A trip from Europe to Australia usually takes around 24 hours with good flight connections. In my case, it’s going to take me around three days to make the journey, a very long time indeed.
With the pandemic wreaking havoc on airline schedules, I’ve been through quite a number of changes to my original trip. Collapsing demand for travel means airlines are adjusting the amount of flights they are operating on a regular basis, moving the goal posts for people with bookings.
Three Days Or Bust!
For my long haul journey, I am booked from Stockholm to Adelaide via Doha with Qatar Airways. At the moment the flights are still confirmed, though that could always change again. It already has a couple of times.
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- At least it’s not as long as the Gemini 5 spaceflight in 1965!
Since the departure time of my flight from Arlanda to Doha changed, I have three options. Take a KLM flight, which has a 6am departure and would leave me just two hours before my connection or overnight in either London or Stockholm, using British Airways or SAS.
A Matter Of Trust
The two hour connection is a little tight for me when flying KLM, an airline I’ve flown a grand total of once. Using Scandinavian Airlines is fine, I’ve flown them before from Dublin to Stockholm. The only problem here is if I need to cancel, I’ll be hard pressed to use the voucher.
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- One of the airlines I trust is British Airways.
With British Airways, I am familiar with them, have frequent flyer status and know if I need to swap my ticket for a voucher, I will be able to use it easily in future. However, the flight times don’t allow a same day connection, so an overnight at London Heathrow in the Sofitel is required.
20 Hours In Doha
When Qatar Airways moved my Doha to Adelaide flight to the following day, it hit the connection. Their one non-stop flight from Stockholm to Doha the day I am now flying arrives a few hours after the Adelaide flight leaves.
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- I have a feeling me and the bear in Doha Airport will be friends after this!
This means I have 20 hours in Doha in transit in the airport terminal. I can elect to chill out in the airline lounge for that duration, or fork out €245 for the airside hotel. Either way, it will be a long time, hence the three days of travel all in.
Overall Thoughts
Three days to get to Australia is still quite quick, if you compare it to the 18 day marathons of the 1930s. Either way, I am not complaining and it will be an adventure of sorts. Especially since I will then have 14 days of mandatory hotel quarantine on arrival.
Of course, all of this is still speculation. At this time I’m confirmed on my flights, but who knows what will happen? More changes could be coming my way. I won’t feel comfortable until I get on that Qatar Airways flight in Stockholm, as then at least I know I’ll make it.
Have you ever had a journey to Australia take three days? Or have you gone somewhere else and it’s taken far more time than expected due to some kind of disruption? Thank you for reading and if you have any comments or questions, please leave them below.
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Featured image by Colton Jones on Unsplash.
Gemini V patch via Heritage Auctions.
Doha Airport teddy bear by Bjørn Christian Tørrissen via Wikimedia Commons.
I appreciate the Gemini 5 reference. I read Cooper’s book a while back.
I don’t think I’ve read his one yet. I’ve read the books by Michael Collins (Carrying The Fire – excellent book), Deke Slayton, Walter Cunningham (All American Boys), Gene Cernan (The Last Man On The Moon), and Gene Kranz (Failure Is Not An Option) though and found them to be pretty good. Michael Collins easily has the best book for his writing style. I will have to check out Cooper’s one now. Thanks for the comment!
Have you checked if you’re eligible for Qatar’s free transit hotels? They’re beyond sterile transit but free is free. As long as you’re on the shortest stopover available and it’s 8-24 hrs long you’re supposed to be eligible, but who knows in these days.
From what I understand, only Qatari nationals can enter Qatar at the moment, so the free transit hotel option on long layovers is not happening at the moment. I would avail of that if it were an option. It’s one to remember for long connections though, as people often forget that Qatar Airways provide that. Great point, thank you!