Advice on which airline to use!

[doilum2003]

Currently planning a trip to Australia for January to see some family and our travelling party will consist of the wife and I, my 8 year old son and our newest addition who'll be 3 months old! It's a long way and having travelled before with Emirates (who were fantastic) we were going to use them again!

However, KLM (Royal Dutch Airlines) are £500 cheaper for the same dates and even Air France are £200 cheaper! Has anyone used either KLM or Air France and what are they like? Like I said it's a long way and I'd prefer not to spend most of it sat next to some goats!

We were considering using Cathay Pacific but they have quoted £18,584 to fly us there! I don't think so!

[m8internet]

Fares for 4 passengers; 2 adults, 1 child, 1 infant
Out 03 January 2008
Return 24 January 2008
£1160 (Qantas / BA)
£6955 (KLM / Air France) - economy all sold out, business class only

So what kind of fare are you looking at, how does that compare?
Where do you want to fly from and to?
Are you prepared to split your journey? (note most Australia journeys split at Singapore)

When do you plan to travel, how flexible?

[Ste]

Air France are riddled with French approach to strike etc and I would avoid them like the plague.

KLM used to be fairly good until they associated with Air France.

Singapore Airlines are very good, and employ attractive cabin staff to boot....

[john_k_sri]

Would second Ste, Singapore Airlines are very good. Found KLM nearly as good as Singapore Airlines.

[shan]

I'm a gold card holder with KLM/AirFrance. I use KLM most of the time and i would not recommend them to anyone going long distance. I only use them because the company i work for is Dutch and they seam to use KLM as often as possible.
Emirates is a much better choice. I flew to S Korea with them last month and they were very comfortable "cattle class".

[auto22]

Got bumped off an Air France flight last year. We got no sense from their customer services for months. In the end our travel operator and our insurance company tried to contact them directly. They got no where fast either. Took 6 months for AIr France to sent a letter saying they had cancelled the flight. I think one of my bags is still one their plane!!

[martind511]

I used to use KLM a lot when I worked in the far-east for Shell. Would not recomend them for long haul.

Any of the middle east airlines or asian airlines are normally a better bet.

[doilum2003]

KLM have quoted £2769 on their website against £3221 with Emirates. Not tried Singapore Airlines yet but I've a feeling they only fly to Sydney and could do with being in Melbourne! We can be a bit flexible with the dates but we're struggling to be majorly so as I can't get any leave until the 3rd at the earliest and the wifes maternity leave is due to finish! Plus I'm taking my lad out of school and the local council will probably try to hang, draw and quarter me if I mess about with the dates too much!

[m8internet]

For £2500 I managed to get you on a Qantas / BA flight from Heathrow to Adelaide or Sydney, in business class
Out 3 January
Return 24 January

[shan]

I bet thats a ticket for 1 person. Still cheap for business class tho.