TN / Air Tahiti Nui First Class?
Mar 10, 2009, 8:46 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2005
Programs: AA-EXP, Flying Blue-Silver
Posts: 727
TN / Air Tahiti Nui First Class?
My wife and I are planning a trip to Tahiti and I'm trying to decide between Air Tahiti Nui Business Class or splurging for First Class.
So, my question is, how is Air Tahiti Nui's First Class Product? Food? Wine? Champagne? Amenities? How's the service? The seats/first cabin basically look the same as the Row 1 Envoy Seats/Cabin on US Airways. Finally, is it significantly better from a product perspective than Air Tahiti Nui Business Class to warrant spending the extra money?
Any insight would be most appreciated.
So, my question is, how is Air Tahiti Nui's First Class Product? Food? Wine? Champagne? Amenities? How's the service? The seats/first cabin basically look the same as the Row 1 Envoy Seats/Cabin on US Airways. Finally, is it significantly better from a product perspective than Air Tahiti Nui Business Class to warrant spending the extra money?
Any insight would be most appreciated.
Mar 10, 2009, 11:07 am
#3
Community Director Emerita
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Anywhere warm
Posts: 33,739
I currently have 1 first and 1 biz ticket on a flight. Every flight I've checked has only 1 F and 1 C seat available for redemption. Has anyone been successful in getting a 2nd F seat? Does TN ever release additional award seats once the first set is taken?
Mar 10, 2009, 12:40 pm
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
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TN stopped doing that entirely, went to 1 F and 1C only on most flights. A few months ago (or so, could be a bit longer back) they started loading 2 F award seats on some flights.
They don't appear to actively manage award inventory such that additional F award seats appear when they don't seem to be selling the seats. It has happened as reported here on Flyertalk, but most of the time it seems as though it never does and they simply offer upsells at checkin which are quite expensive and not worth it IMHO.
Worth continually checking inventory of course but most likely the travelers will wind up sitting together in business in spite of the first class award
Meanwhile, to the OP question I will say that
* the food and service in TN F are excellent, the PJs nice (and colorful!) and the amenity kit bountiful. When I flew them they offered a nice cart service for meals, laid out proper silverware with each course, and were very obliging... and the food was quite good.
* it's a no brainer on an AA award where the mileage premium is small. And in my case the award was LAX-PPT-AKL-SYD-MEL-LAX on TN and QF, so the mileage premium was the biggest no brainer in the history of earth an incremental 20k apiece for all that flying.
* If I were paying, and I were flying just LAX-PPT-LAX, then I'd say that business class is more than sufficient for an 8 hour flight. But I find business class to be perfectly adequate transportation for my US East Coast transatlantic flying.
Mar 15, 2009, 4:55 pm
#6
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I have nothing to refer to but photos, but the difference between C and F didn't appear to me to be worth obsessing over... a little more recline, slightly better catering.
Word is TN is going to kill F anyway and go to an upgraded business class... if they survive that is.
Jun 2, 2009, 9:34 am
#7
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Chicago
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My wife and I are stuck with 1 award seat in business and 1 award seat in first. We have heard about the ability to buy an upgrade for the business class seat. Can this be confirmed in advance? We are planning to travel in March 2010. Any idea if first will even be around at that point?
Aug 12, 2009, 12:02 pm
#8
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Los Angeles, CA USA
Programs: AA/UA
Posts: 325
My wife and I are stuck with 1 award seat in business and 1 award seat in first. We have heard about the ability to buy an upgrade for the business class seat. Can this be confirmed in advance? We are planning to travel in March 2010. Any idea if first will even be around at that point?
You just have to keep calling and calling and calling (did I mention calling?).. early early Am or very late night like after 10-11pm (I did but booking via American Air reward) which usually release seats around midnight Central time ( I am PST)
I have called religiously 2-3 times a day for almost 3 weeks (travel is Sept 2009) and it just opened up last night at 11pm
YAY two in F!! I'll rub it in how it is later
BTW you are confirmed so far out that I doubt they will release anything like 2 seats much before 30 days before departure..
Aug 12, 2009, 12:05 pm
#9
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Los Angeles, CA USA
Programs: AA/UA
Posts: 325
Until a few months ago TN was definitely loading up to 4 C seats per flight for long-range redemption... and in several cases I saw two Fs per flight. My family and I got 3 C seats SYD-PPT-LAX for this July with minimal problem, but we dropped the booking when TN dropped SYD and NW tried to get us to agree to fly over to AKL (the only remaining TN station in the region) on our own dime.
I have nothing to refer to but photos, but the difference between C and F didn't appear to me to be worth obsessing over... a little more recline, slightly better catering.
Word is TN is going to kill F anyway and go to an upgraded business class... if they survive that is.
I have nothing to refer to but photos, but the difference between C and F didn't appear to me to be worth obsessing over... a little more recline, slightly better catering.
Word is TN is going to kill F anyway and go to an upgraded business class... if they survive that is.
I havent heard about this or seen anything on their site about killign first class.. it was rumored for ages though
Aug 12, 2009, 5:21 pm
#10
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Congratulations on getting the seat!
For others seeking the same thing, my suggestion would be an ExpertFlyer subscription. Their system will pull A inventory and you can set it up to email you when A seats appear...
(KVS Tool will display A inventory accurately through the Sabre method but will not email you )
For others seeking the same thing, my suggestion would be an ExpertFlyer subscription. Their system will pull A inventory and you can set it up to email you when A seats appear...
(KVS Tool will display A inventory accurately through the Sabre method but will not email you
)Hi
You just have to keep calling and calling and calling (did I mention calling?).. early early Am or very late night like after 10-11pm (I did but booking via American Air reward) which usually release seats around midnight Central time ( I am PST)
I have called religiously 2-3 times a day for almost 3 weeks (travel is Sept 2009) and it just opened up last night at 11pm
YAY two in F!! I'll rub it in how it is later
BTW you are confirmed so far out that I doubt they will release anything like 2 seats much before 30 days before departure..
You just have to keep calling and calling and calling (did I mention calling?).. early early Am or very late night like after 10-11pm (I did but booking via American Air reward) which usually release seats around midnight Central time ( I am PST)
I have called religiously 2-3 times a day for almost 3 weeks (travel is Sept 2009) and it just opened up last night at 11pm
YAY two in F!! I'll rub it in how it is later
BTW you are confirmed so far out that I doubt they will release anything like 2 seats much before 30 days before departure..
Aug 12, 2009, 6:14 pm
#11
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Los Angeles, CA USA
Programs: AA/UA
Posts: 325
Congratulations on getting the seat!
For others seeking the same thing, my suggestion would be an ExpertFlyer subscription. Their system will pull A inventory and you can set it up to email you when A seats appear...
(KVS Tool will display A inventory accurately through the Sabre method but will not email you )
For others seeking the same thing, my suggestion would be an ExpertFlyer subscription. Their system will pull A inventory and you can set it up to email you when A seats appear...
(KVS Tool will display A inventory accurately through the Sabre method but will not email you
)
Aug 4, 2010, 5:32 pm
#14
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: NY
Programs: AA Plat 1MM, IC RA, HH Gold
Posts: 2,791
Does anyone know if F will still be available in 2011? Am trying to book an award ticket in May 2011. EF is showing 1A (F award) 1I (J award) and a few Y seats. Whenever I call AAdvantage, they only see J & Y. For now I booked 1 J & 1 Y ticket hoping that at least another J will open up or the one F that EF shows available will become available. Am frustrated that EF is showing availability in F but can't book it on AA. Has anyone else had success booking F award tickets for next year?