KayF

Also posted on Air Travel and Europe forums -

Hi, I'm looking for help in trying to book a one way trip for myself and my husband, from London to Melbourne but via America (LAX?). If we fly via America, we get double the luggage allowance and as we are returning to live in Australia (our home) after living in the UK for a number of years, it would be great if we could take extra luggage with us. We'll still ship some stuff.

We have enough FF points with Virgin Atlantic to reach LAX but there are no flights available in August or September. From there we thought we could pay to fly to Melbourne with V Australia who are reasonably priced. As we can't use FF points, I checked airfares, but a one way ticket London to LAX with Virgin or British Airways is too expensive and if I key in a one way London to Melbourne, it goes via Asia, and we can only take one suitcase each.

Just wondering if I'm missing something or if someone has done a similar trip and can offer advice.

Thanks, Kay

amelie

Did you look up round trip tickets? When my husband moved from Scotland to the US, he had to get a round trip ticket because the one way ones were double the price. He just didn't show up for the return, obviously. But I mean he didn't call or anything, just didn't show.

KayF

Hi amelie, we did consider that but are not sure of any ramifications down the line. Did your husband get charged any extra - say the actual one way price? Or did he just hear nothing at all? I've heard stories of people being charged extra via the credit card they booked with but am not sure if that's all they are - just stories.

Kay

LoveItaly

Hello Kay, I have known two people that have not used their return ticket on international flights and there was not any ramification for either of them. They too just did not show up at the airport, they did not contact the airline to advise them they would not be on their flight. In both cases these people flew with the same airlines a few years down the road and they did not have a problem. Both are family members so I am well aware of the facts.

Now as I understand it an airline can bill you for the higher one way fare but I wonder how often that has happened. When you say stories do you mean you were told personally by someone who did get billed the additional amount for the one way fare or did you just read about it on a website or blog or told by someone whose cousin's neighbor's brother had that happen so to speak.

I am not an expert, just sharing the experiences I have known about. I sure wish you the best and hope you can work out your flight(s) as inexpensively and comfortably as possible.

amelie

No, we never heard anything at all. No ramifications. I think that is why they advise you to just not show up. If you call and cancel that might raise some issues.

Bokhara2

Hi Kay,
Maybe someone on the Air Travel forum might be able to advise you on this. They seem to be pretty well informed on these types of structures.

KayF

Thanks everyone. I've posted on the Air Travel forum, as well as the Europe forum and have had some helpful replies. I have just seen online where people say the airline can charge you for the oneway fare but have never heard of it actually happening in real life. I'm still looking at all options and there are so many, it makes my head spin.

Kay

ivenotbeeneverywhere

I don't think I would go via America just because you get a better weight limit because you will get hit when you leave LA with Virgin. Most of the cheaper airlines have "buy nore weight" and if you used Qantas from the UK then you would not only probably get on an A380 ( so much better ) and they are pretty easy about weight.
Check on the prices of Air Asia for instance which flies into Melbourne - can buy extra weight on that. Air Asia are running a special at present with flights from London to KL for 211 Pounds economy or 579 Pounds for flat bed and then $188 AU from KL to Melbourne. I have flown with them and found them very good. But less than $600 from London to Melbourne is pretty good. Another option is Air Berlin to B'Kok or Phuket and Jetstar from B'Kok or Air Asia from KL which costs about $30 at the moment for that flight. The website is www.airasia.com. There is a cheap hotel at the Low cost Airport in KL for a sleep for about $35 and there are seats on Air Asia in August and Sept.

ivenotbeeneverywhere

OOOOOOOOOppppppps It looks like I am saying that on Jetstar from B'Kok to Melbourne is $30 - not so - its B'Kok to KL that would be about $30

KayF

Thanks, I did think the $30 fare was pretty cheap! AirAsia is cheap but we'd have to overnight in KL which adds time and cost to the journey. Their price for a flat bed is reasonable but too expensive for us, especially as we'd still need to pay to reach Australia.

Just curious about luggage weight on Qantas, do you think they wouldn't charge if we were over the limit? We don't have a scale in our London flat so figuring out when the suitcase weighs 23kg is going to be tough.

Kay

ivenotbeeneverywhere

I have never found Q to be too picky and if they don't actually see your roll on ( and often my roll on weighs more than my suitcase ) then they won't weigh it. I have used means like adding large pockets to the inside of coats and wearing the heaviest shoes and such. I always take with me a coat which you are allowed to carry on anyway and inside the pocket is a pillowcase which I then stuff with the coat on board and use as a pillow. If you get on the A380 get a window seat as there is about 8 inches between the arm rest and the window which I then stuff with the pillow. They have a string bag thingie under the seat in front which you can put your feet into and then you are lying back a bit more using the pillow section - makes it more comfortable plus the plane is much quieter than any other. I flew back from the UK on the A380 in September without a stopover ( which I have been doing for years now ) and had a wonderful flight. I put comfort before anything else really unless the cost is particularly low i.e. Air Asia.
Back to Air Asia - I am leaving tomorrow on Air Asia and had to get hubby to take the bag to the Chemist to weigh the bag - had to then buy extra weight because daughter who works in the middle east wants a year's supply of bits and pieces including a very heavy frying pan! You can buy up to 30KG each for your luggage. The cost of a hotel in KL's low cost airport is only about $37AU which is not at all bad and only across the road from the airport. Anyway whichever you choose to use have a lovely return to God's Own and welcome home.

KayF

Thank you ivenotbeeneverywhere - you brought tears to my eyes with your last comment. Sometimes I have misgivings about leaving the UK but you remind of how big-hearted and warm Australians are. Bless you.

Kay