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Original poster

Ok would you pay?

26 replies

mosschops30 · 10/08/2007 20:20

£200 more for 7 hours less flying time?

I am thinking of going to shanghai next year flights with Emirates cost £388 but take 18-19 hours.
Virgin costs £573 but takes 11-12 hours

What would you do?

OP posts:
moondog · 10/08/2007 20:20

I'd go for the cheapest.

Original poster
mosschops30 · 10/08/2007 20:22

Really? I have done longhaul once before and I probably would have sold my soul to the devil to cut those last 7 hours off my trip which is why I'd consider it.

Just want to know what the general opinion is or if anyones done this journey

OP posts:
moondog · 10/08/2007 20:25

Alcohol free (Arabic) airlines are often cheaper too.Less tension on board as well as people not pissed.
Prob. safer security wise too...

Lazycow · 10/08/2007 20:25

I would pay for the shorter flight time but then I hate travelling with a passion (the getting from A to B bit not the being away/on holiday) and a reduction of 7 hrs is quite a big reduction in travelling time. I suppose it depends how much the extra travewl time bothers you.

Thinking about it again though if most of the extra time is spent in the air (ie they just fly a longer route) I might consider the cheapest option but if the extra timne is spent in changing flights and sitting in god-awful transfer lounges for ages then I'd definitely pay the extra.

moondog · 10/08/2007 20:26

I fly a lot and tbh it's the only time I get these days to sit still and read.

funnypeculiar · 10/08/2007 20:26

humm, hoe old are the dcs? I'd defn pay £200 to lose 7 hours in a plane with mine...

skirmish · 10/08/2007 20:28

if travelling with children i'd go for the shorter option...like moondog says, check out some of the arabic airlines - flew with gulf air (though don't know if they go to shanghai - have you looked at etihad?), they were fab and cheap (and you can have a glass of vino )

Original poster
mosschops30 · 10/08/2007 20:29

not taking dc's just me

hmm would quite fancy a stopover in dubai on my own. But seeing as ive just got over my flying phobia the less time might be better

OP posts:
skirmish · 10/08/2007 20:30

no children - bliss either way!

you could go for the cheaper option, they use some of the £200 to book into a lovely hotel to rejuvenate!

Original poster
mosschops30 · 10/08/2007 20:30

good idea skirmish

OP posts:
moondog · 10/08/2007 20:30

Oh marvellous

(Weren't you crapping yourself last year re short flight? Brill you've got over it.Purpose of visit?)

IsabelWatchingItRainInMacondo · 10/08/2007 20:33

It depends how long you are staying overthere. For a short stay, the less hours the better, for a longer one (more than a week) any would do. You really don't want to spend precious days recovering from the trip.

Having said that... the worst trip I had was a short one, had a screaming mum winding her children up big time. No rest at all and sadly, although long haul, I was just staying four days, if it had not because I was getting married I would remember the trip as a sleepy time.

IsabelWatchingItRainInMacondo · 10/08/2007 20:34

Skirmish, that's a fantastic idea

lljkk · 10/08/2007 20:36

I'd pay up, no hesitation, with or without kids. The shorter journey will make it much easier to cope with the jetlag, too.

skirmish · 10/08/2007 20:36

just the very thought of having a nice hotel room, with room service, good long soak in tub, spa treatments if that's your thing, a whole nights sleep, lie in etc etc would be enough to keep me going through an 18hr flight!

Original poster
mosschops30 · 10/08/2007 20:36

I will probably stay 5 days. The dubai flights have a 3-4 hour wait in the airport in both directions whereas the Virgin is non-stop. Actual flying time is also less with Virgin.

Yes moondog totally freaking out about flight to menorca but have had a bit of a personal experience which has changed my outlook on a lot of things, flying being one of them. Starting with a girlie weekend flying to Newcastle in a couple of weeks

My mate has lived in Shanghai for about 3 years now and Ive never been able to go and see her because of the flight, but I graduate next summer and though I'd go and treat myself

OP posts:
moondog · 10/08/2007 20:37

Splendid idea.
Book at once!

Original poster
mosschops30 · 10/08/2007 20:38

just gotta wait for august flights to be released now.

Thanks

OP posts:
skirmish · 10/08/2007 20:39

any kind of waiting time at an airport is shit - you have to get all your stuff together, disembark the plane, look round shitty shops, queue for a gazillion hours to use loo, find new boarding gate, struggle to find bloody passport/boarding stub, get back on plane, and unpack everything for the next 10hrs on plane!

sounds great huh?!

yogimum · 10/08/2007 20:40

virgin have a premium economy cabin, usually its upstairs depending on aircraft. I hate flying but find it more comfortable nearer the front of the aircraft, especially in upper class.

IsabelWatchingItRainInMacondo · 10/08/2007 20:43

I normally take a combination of flight that means 5-6 hrs stopover in Chicago. I pay to take that longer trip, as I love to go out of the airport and spend sometime in the Art Institute.

Is there anything interesant in the stopover worth seeing?

twentypence · 10/08/2007 20:44

I would pay more not to have a pointless landing in a place I didn't want to go yes.

But I think you need to weigh up whether 7 hours earlier arriving would also mean another night in a hotel (more cost) or would mean you arrive hours before you can check into your room. So I would factor in arrival and departure times into my decision and work out if they too justified the extra cost.

I paid more to go Mcr - Singapore- Christchurch NZ because going to Heathrow, Australia and Auckland AS WELL is just revolting. Flight time wasn't much less as big wait in Singapore!

Original poster
mosschops30 · 10/08/2007 20:47

twentypence I am staying with my friend so doesnt matter when I get to shanghai (the sooner the better really).

I would like to stopover in dubai but I know from previous stopovers that I usually feel like shit and fall asleep and dont see anything apart from the hotel bill!!!

not sure I could afford anymore for premium economy, will have to dress nicely and pout for an upgrade

OP posts:
PestoMonster · 10/08/2007 20:56

I would pay more for the Virgin flight, definitely.

twentypence · 11/08/2007 01:58

In that case it's either an extra nights sleep, or an extra half a day with your friend. Both are worth 200 quid IMO.