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Showing posts with label airfares. Show all posts
Showing posts with label airfares. Show all posts

Sunday 3 July 2016

Airline Review: Emirates Airlines and Delta airlines



I have tried various airlines throughout my years of travel, more than 20.
One of the reason think is fun to experience different airlines.  The other reason is definitely the price, if it is on promotion, we are getting it. However, there are some airlines I avoid but some I look forward to taking.

I heard rumors of American airlines not being up to par and how Emirates is one of the best airlines around.

I was hesitant about taking Delta airlines last year to Japan, but it was almost $200 cheaper than Japan Airlines. However, the flight turn out to be much pleasant than I expected. They provide cheap earplugs and eye mask so you can have a better sleep. They also provide bottles of mineral water so that if you can keep yourself hydrated throughout the flight without having to ask for it. and bottles are definitely easier to store than cups. The flight entertainment was good and so was the leg space.

This May/June, I took Emirates to Melbourne. I was looking so forward to it as I have heard of it good reputation. I did not have a chance to take it throughout my years of travel, usually due to pricing.

I posted a photo on my instagram when I boarded my flight, good leg space and good selection of movies.

It was an overnight flight which departs at 1040pm and will reach melbourne around 740am ( Melbourne timing). Around one plus after the plane took off, supper was served. Then the lights were dimmed, which is time for us to sleep. It is important to sleep on overnight flight so when we reached Melbourne, we can start on our trip. And I believe most people do not have the luxury to catch up on their sleep immediately when they reach Melbourne. The flight was around half full as a lot of people were taking up 2 to 3 seats so they can have a good sleep. Emirates decided they need around 3 hours to serve breakfast, they woke up around 440am ( Melbourne time) and 240am ( Singapore time).
It was frustrating to be woken up and it was so hard to go back to sleep. We have two hours left after breakfast. I wrote to Emirates inquiring about this but they say they have no rules or schedules for the staff to follow, they can serve anytime they want. What a cool airline, staff are allowed to do what they want.

For the return flight, we had this interesting air stewardess. When she was serving drinks, she just push it roughly to us. The drink almost spilled and startled  us and the air stewardess, she just move on with her job with no apology.

During dinner time, the person in front of one of us had her seat inclined all the way down. We thought just wait for the air stewardess because some people get agitated if you speak to them directly. The tray was those folded in two, but as the chair was inclined all the way down, there was no way we can put the tray down. The air stewardess came to serve dinner, she took no notice and shoved the tray at my friend. She was frustrated with my friend when her tray was not down. Then she finally realize that she need to ask the person to sit upright. My dinner has been a small corner open up, and my sauce was somewhat dried up. I only realized that mine was wrong as my friends had their meal served 5-10 minutes later.

During the snack time before we reach Singapore around 2 hours which is around 10 pm Sg time, they started distributing food on small little plates. On the menu, it wrote beef or cheese/vegetarian pie. Who will remember when you just woke up? They started passing it to any passengers who make eye contact with them. My pie was overturned, I thought they changed to serving pancakes as it does look like a pie. They were busy just passing pies on little plates, not serving.You put out your hand and you get a pie.They decide not to wake passengers up by not switching on the light.  As they did not switch on the light initially , you can hear the air stewardess shrieking that she cant see the marking on the pie.After passing the pies around, they decided to do it professionally with the trolley. They started to offer choices to passengers. We knew that as they were offering it to the passengers right in front of us. We were upset because we choose to take the pie first, we were not give a choice or told what was the food.  I do not want to eat beef but the pie was just shoved to me because I looked at the air stewardess.

We decided not to make a scene as the air stewardess was busy.

We decide to just write an email asking Emirates how and why. Emirates' reply was great. They say they have no rules to when food was served, how it was served, seats having to be upright during meal times. In other words, the air stewardess are just trained to serve food and operate whatever things. They told me I was given beef pie due to pies running out and I did not indicate my choice. I told them in the email, there were cheese/vegetarian pies but I was not offered it. They do not read the email. I do not mind if there is no cheese/vegetarian pie. If I did not indicate, I don't mind not eating as it was my fault. They were ample cheese pies but they just choose not to offer it. Moreover, t hey encourage me to make a fuss on the plane or if not, it is too late. To them, the air stewardess and staff need nothing much wrong.

If you want to work with an airlines, choose Emirates. They are so easy going with their staff.
If you want to enjoy your flights, choose anything but Emirates.


This is upside down pie, how professional Emirates is.







Sunday 11 November 2012

Tips on booking airfares

I usually travel with my sister and my good girl pal.
We decide the location a few months beforehand and we will be on the lookout for airfares promotion. Sometimes it can be a few hundred dollars difference, so keep a look out. Subscribe to airlines newsletter and scan through advertisements in newsapaper.
Websites I usually visit.
Individual airlines website.
Skycanner.com.sg
airfares.com.sg
zuji.com.sg
We always do a thorough comparison we make any booking.

Some of the budget airlines promotion are not suitable for me as I can only travel during school holiday period as I worked as a tuition teacher.

I have no preference over budget or normal airlines as I have my own personal entertainment unit, my cowon video player which can last me for a few movies and my handphone. The leg space can be a bit restricting, as I slightly above Singapore women average height. I just try not to fidget that much. I don't mind not having any food, because when I reach my destination, I want to indulge in food.

Personally, I am not suitable for overnight flight as I am not able to sleep. I will be very tired and grumpy the whole day. On the other hand, my sister and friend sleep like a log on plane, think is economical as we can start the day once we land in whichever foreign land. Good for people who can sleep on plane.

We are also quite easy going over the choice of airlines, whichever is cheaper and to us trying out a new airline is some sort of an adventure. Is fun. Some airlines we try once and we will never go back. Some airlines are worth going back to like KLM.

Stopover. Some airfares are cheaper because there is a stopover. We will do a comparison on the extra time and the money saved. For example, if stopover will extend the travelling by an hour or two and the savings is in hundreds. We will do it

Take note that budget airlines may not always be cheaper, normal airlines can be cheaper or only a bit more expensive. Budget airlines do charge for luggage and it can get quite expensive so enter all details for a clearer price comparison.
Some budget airlines, for example, tiger airways offer and discount for check in luggage if you are an ntuc fairprice member.

We are quite money sensitive as we love travelling and saving money will allow us to make more trips and longer trips and shop more.