Paris (CDG) to Réunion (RUN), Air Austra, Réunion trip report, April 2015
Jul 30, 2015, 12:57 am
#76
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Portland, OR
Programs: NW Plat (now they call it DL Diamond) 1MM, soon to be DL Plat, Hilton Diamond, SPG Gold, Dusit Gold
Posts: 2,706
Great report.
We cancelled a Mauritius/Reunion trip in early 2012 due to a serious illness. If we had gone, we would have been disappointed because we planned to spend most of the time on Mauritius and not on Reunion. It was painful as it was 2 rare Delta low awards in business class that we had to cancel.
Some of us love challenging drives and have done some great ones in Ecuador, Chile and here in the Pacific Northwest/Western Canada. I second your recommendation that one better be very skilled with using a stick shift. Automatics just do not cut it on the roads you described.
Very comprehensive report. Love the food and scenery pictures.
We cancelled a Mauritius/Reunion trip in early 2012 due to a serious illness. If we had gone, we would have been disappointed because we planned to spend most of the time on Mauritius and not on Reunion. It was painful as it was 2 rare Delta low awards in business class that we had to cancel.
Some of us love challenging drives and have done some great ones in Ecuador, Chile and here in the Pacific Northwest/Western Canada. I second your recommendation that one better be very skilled with using a stick shift. Automatics just do not cut it on the roads you described.
Very comprehensive report. Love the food and scenery pictures.
Jul 30, 2015, 8:40 am
#77
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Austin, TX -- AA Life Platinum; QF Life Silver; UA Silver
Posts: 5,462
They do, but like many destinations I've been, there's a substantial premium.
I'd actually be worried with a low-powered automatic, a lot of those tight corners required a lot of down-shifting, and many automatics I've driven on the economy end of the spectrum would probably get pretty close to stalling on the tight, steep curves (unless you can put them in "Fake manual" mode)
I'd actually be worried with a low-powered automatic, a lot of those tight corners required a lot of down-shifting, and many automatics I've driven on the economy end of the spectrum would probably get pretty close to stalling on the tight, steep curves (unless you can put them in "Fake manual" mode)
Jul 30, 2015, 10:41 am
#78
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Here, there … you know how it goes.
Posts: 1,518
What an INCREDIBLE trip report. Absolutely breathtaking.
This has rapidly vaulted towards the top of my "To Go To" list - perhaps even in the next couple of months.
Being a big food person, as well as an avid hiker, this seems like a magnificent experience. And, perhaps, one done in conjunction with any combination of Madagascar/Mauritius/Seychelles and Southern/Eastern Africa.
Thank you for the beautiful words and photos!
This has rapidly vaulted towards the top of my "To Go To" list - perhaps even in the next couple of months.
Being a big food person, as well as an avid hiker, this seems like a magnificent experience. And, perhaps, one done in conjunction with any combination of Madagascar/Mauritius/Seychelles and Southern/Eastern Africa.
Thank you for the beautiful words and photos!
Jul 30, 2015, 2:46 pm
#79
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Grantham, NH
Posts: 530
After reading this excellent report yesterday, what a surprise I woke up to this morning.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worl...es-flight.html
Six degrees and all that.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worl...es-flight.html
Six degrees and all that.
Jul 31, 2015, 12:05 pm
#81
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Benicia, California, USA
Programs: AA PLT,AS,UA PP,J6,FB,EY,LH,SQ,HH Dmd,Hyatt Glbl,Marriott Plat,IHG Plat,Accor Gold
Posts: 10,820
Now that you've completed it, thanks again for the fantastic TR! And it was really great that you capped it with advice for folks who might visit the island.
Aug 1, 2015, 9:51 am
#83
Join Date: Jul 2005
Programs: MUCCI Classe des Flatteurs Preferes, LH SEN, BA silver, IHG Plat Amb, Accor Plat
Posts: 966
What an amazing TR. As a Brit living in France I have heard a lot about Reunion and know that it is a popular place to go on holiday, but I never knew what was there exactly. It interesting because it is one of the few places that you can (or used to be able to) get a direct (with a stop) long haul flight to from my local airport (the most famous bit of aircraft wing has now arrived here too).
Aug 1, 2015, 4:45 pm
#84
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Grantham, NH
Posts: 530
Glad everyone has enjoyed the TR. It's almost a reluctant one at times, since I rather liked that the island was not crowded, and that being an American was truly a novelty to people. (As one hiker by Piton des Neiges said when we told him we were American... "Les États Unis? Ooh La La. Êtes-vous perdu? Marvelous que vous avez trouvé notre petite île!" Translates? "United States? Wow. Are you lost? Marvelous that you found our little island."
Aug 2, 2015, 7:24 pm
#85
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2008
Location: San Francisco
Programs: GM on VX, UA, AA, HA, AS, SY; Budget Fastbreak
Posts: 27,597
Paris (CDG) to Réunion (RUN), Air Austra, Réunion trip report, April 2015
Great TR! Thanks so much!
Now Reunion is in the press because of the recently discovered debris from the tragic Malaysian Air flight. Your TR definitely coincided with the recent articles.
Now Reunion is in the press because of the recently discovered debris from the tragic Malaysian Air flight. Your TR definitely coincided with the recent articles.
Aug 3, 2015, 6:30 am
#87
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Grantham, NH
Posts: 530
They do have four 777s now (giving them a very bimodal fleet that's almost entirely 777s or ATR 72s).
I rather liked them as an airline. Friendly, reasonably affordable (a lot cheaper than Air France was for essentially the same route), and decent food.
Aug 5, 2015, 9:51 am
#88
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: SFO
Programs: AA ExPlat,EX-UA 1K, Hyatt Diamond, SPG Plat,
Posts: 12,212
Reunion has been on my bucket list for a long time, it is not easy to find an award tickets to get there.
Thank you for sharing those wonderful pictures and report.
Thank you for sharing those wonderful pictures and report.
Aug 5, 2015, 11:15 am
#89
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Grantham, NH
Posts: 530
One of the reasons I flew Air Austral is that I was having trouble getting an award ticket there from Air France. For direct purchase, Air Austral was more convenient and cheaper. Realistically, for an 11 hour flight, the cost wasn't too bad. $700/pp, including all the taxes.
Aug 5, 2015, 1:18 pm
#90
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Canada, USA, Europe
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 31,452
What an excellent trip report. Thanks very much for sharing! I was on Reunion many years ago, and French was/is pretty much the only way to communicate, but the thick accent does make for some very interesting ("what did he just say?") conversations!