Kiwi Flyer

Currently they are in the same alliance. Will that be the case in 20 years time?

Then again, I'm not in any hurry to attain AA lifetime status. More of a case that (in general) earn/burn rates are more favourable than with QF, and with the bonus of lower fuel surcharges.

Kiwi Flyer

Crud - onward flight isn't open. This just got a bit more stressful. More later.

RTW4

This is just a fantastic trip report. Thanks so much...

Kiwi Flyer

Inaugural flight
Auckland to Vancouver (AKL-YVR) on Air NZ economy class menu

DINNER

Starter

Cucumber, pineapple, carrot and coriander salad with lemon olive oil dressing

Main Course

New Zealand lamb casserole with tomato and cumin, parsley potatoes, peas and carrots

Herb crusted chicken thigh with chicken jus, green beans and baked potatoes with cream and cheese

Dessert

Strawberry and chocolate truffle slice

Cheese

New Zealand cheddar cheese and wheat crackers


BEVERAGES

A premium selection of fine New Zealand wines is available on your flight today. This selection is chosen by our panel of recognised wine consultants. A full selection of beer, spirits, soft drinks and hot beverages is available throughout the flight.


BREAKFAST

Fruit, Yoghurt and Bakery

Fresh fruit selection

Yoghurt

Fruit roll

Hot Breakfast

Scrambled eggs with fresh herbs, chicken sausage, breakfast potatoes and tomato

Blueberry, apple and white chocolate hotcakes with apple and manuka honey syrup

Kiwi Flyer

Inaugural flight
Auckland to Vancouver (AKL-YVR) on Air New Zealand economy class

As I mentioned earlier in this report I would have loved to do the inaugural flight in business class but alas could not make it work. Almost the entire business class and premium economy cabins, as well as the first several rows in economy, were made up of VIPs, media and a trade delegation. Gee and I thought paying passengers, especially loyal ones, were important for the success of a route?

So, as mad_atta points out it was a rapid come down from the divine SQ F to the quite good for economy but it is still only economy NZ Y.

Less than 24 hours after arriving I was running late and heading for the airport. I was annoyed at myself for letting the meeting drag on, for now I will have a choice between eating & drinking in the lounge, taking part in any inaugural flight festivities, and having a shower - when really I wanted to do it all.

Kiwi Flyer

Just when I reached the entrance to the premium check in lobby, which is available for use by business class, premium economy and star alliance gold passengers flying on Air NZ flights, I was accosted and forced to the Vancouver counters in the main check in bank. "Don't worry you can use the elite counter here and it will be just as quick as in the lobby." Yeah, right.

There was someone dressed up in a Mounties costume handing out inaugural flight lanyards to passengers on this flight, and while otherwise waiting for the next passenger he looked like he felt foolish in the get-up.

I was checked in for the flight but only given one boarding pass. Grrr. I have a connecting flight to USA which I suspected means that no boarding pass equals must clear Canadian immigration in order to check in landside before then clearing US immigration (for those unfamiliar transborder flights Canada to USA clear US immigration in Canada before departure instead of on arrival). As my quickest time to clear Canadian immigration at YVR was an hour and my last visit involved a lengthy interrogation, and my quickest time to clear US immigration at YVR was 90 minutes, I was not confident I would make the onward flight without a boarding pass in hand.

My annoyance rose when I realised my pre-selected aisle seat had been switched to a window seat and that they were unable to register my NZ status in the FQTS field (the latter is agent incompetence). A window seat means slower deplaning. Having a non-NZ *G status registered as FQTS instead of my top tier NZ status means the currently empty middle seat is more likely to be assigned to someone on this almost totally full flight. Grrrr. I'm reminded there is a "party" (their words) at the gate lounge already (just over an hour before departure), but I say I'll stick with the lounge thanks.

My grumpiness only increases when I'm told they can deal with departure tax either. So I head into the premium lobby. Fortunately no queue, and pay my departure tax. Then quickly through immigration and up to the lounge.

The lounge is even more overcrowded than usual for this time of day, with not even standing room. Not only is it a Friday (with lots of business and elite pax heading to Australia, USA, Asia and Europe) but the VIPs, media and trade delegates who are present would not normally all have access, and there are extra Air NZ staff than normal, and half of the conservatory is roped off for a special function for the inaugural flight.

I fought my way through to the showers and had a quick shower. Grrr no hot water whatsoever. By now it is almost time to head to the gate. I try again to check in for the onward flights but am told it is impossible for UA doesn't the flights up this early. I wonder how it is that I've been able to through check for AKL-SFO-SEA or AKL-LAX-SFO before (for example).

A quick check of my email for last minute messages to attend to, and a wander through the lounge to confirm the "function" is uninspiring and there are no freebies/goodies on offer. The lounge agent who had earlier tried to check me in for the through flight found me and said she'd spoken with the flight's CSM to try to arrange a fast deplaning and possibly support by ground staff at YVR. A few minutes later, when the crew finished their debrief in the old first class lounge next door, the CSM came over to personally assure he'd do what he could to help.

I headed out to the gate for boarding was due to begin, although I had my doubts. Inaugural flights normally have a little ceremony and surely this one would be no different. (BTW this is my 4th inaugural flight. I had hoped to do a 5th in less than 2 weeks time, being the first Pacific Blue domestic flight in NZ. However the !@#$s added 1 1/2 days of flights prior to the previously nnounced inaugural flight, and so I cannot make that inaugural. I have also been on perhaps half a dozen 2nd flights for a route where my schedule was unable to make the inaugural flight work.)

Kiwi Flyer

The gate lounge was very crowded. They had made it up with lots and lots of fake snow, lots of maple trees, etc. A special maple and manuka honey (yes rather sweet) cocktail, plus other drinks and nibbles.

I managed to get a front row position for the ceremony which began a couple of minutes after I arrived. Speeches from Messrs Sims and Fyfe, the NZ Trade Minister and Canadian High Commissioner, followed by the obligatory ribbon cutting.

I was first equal to have my boarding pass read (the Minister and Commissioner on one BP reader while I was on the other) but somehow got past and first to board.

At our seats was a mini amenity kit - socks, mask, ear plugs and toothbrush & paste. Also water bottle, a commemorative headrest and more fake snow. By the time boarding completed I was glad the blocked middle seat had held and realised I was in the first row of regular passengers (ie not VIPs, media or trade delegation). However, this particular seat has a missing window, so not going to get much of a view (not that there is any except on departure and arrival for the flight is mostly over the ocean).

Kiwi Flyer

There were various goodies given only to the VIPs, media and trade delegation - book, commemorative luggage tag, etc. Us plebs weren't totally forgotten though. A commemorative menu card (same as normal but with the silver fern and maple leaf inaugural flight logo and dated). A little merino wool kit bag with commemorative Pacifica gooey stuff. Okay if your destination is at Vancouver - not so good for those of us who are continuing on Also Veuve Clicquot 1999 Poinsardin champagne was available to all - albeit in economy only a few glasses were possible (pre dinner, at dinner, and at breakfast - no refills).

The serviettes also had the commemorative logo. Managed to get several hours sleep. TV crew and some journalists interviewed a few people, but only VIPs, fellow media and trade delegates - none of us regular people

Our flight arrived early (^). No water cannon salute on arrival (nor departure). Deplaning was very slow for media were busy on the airbridge and there was some official welcoming party at the gate - unfortunately this blocked the airbridge totally for some 15 minutes while I was quietly fuming away.

Compared with other inaugural flights I've been on it was all rather disappointing.

Kiwi Flyer

In transit in Vancouver

Eventually I managed to fight my way clear of the scrum and through towards immigration. Our gate was at the end so quite a walk. At transfers for US flights I was, as expected, turned away. No BP, no go. So backtrack to Canadian immigration. Amazingly it didn't take long to clear immigration or customs. Up the escalator to departures. On the way to onward check in I passed a display stand for Air NZ showcases the business premiere seats (of course).

When I told my destination I was told I couldn't check in yet for the flight isn't open, but apparently this only applied to passengers with checked luggage. I of course have only a small rollaboard and so was able to check in for both onward flights. I asked if there were any earlier flights and told yes, but on other *A airlines and they couldn't transfer me to those flights.

A short queue at US immigration. So short that I had to stand to one side to complete my visa waiver and customs forms instead of filling them in line while I waited. I was questioned quite a bit even before the agent swiped my passport, and unlike most of my experiences with US immigration treated with extreme suspiscion. Fortunately I said the right things to avoid secondary and so through customs and security (liquids baggy out and shoes off). Then up to the lounge to await my next flight.

Kiwi Flyer

Vancouver to Los Angeles (YVR-LAX) on United operated by Skywest CRJ700 economy class

When I checked in at Vancouver I was initially given rear window seats. A couple of minutes of sweet talking later I had bulkhead aisle seats.

The maple leaf lounge food and drink offerings were bad, but miserable though they are I knew I'd have worse on my next two flights and at the red carpet club in between them. So I had some drinks and "food".

Drink rating on the NM JW scale is black. Food on offer - bad looking apples, clam chowder, cookies, that is all

Flights aren't called and the gate is some distance away so I leave with a rush when I suddenly realised it was 30 minutes to departure. I walked fast and boarding had not begun when I reached the gate. Given the late autumn chill and that I was dressed for somewhere much, much warmer, I was pleased we had an airbridge and not a stand.

The rollaboard got checked at the airbridge despite it being small enough (just I think) to fit onboard. The flight was fairly full. We had views along the coast with the setting sun as we flew, then the lights of cities in California before finally arriving to a hazy, slightly foggy Los Angeles.

Food was a little bag of pretzels and drink was water, juice, soft drink (all free) or some low grade white or red wine or beer for $5.

We had about the longest taxi possible - down one side of LAX terminal complex, past the hangars, across to the other side, back up the full length of the other side past T8 before doubling back to our gate at the base of T8.

Kiwi Flyer

Los Angeles to Phoenix (LAX-PHX) on United operated by Skywest CRJ200 economy class

On the way to the red carpet club I noticed on the monitors that an earlier flight to Phoenix was delayed 3 hours and due to leave in 40 minutes. I looked over to that flight's gate and saw an aircraft on position so figured the new departure time may be realistic. At the lounge I asked if there was space for me to change flights. See the agent at the desk behind reception I was told. The sole agent on that desk was busy arguing with a couple of passengers. 15 minutes later they were still going hammer and tongs and so I dashed for the gate to try my luck.

I was put on standby, and a few minutes later a passenger failed to show and I got my seat. Still no boarding though. The new departure time came and went and no boarding. Then the aircraft at the gate was towed away. During this whole time the monitors showed the delay as being due to "weather" and the flight as being "closed".

Eventually another aircraft arrived, disgorged passengers and we boarded. By the time we left I'd only saved half an hour on my original flight, instead of the anticipated couple of hours And spent my transit hanging around the gate instead of in the RCC (oh wait - no big difference there).

Kiwi Flyer

I forgot that every pax also got a introduction to Vancouver booklet. This is not branded for the inaugural so suspect it may be handed out on this flight (or perhaps available in the lounge at AKL).

serfty

Cheers Kiwi Flyer, I was on that nonstop, which, I guess, it was - once it stated.

I observed your Chariot heading into the air (as in taking off) as mine had just been pushed back from the gate - 65 minutes after boarding - something about needing to fill the water tanks.

Mwenenzi

Been following your trip with interest like many others. Kiwi Flyer:- no one would consider you a regular traveller. Even by the standards of FT you are not a regular traveller.

Enjoyed the lunch report on The Perrin Post. Out of interest how many nights have you slept on aircraft and how many in a real bed. Or do days and night cease to exist as you revolve around the planet. Some people consider you have not visited a place until you have stood on real grass & soil. I guess you have stood only on concrete for some time and not real grass & soil.

Look forward to the rest of the report. ^

Kiwi Flyer

Hmmm. Since I started this report I have had 2 or 3 nights in AKL, 2 in PHX, 2 in NYC, 1 in BGI, 1 in MIA, 1 in NRT. Every other night has been in the air, and some of the above nights on the ground have really only been a few hours.

As for the grass/soil bit - I have walked barefoot on the ground (not just an airport) in all of the above places, plus some others.