After a short but relaxing stay in NZ for 4 nights, it was time to return home from the weekend break. The flight back is scheduled to depart at 1125hrs and we reached the airport 2hrs prior to departure.
Jetstar's check-in counters in the International terminal was located near the far end, just a few counters beside SQ's which also had a flight back to SIN 1hr after us. Already at 2hrs before departure, the check-in queue for Jetstar was already very long and snaked for a few loops. Only 4 counters were opened to process the passengers, including 1 for Business Class.
By contrast, SQ had 8 counters at the far end opened for check-in with barely a trickle of passengers. Most of the time, their queue was empty with the check-in agents chatting among themselves. Has SQ's business so greatly affected by Jetstar's entry into the NZ market?
We waited for nearly an hour before reaching the front of the snaking queue!! And there was still a long queue stretching almost till the terminal entrance 1hr before departure!!
I asked the check-in agent how the load for the flight was and she said that it was almost fully booked today! Apparently there were a lot of transit passengers connecting to Jetstar Asia and Qantas flights out of SIN. Transit passengers were also given an information card detailing how to transfer in Changi. Just as we were checking in, a fifth counter was opened to handle the large number of passengers. Guess they realised they would not be able to close the flight in time with still so many pax yet to be checked in.
After check-in was done, we went through immigration and security and it was again a very long wait. The security screening line was very long and the wait was almost 30min! When through all these, it was already 25min left to departure. I wondered how we would depart on time since check-in was still not completed yet. True enough, our departure time was pushed back to 1145hrs on the departure screen.
My boarding pass. Upon boarding, Jetstar would always return the bigger portion as it states the services purchased.
Auckland airport departure hall.
Flight display monitor. Best thing was shortly after this photo was taken, the display showed "Gate Closed", causing a panic with passengers who has just cleared security.
Air New Zealand B744, a rarity nowadays.
VH-EBE which would fly me back to SIN.
09 August 2011
Jetstar Asia (Operated by Jetstar)
3K 402
Auckland (AKL) - Singapore (SIN)
A330-200
VH-EBE
Economy Class
Boarding the plane. This time, we do have a push-back truck. Again, a crew member was at the entrance of the aerobridge welcoming passengers.
Boarding in process. We had to wait for the rest of the other passengers to board due to the slow check-in procedure. Jetstar should opened 1 or 2 more counters. 4 counters are definitely not enough for the heavy load today!
We eventually pushed back 30min later than scheduled. Flight time was estimated to be a long 10hrs40min due to strong headwinds. 2 of the crew members serving the aft section of the plane where I was seated was also on my flight up! This was their second trip to Auckland within 6 days! Real packed roster they have! On this flight, apparently the video system broke down as nothing was shown on the screens, including the safety demo. On the way up, the QF-ish safety demo was shown the the screens together with the crew performing the demo manually, just like on QF. No movies/films and flight map was shown throughout the flight too.
Pushback and safety demo.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdH_JcYaGXU
Starting our taxi to Rwy23L. QF A330 and SQ 773ER at the gates.
Qantas B738 in a special livery.
