Help me decide re flights to india...

[4gotoindia]

Hi there,
I'm trying to decide which of these options is best. We'll be travelling with a 5yo and 18month old.

Option 1 - BA - leaves from H'row (not so good for us), direct to Chennai, leaves at lunchtime, gets in 4am local time. Return flights leaves at 5:30am (so hideous check-in time) and gets in at 11:40am.

Option 2 - Emirates - leaves from Gatwick (easier for us); change at Dubai (have about 2 and a half hours changeover). Flight times:
Gatwick 2:15pm - Dubai - midnight; Leave Dubai 2:30am; arr Chennai 8:05. On return leave 9:40am; arrive Dubai at 12:30. Leave at 14:45 and arrive Gatwick 18:25.

Can't decide if it is better to go fro H'ow and direct (but horrible arrival and departure times at Chennai end)... or from Gatwick with a changeover.

Costs are comparable...

HELP!
thanks,
4gotoindia

I'd go the the Emirates option. Better times & your DCs will appreciate being able to have a run around.

does option 2 make the overall travel time much longer? if not i'd go for taht. I think its good to get off for a bit anyway

being nosey now, are you goin there on holiday? i'd love to do that with my ds's. have been twice pre kids

I would also opt for the Emirates flight. Either way it's going to be a long haul so having a break might be a good idea.

Dubai airport is currently under construction and its chaotic to transfer there at the best of times.

Would therefore go with option 1 also as it is direct. Is there not a later BA flight from Chennai, surely they run more than one return flight a day?.

Option 1 with BA is 10 hours going out (and 11 coming back).

Option 2 with Emirates is 14 hours in total(including time in Dubai) and 13:45 coming back.

BA are the only people who go direct - and not more than one a day.

Vitomum... not a holiday. We're going out there to work (for a year). Also been before, but never with kids, so should be interesting!
Still can't decide re the flight. Dubai was having work done last autumn when I passed thro' and altho' v busy I didn't find it too bad (travelling with a 9 month old that time).
4

DH just came through Dubai with Emirates 2 weeks ago, from India. He didn't have any hassles. I'd go that option.

Mind you if you're going out for a year, don't factor in the return flight yet, it's not as if you're going for 2 weeks, and will be very tired coming back.

I can see your quandary, but I think I would go direct and 'get it out of the way'.

Faffing round with change overs is annoying.

I have just travelled to Pakistan and back with 5 year old, 3 year old and 1 year old. We flew from dublin to Manchester to Doha to Lahore. It was really hard and I wished that we were flying in a more direct route.

The children would settle on the plane, fall asleep and we would have to wake them to change flights.
So I would choose option 1

Whatever you do, I hope you travel smoothly and it sounds all very exciting for your family.

IMO direct flights are less likely to lose your luggage/carseats/pushchairs etc so definately option 1.
Good luck.