ecosse3

Hi all,

Hoping that you can help me, as I'm out of my depth here and can't seem to get a straight answer elsewhere.

A couple of days from now, I'm on UA 98 from Guam to Cairns, which arrives at 11:40 p.m. in Cairns.

My connecting flight to Auckland is on Air New Zealand the next morning, departing at 11:50 a.m.

Flights were booked on 016 ticket stock (UA) as one ticket.

I have done the online Australian ETA visa and booked a hotel in downtown Cairns for the night.

Questions (if you're interested in why this is important, you can read the end of the post. If too much text, just stop at the questions section):

1-Can and/or will my luggage be checked all the way through to Auckland?
2-Given that it is an overnight and 12+ hour connecting time, will I be required to collect my luggage in Cairns and re-check it the next morning?
3-From experience, Guam is sometimes a more "difficult" airport to make things that you know CAN happen, actually happen. What's the over/under on even being able to get my onward boarding pass upon check-in?
4-If I need to collect luggage in Cairns and/or if not able to get the onward boarding pass, is it a two hour prior to departure that I'll need to abide to the next morning (i.e. be at Cairns airport by 9:50 a.m.)? I've never quite understood what constitutes being technically checked in. Given that this is one ticket, if I check in in Guam and take that flight, even if they can't give me the actual onward boarding pass, am I technically checked in for the NZ flight and if so, does that give me any leeway with when I need to return to the airport? Or is it still 2 hours if I need to re-check bags/obtain boarding pass?

I'm actually currently in Guam at the moment and flew to Saipan this morning and did ask the UA staff at the airport, but they didn't really have any solid answers. Ditto with the 1K line. I'm hoping that even just one of you out there has some experience with this, as I have concerns with time.

For those interested in why this matters: I'm hoping to do the early morning helicopter ride over the reef. It theoretically would end at 9 a.m., but I'm imagining that there could be delays and taking into account transit from the drop off point back to a hotel and then back to the airport, I would be cutting it close (maybe too close) to the two hour cut off.

Not looking for any advice about playing it safe, etc., just looking for info on any previous experiences so I can make an informed decision.

Thanks!

mherdeg

Can you have your helicopter tour drop you at CNS?

ecosse3

I can, and will, but still hoping to find out more info if anyone here has happened to have this same connection.

flyingnosh

The only thing I can add to this is that I once traveled to Australia via Cairns both ways. Collected and rechecked my luggage both ways, got a boarding pass in Cairns both ways, and had no problems whatsoever. But of course that's just one data point.

Steve M

Neither of those sources would be able to give you an authoritative answer, so it's good that they didn't try. All that matters is what NZ policy, procedures, and reality is at CNS. The fact that it's a connection from UA, and booked on 016 stock, is not going to affect baggage check deadlines at CNS for a NZ flight.

My guess is that since you have a >24 break in travel, that the stop in CNS is ticketed as a stopover and not a connection. That being the case, it would have a separate check-in requirement. Unless for some reason you can get a boarding pass at GUM for the next day's flight, I would not assume that you're checked in for it. Perhaps NZ has an online check-in you could do to satisfy that requirement, but that's still not going to waive whatever the baggage check deadline is at the airport.

cavemanzk

Australian airports don't allow bags to be stored over night, for sercuirty reasons.

Therefore on arrival into CNS, you will need to collect your bags an re-check in the morning.

You can check-in online with NZ and bag drop closes 60minutes before departutre. (You will need to get the NZ PNR from UA)

http://www.airnewzealand.co.nz/online-check-in

ecosse3

Wonderful into-thanks so much for the info about the baggage. Sorry not to understand the last bit...any chance you could explain further?

dsgtc0408

Assume you're referring to the part about the "NZ PNR from UA". The PNR (passenger name record) is the six place alphanumeric that identifies your flight, eg 'EGQ12T' or something similar. UA assigned one for their segments, and NZ will assign a different for your CNS-AKL flight. If you go into the UA website and pull up your itinerary, look on the top of the page directly under the line that says "United Confirmation Number: .... "; click on the link "View additional confirmation numbers".

cavemanzk

And NZ PNR always end with an H