FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - A mad couple of days flying, including domestic international flights
Old Jul 22, 2008, 8:21 pm
  #4  
Kiwi Flyer
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We arrived early despite leaving Auckland late. There was a small delay on disembarking while a Maori welcome was given at the end of the airbridge.

I'd been told I would be meet on arrival and escorted through international transfers, however no one was waiting for me. As I had gotten a visa (my read of the visa rules was that I needed one because not transitting to a 3rd country) and was confident I would quickly find my way around this new terminal I charged on without hanging around. The transfer desk was abandoned thus no chance of using international transfer immigration line (requires a valid boarding pass). Fortunately at this hour of day immigration was fairly quiet and the queues moved quickly. At the immigration desk there is a keyboard where you push a button corresponding to your satisfaction of the service given - what a great idea.

Both the immigration officer and the pre-desk visa & document checker initially thought I had the wrong flight information, but soon accepted my statement that it was a new flight. That done, down to the train to transfer to baggage claim and check in - a 5 minute ride away. Then customs and baggage xray, through the awaiting groups of people, into the escalator and up to departures. The departure monitor listing flights and the set of check in desks that apply for some reason skipped an hour, including my return flight. However I soon spotted the NZ logo and colours and made my way over to check in.

There I was fussed over and given an invitation card for the Air China First Class lounge on account of my status. That was a nice surprise, I'd been expecting the Business Class lounge. By the time I'd cleared immigration and security and trained back out to the E part of the terminal, it had taken about 80 minutes despite minimal queues.

The First Class lounge is off to the left of where you come out, and up a level. The bollards in front of the escalator make it difficult to bring bags up, due to the extra narrow gap. The lounge is nice enough - spacious, uncrowded (at this time anyway), some food and drink on offer plus a proper dining area. Plenty of tvs, a few computers. The main lack is no shower, and the departure monitors work oddly - a full listing is only shown near reception while some other monitors inside the lounge show only 1 or 2 flights on final call.

I left in plenty of time to make the gate in case there were any more festivities planned. The same performers who welcomed us on arrival did a few songs before boarding commenced.

This flight was full in economy thanks to a couple of large groups of Chinese schoolkids. Business class was not full, even with a few NZ management onboard.

The meals schedule was odd. The first meal was a breakfast despite being served a couple of hours into the flight (which makes it lunchtime China time or mid afternoon NZ time). A light refreshment mid flight. Then main meal about 90 minutes before landing (ie after midnight NZ time). The food on offer was very similar to the other direction.

Despite leaving late we arrived in Auckland 30 minutes early.
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