ekscrunchy

This will be the first leg of a two-flight segment from NYC to JNB.

KLM offers a choice of two types of aircraft and both are ok for our dates, on a cursory glance.

Which would be better in Business?

Airbus A330-300 (3 hours 15 minutes transfer time in AMS)

OR

Boing 787-9 (2 hours 45 minutes transfer time in AMS)

We will return home from CapeTown (CPT) so if anyone has ideas on those planes, feel free to comment! Prefer not to change in JNB, but fly direct from CPT to AMS and then home to NYC.

Considered Qatar but think I will rule this out due to many, many negative comments.

Kathie

I would always choose the Boeing 787. The higher pressurization in the cabin means you will feel better when you land. I'm amazed at how much difference it makes.

janisj

Ditto . . . and then pray they don't change equipment on you.

ekscrunchy

Oh, my..you are both so informed, as compared to me......will take your comments ver seriously and report back once in the process of booking...

I take it that Qatar is not a sensible option. Apart from thefact of the longer flying time...

A million thanks to you both, Kathie I never thanked you enough for all of your help with SE Asia...I see than Pandaw has a "new" route to Assam area..might be wrong o that but wonder if you and Cheryl both are ok health wise enough for the exotic destinations that were your forte......we have all forged a community here and seen the encroachment of ageing, health demands, and all those two phrases contain. I keep thinking that the next trip will be my last driving tour.......trying to fit so much in while we have the cash and the ability to travel........

Oh well. one day one or more of us will write a book about the demands of travel when the mind is eager, the wallet is ok but the body.......sooner or later....

Need to get Thursday into this discussion as she is such a paragon of hope!

Ok..how did I get so off track..????

Remaining off track....Rajah Ampat for snorkelers but not divers????

Kathie

Ekscrunchy, I'm glad to have been of assistance in your SE Asian travels.

Thanks for asking about my health issues. Fortunately, Cheryl is doing fine. I have (almost) recovered from the chemo and radiation and the cancer is gone. So that is good news. I do have Parkinson's disease, so am not very mobile. I am trying out different walking aids, and will be going on a two week cruise in Alaska at the end of August. We will also spend our usual month in Kauai in February.

We would love to do one of the new Pandaw routes, but it isn'r clear whether that is realistic or not.

Kathie

Ok, here is our itinerary:

Sail from Seward (Anchorage), Alaska, US Scenic cruising Resurrection Bay
Scenic Cruising Harriman Fjord
Scenic cruising College Fjord
Cruising Prince William Sound 1Sea Day
Inian Islands, Alaska, US
Icy Strait Point, Alaska, US Juneau, Alaska, US
Haines, Alaska, US
Scenic cruising Tracy Arm or Endicot
Sitka, Alaska, US
Transit Decision Passage
Cruising Sumner Strait
Wrangell, Alaska, US
Cruising Behm Narrows
Scenic cruising Misty Fjords
Rudyerd Bay (Misty Fjords) Ventures
Ketchikan, Alaska, US
Prince Rupert, British Columbia, Ca Scenic cruising Grenville Channel
Scenic cruising Princess Royal Channel
Klemtu, British Columbia, Canada
Scenic cruising Bella Bella
Alert Bay, British Columbia, Canada
Scenic cruising Johnstone Strait
Transit the Seymour Narrows
Debark Ship Vancouver, B.C., CA

doug_stallings

I've flown Qatar Airways from the US to Qatar in business, and I liked it quite a bit (I haven't flow in the new Qsuites, but I've heard very good things). The return in coach not so much. The real difficulty with the flights was the departure time from Qatar at 2:30am. But I thought the airline was quite nice, and the business class gets uniformly good reviews. My issue would be the longer flying time, but I don't otherwise see why Qatar Airways isn't a good option if the price is right. It's often considered the best business class in the world.

Odin