Trip to Australia - need help planning please

[snemrose]

My 82yr old dad would like to go visit his other dd (my sister) in Adelaide. It will probably be the last time he goes out there (he last went 15 years ago) and it’s unlikely she can get back to the Uk anytime soon.
Therefore he wants to throw money at it (within reason obviously, he’s not a millionaire) to make it the most comfortable journey. He is thinking business class/premium economy? He doesn’t particularly mind what time of year he goes but would prefer not unbearable heat. What are the best options? Where are the best layovers to help combat jet lag? He is planning to go for a month.

I know I could google flight prices but I also know there are many Aussie mners on here and others who do these trips regularly so hoped you may have some tips. He is relatively fit and healthy (type 2 diabetes) walks a lot so wouldn’t need any physical assistance. But can at times struggle to deal with people hence me wanting to see what I can do to help him in planning. I can’t go with him but would like to help him plan it before he feels as though the chance has passed.

Any tips gratefully received !

Thank you all so much.

So first things first - look at travel insurance.
Check his preference re stopover or straight to Perth
Look into train to Adelaide (he would probably really enjoy this!)
Business class over premium economy.
Definitely get assistance at all airports.
Call trailfinders.

I really want to look into all this for him as if he starts he will just get frustrated and leave it another 6 months before mentioning it again and I know he needs to go sooner rather than later. He won’t have hotel to spend on as will be staying with my sister but obviously will treat her etc but means he can put a more towards flights.

Thank you again everyone!

We’re in Melbourne, my parents visited every 18 months to 2 years from 2006 until Covid and always had a stop over in Dubai. When they came post Covid, they did it without the stopover and Mum said she wished they’d always done it that way! (They were 73 and 78 at this point)

Having recently done Perth to Heathrow, I would also recommend that route as an option, if you’re doing 14 hours from Dubai, 17 hours to Perth isn’t much more in one go and then the flight to Adelaide will feel like nothing.

Apologies. For some reason I hadn’t spotted that you weren’t accompanying DF. There are plenty of daytrips available from the big cities that might interest him. It’s probably worth ordering some physical brochures.

My DM loved the train (on one of her solo trips around visiting family, prob closer to her 70’s).

A specialist travel agent will tend to know when each airline releases cheaper flights/cheaper routes.

Try to get travel insurance sorted ASAP in case something crops up between now and date of travel that would lead him to wish to cancel.

I've been doing this sort of trip at least twice a year for the last 30 years. When I was a starving student I went the cheapest way possible.

But now I don't do anything less than Business Class. He needs a lie flat bed on both legs. And I'd recommend a stop over each way - look at booking an airport hotel - Changi has some lovely ones. Just a 24 hour break can make all the difference.

I'd recommend either Cathay or Singapore Airlines. Qantas service is rubbish as is BA. FinnAir used to do a nice budget-y Business Class, but the two Asian airlines are lovely. The Cathay Pacific Business lounges in HK are worth the trip alone!

I recommend those, rather than Emirates or Qatar as the stop over / plane change is either Singapore or Hong Kong and they break the journey roughly in half. Stopping in the Middle East means one leg is much longer. But Emirates First Class is lush, I have to say.

Avoid December to February, as Adelaide gets over 40 degrees. The Australian spring - September/October is lovely. Winter (May, June, July) can be OK, but it can also be rain & flood & storms (the last few Augusts I've been there were like that).

Another vote for Trail finders. They got my mother to Sydney via 2 nights in Hong Kong (pre covid though) and staff guided her through every step and there was a free tour of Hong Kong too.

So also with the travel insurance, as he seems likely to 'leave it', someone needs to keep an eye on any new medical conditions or appointments/consultations before he travels and report them to update the insurance company. Read the policy! In fact that's worth doing before you buy. I once bought a policy when my shortlist had (a) no cover for swimming at all, (b) cover for swimming up to 50 metres from shore, and (c) cover for swimming in territorial waters up to 12 miles offshore. This was for a beach holiday. The comparison sites won't go into this level of detail, so reading the policy is the only way I was covered.

To be fair it is more the research side of things that he gets frustrated with. If I can do that for him and present him with options he will find that far easier. He definitely won’t scrimp on insurance having had 2 friends who needed it - 1 had to be helicoptered to hospital in America after breaking a leg whilst hiking and his best mate who became seriously ill whilst abroad and had to be flown home (now sadly paralysed) so he takes insurance very seriously.

I think Sept/oct would be a perfect time for him to go. I also like the idea of a stop over in HK as he has never been there (he has been to Singapore a few times) especially if there could be an accompanied tour during his stop over.

He is a seasoned traveller and is very fit for his age but he is also 82 and gets frustrated easily and doesn’t always recognise his own limits. Plus he is having continence issues so I really don’t want him wandering round an airport getting annoyed because he can’t find his gate etc so I’m really glad to the posters who suggested getting assistance.

Just from a bit of googling of prices I reckon he is going to be looking at £10-12k for flights, assistance and insurance. Does that sound about right?

Sept /Oct is ideal to beat the heat but still have pleasant sunny days. If you decide on the direct to Perth route, then he only has the option of Qantas as they are the only ones that fly it. (May still be able to book it as Emirates though if there are extra perks as the airlines codeshare).

Don’t do premium, do business. Having a flat bed makes the flight completely different. At his age, being able to fully extend legs or flex them as he pleases, not sitting funny, … just do business. Premium is mainly a wider seat but you can’t incline your seat much more if at all compared to economy. Flat bed. Flat bed. Don’t be tempted by Scoot. Their business seats do not become flatbeds and they have no screen on plane. It is like flying ryanair for 12 hours.
Did I mention the flat bed?

Not sure about the direct flight to Perth. @snemrose He would have to collect luggage, go through immigration, then enter domestic terminal, repeat check in for Adelaide, repeat security, … a lot more hassle than a connecting flight.

@snemrose Just from a bit of googling of prices I reckon he is going to be looking at £10-12k for flights, assistance and insurance. Does that sound about right?
Yes, but it depends on the breakdown. How much of that is insurance, how much is airfares and what class, and how much assistance?

I accompanied my 90 year old aunt on a trip to Melbourne last year. We did Glasgow- Dubai-Melbourne with Emirates business class. She had assistance booked and they were amazing. It was especially helpful in Dubai to navigate the airport and changes in terminals. Great onboard service.

I flew back on my own with Qatar BC on Avios points(90 points plus £145!). Also superb.