Qantas or Eva

[RayW 1]

I have good prices for economy class fares from LHR to BKK in late April from both Qantas and Eva, with Eva being very slightly more expensive (about £25).

 

Anyone who has flown with both to BKK, can you comment which you found was the best.  ???  Cheshire Tom maybe you are that person  ???   If little difference I will use Qantas and save the £25.

 

Please note that I do know about the Eva Evergreen options but I have to go economy as my travelling companions need to keep the cost to a minimum (cheap charlies  ;D ).

[erikaya 0]

don't save the 25 q on EVA. your seat on Quantas will be 6 inch's smaller than on EVA .think of DVT ,and have the space for your legs for 1 pound p/hour for the whole flight up&down.

who was talking about cheap charly's ???  555

regards erik

[Shaggy 0]

I agree, Have flown with both, Eva wins hands down ;D

[Eneukman 1]

I have never flown with EVA but have flown with QANTAS who are a bunch of total incompetants. (I did manage to swing a free upgrade to business class with QANTAS on my flight to Bangkok last November but that's another story!).

 

They had pushed back from the gate when the pilot came on and announced that they did not have enough water to get them to Bangkok so they were deciding whether to go back to the gate or stop somewhere en route. He decided to go back to the gate which meant they were 2 hours late taking off!!!!

 

Their reward for this would have been few penalties for noise breaches and for taking off "after hours".

 

One of the stewardesses in Business Class was a nice Thai girl though.  ;D ;D ;D

 

From what I've heard about EVA, go with them - unfortunately their flight schedules didn't suit me otherwise I would have tried them in November.

 

Alan

[RayW 1]

Thanks Alan and Shaggy.  Alan that 6 inches extra are you sure that applies with Eva Economy ??  :-/   I know the Evergreen ticket gives you much more room but that is an extra £100 or so.

 

Sounds like Eva win even if it is the same leg room though.  

[Guest]

RayW,

 

In my experience the primary consideration when flying economy is the seat that you are going to be stuck in for 12 hours.  Cabin service, food and punctuality is pretty much a hit and miss affair irrespective of whom you choose.

 

It's many years since I have flown Qantas so I can't really comment on their current operations.  The two things not in their favour are the 31" seat pitch and the fact that they codeshare with BA (not the world's favourite airline) who also operate a 31" seat pitch.

 

EVA, on the other hand, operates a 34" seat pitch and you can pre-allocate your seat in advance.  They also operate a 747 Combi so they are carrying circa 120 less pax than a typical Qantas flight meaning shorter queues at check-in and boarding.  EVA's seats can also be pre-allocated up to 100 days in advance - the aircraft seating plan is below.  When you book your flight ask the agent for the airline booking reference and give EVA a call on 0207 380 8300.  Row 45 cannot be pre-allocated but you can request it - you might come up trumps.

 

http://www.frequentflyer.oag.com/airlines_...airline=Eva+Air

 

Hope it all goes well.

 

Regards,

 

Tom

[chiefsfan 0]

Cheshire Tom,

 

Thanks for the post on the seating chart.  I am flying EVA from Los Angeles to Bangkok at the end of February and did not know about the seating chart.

 

Chiefsfan

[RayW 1]

Tom you HAVE come up trumps as usual.  Many thanks mate, decision made I fly Eva air.  Should be in a position to book within next two weeks so hope there are still flights available on this date.  

 

I would really love to fly Evergreen Deluxe especially seeing it is only a one way cost for me but as I said there are three of us and the other two want to keep the costs down.  If anything happens and say one of them cannot go I think I will scrape the extra up for the remaining one to upgrade.

[Guest]

Chiefsfan,

 

The seat plan posted is for the 747-400 Combi.  I think from LAX it is a normal or extended range 747-400.  These links will let you pull the seating plans for whatever 747 aircraft (368 and 386 seats respectively) you are on:

 

http://www.evaair.com/image/global/chinese...747-400-368.jpg

 

http://www.evaair.com/image/global/chinese...747-400-386.jpg

 

Rows 45 and 55 are obviously the best for legroom with the preference for 55 unless you prefer being next to the toilets.

 

Regards,

 

Tom

[Guest]

ray what are the prices you have been quoted?

i have only ever flown ba, qantas and eva.

a lot of people are down on qantas, but i have never had a problem in 6 flights.

you do get seat back tvs on qantas and ba but i have never got them on eva, except for deluxe.

eva is always full on both journeys.

i have nearly always managed to get  at least 2 seats to myself with qantas, a few times i have managed a full middle row and slept like a baby for 12 hours.

people rave about eva, but they are no better, (no worse) than any other.

that pot noodle they give you as a snack is taking the piss.

also i once asked for an extra meal when in the deluxe, as i was starving and they said " sorry sir plane ful", and offered me a dry bread roll. ???

also i always seem to get delayed out of bangkok with eva, due to bad weather from the taipei leg.

also the extra 6 inches? im 6"1 and i never notice the difference.

[RayW 1]

Baz

 

Thanks for that input, now you have me thinking.  The prices quotes are Qantas/Ba about £430 and Eva about £455 both including tax and both return for my two mates.  The one-way ticket is just over £300.  Those flights are all for April 29th and direct to BKK.

 

A big point for me is seat back VDU's , I would rather lose 3" leg room than lose the seat back TV.  Can anyone confirm whether Eva economy still definitely not got seat back TV monitors ???  

[Guest]

Ray,

 

For a minute I thought that you were going to baulk at the limited choice of flavours with the pot noodles.  However, I think "personal TV" refers to the monitor rather than getting your own ladyboy during the flight!

 

EVA has a main screen system - it does not have a seat-back system in economy.  That said, the seat back system in Evergreen deluxe is nothing special and (IMO) inferior to that offered in economy on Emirates and others.

 

Regards,

 

Tom

[gerald 0]

I went with Qantas in June .... NO seat-back system then. Only on the BA planes. But i understand all Qantas plane are to have the seat-back system by mid 2003

[Guest]

most of the qantas planes have them.

if it is of great importance i suppose you(or tom) could find out.

i also like to catch a movie or 2, helps the time pass.

with eva, even in deluxe, i think you only get 2 english movie channels, they show chinese shit for some reason.

where did you get the quote for ba/qantas.

if i remember rightly, when i book ba/qantas you can choose your flights, either ba or qantas as they have several flights each. i remember asking for ba both ways and got them no problems.

[Guest]

Ray,

 

FYI.

 

Qantas Total Entertainment  

 

In March 2001 Qantas began the installation of its state-of-the-art inflight entertainment system, featuring seat back video for all passengers. If you've flown recently to London, Hong Kong, Los Angeles or Singapore, chances are you have already experienced Qantas Total Entertainment*.  

 

On the 16cm (6.4 inch) personal TV screen you have access to seven movie channels with a mix of the latest release drama, comedy, adventure and action movies. Five television channels include dedicated comedy and sports channels, the exclusive kids channel Nickelodeon on Q and a wide range of documentaries, lifestyle and current affair programs.  

 

Qantas Total Entertainment keeps you in touch with news, sports and weather via SkyLine, which is updated during your flight via an onboard satellite receiver, and Flight path will let you follow the progress of your journey.  

 

Q Games lets you test your skills on 10 different games, including Tetris, Trivia, Backgammon and Zero G and for Cheap Charlies, Connect 4. Listen to 16 different audio channels on Q Radio including classical, top 40, comedy, jazz and talking book channels.  

 

For those who want to keep in contact there is a personal telephone in every seat, or if privacy is required, an additional telephone wall mounted at the rear of the aircraft. These telephones can connect you around the globe.  

 

*The Boeing 747-400 fleet is being progressively fitted with the new Total Entertainment System - due for completion in the first half of 2003.

 

Regards,

 

Tom

 

p.s.  Actually, I made up the bit about Connect 4.

 

p.p.s.  Where did you get BA/Qantas at that price?  It is very good - normally they come up at circa £500 + tax.

[Eneukman 1]

It seems that I'm in the minority here in that I don't mind flying with BA. I like the seat back TV's they have particularly as I'm not that great a sleeper on long haul flights. Plus I get a 10% discount as a shareholder on flights and holidays from their own brochure.

 

Last time I flew cattle class with QANTAS (to Bangkok) they didn't have seat back TV's though they did have them in Business Class in November. Business Class is definitely the way to travel but the only way I can afford to do that is to get a free upgrade  ;D

 

I have yet to experience the delights of EVA Air and it seems unlikely that I will do so in the near future as their flight back to Heathrow from Bangkok doesn't give me enough time to make the last flight to Edinburgh on a Sunday night. So it seems I'm stuck with BA - at least I can pre-book an aisle seat with them well in advance unlike with QANTAS.

 

By the way, anyone care to hazard a guess at what QANTAS really stands for? And no, I don't mean Queensland and Northern Territories Airlines or whatever  ;D ;D ;D

 

Alan

[Emil 0]

Baz,

 

Have you ever checked out Cathay Pacific flights?  One negative would be that you would have to go through Hong Kong, but all the coach seat have the personal TV's with 4 or 5 movies in the mother tongue.  Plenty of food (meal about 2 hours after takeoff and another 2 hours before landing) snacks whenever you want them.  Don't know about the seat pitch, but so far I've always manged to get the seats with no one in front of me.

 

Emil

[Guest]

yep. eva arives back in the uk around 7 in the evening.

bad news if you have a 4 hour bus ride back up north, and your at work the next day. :-[

the upshot of it all is that i would take ba over eva any day of the week, the only reason i go with eva is i save around £100 a trip.

i would not entertain a non direct flight to bk, 11 hours is enough for me.

[Eneukman 1]

Have to agree Baz .................. no way i'm going to overnight in Heathrow before flying back up to Edinburgh unless there are no alternatives. Living in Edinburgh, I can be home less than 4 hours after arriving back in the UK depending on connecting flights.

 

Alan

[RICK69 0]

It's got to be Thai.

 

£460.00 cattle class.

 

£1,900 biz.

 

Best looking trolly dollies as well.

 

Be nice to them & they will  take you back to their hotel & fuck your brains out.

 

Might even give you a bj in the toliet if you are very lucky.

[Guest]

rick.

the more you post, the more you come across as a clueless tit.

[RayW 1]

Baz, Tom

 

Okay looks like BA/Qantas are looking more favourable after your information.  Seat back TV's are important to me on long journeys, though I do have a lap top to watch a DVD before the battery goes flat, though I know some airlines give you a laptop battery recharge service.

 

Okay the website is:-

 

www.airline-warehouse.co.uk

 

Now I cannot vouch for how good or reliable they are as I have never used them before, in fact cant remember where I found them though likely from a search engine.  They are the usual ABTA, IATA certified though by the looks of it.  The flight finder search engine is particularly good.

 

The cost of the return flight for my two mates is £433.40 out on 29th April at 22:25 or 22:30 (two flights so close together?) and return on May 13th at 23:15 or 00:20 arriving around 6:00 am at Heathrow.  Eva equivalent flight is £452.  Take a look here show the result of my search options:-

 

http://www.airline-warehouse.co.uk/frame.asp?ibe=true

 

For my one way flight on the same service it is £314.90  >  Why do they charge so much for this ??  Should be a little dearer than half of the return say £250 - £270 but this is way over the top though I have no choice really.  :'(

 

As to BJ's from the stewardesses well I think I can just wait until I am settled in Pattaya.  Keep on dreaming Rick69  ::)

[Woody 0]

Ray,

 

These are very low fares for BA/Qantas your web site is showing. Maybe you should check out if anyone has had any dealings with them first.

 

Personally, I use Westeast Travel agency. They have always been very efficient and I have never had a problem with them. I would even pay a little more to them for a ticket rather than elsewhere for the peace of mind knowing that I will get my ticket on time.

 

I am with Tom on the matter of seat pitch. I would much rather forgo a seat back TV then suffer having the back of someones head in my face for 12 hours.

 

As regard to Rick69, what planet are you living on?? Don't you know smoking is not allowed in the toilets..... :)

[RICK69 0]

Am I missing somethig.Why not just go Thai.

34in cattle class.50in biz.

Good fare.Direct flight.Good flight times.Good service.

[gerald 0]

Rick69 .... Were can you get Thai for £460.00. All the times i've looked before it's been 600+ ... London to Bangkok