• expired

MEL-KL-IRAN -TURKEY-ATH-SIN-MEL $1120 via Air Asia, Scoot, Pegasus Airlines (November)

81

Ok, this isn't for the faint of heart but found a great flight deal that starts in Melbourne and touches down in 5 countries!

Probably suited to an ambitious lone traveller/pairs, for $1119 with flight centre price match it's a good opportunity to clock up some decent flight hours!

In essence, this is a return flight to Athens, Greece for 5 nights. But as a 'bonus' you get to visit a total of 5 countries in Asia, Europe and the ME.
Layovers =

  1. Layover at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia for 3h 10m
  2. Layover at Teheran (Theran), Iran for 5h 10m
  3. Layover at Istanbul, Turkey for 7h 10m
  4. Arrive destination Athens, Greece (5 nights)
  5. Layover at Singapore for 20h 45m

Dates: Wednesday Dep: 01/Nov/2017 10:35 - Arr: Thursday 09/Nov/2017 11:15 (Includes the Melbourne Cup Long Weekend)

Hope this helps an ambitious OzBargainer out there!

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closed Comments

  • -2

    Why would you do the stop over in Tehran and make yourself ETSA inelegible, just to do this flight.

    Go to Iran by all means, it's an amazing country, but not worth the future hassle just for a cheap flight.

    • +11

      Not a valid neg
      Plenty of people have no aspirations to travel to the USA, so this may be for them.
      More info on ESTA ruling here:

      • +2

        Should be stated in post.

        I am ineliglbe and I have no desire to go to the US, but unfortunately need to in order to transit to Mexico and Guatamala.

        If you can stop over in Iran, may as well make the most of the most amazing country to travel in….fullstop

      • Yes it is. Who knows in the next year the UK, EU and even the rest of the world are gonna doing the same thing like the US did to ESTA, if you are going to do this just for the sake of getting a stamp on your passport then it can be very costly in the long run

    • I'm unsure but if you are only in transit I don't think there is any record of it in your passport so I don't think it affects any future visas

      • -1

        It is a transfer from AirAsia to Pegasus. A visa is required. They are both low cost carriers.

    • +1

      If you dont leave thge airport, then you wouldn't get stamped?

      But I wouldn't be surprised if they offered to stamp a piece of paper, rather then your passport.

      • You don't need to change terminals (there is only one international departures terminal) so no you don't need to clear immigration.

    • Absolute bullshit. I went to Tehran, for business years ago, and the visa is still in my passport, and I have visited the USA 5 times since then with never any issues.

      • -3

        You went years ago. Please do not spread misinformation.

        If you have been to Iran (or any of the the countries on the list) since 1 March 2011 you are excluded from getting an ESTA.

  • +3

    Pretty awesome, only issue is the Iran part :(
    If you are a frequent traveller to the US you should avoid a stopover in Iran because of heightened scrutiny by US CBP at Immigration.

  • No mention of which airlines?

    • AirAsia X, Pegasus Airlines, Scoot Airlines

  • Very niche.

  • +17

    You aren't actually visiting any of these countries, just laying over for a couple hours in the airports. Don't really see the point plus you'll be paying baggage fees on all the low cost carriers. Scoot is about $100 extra for bag, Air Asia will be similar. The final price will be more considerably higher.

    With your own link, it's $1175 to fly via Qatar with 1 stopover (a very good airline) and that includes bags food etc.

    • It's all horses for courses. 7hr layover in Istanbul Turkey could get you the opportunity to see a few landmarks, 20hrs in Singapore (4am - 12am the next day) could see you do the same along with a hotel stay. + KL and Iran; who knows! Humans can be pretty audacious sometimes. Oh, and pack light ;)

      • +5

        I take it you've never been to Istanbul airport (I assume its SAW not IST?)? You're not going to get any meaningful time to see sights on a 7 hour stopover - even on the assumption your flight isn't delayed.

        • Exactly SAW is so far away (it is SAW, been Pegasus). 2 hours each way the SAW to Taksim bus.

        • @sambutler9876:
          Longer, depending on time of day!
          Took me 90mins outbound at 4am, 4hrs inbound mid afternoon.

          having said that, i was actually quite happy flying Pegasus, much nicer than my TK flights!

    • +4

      That was my thought when I read the deal as well. I wouldn't have enough time to see much with the 7-10 hour layover times. By the time you take into account the flight might be delayed coming in and needing to be at the airport with plenty of time to catch the next flight. Add in confusion you might have with transport, etc I think these stopovers will only be a nuisance rather than a bonus. However, some people might be more organised than I am so this may well suit them.

      • Agree, last time we had a stopover we thought we had a few hours free to roam around a bit, but by the time we got off the plane and got some food we were rushing to make it to our next flight trying to find our gate

  • +2

    I saw the movie "Yes Man" and now know not to:

    1. Travel to Nebraska
    2. Take flying lessons
    3. Study Korean Language
    4. Approve a loan to a fertilizer company
    5. Date an Iranian
    6. Buy plane tickets at the last minute.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yes_Man_(film)

    • +2

      Thanks for your comment, ended up watching the movie on netflix :)

  • +4

    No Syria, Iraq?

    • i thought Istanbul was enough, why focus on Iran.

      http://smartraveller.gov.au/Countries/europe/southern/Pages/…

      !!!

      "Ankara and Istanbul, reconsider your need to travel."

      "Think seriously about whether you need to travel here due to the high level of risk. If you do travel, do your research and take a range of extra safety precautions, including having contingency plans. Check that your travel insurer will cover you."

      • DFAT
      • +6

        Neither Iran (despite events last week) or Istanbul are dangerous places. I feel safer in Tehran than I do in western cities. Istanbul is a great time to go, as hotels and sites are empty. While the security situation has deteriorated - its not like it is unsafe and you would be very very unlucky for something to happen to you.

        DFAT warnings are 99% a load of ****, which ahs more to do with politics, than safety.

        • +1

          DFAT warnings are 99% a load of ****, which ahs more to do with politics, than safety.

          Amen brother.

        • Except that often your travel insurance eligibility is related to what DFAT says.

        • @Wolfy:

          Actually most policies only do not cover "Do not travel", rather than "Reconsider your need to travel".

        • +1

          @supabrudda:

          Meanwhile it's apparently safe as to travel to the UK. Give me break FFS. Talk about taking the piss.

        • @BlinkyBill:
          It's a lot safer in the UK now than it was 20 years ago.

    • LOL!!!

  • +2

    $200+ to get an Iranian visa for a 5h 10min transit does not make this a deal. I assume that Pegasus allows connections so no need to buy a $80 Turkish visa but it will be a boring 7h 10min wait in the airport.

  • +15

    When I saw the title I thought you'd made a creative round the world style routing. In reality its just an incredibly long way to get to to Athens, on some of the smallest economy seats in the world with no included baggage or inflight service, long stopovers in boring airports (except Singapore) and the risk that if one flight is delayed you'll miss the next and be stuck in a random country paying last minute prices for new flights - all for the same price as a normal return on a full service airline would be.

    I regularly take ridiculous routings to save money but you'd be almost certifiably insane to consider doing this!

    I appreciate your effort in posting this but it's easily the worst flight deal I've ever seen on here. Take some time to build it yourself making sure you can spend a few days/weeks in these stopover locations and it might be OK!

  • but it's easily the worst flight deal I've ever seen on here.

    Ouch!

    • Sorry!

      • Nah all good ;)

  • I have been all above "budget" airlines, so expect nothing but traveling.
    I love to visit all those countries but Iran, because of my USA travel plan next year (I am guessing the transit passengers does not get stamped visa their passports, so don't lose ESTA).
    The deal would be great if they allow you stopover few days (including Tehran if you are not planning to go the USA).
    I am not interested Athens it is a great city but too expensive to do anything.
    Does anybody know the stopover possible for above countries?

    • +1

      They are individual tickets, so you should be able to. There could quite possibly be a price difference though.

      None of these flights you would be a transit passenger, except possibly in KUL or SIN - depending if they are booked as individual segments or not.

  • +1

    Im a simple man. I see Iran and so Iran.

  • +1

    For the sake of $60, if you're trying to get to Athens without jumping through hoops, Qatar Airlines is 11hrs quicker :)

  • Interesting that Pegasus didn't get good marks in this recent piece: http://www.traveller.com.au/china-eastern-airlines-and-other… and it also makes the world's worst list: http://www.traveller.com.au/skytrax-names-the-21st-worst-air…

    Second cheapest result Qatar would have been far better and actually cheaper after all extra costs added in.

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