Choose my layover

[rupertpenny]

I'm going to Girona in a few months for a work conference so I've started looking at airfare. I'm flying from Hong Kong to Barcelona.

Anyway it looks like my main choices are:
Moscow flying Aeroflot (cheapest but...no)
Doha via Qatar Air or Dubai via Emirates (my coworker is not down with these routes, but we don't HAVE to take the same flight. Doesn't bother me).
CDG via Airfrance or
Schiphol via KLM.

Really it doesn't matter that much, I doubt we will leave the airport, but I am the kind of person who appreciates a nice layover in a nice airport.

So, plan my trip for me please!

[GilliC]

How long are the layovers?

Schiphol is a nice airport for a short-ish layover (<8 hours). Have you transited there before? There's a small extension of the Rijksmuseum right in the airport that's small but well worth a 20-minute browse. The descriptions do a surprisingly good job at providing an overview of Dutch painting in just a few dozen pieces.

In terms of the terminal space, I definitely prefer AMS over CDG.

For a longer stop, I would choose Doha. I haven't flown through there, but I really wanted to work in a stop on our trip to Japan earlier this year just to look around. And maybe schedule a quick GBCN GTG!

Plus, Qatar Airways! From my experiences, the 5-star airlines typically deserve that extra star, especially flying long-haul.

[chicago]

I flew Qatar on our way home from Johannesburg to Chicago via Doha last summer. I have to say I really disliked Qatar. The service wasn't great, the seats weren't all that comfortable for long-haul, and the bathrooms were disgusting. The crew never went in to clean during the flight and there was literally shit everywhere. Who knows, it could have been that plane, that crew, plus I was six weeks pg at the time, but I wouldn't fly them again. That and Doha airport was a bit of a cluster. I'd fly Emirates.

[frlcb]

Jul 28, 2014 13:53:48 GMT -5 chicago said:

I flew Qatar on our way home from Johannesburg to Chicago via Doha last summer. I have to say I really disliked Qatar. The service wasn't great, the seats weren't all that comfortable for long-haul, and the bathrooms were disgusting. The crew never went in to clean during the flight and there was literally shit everywhere. Who knows, it could have been that plane, that crew, plus I was six weeks pg at the time, but I wouldn't fly them again. That and Doha airport was a bit of a cluster. I'd fly Emirates.

My friend works for Emirates and it is a great airline, I would probably choose that too.


Non snarky question - you have actually seen the flight attendants clean bathrooms during the flight? I have traveled many, many, many times and have never seen this. So either I am completely clueless (which is possible!) or this isn't the norm.

[alleinesein]

Jul 28, 2014 14:42:18 GMT -5 frlcb said:

Jul 28, 2014 13:53:48 GMT -5 chicago said:

I flew Qatar on our way home from Johannesburg to Chicago via Doha last summer. I have to say I really disliked Qatar. The service wasn't great, the seats weren't all that comfortable for long-haul, and the bathrooms were disgusting. The crew never went in to clean during the flight and there was literally shit everywhere. Who knows, it could have been that plane, that crew, plus I was six weeks pg at the time, but I wouldn't fly them again. That and Doha airport was a bit of a cluster. I'd fly Emirates.

My friend works for Emirates and it is a great airline, I would probably choose that too.


Non snarky question - you have actually seen the flight attendants clean bathrooms during the flight? I have traveled many, many, many times and have never seen this. So either I am completely clueless (which is possible!) or this isn't the norm.

Yes!  I have seen FAs on both Virgin Atlantic and BA cleaning the bathrooms on long haul flights.  Its not a full on scrub down but more of a freshening up of the bathrooms.  They restock supplies and do a basic wipe down of the surfaces in the bathroom. 

[frlcb]

Jul 28, 2014 14:47:44 GMT -5 alleinesein said:

Jul 28, 2014 14:42:18 GMT -5 frlcb said:

My friend works for Emirates and it is a great airline, I would probably choose that too.


Non snarky question - you have actually seen the flight attendants clean bathrooms during the flight? I have traveled many, many, many times and have never seen this. So either I am completely clueless (which is possible!) or this isn't the norm.

Yes!  I have seen FAs on both Virgin Atlantic and BA cleaning the bathrooms on long haul flights.  Its not a full on scrub down but more of a freshening up of the bathrooms.  They restock supplies and do a basic wipe down of the surfaces in the bathroom. 

I guess I have seen them restocking stuff but I have never seen them enter a bathroom with a bucket and mop, which I imagine they would need if there was shit everywhere.

That is so gross, by the way.

[GilliC]

Jul 28, 2014 14:59:45 GMT -5 frlcb said:

Jul 28, 2014 14:47:44 GMT -5 alleinesein said:

Yes!  I have seen FAs on both Virgin Atlantic and BA cleaning the bathrooms on long haul flights.  Its not a full on scrub down but more of a freshening up of the bathrooms.  They restock supplies and do a basic wipe down of the surfaces in the bathroom. 

I guess I have seen them restocking stuff but I have never seen them enter a bathroom with a bucket and mop, which I imagine they would need if there was shit everywhere.

That is so gross, by the way.

I agree! I thought the urine-soaked floors and footprints on the toilet seats on domestic Chinese flights were bad! I can't imagine being on a plane that had feces all over the lavatory! *shudder*

[frlcb]

Jul 28, 2014 15:09:41 GMT -5 GilliC said:

Jul 28, 2014 14:59:45 GMT -5 frlcb said:

I guess I have seen them restocking stuff but I have never seen them enter a bathroom with a bucket and mop, which I imagine they would need if there was shit everywhere.

That is so gross, by the way.

I agree! I thought the urine-soaked floors and footprints on the toilet seats on domestic Chinese flights were bad! I can't imagine being on a plane that had feces all over the lavatory! *shudder*

So speaking of that in the bathrooms in Yellowstone a few weeks ago we saw all these pictures of people standing on the toilet with a line through it and my mom and I could only come up with it being for Chinese tourists, but then talked about how when we were in China in the 80s there were just holes in the floor, and so would they actually stand on toilets? Apparently they do, especially if they hoist themselves up on the airplane toilet. Yuck.

[chicago]

I hear you, frlcb. I've never seen a full scrub down, but I think it's expected that there's a general tidying up. I guess once people started making a mess, it just sort of kept getting piled on as other passengers tried to avoid interacting with that mess, if that makes sense. Either that or there was just a total disregard for that area, I don't know.There was toilet paper, liquid, and human feces on the floor, toilet, and wall. I wish I were making this up.

[frlcb]

Jul 28, 2014 16:48:37 GMT -5 chicago said:

I hear you, frlcb. I've never seen a full scrub down, but I think it's expected that there's a general tidying up. I guess once people started making a mess, it just sort of kept getting piled on as other passengers tried to avoid interacting with that mess, if that makes sense. Either that or there was just a total disregard for that area, I don't know.There was toilet paper, liquid, and human feces on the floor, toilet, and wall. I wish I were making this up.

Oh it's totally disgusting, I feel for you. I can imagine the flight attendants had zero desire to clean it up too. 
Also, how does that happen? How do people poop on the floor and just go about their business and sit back down in their seat. Baffling.

[rupertpenny]

Jul 28, 2014 15:14:13 GMT -5 frlcb said:

Jul 28, 2014 15:09:41 GMT -5 GilliC said:

I agree! I thought the urine-soaked floors and footprints on the toilet seats on domestic Chinese flights were bad! I can't imagine being on a plane that had feces all over the lavatory! *shudder*

So speaking of that in the bathrooms in Yellowstone a few weeks ago we saw all these pictures of people standing on the toilet with a line through it and my mom and I could only come up with it being for Chinese tourists, but then talked about how when we were in China in the 80s there were just holes in the floor, and so would they actually stand on toilets? Apparently they do, especially if they hoist themselves up on the airplane toilet. Yuck.

There are signs all over the place in HK reminding people not to squat on the toilets. It's kind of crazy.

Anyway, I'm just looking at a standard couple of hour layover. My goal is to not get stuck in a shitty airport with vending machine sandwiches as my only food choice. Flying KLM or Emirates seems like the way to go.

[osumelissa]

I would go with either Emirates or KLM.

[babsbunny]

I vote for Amsterdam...

1. Amsterdam only has international flights (there are no domestic flights), so everyone is an international connecting traveler.
2. When I was last there in 2011, there was a Heineken bar on the roof and you could go out on the roof (even in March, though the bar was closed).
3. Plenty of English everywhere! And adorable Delft pottery and wooden shoe souvenirs.
4. Be careful that security for your flight is at your gate, so you can't buy sodas and then bring them on board since you get checked right before you board (maybe someone else can verify if this has changed).

I feel like Emirates might be a cool idea if it breaks up the long flight a little more evenly. Definitely review seat and aircraft reviews.

[jennybee1018]

I'd recommend Qatar Airways or Emirates. Middle Eastern airlines are fantastic and I've had great experience with both. We live in Qatar so we primarily fly Qatar Airways.

Doha just opened their brand new airport, which is bigger and nicer than the old one!!

Emirates has their own terminal in Dubai, so it'd be ok for a layover I'm sure!

[GilliC]

Jul 28, 2014 20:05:28 GMT -5 babsbunny said:

I vote for Amsterdam...

1. Amsterdam only has international flights (there are no domestic flights), so everyone is an international connecting traveler.
2. When I was last there in 2011, there was a Heineken bar on the roof and you could go out on the roof (even in March, though the bar was closed).
3. Plenty of English everywhere! And adorable Delft pottery and wooden shoe souvenirs.
4. Be careful that security for your flight is at your gate, so you can't buy sodas and then bring them on board since you get checked right before you board (maybe someone else can verify if this has changed).

I feel like Emirates might be a cool idea if it breaks up the long flight a little more evenly. Definitely review seat and aircraft reviews.

You can definitely carry a soda onto a flight leaving from AMS. However, you do have to go through security again once you clear Schengen immigration, so be sure to buy anything you want to carry after passport control. Also, I'm pretty sure the Rijksmuseum and a lot of the fun stuff is in the transit area, which would be before passport control when you arrive. This is why it took me ages to get a chance to see it. I was always worried the passport line would be long, so I didn't want to dawdle in the transit area during a short layover and risk a line at immigration.

Re: #1, I'm not sure how that really makes a difference. There are still the Schengen and non-Schengen areas divided by passport control, and since transit passengers within the EU can't buy Duty Free, there aren't a lot of tax free shopping options on the Schengen side. IMO, a Schengen transfer area isn't much different from a domestic transfer area.

[anna7602]

I would vote for CDG just to have the chance to hit the Laduree for macarons and salted caramel candies and to hit the Paul for other baked goods. Oh, and to stock up on French magazines with all the make-up freebies at the Relay.

But, I haven't been through Schipol since 2001 or 2002 and can't remember it at all.

[CloudBee]

Jul 28, 2014 14:42:18 GMT -5 frlcb said:

Jul 28, 2014 13:53:48 GMT -5 chicago said:

I flew Qatar on our way home from Johannesburg to Chicago via Doha last summer. I have to say I really disliked Qatar. The service wasn't great, the seats weren't all that comfortable for long-haul, and the bathrooms were disgusting. The crew never went in to clean during the flight and there was literally shit everywhere. Who knows, it could have been that plane, that crew, plus I was six weeks pg at the time, but I wouldn't fly them again. That and Doha airport was a bit of a cluster. I'd fly Emirates.

My friend works for Emirates and it is a great airline, I would probably choose that too.


Non snarky question - you have actually seen the flight attendants clean bathrooms during the flight? I have traveled many, many, many times and have never seen this. So either I am completely clueless (which is possible!) or this isn't the norm.

Only in 1st when headed to Asia, and 1st headed to London.

[CloudBee]

Jul 29, 2014 13:52:52 GMT -5 anna7602 said:

I would vote for CDG just to have the chance to hit the Laduree for macarons and salted caramel candies and to hit the Paul for other baked goods. Oh, and to stock up on French magazines with all the make-up freebies at the Relay.

But, I haven't been through Schipol since 2001 or 2002 and can't remember it at all.

I pick CDG for personal comfort and familiarity is as well.

I would avoid Moscow right now, honestly.

[alleinesein]

Jul 29, 2014 13:52:52 GMT -5 anna7602 said:

I would vote for CDG just to have the chance to hit the Laduree for macarons and salted caramel candies and to hit the Paul for other baked goods. Oh, and to stock up on French magazines with all the make-up freebies at the Relay.

But, I haven't been through Schipol since 2001 or 2002 and can't remember it at all.

Ditto!  I could easily spend 2 hours at Laduree having tea and macarons.  And there are a ton of comfy lounge chairs all over the place.  Its like being in a giant upscale shopping mall.

Last time I flew through Schipol was in 2004; unless they have revamped the airport it wasn't that exciting. 

[miniroller]

Didn't even read the post Rupert. Just wanted to let you know I was quickly scrolling through most recent, & clicked your post. BECAUSE I'd mistakenly read, 'Help me choose my lover'
Get your mind out of the gutter miniroller!!

[rupertpenny]

Jul 29, 2014 14:01:52 GMT -5 CloudBee said:

Jul 29, 2014 13:52:52 GMT -5 anna7602 said:

I would vote for CDG just to have the chance to hit the Laduree for macarons and salted caramel candies and to hit the Paul for other baked goods. Oh, and to stock up on French magazines with all the make-up freebies at the Relay.

But, I haven't been through Schipol since 2001 or 2002 and can't remember it at all.

I pick CDG for personal comfort and familiarity is as well.

I would avoid Moscow right now, honestly.

Yeah, there is no way I'm going to Moscow. Nope nope nope nope.

[GilliC]

Jul 29, 2014 13:52:52 GMT -5 anna7602 said:

I would vote for CDG just to have the chance to hit the Laduree for macarons and salted caramel candies and to hit the Paul for other baked goods. Oh, and to stock up on French magazines with all the make-up freebies at the Relay.

But, I haven't been through Schipol since 2001 or 2002 and can't remember it at all.

My problem with CDG is that it's a big gamble depending on which gate you're departing from, so it's hard to know what to expect in advance. Air France international flights are terminal 2E, but that could mean K gates, L gates, or M gates (each being practically in a separate building). Ladurée only has a location at the K & M sections, and the K section has almost no dining options besides the standard food court and sandwich stands.

I assume there's some art to gate predictions, and there must be some way to move between K, L, and M even though I never saw it. But for me that's a lot of work just to avoid getting trapped at the wrong gates for an unfortunate layover. After an hour (and €150 of shopping) at the K gates, I was bored and hungry.

[pittpurple]

Jul 29, 2014 20:40:15 GMT -5 GilliC said:

Jul 29, 2014 13:52:52 GMT -5 anna7602 said:

I would vote for CDG just to have the chance to hit the Laduree for macarons and salted caramel candies and to hit the Paul for other baked goods. Oh, and to stock up on French magazines with all the make-up freebies at the Relay.

But, I haven't been through Schipol since 2001 or 2002 and can't remember it at all.

My problem with CDG is that it's a big gamble depending on which gate you're departing from, so it's hard to know what to expect in advance. Air France international flights are terminal 2E, but that could mean K gates, L gates, or M gates (each being practically in a separate building). Ladurée only has a location at the K & M sections, and the K section has almost no dining options besides the standard food court and sandwich stands.

I assume there's some art to gate predictions, and there must be some way to move between K, L, and M even though I never saw it. But for me that's a lot of work just to avoid getting trapped at the wrong gates for an unfortunate layover. After an hour (and €150 of shopping) at the K gates, I was bored and hungry.

Yup. I don't know the airport as well as GilliC but I've had awful experiences at CDG. It seems to take ages to get between terminals and we've had a hard time finding food a few times and now go out of my way to avoid CDG altogether. Not familiar with the Asian options but I love Amsterdam airport and would choose it. If you haven't been to Amsterdam yet it's definitely worth an extended layover as well since it's so easy to get into the city.

We really like airports without transport between terminals so we know we can run for our gate if we need to!

[Waffles]

I'd pick Doha or Dubai because of the airlines involved.