Oceania (Australia, New Zealand & the South Pacific) - Minimum connecting time in Christchurch (NZ)?

Hello,
is this connection too tight?

Arrive 14:30 Jetstar JQ276 from Queenstown October 4th

Depart 16:55 Emirates EK419 to Sydney October 4th


I have separate tickets for the two parts of the flight, so I will have to collect my luggage first, then drop it off again. I first thought 2.25 hours should be plenty of time, but a friend of mine who has been at CHC airport before told me this could be awfully close.

Thanks in advance!

Hello,
is this connection too tight?

Arrive 14:30 Jetstar JQ276 from Queenstown October 4th

Depart 16:55 Emirates EK419 to Sydney October 4th


I have separate tickets for the two parts of the flight, so I will have to collect my luggage first, then drop it off again. I first thought 2.25 hours should be plenty of time, but a friend of mine who has been at CHC airport before told me this could be awfully close.

Thanks in advance!

I don't know how that is in actual practice, customs, etc, but according to Worldspan that connection pulls up as a 'legal' connection.
Minimum connecting time international to international in CHC for JQ is 120 minutes, which is an exception. Standard international to international is 60 minutes for minimum connecting time.

Hello,
is this connection too tight?

Arrive 14:30 Jetstar JQ276 from Queenstown October 4th

Depart 16:55 Emirates EK419 to Sydney October 4th


I have separate tickets for the two parts of the flight, so I will have to collect my luggage first, then drop it off again. I first thought 2.25 hours should be plenty of time, but a friend of mine who has been at CHC airport before told me this could be awfully close.

Thanks in advance!

On what did your friend base this ? A bad experience ? A normal experience based on a number of flights ?

On what did your friend base this ? A bad experience ? A normal experience based on a number of flights ?

I don't know, he just told me that leaving the first aircraft, collecting baggage, dropping baggage again, going through security once more, boarding the second flight all could take a lot of time, especially when factoring in that the Jetstar flight might be delayed. I'm more or less the opposite of a frequent flyer, so I don't know how long these steps usually take. :confused:

I don't know, he just told me that leaving the first aircraft, collecting baggage, dropping baggage again, going through security once more, boarding the second flight all could take a lot of time, especially when factoring in that the Jetstar flight might be delayed. I'm more or less the opposite of a frequent flyer, so I don't know how long these steps usually take. :confused:

In my experience that is fine.

malteg, welcome to FyerTalk. We'll enlist the aid of the readers of the Travel->Australia and New Zealand forum. Please follow the thread as it moves to there. Ocn Vw 1K, Moderator, TravelBuzz.

The problem is EK. For any other airline, you have tons of time. EK specifies in their C&C that economy pax must check-in 3 hours prior to departure time (and 1 hour prior for J and F). Technically they can unload you and deny boarding if you don't checkin 3 hours before; in practice this is enforced only if they are oversold (saving EK the expense of IDB compensation). Does NZ interline with EK on separate tickets? That would solve your problem. JQ does not, so you'd have to arrive earlier to meet the EK requirement.

As for CHC as an airport, domestic to int'l transfer in 45 min works fine (it is a small and efficient airport); I've done that several times (but on single ticket, so no risk in the connection).

The problem is EK. For any other airline, you have tons of time. EK specifies in their C&C that economy pax must check-in 3 hours prior to departure time (and 1 hour prior for J and F).


Thanks for your detailed response! I am planning to check-in online anyway, so that shouldn't be a problem, I think. Or do I have to drop off my baggage 3 hours in advance, too?

Thanks for your detailed response! I am planning to check-in online anyway, so that shouldn't be a problem, I think. Or do I have to drop off my baggage 3 hours in advance, too?Yes, you do. But any EK status would help, also I doubt EK is oversold often ex-CHC these days. All other airlines at CHC have 60 or 90 min checkin, so EK with 180 min is a bit over the top, but that is their rule and maybe the price of their cheaper fares.

I would look to take an earlier flight from Queenstown. Queenstown airport is surrounded by mountains and highly susceptible to weather delays. If you are too late arriving at Christchurch you'll be stuck.