Air New Zealand Air Points - ZQN-SYD via CHC/AKL - Questions

I just spent an hour and ten minutes on the phone with a very nice NZ telephone agent who was unable to book me on a flight. I'm hoping someone here might be able to make some suggestions to help me.

I need to get from ZQN (Queenstown) to SYD on Sunday, 11 November. I need to arrive in SYD in time to catch a 17:00 flight to Hobart.

It appears my only routing option is ZQN-CHC-AKL-SYD.

The earliest ZQN-CHC is NZ5376 departing 8:50 and arriving 9:50. I must be on the 13:00 NZ119 arriving SYD at 14:30 if I am to make my connection in SYD.

This appears to leave me four options for flying CHC-AKL:
NZ522 Departs CHC 10:10 Arrives AKL 11:30. Connect time in CHC is only 20 mins.
NZ98 Departs CHC 10:15 Arrives AKL 11:40. Connect time in CHC is only 25 mins. Departs from International terminal.
NZ510 Departs CHC 11:00 Arrives AKL 12:20. Connect time in AKL is only 40 mins.
NZ90 Departs CHC 11:15 Arrives AKL 12:35. Connect time in AKL is only 25 mins. Arrives at International terminal.

Every flight option appears to violate the MCTs at CHC or AKL, and only the NZ522 flight is bookable according to the agent I spoke with (but it is indeed bookable on NZ.com, even though it appears to violate the MCT).

I was inclined to take NZ90/NZ98 for the BP seating and the fact that once in AKL, I presumably wouldn't have to deal with immigration/customs as I'd already be in the international terminal. I'm told I cannot take NZ98 as I wouldn't have enough time coming in from ZQN, and I'm told I cannot take NZ90 as I wouldn't have enough time to connect onward to NZ119 (I was thinking with NZ90 it would be as simple as walking from gate A to gate B but I guess I'm wrong).

Can any of you NZ frequent fliers give me any suggestions? I realize I could book these as separate tickets, but I'd be SOL if I mis-connected according to the agent. I can book NZ5376/NZ522/NZ119 as a single ticket with the 20 minute connect in CHC, but it would cost me more as a flexi ticket than if I bought individual flexi tickets for ZQN-CHC and CHC-SYD.

Am I more or less likely to make or miss one of the connections above, given my fixed arrival in CHC (9:50) and my fixed departure from AKL (13:00)?

Sorry to be such a pest, but I am out of my element when it comes to intra-NZ and NZ/OZ flight scheduling.

Any help or advice you can provide would be greatly appreciated!

FWIW, I've looked at routing via WLG and flights on Virgin Blue (too early) or Qantas (one might work, the others' timing doesn't work).

Thanks for your time!

Sean

You will struggle I think. With whom are you flying SYD-HBA?
You will need to allow time get from T1 SYD to T2 or T3.

Have you considered MEL-HBA or another airline CHC-SYD/MEL? You get UA mile's on EK
International to Domestic is a 3 minute walk in MEL & CHC
International to Domestic is a 10 minute bus - train ride in SYD (after waiting for it to arrive)


MEL HBA DJ376 19:45 20:55
MEL HBA QF1013 19:55 21:05
MEL HBA JQ715 21:15 22:25
MEL HBA DJ378 22:15 23:25

CHC SYD QF046 14:35 15:55
CHC SYD JQ150 15:05 16:30
CHC SYD EK413 18:05 19:25

CHC MEL JQ166 15:25 17:10
CHC MEL NZ0793 15:35 17:25

AKL MEL NZ0725 15:30 17:30
AKL MEL QF134 16:15 18:15
AKL MEL EK407 17:45 19:45

These NZ-Au times are before daylight saving came in, so are not correct now, but most are too late into SYD for you.

You need more time! Either by taking a later flight to HBA (as suggested), or possibly pre-positioning the evening before away from ZQN - ie fly to AKL or CHC (or drive to DUD or IVC) on 10 Nov.

The option of a later flight to HBA (and perhaps from MEL instead of SYD) seems the only way if you can't depart ZQN the night before.

A very early morning start with a drive to DUD (4 hrs drive) would allow:

DUD-AKL NZ632 0945/1125
AKL-SYD NZ119 1300/1430

[KVS Availability Tool 2.9.1/Platinum - Apollo: ITN/US-ARL] (http://KVS.UnrealNetwork.com/Tool/?R)
DUD Dunedin NZ [NZDN]
SYD Sydney Kingsford Smith NS AU [YSSY]
SUN 11 Nov 2007

Carrier Flight From Depart To Arrive A/C St Availability
--------- ------ ---- --------- ---- --------- ---- ---- --------------------------------------
NZ 632 DUD 09:45 AKL 11:25 733 0 Y7 B7 M7 H0 Q0 V0 W0 T0 L0 S0 G0 K0 P0
-> NZ 119 AKL 13:00 SYD 14:30 763 0 C4 D4 Z4 J7 Y7 B7 M7 H7 Q7 V7 W7 T7 L7 S7 G1 K1 P0



Good luck, TK

For what it's worth,

DUD-HBA
[KVS Availability Tool 2.9.1/Platinum - Apollo: ITN/US-ARL] (http://KVS.UnrealNetwork.com/Tool/?R)
DUD Dunedin NZ [NZDN]
HBA Hobart TS AU
SUN 11 Nov 2007

Carrier Flight From Depart To Arrive A/C St Availability
--------- ------ ---- --------- ---- --------- ---- ---- --------------------------------------
NZ 632 DUD 09:45 AKL 11:25 733 0 Y7 B7 M7 H0 Q0 V0 W0 T0 L0 S0 G0 K0 P0
-> TG/NZ 4826 AKL 13:00 SYD 14:30 763 0 C0 D0 J0 Z0 Y4 B4 M4 H4 Q4 T4 K4 V4 W0
-> QF/JQ 5723 SYD 17:00 HBA 18:55 320 0 Y9 B9 H9 K9 M9 R9 L9 V9 S9 N9 Q9 O9
NZ 632 DUD 09:45 AKL 11:25 733 0 Y7 B7 M7 H0 Q0 V0 W0 T0 L0 S0 G0 K0 P0
-> UA/NZ 9547 AKL 13:00 SYD 14:30 763 0 C4 D4 Y4 B4 M4 H4 Q4 V4 W4 S4 T4 K4 L0 G0 Z4 E0 U0
-> JQ 723 SYD 17:00 HBA 18:55 320 0 J0 D0 Y4 V4 T4 S4 R4 Q4 O4 N4 M0 L0 K0 H0 E0 C0
NZ 632 DUD 09:45 AKL 11:25 733 0 Y7 B7 M7 H0 Q0 V0 W0 T0 L0 S0 G0 K0 P0
-> NZ 119 AKL 13:00 SYD 14:30 763 0 C4 D4 Z4 J7 Y7 B7 M7 H7 Q7 V7 W7 T7 L7 S7 G1 K1 P0
-> JQ 723 SYD 17:00 HBA 18:55 320 0 J0 D0 Y4 V4 T4 S4 R4 Q4 O4 N4 M0 L0 K0 H0 E0 C0
NZ/Airnz 5014 DUD 11:50 CHC 12:45 AT7 0 Y7 B7 M7 H3 Q1 V0 W0 T0 L0 S0 G0 K0 P0
-> JQ 166 CHC 15:25 MEL 17:10 320 0 J0 D0 Y4 V4 T4 S4 R4 Q4 O4 N0 M0 L0 K0 H0 E0 C0
-> DJ 376 MEL 19:45 HBA 20:55 73G 0 Y9 N9 B9 M9 H9 Q9 S0 T0 A0 U0 X0 R0 O0 P0 C0 E0


ZQN-HBA
[KVS Availability Tool 2.9.1/Platinum - Apollo: ITN/US-ARL] (http://KVS.UnrealNetwork.com/Tool/?R)
ZQN Queenstown Frankton NZ [NZQN]
HBA Hobart TS AU
SUN 11 Nov 2007

Carrier Flight From Depart To Arrive A/C St Availability
--------- ------ ---- --------- ---- --------- ---- ---- -----------------------------------
QF/#Q 2792 ZQN 13:00 AKL 14:50 733 0 Y9 B9 H9 K9 M8 R0 L0 V0 S0 N0 Q0 O0
-> QF 134 AKL 16:25 MEL 18:20 73H 0 J1 C0 D0 Y9 B9 H9 K0 M0 R0 L0 V0 S0 N0 Q0 O0
-> QF 1013 MEL 19:55 HBA 21:05 73H 0 J8 D0 Y9 B9 H9 K9 M9 R9 L9 V9 S9 N9 Q9 O0
NZ/Airnz 5042 ZQN 12:55 CHC 13:55 AT7 0 Y7 B7 M7 H7 Q4 V0 W0 T0 L0 S0 G0 K0 P0
-> QF 46 CHC 15:35 SYD 16:50 763 0 J9 C9 D9 Y6 B5 H4 K0 M0 R0 L0 V0 S0 N0 Q0 O0
-> DJ 622 SYD 19:35 HBA 21:25 73G 0 Y9 N9 B9 M9 H9 Q9 S9 T9 A0 U0 X0 R0 O0 P9 C0 E0
NZ/Airnz 5042 ZQN 12:55 CHC 13:55 AT7 0 Y7 B7 M7 H7 Q4 V0 W0 T0 L0 S0 G0 K0 P0
-> CA/Ze 5124 CHC 15:55 SYD 17:25 320 0 C4 D4 Y4 B4 M4 H4 K4 L4 Q4 G4
-> DJ 622 SYD 19:35 HBA 21:25 73G 0 Y9 N9 B9 M9 H9 Q9 S9 T9 A0 U0 X0 R0 O0 P9 C0 E0
NZ/Airnz 5042 ZQN 12:55 CHC 13:55 AT7 0 Y7 B7 M7 H7 Q4 V0 W0 T0 L0 S0 G0 K0 P0
-> UA/Ze 9589 CHC 15:55 SYD 17:25 320 0 C4 D4 Y4 B4 M4 H4 Q4 V4 W4 S4 T4 K0 L0 G0 Z4 E0 U0
-> DJ 622 SYD 19:35 HBA 21:25 73G 0 Y9 N9 B9 M9 H9 Q9 S9 T9 A0 U0 X0 R0 O0 P9 C0 E0

Using a mix of NZ/QF might work too

ZQN-CHC NZ5376 0850/0950

CHC-AKL NZ90 1115/1235, or
CHC-AKL QF2762 1100/1220

AKL-SYD QF190 1350/1510

If you have an extra day to burn, you could fly Sat 10, ZQN-SYD non-stop in the evening and spend Sat/Sun in SYD ... then to Hobart.

If you have an extra day to burn, you could fly Sat 10, ZQN-SYD non-stop in the evening and spend Sat/Sun in SYD ... then to Hobart.vysean is listed as attending Kiwi Mainland Do (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=628678) 9-11 November 2007, so will be trying to get max time in Queenstown

You guys (and/or gals) are great - thanks for the quick and helpful responses!

I am in fact attending the DO, so cannot leave Saturday (flights don't depart late enough from ZQN), but can (reluctantly) leave early Sunday to catch the flights.

I appreciate the time you all took to respond - it looks like NZ5376/NZ90/QF190 is the best option - I just wish I could stick with all NZ for * mileage credit (hate to basically throw away 1300 miles).

Anyway, thanks again!


Sean

We do it all for the challenge and satisfaction, but I'll take beer in lieu ;)

See you in ZQN. Cheers, TK

We do it all for the challenge and satisfaction, but I'll take beer in lieu ;)

See you in ZQN. Cheers, TK

Coors or Budweiser? Nothing but the best will do... :p

Name the time and place, and you'll have your beer. I wonder if NZ customs will allow my crap American beer through? :)