Hello
Thought you guys might be interested in getting to Europe over X-Mas/NY for about $1950 on half-decent airlines (Qantas, Lufthansa, Swiss, Emirates).
Qantas has some weird flight combo at the moment. Booked 19 Dec MEL-SYD, 21 Dec SYD-Jakarta and 25 Jan SIN-MEL (on EK) for $AUD1042 on the Qantas website, on one ticket. Then booked 22 Dec Jakarta-Vienna (but anywhere in Europe should do) and 21 Jan Rome to Singapore on Lufthansa/Swiss. First leg is via Frankfurt, the second via Zurich. Found the CGK-FRA-VIE;FCO-ZRH-SIN ticket on Hipmunk - booking on Expedia is $USD850ish, with 28 Degrees it would be about $AUD910. All up = $AUD1952.
Am a bit wary about spending overnight in Jakarta, there is a $USD35 visa on arrival charge and another 250,000IDR departure tax (about $USD20). With transfers a night in Jakarta in a "five or four star" hotel can be done for $200 (cheaper if travelling with someone else). You could always risk transferring from the Qantas flight which arrives at 6pm to the Lufthansa flight at 8.40pm, but I read you have to pay for the visa on arrival, leave the airport, check back in and pay the departure tax - even if you are travelling with hand luggage only!
So all up looking at about $2,200 with a stop over in Sydney, Jakarta and Singapore.
Thanks for looking into other fares, but it seems like such a lot of effort for minimal value considering SYD-AUH-AMS (Amsterdam) is only about $1600 AUD with KLM, and is only one stop. The ultra-long haul segments are on Etihad as well, so it's not as though you're flying on a 1 Star Airline. I also find KLM to be one of the better Skyteam members anyways.