looking for flights to New Zealand around next Easter

VixxAnn

Just one . Heathrow to Seoul (Korea) then on to Auckland.
On way out its just 3hrs at airport but on return journey its 17hrs overnight so we'd have to book a hotel near the airport.But even taking an approx. £200 into account for that the total price is still a LOT cheaper than everything else I've seen so far.
Their website is selling them at more than the special price through Expedia!
Am very tempted:rolleyes: but with 3 kids would also like things to go smoothly!

SammyD_2

As someone who hops back and forward to NZ periodically with two kids, my advice is as follows:
Don't fly Korean or Garuda.
Pay the extra and fly Singapore Air - great with children and excellent in flight entertainment. If you can't do this, then try Cathay Pacific.
Stop overs depends where you want to go - I almost always have at least one night in Singapore - easy, clean, good things for kids (like the zoo, bird park etc), nice and warm so can swim as well.

Try to minimise the stops - most times you need to stop at least twice, but if you go Air New Zealand or Singapore Air, you just stop once. (Incidentally, I don't recommend Air New Zealand). (If flying into Christchurch not Auckland, Singapore Air does a direct flight from Singapore into ChCh - not sure anyone else does with the right connections).

If you have an infant who can sit, pay the extra and book a seat for them - believe me, it is worth the extra expense.

Prepare for a tough trip - 26 hours of flights is hard work - especially with kids.

SammyD_2

Meant to add - I have never got cheap long haul flights through expedia - for some reason they seem to miss the good deals. I usually book through travel bag, but the Singapore Air web site also has good prices and you get greasy palm points too if you book via their site.

richardw

IMHO Singapore Air is the one to go for, only one stop at Singapore and no kerfuffle at heathrow, just search for the best price. Phone travel agents such as https://www.trailfinders.com and https://www.travelmood.co.uk , they have deals you can't find on the internet.

They also do flight and hotel deals.The hotel only has to be 1 night in Singapore to get the good price.

What you can do in transit http://www.changiairport.com/changi/en/airport_guide/transit/index.html

VixxAnn

ok - I'm searching everywhere to try and get better deal on a singapore airlines flight....

rang Travelmood - £960 from Manchester
rang Austravel - £934 from Manchester
rang Trailfinders - £926 from Manchester

waiting for a few local independant travel agents to get back to me with their best prices.

Just to confirm though - the Korean air flight has only one stop and when I checked out their website they have now updated inflight entertainment and all seats have own screen and choice of what you watch (AVOD?)

richardw

You might find something here http://www.flyertalk.com about Korean Air, if it is one stop from heathrow, would you need a hotel at heathrow?

VixxAnn

Korean flight doesn't leave Heathrow until 8pm so could easily travel down with no rush during the day - so no hotel needed. And on way back it arrives at 5pm so would possibly stay somewhere for a night or we could just get straight onto return train and be home in 3 or 4 hours..

richardw

Auckland (AKL)
Depart 11:15
Terminal I to Seoul (ICN)
Arrive 20:10 5,997 mi
(9,651 km)
Duration: 11hr 55min
KE
Flight: 824

3Economy/Coach Class, Dinner, 772 - BOEING 777/200

Seoul (ICN)
Depart 13:15 to London (LHR)
Arrive 16:55
Terminal 3 7,432 mi
(11,961 km)
Duration: 11hr 40min
KE Flight: 907 Economy/Coach Class, Lunch, Boeing 747-400

I think you'd have to stay for the night in Seoul. How were the children on the flights longest flights they've been on? Did they say 'are we there yet'?

VixxAnn

richardw wrote:

I think you'd have to stay for the night in Seoul. How were the children on the flights longest flights they've been on? Did they say 'are we there yet'?

Yes one overnight is Seoul I think on return flight (am budgeting approx £200 for this to be on safe side)

Longest flight two eldest kids have done was to Florida, they were fine, kept amused by movies etc. Youngest (will be nearly 5 when we go next Easter) has only ever done short haul flights. But I think she'll be no problem, she's very easily distracted with drawing and TV and sleeping!

Getting closer and closer to decision to book the Korean, pure and simply down to price - we've got three weeks in NZ to pay for as well once we've got there!

richardw

Have you costed the rest of the holiday yet? I found internal flights on https://www.qantas.co.nz were very good.

The whale watching trip at Kaikoura was great, Queenstown and Milford Sound were also good.