I have never been to AKL previously. Am planning to do as part of my *RTW:
CHC-AKL,/x (NZ-C)
AKL-SYD, (TG-F)
I was wondering what the procedures are about connecting for the above.
1. Will I arrive and depart at the same terminal at AKL? Is this an airside connection, or do I need to come landside? What would be a reasonable connection time?
2. Do I need to clear security again?
3. Can I be checked thru to SYD at CHC despite connecting from NZ to TG?
4. Will the luggage be checked thru?
5. How easy is AKL to connect thru?
6. Does TG have its own F lounge, or do I use the NZ F lounge?
7. Is there immigration clearance / additional taxes etc that need to be paid when leaving NZ at AKL?
Apologies about the numerous questions. Would really appreciate any help!
Thanks
AJ
fm747
Feb 14, 04, 4:01 pm
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by AJLondon:
I have never been to AKL previously. Am planning to do as part of my *RTW:
CHC-AKL,/x (NZ-C)
AKL-SYD, (TG-F)
I was wondering what the procedures are about connecting for the above.
1. Will I arrive and depart at the same terminal at AKL? Is this an airside connection, or do I need to come landside? What would be a reasonable connection time?
No, the flight from CHC will arrive at the Auckland Domestic Terminal which is a few min walk from the International Terminal. You will have to go through security and clear immigration and pay NZ departure tax when you get to the International Terminal.
Allow about an hour to connect to be safe.
2. Do I need to clear security again?
Yes once you enter the Internatial Terminal
3. Can I be checked thru to SYD at CHC despite connecting from NZ to TG?
Since both are *A flights it should be possible to get your boarding pass for AKL-SYD in CHC.
4. Will the luggage be checked thru?
Yes. That will be possible.
5. How easy is AKL to connect thru?
It is not a huge airport and the domestic and international terminals are in walking distance.
6. Does TG have its own F lounge, or do I use the NZ F lounge?
The NZ lounge is very nice and has lots to offer. Use that one. I don't think TG have their own anyway.
7. Is there immigration clearance / additional taxes etc that need to be paid when leaving NZ at AKL?
Once you get to the international terminal you need to pay NZ$25 departure tax. I recommend you go to the very nice NZ F/C class chekin area, get your boarding pass, pay tax and go through immigration and security there. Less waiting in line that way.
Apologies about the numerous questions. Would really appreciate any help!
Thanks
AJ</font>
mad_atta
Feb 15, 04, 6:07 am
There are actually one or two flights from CHC to AKL that operate between the international terminals, as they are the extension of an international flight. I'm assuming you must actually be on one of these if you're in C class, since there's no business class on regular NZ domestic flights.
Easy ways to tell if it's an 'international' flight between CHC and AKL are
(a) if the flight number has 2 digits not three
(b) if the a/c is a 747 or a 767-300
(c) if it has business class.a
Being on an international rather than domestic flight will make your transit at AKL much easier, and presumably you'll have to exit the country at CHC.
AJLondon
Feb 15, 04, 7:53 am
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by mad_atta:
There are actually one or two flights from CHC to AKL that operate between the international terminals, as they are the extension of an international flight. I'm assuming you must actually be on one of these if you're in C class, since there's no business class on regular NZ domestic flights.
Easy ways to tell if it's an 'international' flight between CHC and AKL are
(a) if the flight number has 2 digits not three
(b) if the a/c is a 747 or a 767-300
(c) if it has business class.a
Being on an international rather than domestic flight will make your transit at AKL much easier, and presumably you'll have to exit the country at CHC.</font>
Thanks mad_atta,
If my routing was like:
SIN-SYD,
SYD-AKL,
AKL-CHC,
CHC-MEL,
MEL-SIN
Now can I take a AKL-CHC 'international' flight which has business class, even if I want to stay in CHC for a few days. If so, will need to clear customs/immi again at CHC, even though I boarded at AKL, and does CHC also have two separate terminals.
If my routing was like:
SIN-SYD,
SYD-AKL,
AKL-CHC,
CHC-MEL,
MEL-SIN
Now can I take a AKL-CHC 'international' flight which has business class, even if I want to stay in CHC for a few days. If so, will need to clear customs/immi again at CHC, even though I boarded at AKL, and does CHC also have two separate terminals.
Only if you're very lucky can you get AKL-CHC business as domestic only segment on the "international" flight - ie without the international leg on same flight number. IIRC it is only CHC-AKL anyway not AKL-CHC.
CHC has only one terminal but international part is separate from domestic (like WLG) with its own security.
Kiwi Flyer
Feb 15, 04, 11:36 am
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by AJLondon:
I have never been to AKL previously. Am planning to do as part of my *RTW:
CHC-AKL,/x (NZ-C)
AKL-SYD, (TG-F)
I was wondering what the procedures are about connecting for the above.
1. Will I arrive and depart at the same terminal at AKL? Is this an airside connection, or do I need to come landside? What would be a reasonable connection time?
No, the flight from CHC will arrive at the Auckland Domestic Terminal which is a few min walk from the International Terminal. You will have to go through security and clear immigration and pay NZ departure tax when you get to the International Terminal.
Allow about an hour to connect to be safe.
</font>
You can walk (its not all under cover) - get close up view of parts of airport you dont normally see, or take the free inter-terminal shuttle (runs about every 15 minutes), or if really pushed a taxi (beware the $15 charge!!!)
If you check in for the international segment at AKL at the premier check-in you speed through customs and can pay the departure fee there. In this case 45 minutes to an hour is fine connection-wise.
But I think an hour is too short for a connection and the regular customs queue and paying departure fee at the bank. I would want 90 minutes.
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">
2. Do I need to clear security again?
Yes once you enter the Internatial Terminal
3. Can I be checked thru to SYD at CHC despite connecting from NZ to TG?
Since both are *A flights it should be possible to get your boarding pass for AKL-SYD in CHC.
4. Will the luggage be checked thru?
Yes. That will be possible.
5. How easy is AKL to connect thru?
It is not a huge airport and the domestic and international terminals are in walking distance.
6. Does TG have its own F lounge, or do I use the NZ F lounge?
The NZ lounge is very nice and has lots to offer. Use that one. I don't think TG have their own anyway.
7. Is there immigration clearance / additional taxes etc that need to be paid when leaving NZ at AKL?
Once you get to the international terminal you need to pay NZ$25 departure tax. I recommend you go to the very nice NZ F/C class chekin area, get your boarding pass, pay tax and go through immigration and security there. Less waiting in line that way.
Apologies about the numerous questions. Would really appreciate any help!
Thanks
AJ</font>
Note that apart from the exception referred by mad_atta there is no domestic C or F in NZ.
AJLondon
Feb 15, 04, 11:36 am
Oops.
[This message has been edited by AJLondon (edited Feb 15, 2004).]
mad_atta
Feb 15, 04, 7:46 pm
There are actually a surprisingly large number of CHC-AKL 'international' flights (though not in the other direction, strangely), and the NZ90 and NZ98 connect quite well to TG AKL-SYD.
For Feb-Apr, for example, there are the following CHC-AKL flights offering C class (and, one assumes, the NZ4 and NZ 6 probably offer F as well since they connect to the America routes):
Flight Frm Departs To Arrives Typ Meal Freq Begins Until OperatedBy
NZ 90 CHC 11:00am AKL 12:20pm 744 S .TW.... 17FEB04 17MAR04
NZ 4 CHC 3:40pm AKL 5:00pm 744 S ......S 21MAR04 21MAR04
NZ 90 CHC 10:00am AKL 11:20am 744 S .TW.... 23MAR04 24MAR04
NZ 6 CHC 1:00pm AKL 2:20pm 744 S .T....S 28MAR04 16MAY04
NZ 4 CHC 3:40pm AKL 5:00pm 744 S ......S 15FEB04 07MAR04
NZ 90 CHC 9:40am AKL 11:00am 744 S ..W.... 31MAR04 28APR04
NZ 98 CHC 10:40am AKL 12:00N 744 S M....S. 14FEB04 08MAR04
NZ 98 CHC 10:40am AKL 12:00N 744 S ......S 15FEB04 07MAR04
NZ 98 CHC 9:40am AKL 11:00am 744 S M....SS 21MAR04 28MAR04
NZ 98 CHC 10:40am AKL 12:00N 744 S M....SS 13MAR04 20MAR04
NZ 98 CHC 10:05am AKL 11:25am 763 S ......S 04APR04 26SEP04
NZ 98 CHC 10:05am AKL 11:25am 763 S M...... 29MAR04 27SEP04
NZ 98 CHC 10:05am AKL 11:25am 763 S .T..... 30MAR04 28SEP04
Glad you enjoyed the trip report, by the way! I *must* get around to finishing it... http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/redface.gif