Ask me any questions - Part 2

Ruriel

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Frankly I expected this sort of response in EDMW but not here.

The Vistara (49% SIA owned btw) pilots aren't fresh out of flight school: they've already been flying for a few years, and they will only be the FO on SQ's dreamliners (not the captain).

So these flights will still be helmed by SQ's normal captains, are you so afraid that the Vistara FO's will just anyhow skip pre-flight checks & all that and the Captain won't know?

If you are so afraid, then what about SQ (or any other airlines) cadets who are fresh out of flight school? Aren't those flights just as risky (if not even riskier)?

Not going into any arguments or debates here. I'm just highlighting the issue in case there are people who did not read the news. If its a non issue for you, great! But it's an issue for me personally, so that's that. :o
 

NTB2DO

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Actually why is SQ still preferable now that they have announced they are letting Indian pilots of Indian Airlines Visteria to get pilot training and "accumulate flight hours" on SQ routes?

I'm not trying to be racist but (non SG) Indian pilots are rather notorious for breaking rules. I'll be staying away from SQ/Scoot flights for these 12 months if I can help it.

Well, only 1 reason: direct flight.. :o
 

evilerniex

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Flying to Japan tomorrow. My hotel booked from Agoda collects payment at hotel. Should i pay cash in japan or by credit card?
Credit cards will incur admin fee of 2.5-4%, so if u have rebates or points/miles that are worth more than that, then just use card.
 

evilerniex

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Anyway my line of thought is airlines I have quite a few to choose from (SQ of cos is most preferable but not a must). So I just keep monitoring, all the way till May, if SQ/ANA/JAL still cost $1k+, then I'd take other airline (likely Cathay?)
My thinking is the other way round. Airlines there is only that few that goes Japan, even fewer if u want direct. And there are only that many flights by each airline a day. Once the seats are gone, u dun have a way to get to Japan.
Whereas for accommodation, there are thousands to choose from, and u can always stay in the outskirts or another city if u can't find anything in the city u want to visit
 

Ruriel

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For direct to Tokyo, there is Sq, Ana, jal, delta. For anywhere else in Japan, Sq is the only way

Not quite true. There's no direct flight to Hokkaido even with SQ except during the winter season.
 

NTB2DO

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My thinking is the other way round. Airlines there is only that few that goes Japan, even fewer if u want direct. And there are only that many flights by each airline a day. Once the seats are gone, u dun have a way to get to Japan.
Whereas for accommodation, there are thousands to choose from, and u can always stay in the outskirts or another city if u can't find anything in the city u want to visit

My concern with accommodation is firstly location - I want somewhere near city centre, near amenities, near train station. And because I'm traveling with my family, I prefer to stay together, so I would need a "family" room (or connecting room at least). Am still unfamiliar with Osaka (never been there) but I believe accommodations that meet the requirements should be hard to find? So if I start searching earlier, my chance of getting one would be higher?

Indeed, when I browsed through the booking sites, recommendations were mostly 3x twin room or 1x twin + 1x triple room kind of combination because most hotels simply do not have that a single room for 5. Only very few have - I actually found a couple which I'm very much in favour of - but alas, when I keyed in the dates, I was told they were already booked (across all the usual hotel booking sites). Nevertheless, I still managed to shortlist 2 (was 3 but I dropped the "apartment", opting for hotels instead). After I made the booking, out of curiosity, I keyed the specs again in other booking sites, indeed the rooms I booked were no longer available!

As for the air tickets, a big difference between booking tickets and booking accommodation (via the booking sites) is air tickets, once booked, you can't cancel, so if a better deal come along, just too bad. Whereas for hotel room, you can still change/cancelled if you find a better deal.

BTW is not to late to book air tickets 6 months before departure date, is it? (However, since Gixxerfied said unlikely price will fall for Dec departure, likely I'll do it latest by end of next month..)
 

thwysg

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My concern with accommodation is firstly location - I want somewhere near city centre, near amenities, near train station. And because I'm traveling with my family, I prefer to stay together, so I would need a "family" room (or connecting room at least). Am still unfamiliar with Osaka (never been there) but I believe accommodations that meet the requirements should be hard to find? So if I start searching earlier, my chance of getting one would be higher?

Indeed, when I browsed through the booking sites, recommendations were mostly 3x twin room or 1x twin + 1x triple room kind of combination because most hotels simply do not have that a single room for 5. Only very few have - I actually found a couple which I'm very much in favour of - but alas, when I keyed in the dates, I was told they were already booked (across all the usual hotel booking sites). Nevertheless, I still managed to shortlist 2 (was 3 but I dropped the "apartment", opting for hotels instead). After I made the booking, out of curiosity, I keyed the specs again in other booking sites, indeed the rooms I booked were no longer available!

As for the air tickets, a big difference between booking tickets and booking accommodation (via the booking sites) is air tickets, once booked, you can't cancel, so if a better deal come along, just too bad. Whereas for hotel room, you can still change/cancelled if you find a better deal.

BTW is not to late to book air tickets 6 months before departure date, is it? (However, since Gixxerfied said unlikely price will fall for Dec departure, likely I'll do it latest by end of next month..)

Else you can wait and see if there’s travel deals during NATAS. As for room booking, I’ll still say your dates are too early for booking. You can book air tickets any time too if you would like. I had a last minute booking in May 2018. Booked everything just two weeks before the trip.
 

evilerniex

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Not quite true. There's no direct flight to Hokkaido even with SQ except during the winter season.


oh, i meant those that have direct flight, it is just SQ. which is just fukuoka, kansai and nagoya
 

NTB2DO

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Else you can wait and see if there’s travel deals during NATAS. As for room booking, I’ll still say your dates are too early for booking. You can book air tickets any time too if you would like. I had a last minute booking in May 2018. Booked everything just two weeks before the trip.

Noted - thanks!

Room bookings I can always cancel. For the time being I just "chope" 2 first (can't decide which one is better). I'll monitor again closer to travelling date (like 3 months earlier?), if I can find better deal, I'll cancel my earlier bookings. :)
 

buaypangsai

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trying to book using tocoo for car rental at hokkaido

can i clarify here on Select ETC/Wi-Fi Pickup Location? my car rental starts at sapporo city station at 3pm and i am driving to furano straight away. do i ask the wifi to be sent to my sapporo hotel or furano hotel?
 

darkmatt

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I always book air tickets first before hotels..

hotels can always find. air tickets are limited to X
 

Takagi

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Yea. One week during late July for Osaka and two weeks in August for Tokyo some years back.
I have, my first trip was Tokyo in August.

Tokyo is hot and humid. Don't forget that in SG normally we are in air con most of the time, but in Japan when on holiday you are walking outdoors a LOT.

It's not unbearably hot, just that be prepared to be sweaty and sticky every day.

Advantages of travelling during summer are that it's peach season, and cold sweet ripe Japanese peach on a hot day is freaking amazing. And also the summer festivals (by coincidence I visited during the super yosakoi dance festival on omotesando which was amazing to watch).
i see, i only worry about how hot the weather can be in aug and scare typhoon strike :o
 

luishoon

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i see, i only worry about how hot the weather can be in aug and scare typhoon strike :o

For Kyoto and osaka where i am currently living and working August was
Nightmare last year. Temp went as high as 39.8 for a day in Kyoto.
Many people was down with 熱中症 or heat sickness. Ambulance were over
Worked. Coming from sg i also find the heat unbearable. Imagine hot wind
Blowing at you at 39 degrees.

My advice. Bring portable fans and hydrate yourself.
I hate it when i wear suits and reach office all wet.

For typhoon last year was a record high 20 plus. The most serious
Was number 23 if i rem correctly.
Typhoon is normally sep or oct here.
Strong wind, heavy rain. Some part of my neighbours roof flew off and some part of
The glass ceiling at kyoto station dropped of.

Take cares if you plan to come during this period
 
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NTB2DO

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Anybody ever tried doing a day trip from Osaka/Kyoto to Shirakawa-go? I read that it takes at least 3 hrs one way to Shirakawa-go!!! Is it advisable? The place was mentioned in yesterday's ST life as one of the must-go places in Japan (the other being Himeji-jo, which I intend to include in my itinerary).
 

luishoon

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Anybody ever tried doing a day trip from Osaka/Kyoto to Shirakawa-go? I read that it takes at least 3 hrs one way to Shirakawa-go!!! Is it advisable? The place was mentioned in yesterday's ST life as one of the must-go places in Japan (the other being Himeji-jo, which I intend to include in my itinerary).

My trip to Shirikawa-go was via a bus from Nagoya station which was nearer.
heres the link.
many buses to choose from.
its very beautiful during the winter.
their winter lighting event is very famous.
however you have to take note of your tickets.

the one that i bought only allows me to stay in Shrikawa-go for a few hours and you need to board the bus back to nagoya station.

http://ml.shirakawa-go.org/en/access/

so take note and have fun.

himeiji is good. i just brought a friend there last month.
its famous for the white castle and during the night theres lighting too.
however, i feel the trip is only for the castle, nothing much else in Himeji though.
 

thwysg

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Anybody ever tried doing a day trip from Osaka/Kyoto to Shirakawa-go? I read that it takes at least 3 hrs one way to Shirakawa-go!!! Is it advisable? The place was mentioned in yesterday's ST life as one of the must-go places in Japan (the other being Himeji-jo, which I intend to include in my itinerary).

If you want a more relaxed trip, I suggest you stay at least 1-2N in Kanazawa and do a day trip to Shirakawa-go. It’s a small place, do take note the round trip of the bus journey is long.
 

evilerniex

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Anybody ever tried doing a day trip from Osaka/Kyoto to Shirakawa-go? I read that it takes at least 3 hrs one way to Shirakawa-go!!! Is it advisable? The place was mentioned in yesterday's ST life as one of the must-go places in Japan (the other being Himeji-jo, which I intend to include in my itinerary).

Shirakawago is in Chubu region, and will require train and bus to get there if u planning to go from osaka. will be expensive and time consuming to head there just for one attraction. will be better if u can spend a few nights in the regions and explore other attractions in the area.

there are many "must-go" places in japan and it is not possible to cover everything in a trip unless u are planning to spend months there. for a first trip, i suggest u focus on just 1 or 2 regions
 

NTB2DO

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Thanks luishoon, thwysg, evilerniex for sharing!

So conclusion is, not a good idea to do a day trip to Shirakawa-go from Osaka/Kyoto..

Oh well, perhaps another time then. :(
 

NTB2DO

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My trip to Shirikawa-go was via a bus from Nagoya station which was nearer.
heres the link.
many buses to choose from.
its very beautiful during the winter.
their winter lighting event is very famous.
however you have to take note of your tickets.

the one that i bought only allows me to stay in Shrikawa-go for a few hours and you need to board the bus back to nagoya station.

http://ml.shirakawa-go.org/en/access/

so take note and have fun.

himeiji is good. i just brought a friend there last month.
its famous for the white castle and during the night theres lighting too.
however, i feel the trip is only for the castle, nothing much else in Himeji though.

Which means for the itinerary, just set aside half a day (say afternoon) for Himeji will suffice? Will it be too late to go back to Osaka (eg no more train service) if we stay until it lights up at night?
 
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