A Warm Embrace of the Tropics
Dec 4, 2006, 10:31 am
#16
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The only one that NZ serves that I haven't been to (yet 
) is Norfolk Island, but also plenty others that NZ doesn't serve - will take more time and effort to get to.
I do have a soft spot for Cook Islands - I won't go into why.
Actually NZ have for the past 18 months published a wine guide every 6 months and this is sometimes available on the longhaul flights in business premiere (it should be on every flight but sadly not
). The wine guide lists most of the wines NZ uses in business class, although only some of them will be onboard (eg IIRC it lists about 4 pinot noirs, only 1 of which will be on any given flight) and there are sometimes substitutions.
) is Norfolk Island, but also plenty others that NZ doesn't serve - will take more time and effort to get to.I do have a soft spot for Cook Islands - I won't go into why.
Actually NZ have for the past 18 months published a wine guide every 6 months and this is sometimes available on the longhaul flights in business premiere (it should be on every flight but sadly not
). The wine guide lists most of the wines NZ uses in business class, although only some of them will be onboard (eg IIRC it lists about 4 pinot noirs, only 1 of which will be on any given flight) and there are sometimes substitutions.
Dec 4, 2006, 3:13 pm
#17
Join Date: Aug 2002
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Those Wine Guides are great -it must be a relatively new concept and I managed to save two from my last NZ trip in August for furure referance.
Yes I also have a soft spot for the Cook Islands - yes, hard to explain why!
Yes I also have a soft spot for the Cook Islands - yes, hard to explain why!
Dec 16, 2006, 7:22 pm
#20
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Isle of Pines
As alluded to above I booked a quick trip to Norfolk Island, being the last of the South Pacific destinations that Air NZ flies to that I hadn't been to. An infrequent schedule by Air NZ and a hectic schedule for me meant that once again it would be a turnaround trip.
NZ flies their all economy 737 from Auckland to Norfolk Island, but service is the same as trans-tasman with the exception of showing tv programs on the screens instead of a movie. The flight is too short for that, with Norfolk Island about the same distance away as Dunedin - ie closer than the other end of New Zealand.
I arrive at the terminal in plenty of time. The main check in area is chaos with 17 international flights leaving within the next 2 and a bit hours. So I was surprised that the NZ premium check in area had no pax at all. Check in was pretty quick and I was assured I would have an empty seat beside me each way - loads are light. Through immigration and security to the lounge for a coffee or two.
2 of the 4 computers are out of order, but I manage to check messages and see to a couple of things. With so many flights to manage, they are announcing flights 10 minutes before boarding will be called in the lounge - so that pax have a chance for final bathroom visit or whatever. Out the windows I see a hive of activity. Not only do all the gates within view have an a/c parked up, but there are at least 9 a/c parked at remote gates, or moving to/from remote gates. Naturally quite a few are NZ a/c, but with all the cutbacks made there are a lot more widebodies parked up than there used to be (no wonder NZ's load factors are high).
About 10 minutes before scheduled departure and still no call for my flight. The monitors say gate closed, but I know this is unreliable. I decide to wander to the gate browsing the duty free as I go. Outside in the terminal the monitors are instead showing 5 minutes until boarding and seconds later an announcement is made for final boarding call! So 3 different systems all having different ideas about when boarding is made
As expected we have a bus gate. 2 of the 4 gate number 4 bus gates are in use, as are 2 of the 4 gate number 5 bus gates. The last few pax are boarding the single bus used for the flight - yup light load (about 30). The drive across the tarmac is short and boarding is very quickly completed. So we start only a couple of minutes late. An announcement is made to stay in our allocated seats for takeoff due to balance issues.
We take off over the city and get good views for the first ten minutes until we reach the cloud sheet. A breakfast is soon served - a choice of continental or bubble and squeak, as well as juice, champagne, water, tea & coffee.
The crew are great.
The IFE shown is Malcolm in the Middle and some other sitcom which we didn't get to see until the end due to playing a Norfolk Island arrival video. The last ten minutes or so we fly low over the entirity of the little island, completing a counterclockwise loop.
It is a clear mild day here, so we get easy view of the low hills, open forest of Norfolk Pines, grass and a few buildings, some cliffs ringing the island. The landscape reminds me of a rural golf course on the outskirts of a small settlement.
The airport is small and yet has 2 runways and a little prop a/c advertising scenic flights is parked up!
As alluded to above I booked a quick trip to Norfolk Island, being the last of the South Pacific destinations that Air NZ flies to that I hadn't been to. An infrequent schedule by Air NZ and a hectic schedule for me meant that once again it would be a turnaround trip.
NZ flies their all economy 737 from Auckland to Norfolk Island, but service is the same as trans-tasman with the exception of showing tv programs on the screens instead of a movie. The flight is too short for that, with Norfolk Island about the same distance away as Dunedin - ie closer than the other end of New Zealand.
I arrive at the terminal in plenty of time. The main check in area is chaos with 17 international flights leaving within the next 2 and a bit hours. So I was surprised that the NZ premium check in area had no pax at all. Check in was pretty quick and I was assured I would have an empty seat beside me each way - loads are light. Through immigration and security to the lounge for a coffee or two.
2 of the 4 computers are out of order, but I manage to check messages and see to a couple of things. With so many flights to manage, they are announcing flights 10 minutes before boarding will be called in the lounge - so that pax have a chance for final bathroom visit or whatever. Out the windows I see a hive of activity. Not only do all the gates within view have an a/c parked up, but there are at least 9 a/c parked at remote gates, or moving to/from remote gates. Naturally quite a few are NZ a/c, but with all the cutbacks made there are a lot more widebodies parked up than there used to be (no wonder NZ's load factors are high).
About 10 minutes before scheduled departure and still no call for my flight. The monitors say gate closed, but I know this is unreliable. I decide to wander to the gate browsing the duty free as I go. Outside in the terminal the monitors are instead showing 5 minutes until boarding and seconds later an announcement is made for final boarding call! So 3 different systems all having different ideas about when boarding is made
As expected we have a bus gate. 2 of the 4 gate number 4 bus gates are in use, as are 2 of the 4 gate number 5 bus gates. The last few pax are boarding the single bus used for the flight - yup light load (about 30). The drive across the tarmac is short and boarding is very quickly completed. So we start only a couple of minutes late. An announcement is made to stay in our allocated seats for takeoff due to balance issues.
We take off over the city and get good views for the first ten minutes until we reach the cloud sheet. A breakfast is soon served - a choice of continental or bubble and squeak, as well as juice, champagne, water, tea & coffee.
The crew are great.
The IFE shown is Malcolm in the Middle and some other sitcom which we didn't get to see until the end due to playing a Norfolk Island arrival video. The last ten minutes or so we fly low over the entirity of the little island, completing a counterclockwise loop.
It is a clear mild day here, so we get easy view of the low hills, open forest of Norfolk Pines, grass and a few buildings, some cliffs ringing the island. The landscape reminds me of a rural golf course on the outskirts of a small settlement.
The airport is small and yet has 2 runways and a little prop a/c advertising scenic flights is parked up!
Dec 16, 2006, 7:32 pm
#21
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We deplane by stairs. It is a lovely mild day with a light breeze - in fact pretty much the same weather and temperature that I'd left in Auckland.
With no bags to collect I interrupt the immigration officers from their chat. The arrivals card has a nice little map of the island on it, but you can't keep it because on the back is the customs declaration. Processed with barely a question, and I just managed to stop the officer stamping on one of my very few blank passport pages as I try to eke out a bit more life in it (still 7 years life left but it won't last the distance since we cannot add any more pages than the 48 originals).
Having some time before boarding I wander around. The small terminal is very nice - indoor and outdoor seating, some very nice gardens outside, cafe inside and lots of photos and memorabilia on display.
On coming back inside I see most departing pax have cleared security into the gate lounge. I spy a sign about departure tax so I head to the counter to check whether I needed to pay, and also complete the departures card sitting on the counter. It seems they were expecting me (probably from the immigration officer who processed me in to the island), but were unsure whether or not I needed to pay. I guess turnaround pax are rare here. So I browsed & chatted while waiting for an answer. The answer is no. For information, the departure tax is A$30 and payable at the airport.
So through security and I see boarding is mostly complete half an hour ahead of schedule. Back onboard and chat with the crew. The flight is 80% full and at least half seem to be a tour group. The pilot announces we are ready to go early and expect a fast flight back due to tailwinds with flight time of 80 minutes. However door 1L is still open and it seems we are missing one pax. I think she must have wandered off and caught unawares by the early boarding. Fifteen minutes later she comes onboard and we are ready to go.
As with the flight in, we circle the island at low altitude - but this time clockwise. Then it is off across the ocean. We are short one meal and I let the FA know I don't need to eat. It is a lunch choice of chicken salad or salmon salad. Plus full drink service (wines, beers, spirits etc).
No view of Northland due to the cloud cover. We finally see the land close to the Waitakere Ranges and Manukau Harbour. A short approach and we are down 30 minutes ahead of schedule. At this busy time of day we get a bus gate. However it seems we arrived too early and there is a 5 minute wait for the stairs and buses to arrive.
I walk quickly down the pier - seeing lots of pax streaming out the other gates I expect big queues at immigration and quarantine, but surprised there is no queue at the upstairs Australia and NZ lanes. So I use them, quickly processed and down the escalator where I see the downstairs lanes are very full. I don't understand why some people skip an obviously short line upstairs to queue up at a much longer one downstairs.
I managed to get the only xray machine without a queue and so bus gate to exit time was about 3 minutes. Not bad at all.
With no bags to collect I interrupt the immigration officers from their chat. The arrivals card has a nice little map of the island on it, but you can't keep it because on the back is the customs declaration. Processed with barely a question, and I just managed to stop the officer stamping on one of my very few blank passport pages as I try to eke out a bit more life in it (still 7 years life left but it won't last the distance since we cannot add any more pages than the 48 originals).
Having some time before boarding I wander around. The small terminal is very nice - indoor and outdoor seating, some very nice gardens outside, cafe inside and lots of photos and memorabilia on display.
On coming back inside I see most departing pax have cleared security into the gate lounge. I spy a sign about departure tax so I head to the counter to check whether I needed to pay, and also complete the departures card sitting on the counter. It seems they were expecting me (probably from the immigration officer who processed me in to the island), but were unsure whether or not I needed to pay. I guess turnaround pax are rare here. So I browsed & chatted while waiting for an answer. The answer is no. For information, the departure tax is A$30 and payable at the airport.
So through security and I see boarding is mostly complete half an hour ahead of schedule. Back onboard and chat with the crew. The flight is 80% full and at least half seem to be a tour group. The pilot announces we are ready to go early and expect a fast flight back due to tailwinds with flight time of 80 minutes. However door 1L is still open and it seems we are missing one pax. I think she must have wandered off and caught unawares by the early boarding. Fifteen minutes later she comes onboard and we are ready to go.
As with the flight in, we circle the island at low altitude - but this time clockwise. Then it is off across the ocean. We are short one meal and I let the FA know I don't need to eat. It is a lunch choice of chicken salad or salmon salad. Plus full drink service (wines, beers, spirits etc).
No view of Northland due to the cloud cover. We finally see the land close to the Waitakere Ranges and Manukau Harbour. A short approach and we are down 30 minutes ahead of schedule. At this busy time of day we get a bus gate. However it seems we arrived too early and there is a 5 minute wait for the stairs and buses to arrive.
I walk quickly down the pier - seeing lots of pax streaming out the other gates I expect big queues at immigration and quarantine, but surprised there is no queue at the upstairs Australia and NZ lanes. So I use them, quickly processed and down the escalator where I see the downstairs lanes are very full. I don't understand why some people skip an obviously short line upstairs to queue up at a much longer one downstairs.
I managed to get the only xray machine without a queue and so bus gate to exit time was about 3 minutes. Not bad at all.
Last edited by Kiwi Flyer; Dec 16, 2006 at 7:47 pm
Mar 18, 2007, 6:14 pm
#22
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AUCKLAND to CAIRNS (AKL-CNS) on NZ A320
Continuing on from mini tour of NZ.
When I made the 2 separate bookings the connection was a tightish 100 minutes. The late inbound flight saw this reduced somewhat. So, I was relieved that I had been able to check in for this flight (and the turnaround return) at Palmerston North - thus eliminating the rush to make check in close off, scrambling between domestic and international terminals (of which the arrival gate was far end of domestic terminal and premium check in the far end of international terminal).
But I am getting ahead of myself.
Continuing on from mini tour of NZ.
When I made the 2 separate bookings the connection was a tightish 100 minutes. The late inbound flight saw this reduced somewhat. So, I was relieved that I had been able to check in for this flight (and the turnaround return) at Palmerston North - thus eliminating the rush to make check in close off, scrambling between domestic and international terminals (of which the arrival gate was far end of domestic terminal and premium check in the far end of international terminal).
But I am getting ahead of myself.
Mar 18, 2007, 7:18 pm
#23
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Although I have flown to Cairns before (on Qantas) I have not on Air NZ, and it is one of only a handful of Air NZ destinations that I have not flown on Air NZ. So when a great sale fare came up I nabbed it. I first checked that the connection from my domestic travels the same day was reasonable. 100 minutes is a bit tight but doable if no bags and prepared to take the risk as I was. I noted the NZ booking engine gave this connection as an option when flying from Palmerston North (departure point of my previous flight) to Cairns. I would help my odds by selecting an aisle seat near the rear door for Palmerston North to Auckland (possible thanks to my status) and being able to use the NZ premium check in facility at international terminal (thus bypassing the worst of the queues). I was also prepared to run between the terminals if needed. So I was reasonably confident of making the connection.
With the windy weather through much of the country causing delays and cancellations I decided to try to check in at Palmerston North, just in case I would otherwise miss the 1 hour international check in cutoff. Good news - I was able to do so despite being separate tickets. Earlier in the day I had noted the loads looked reasonably light - judging by the booking classes still available for sale. So I asked if I could get the seat beside me blocked. No problem.
Now, I resume arriving in Auckland late. I rushed between the terminals. It is still early for check in for the evening US bound flights so I have no wait at the premium check in counter. I pay my departure tax and check I still have a blocked seat beside me. Oops - that seat has been taken. So I get moved to another row. The boarding pass to Cairns is reprinted on magnetic strip BP stock (the originals are the slim barcoded domestic ones), but not for the return flight.
Quickly through immigration and security and off to the lounge. I notice the new signage advising that liquid duty free can be taken on US-bound flights, but only if purchased at least 90 minutes before departure. There is no mention that any pax connecting in US (including NZ2 same a/c service to LHR) cannot then take the duty free onto the next flight - they will need to be checked in at airport of the entry to US.
In the lounge I head first to the showers to freshen up. The amenity kit has changed - nice large clear bag to comply with liquids rules, and a few extra amenities that had been gone from NZ for a couple of years. Nice to see the improvement. By the time I'm done I have just enough time for a quick glass before heading off to the gate. I notice the lounge is already crowded, and yet most qualifying passengers bound for LAX, SFO, HKG and LHR won't be in the lounge yet. The success of NZ in loads and numbers of elites really needs to be matched on the ground. In the past couple of years the international lounge capacity has decreased - first with the removal of the first class lounge, and then with such improvements as replacing the sleeper room with a kids room, and cordoning off an area for massages (complimentary to certain qualifying passengers, or paid for everyone else).
On the way to the gate I notice the airport has installed yet more advertising - electric billboards. At the gate boarding begins. Even though I can board at any time thanks to my status I elect to wait until the end (yup last passenger to board) to reduce by a few minutes the amount of time I'm squished up.
This is my fifth flight of the day, fifth different aircraft type and fifth "airline". (Despite all flights having NZ flight numbers each different aircraft type is a different subsidiary with the exception of one flight operated by Vincent Aviation for NZ, and Air Nelson operates 2 aircraft types Q300 and Saab 340 of which I only flew Saab 340 today. The other airlines flown are Zeal320 for A320, Mount Cook Airlines for ATR 72-500 and Air NZ mainline for 737-300.)
The flight is fuller than I expected - over 80%. But the middle seat is indeed empty. ^ After doors are shut there is a wait while apparently some bags are located in domestic terminal and brought over to the aircraft. Something must have gone wrong.
After take off meal service begins from the front of the economy cabin. A choice of crumbed fish or chicken and mushroom pie - both with a rice salad and Kapiti icecream. Usual offerings of 4 Montana wines, Lindaur sparkling, beer and spirits.
On the screens first there is the short wellbeing video, then a couple of promotional videos for NZ. Then the movie Casino Royale. There are also several audio channels available.
I grab a bite to eat then doze fitfully for the remainder of the flight.
We arrive on time at Cairns.
With the windy weather through much of the country causing delays and cancellations I decided to try to check in at Palmerston North, just in case I would otherwise miss the 1 hour international check in cutoff. Good news - I was able to do so despite being separate tickets. Earlier in the day I had noted the loads looked reasonably light - judging by the booking classes still available for sale. So I asked if I could get the seat beside me blocked. No problem.
Now, I resume arriving in Auckland late. I rushed between the terminals. It is still early for check in for the evening US bound flights so I have no wait at the premium check in counter. I pay my departure tax and check I still have a blocked seat beside me. Oops - that seat has been taken. So I get moved to another row. The boarding pass to Cairns is reprinted on magnetic strip BP stock (the originals are the slim barcoded domestic ones), but not for the return flight.
Quickly through immigration and security and off to the lounge. I notice the new signage advising that liquid duty free can be taken on US-bound flights, but only if purchased at least 90 minutes before departure. There is no mention that any pax connecting in US (including NZ2 same a/c service to LHR) cannot then take the duty free onto the next flight - they will need to be checked in at airport of the entry to US.
In the lounge I head first to the showers to freshen up. The amenity kit has changed - nice large clear bag to comply with liquids rules, and a few extra amenities that had been gone from NZ for a couple of years. Nice to see the improvement. By the time I'm done I have just enough time for a quick glass before heading off to the gate. I notice the lounge is already crowded, and yet most qualifying passengers bound for LAX, SFO, HKG and LHR won't be in the lounge yet. The success of NZ in loads and numbers of elites really needs to be matched on the ground. In the past couple of years the international lounge capacity has decreased - first with the removal of the first class lounge, and then with such improvements as replacing the sleeper room with a kids room, and cordoning off an area for massages (complimentary to certain qualifying passengers, or paid for everyone else).
On the way to the gate I notice the airport has installed yet more advertising - electric billboards. At the gate boarding begins. Even though I can board at any time thanks to my status I elect to wait until the end (yup last passenger to board) to reduce by a few minutes the amount of time I'm squished up.
This is my fifth flight of the day, fifth different aircraft type and fifth "airline". (Despite all flights having NZ flight numbers each different aircraft type is a different subsidiary with the exception of one flight operated by Vincent Aviation for NZ, and Air Nelson operates 2 aircraft types Q300 and Saab 340 of which I only flew Saab 340 today. The other airlines flown are Zeal320 for A320, Mount Cook Airlines for ATR 72-500 and Air NZ mainline for 737-300.)
The flight is fuller than I expected - over 80%. But the middle seat is indeed empty. ^ After doors are shut there is a wait while apparently some bags are located in domestic terminal and brought over to the aircraft. Something must have gone wrong.
After take off meal service begins from the front of the economy cabin. A choice of crumbed fish or chicken and mushroom pie - both with a rice salad and Kapiti icecream. Usual offerings of 4 Montana wines, Lindaur sparkling, beer and spirits.
On the screens first there is the short wellbeing video, then a couple of promotional videos for NZ. Then the movie Casino Royale. There are also several audio channels available.
I grab a bite to eat then doze fitfully for the remainder of the flight.
We arrive on time at Cairns.
Mar 18, 2007, 7:40 pm
#24
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CAIRNS to AUCKLAND (CNS-AKL) on NZ A320
The scheduled turn around is one hour. NZ used to use the Qantas Club for business class and *G passengers, but stopped this a while back. Apparently there is a shower landside but not airside. Given the short turnaround time, and likely grilling by immigration I decided to do an international transfer airside. I was unsure whether Cairns had such a facility given the low numbers of international flights, and so was delighted to see that it did. Through security quickly with no queues. It seems most passengers on the return flight are already airside, and even most of the later Continental flight to Guam. Both are lightly loaded - there is plenty of space for all.
I head to the bathroom to freshen up and suprised to find a shower. Great, that saves me some time on arrival into Auckland. The shower cubicle is tiny - I need to stand in the shower itself to both open and close the door. Never mind, it is refreshing, although that feeling quickly disappears in the humidity after I turn the shower off. By now boarding has already been called and again I'm the last passenger to board. At the gate they have trouble with my barcode boarding pass - this is no surprise to me. They decide they have to reissue as a magnetic one but can do that once I'm onboard. The agent had noted my turnaround and offered to change seats ^ since the block failed to work Unfortunately no op-up, but I do get a row to myself. Unfortunately it is the bulkhead row with tables in the armrest so I cannot lie down. Oh well, at least I'm assured of a quick exit at Auckland.
The flight is well under half full. We have the same crew coming back - since this flight is not daily that is expected.
We depart 15 minutes early. The meal is a dinner, not a breakfast which I expected. The choice is between chicken and steak & mushroom pie. No icecream but instead a sweet cake/slice.
I manage to doze a little without getting much sleep. We make good time and land quite early. The airport is busy with every gate taken and a number of aircraft scattered around the hard stands. Yup we get a bus gate which means slow taxi and even slower to get to immigration. While the bus loads up I see some widebodies land - and even those aircraft get bus gates too. That would be disappointing after a longhaul flight. I know some airports like LHR and FRA no aircraft type is immune from getting a bus gate and have experienced the buses on 747 flights (down to little aircraft). Still this is the first time I can recall at AKL that a widebody has gotten a bus gate - normally they try to allocate them to 737s and A320s.
I positioned myself strategically in the bus and walk fast thus am the first to reach immigration. We have gotten lucky - in the sweet spot in between the wave of first arrivals and the next wave. So I'm through in seconds, a slight wait at customs and over to xray. To my surprise no secondary screening and I'm landside within 3 minutes of the bus reaching the terminal.
I notice the domestic transfer desk has a huge queue stretching out across the arrivals area. It would be quicker to walk to domestic terminal and recheck in there. In response to a question by an FTer I looked and was able to confirm the transfer desks are for NZ only - for QF there is no transfer desk.
The scheduled turn around is one hour. NZ used to use the Qantas Club for business class and *G passengers, but stopped this a while back. Apparently there is a shower landside but not airside. Given the short turnaround time, and likely grilling by immigration I decided to do an international transfer airside. I was unsure whether Cairns had such a facility given the low numbers of international flights, and so was delighted to see that it did. Through security quickly with no queues. It seems most passengers on the return flight are already airside, and even most of the later Continental flight to Guam. Both are lightly loaded - there is plenty of space for all.
I head to the bathroom to freshen up and suprised to find a shower. Great, that saves me some time on arrival into Auckland. The shower cubicle is tiny - I need to stand in the shower itself to both open and close the door. Never mind, it is refreshing, although that feeling quickly disappears in the humidity after I turn the shower off. By now boarding has already been called and again I'm the last passenger to board. At the gate they have trouble with my barcode boarding pass - this is no surprise to me. They decide they have to reissue as a magnetic one but can do that once I'm onboard. The agent had noted my turnaround and offered to change seats ^ since the block failed to work
Unfortunately no op-up, but I do get a row to myself. Unfortunately it is the bulkhead row with tables in the armrest so I cannot lie down. Oh well, at least I'm assured of a quick exit at Auckland.The flight is well under half full. We have the same crew coming back - since this flight is not daily that is expected.
We depart 15 minutes early. The meal is a dinner, not a breakfast which I expected. The choice is between chicken and steak & mushroom pie. No icecream but instead a sweet cake/slice.
I manage to doze a little without getting much sleep. We make good time and land quite early. The airport is busy with every gate taken and a number of aircraft scattered around the hard stands. Yup we get a bus gate which means slow taxi and even slower to get to immigration. While the bus loads up I see some widebodies land - and even those aircraft get bus gates too. That would be disappointing after a longhaul flight. I know some airports like LHR and FRA no aircraft type is immune from getting a bus gate and have experienced the buses on 747 flights (down to little aircraft). Still this is the first time I can recall at AKL that a widebody has gotten a bus gate - normally they try to allocate them to 737s and A320s.
I positioned myself strategically in the bus and walk fast thus am the first to reach immigration. We have gotten lucky - in the sweet spot in between the wave of first arrivals and the next wave. So I'm through in seconds, a slight wait at customs and over to xray. To my surprise no secondary screening and I'm landside within 3 minutes of the bus reaching the terminal.
I notice the domestic transfer desk has a huge queue stretching out across the arrivals area. It would be quicker to walk to domestic terminal and recheck in there. In response to a question by an FTer I looked and was able to confirm the transfer desks are for NZ only - for QF there is no transfer desk.
Mar 20, 2007, 2:29 am
#25
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Sydney
Programs: Air NZ.
Posts: 104
Wow, kiwi flyer, your detailed and well written reports on your numerous turnaround trips are both amazing, inspirational and maybe even slightly crazy!!
Where next, what destinations beckon you, oh well travelled one??
Cheers
TiggerK
P.S I've also got a soft spot for RAR, got married there, and honeymoon in AIT, not to mention my first J class experience as well, love that NZ pinot. ^
Where next, what destinations beckon you, oh well travelled one??
Cheers
TiggerK
P.S I've also got a soft spot for RAR, got married there, and honeymoon in AIT, not to mention my first J class experience as well, love that NZ pinot. ^
Mar 20, 2007, 2:31 am
#26
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In the rush with a shortened turnaround I forgot to ask what arrangements NZ has for business and *G pax. They used to use the Qantas Club, but that arrangement ended last year (or maybe 2005?). There is little open airside - only a couple of duty free shops.
TiggerK - I have another RTW coming up
TiggerK - I have another RTW coming up
Apr 5, 2007, 2:13 am
#27
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Apr 28, 2007, 9:26 am
#28
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Jun 19, 2007, 8:03 pm
#29
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To Land (at) Fa'a and Fa'a Away (but no swamps or chateau involved).
A short report on my requalification trip (for one of my FFPs). In the early year sales I noticed an anomaly, in that one destination that earns well over twice as much as the other sale destinations was priced at the same level (which was already a good rate). Indeed the fare was well under half the normal fare, and would be in business class to boot. So I nabbed one. I wasn't the only FTer to spot this - CHC Kiwi also booked this trip.
We had some issues with the website, for it does not handle the dateline very well. The departing flight left just after midnight (day x+1) and arrives early morning (day x). The return flight was unbookable online, so I booked the following day's flight instead (almost 2 full days at the destination). The dateline issue also prevented me booking a hotel package, since would come up as error due to the mismatch in number of nights vs scheduled departure dates. Last I checked (now almost six months later) they still have not fixed the website
BTW there are a few destinations that have flights such as this, arriving on the date before day of departure, even though most flights across the dateline do not have this issue (eastbound arriving same day or westbound arriving 1 or 2 days later).
A short report on my requalification trip (for one of my FFPs). In the early year sales I noticed an anomaly, in that one destination that earns well over twice as much as the other sale destinations was priced at the same level (which was already a good rate). Indeed the fare was well under half the normal fare, and would be in business class to boot. So I nabbed one. I wasn't the only FTer to spot this - CHC Kiwi also booked this trip.
We had some issues with the website, for it does not handle the dateline very well. The departing flight left just after midnight (day x+1) and arrives early morning (day x). The return flight was unbookable online, so I booked the following day's flight instead (almost 2 full days at the destination). The dateline issue also prevented me booking a hotel package, since would come up as error due to the mismatch in number of nights vs scheduled departure dates. Last I checked (now almost six months later) they still have not fixed the website
BTW there are a few destinations that have flights such as this, arriving on the date before day of departure, even though most flights across the dateline do not have this issue (eastbound arriving same day or westbound arriving 1 or 2 days later).
Jun 19, 2007, 8:18 pm
#30
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Join Date: Nov 2003
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In between booking and travel I'd made no progress on getting accommodation or plans on what to do in my nearly 2 days there. However, whilst away on another trip I got a reprieve by way of schedule change - both flights being pushed back. So I called the airline back within 72 hours and asked to switch the return flight to a turn-around. After convincing the initially incredulous agent that 75 minutes at the destination was ample time for me, I got the flight switched fine.
