special is another good time to look. That's when other airlines change prices to match.

So, book on a weekend, but travel DURING the week (Tuesday - Thursday). Like leave Melbourne on a Tuesday and then leave London on a Thursday, etc. Booking to leave on a weekend or Monday/Friday will cost extra, I kid you not.

As for what to avoid? LOL Most American airlines - Delta, American Airlines, US Airways, etc. JetBlue or Virgin American are good, but the rest? Ugh. I loved Lufthansa and Air Canada. Most non-American airlines still care about the amenities and passenger comfort, including the economy class. American airlines just shuttle you on and then off the plane and you're lucky to get a packet of peanuts. I'm told Singapore Airlines is fantastic. :)

[reynardo.livejournal.com]

Sorry, not flying into your area...

... because I'll be *Driving* in! Yup! I have plotted the East-to-West journey, and somehow I seem to have dear friends at 4 hour intervals.

But I insist on giving Brony-boy and Igor a hug too.

[teddyradiator.livejournal.com]

Well, if you fly into either Charlotte or Atlanta, we'd love to accomodate you on part of the journey. You'd have a guest room and bath all to yourself, so room and bored you won't be!

I've always flown from the UK to the US on Delta or USAir, and never had a complaint. The last flight from the UK was Delta, and although it was a tough flight because of weather conditions, the service was very nice. Decent food, lots of entertainment options, the upgrade to Economy plus wasn't all that expensive, etc.

In all seriousness, we would love to see you if you are in our area. You would be more than welcome to stay with us.

[tudorpot.livejournal.com]

Trip Advisor is great. I would love to meet you in Niagara Falls. TACA is great but if they delay your luggage not so great. I recently flew on Air Canada's budget branch, JAZZ, knees were in contact with seat in front, I'm 5'7". Is there a reason you want to travel in March/April? I'd move it to April/May for weather reasons, we still get snow in April. Also, if you fancy a weekend in Paris, pre-book Eurostar tickets early for a great price.

[reynardo.livejournal.com]

Much as I'd love to be travelling later (there's an event in June that I'm going to be missing that I'm crying over already), the important date is our 20th March cruise in Iceland.

[paisleysnail.livejournal.com]

Oooh that sounds like an amazing trip!

I did webjet for my flights to Thailand. It wasn't bad, but if you want to explore several options quickly (like compare return flights vs starting and ending at different places) their layout can be cumbersome.

Second tripadvisor for checking out hotels - they also provide links to the websites where you can actually book.

Expedia isn't bad either for flights/hotels.

[kerravonsen]

I have personal reasons for preferring Qantas for longhaul flights, reasons that are not relevant to you.

One tends to get better hotel prices by booking beforehand, though if you're visiting lots of people who are willing and able to accomodate, that may not be relevant.

However, one thing I did find on my trips to the UK - which again may or may not be relevant to you - is that it makes things easier to spend one's last night in London, so that it's easier to get to Heathrow on the day you leave. If your flight happens to be leaving late in the day, you have a day to do fun things like go to the British Museum. If you don't have any personal friends who live in London, look for a hotel that explicitly states that it is "quiet", otherwise you'll be having traffic noise outside your window all night, and you won't be able to sleep.

[dewhitton.livejournal.com]

I highly recommend flying Qantas, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, or Virgin(non-domestic). I hear many good things about JAL and Singapore Airlines.

If you fly Qantas, splash out a little more and get Premium Ecomony seats. It's more comfortable than Cattle Class Economy, but not as classy as Business.

[silmaril.livejournal.com]

Sadly, Southwest is inside-US only, but if there's any part of the trip that will be inside-US only I very strongly recommend them, if only for their no-nonsense-charges-for-baggage thing.

[turnberryknkn.livejournal.com]

What silmaril said about Southwest airlines for internal travel. Plus, the lack of charges for changing your airline tickets - even last minute - is really nice.

Hope very much to get the chance to see you - by sheer bad luck, early April is the time of my Pediatric Oncology Board Examinations, so here's hoping they don't totally crash into your dates...