Queenstown to Auckland - Which Side For Best Views
Nov 19, 2015, 1:49 pm
#16
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Wellington
Programs: QFWP (LTSG), NZ (Jade), TG ROP (Forgotten), OZ (Silver), AA (Cardboard), EK (Lowest of the Low)
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Note airports rarely "close", it is part of a commercial availability agreement. Instead they state that it is up to the airlines and pilots to decide if it is safe to land. When they do close it is usually due to runways being unavailable eg. runway repairs or damage/inspections due to earthquakes.
I cannot say if NZ pilots are better, less risk adverse or not but from my experience when they do (Air NZ and QF/JQ Jetconnect) do a go around it has been a very unstable landing approach.
I cannot say if NZ pilots are better, less risk adverse or not but from my experience when they do (Air NZ and QF/JQ Jetconnect) do a go around it has been a very unstable landing approach.
Nov 19, 2015, 10:02 pm
#17
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: New Zealand
Programs: NZ*S plus various hotel programs
Posts: 945
Other main reason I've hit, mainly when "landing" at WLG is that the visibility is below the minimum acceptable limits at the end of approach. From memory, this is 300feet for WLG. This will result in a go around and either a hold to give it time for conditions to change or a divert, which is often back to AKL for flights from AKL.
Nov 20, 2015, 2:07 am
#18
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: New Zealand (most of the time)
Programs: Air NZ Elite *G, Honors Gold, IHG Platinum Elite
Posts: 6,118
QF operate on different minimums to NZ. This is why JQ and QF flights into WLG for example will routinely divert while NZ are still flying their while fleet to schedule.
Nov 22, 2015, 11:34 pm
#20
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: New Zealand (most of the time)
Programs: Air NZ Elite *G, Honors Gold, IHG Platinum Elite
Posts: 6,118
WLG has different minimums for jet and turboprop services.
I'm not 100% sure if it's still the case but QF did operate their jets on the turboprop minimums, meaning they wouldn't fly despite Air NZ flying jets. Even when visibility is fine they seem to routinely divert in bad winds while everybody else if flying.
JQ/QF have a *lot* of diverts from WLG, and typically don't even try a 2nd time now before diverting to their alternate. Even yesterday the QF from SYD diverted to CHC meanwhile WLG was operating as normal with an A320, Q300 and PC12 landing and taking off either side.
I'm not 100% sure if it's still the case but QF did operate their jets on the turboprop minimums, meaning they wouldn't fly despite Air NZ flying jets. Even when visibility is fine they seem to routinely divert in bad winds while everybody else if flying.
JQ/QF have a *lot* of diverts from WLG, and typically don't even try a 2nd time now before diverting to their alternate. Even yesterday the QF from SYD diverted to CHC meanwhile WLG was operating as normal with an A320, Q300 and PC12 landing and taking off either side.
Nov 24, 2015, 2:47 pm
#23
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: New Zealand
Programs: Air New Zealand NZ*S
Posts: 237
He then went round again the other way so the people on the other side could see it as well.
Nov 24, 2015, 11:52 pm
#24
Moderator, Hilton Honors
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