CAJ2

The choice is

GBP 468 pp with Qatar, one stop in Doha, one leg day flight, one leg night flight, one hour between flights. New A340-600 plane LHR to DOH, then A330-200 - doesn't look too bad!! Same sort of thing on the way back.


or

GBP 619 pp with Singapore, non-stop, day flight both ways (night flight out of our budget this time, due to travelling over Easter and cheaper seats sold out).

I am almost convinced that it will be OK (and maybe even beneficial re: comfort and jet-lag) to have the stop and the cheaper flight.

Any views on comparing airlines and journey type?

Thanks a lot!

bkkmei

Hi
personally I dislike stop offs unless I'm really going to stop off there. Twice the risk of delays and even worse, of missing your connection (just one hour between flights).
My mother-in-law recently flew LDN-BKK via Amman with Royal Jordanian. Stuck in Amman for 11 hours due to fog delays. Slept on the airport floor.
I've flown Gulf Air LDN-Bahrain. Stuck on the tarmac at Heathrow for 4 hours for no discernible reason. Most travellers were going elsewhere but missed their flights by the time we arrived in Bahrain.
ugh!
plus, I've heard that Singapore airlines are excellent.

rkkwan

Of coures the non-stop will be less stressful. Whether it's worth 150 quids, that's up to you.

But Qatar's planes are all very new and seats nice. My friends fly them CDG-DOH-HKG with no problem - and of course they do it because it's significantly cheaper than the AF or CX non-stop.

One thing is that they may overbook. That's what happened to my friends for Hong Kong-Paris. So, they moved them to Air France's non-stop on that leg.

mrwunrfl

With the nonstop there is no way that you will miss a connection.

The jet lag is the same either way.

mrwunrfl

That is, the jet lag is the same (in each direction) whether you take the nonstop or the connection.

Xenos

I tend to agree with the others. With only an hour between connecting flights, even the slightest delay at Heathrow could mean missing your connection. £150 is quite a big price to pay for peace of mind, but if you can afford it I think it will be worth it.

CAJ2

Hi,

So we finally booked Qatar Airways (who assured us the plane would wait if there is a delay in connecting flights)and so we're off to Singapore and the Layana in Koh Lanta! Flying Tiger Airways to/from Koh Lanta. Can't wait! Will post report on Koh Lanta when we return, as not too much info about! Thanks, all.

Guenmai

I prefer non-stops....the luggage doesn't end up lost or delayed. Happy Travels!