Austrian Ski Trip

This trip is mainly in Austria and centred on Skiing the Spectacular mountains as well as visiting some of the beautiful cities from one end of Austria to the other.

The trip begins in London as the flight with Qantas in a A380 Business Class was well priced and we needed to be in the UK to pick up another package deal for skiing.

As we were going to ski at many different resorts and didn't want to continually find and hire equipment, the decision to bring all our gear including skis was made. The first step was to work out the luggage. The ski bag we decided on has wheels so that we were able to drag it along without having to carry them. Due to restrictions on internal flights we had limits on what we could pack.
Ski gear and winter clothes do take up a lot of room in your luggage. Boots & helmets, ski equipment and your everyday winter clothes quickly add weight and take up room.

My tip if you're packing for winter regardless of whether it's a sightseeing trip or a ski trip is that you pack everything and I mean everything, that is interchangeable, so that it can be layered and worn whether skiing or just sightseeing. Also, as outer ski gear takes up space, it's easier if you put then in space saver bags to get all the puffiness out of them to allow room for other essentials.  Pack items like socks, or thermals in bags inside your shoes or ski-boots to save room, do this for your helmets too.

Advise the airline that you will have your skis with you, this can be done online under sports equipment with the airline you have booked. You will need to take any oversized baggage to different bag drop then your luggage but it will be at the carousel when you arrive.  Depending on the airline the skis can be part of your 23 Kg weight and with others, it's another piece of luggage and charged extra. It's best to determine this before booking so you know what to expect. With British Airways, even though we were well underweight and the skis combined with our suitcases were within weight range, we were charged 70Euro for the skis as an extra bag.

The map below shows the road trip that we took. This trip took 4 1/2 weeks or a calendar month.

Road Trip

Next post is on arriving in London.

Qantas - Emirates Business Class

After travelling the long hauls to Europe, we've finally got to the point in life where we can choose comfort over price.  Still we love to check out the sales, so happening upon a great deal from Qantas, we decided to fly Business class with Qantas to Rome. This flight is a code share flight with Qantas to Dubai and Emirates from Dubai to Rome. Both legs with each carrier were on the A380 so I was able to do a direct comparison.

The Seats

There are major differences in the way the planes are configured, in business class. Although they both have flat beds and good amenities, the amount of space difference is quite substantial. 

Qantas has a configuration of 2-2-2 seats directly behind one another( 2 window - 2 centre - 2 window) with plenty of space between the seat in front & behind. They have less ledge space to put your items on compared to Emirates but still sufficient for your needs.

Courtesy of YouTube.com

Emirates has configured theirs in a tighter pattern of 2-2-2 (2 window - 2 centre - 2 window) with the seat configuration doing an inner - outer type of design. Thus restricting the space when getting up or moving around. It is more restrictive with the way the seating's designed, but there is more ledge space, and you have your personal mini bar at your fingertips.

Both airlines have flat beds, but whereas the Qantas seat reclines entirely into the flat-bed the Emirates seat joins an existing area at the back of the seat in front of you to form the flat-bed. Does this make a difference to your comfort? No, not really. For me, I prefer the extra space of the Qantas seats, made it easier to get in and out for bathroom breaks and stretching your legs.

The Extras
Qantas supplies you with a turndown service and Pj's, which I must add aids in looking less crumpled in the morning.  The bathrooms have a window and are more spacious than usual, therefore, feeling less closet like.
The tighter Emirates configuration gives Business class a bar/ lounge area where you can stretch your legs and enjoy a chat if you're not interested in getting some sleep. Having this area might just be worth the tighter configuration of the seats. It's a pleasure to be able to move around on a plane and have some great surroundings and comforts to take away the monotony of the long-haul flights.

The menu for both airlines was decent in size and the meals enjoyable. The cuisine on Qantas is a Neil Perry - Rockpool inspired menu. Both airlines served foods that are a representative of the regions from where we embarked. The selection is ample, and it covers all the bases. The wine and beverages list is pleasing. Most passengers on the long-haul trips are more about a good sleep then the food; I've noticed. So there's the 'all flight dining' that gives you a chance to get some rest without the thought of missing out when hungry.
The flight's late departure time makes sure that most passengers will get plenty of rest before you reaching Dubai.

The Verdict

Both Airlines have something I like more about them than the other. Qantas for its ample space and comfort, but I do enjoy the novelty of Emirates bar/lounge, although I typically limit drinks when flying due to dehydration, just to be able to move out of your seat and socialize is one big plus for Emirates.