CHC Regional Transfer Short Cut
Nov 25, 2013, 3:12 pm
#16
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Wellington
Programs: QFWP (LTSG), NZ (Jade), TG ROP (Forgotten), OZ (Silver), AA (Cardboard), EK (Lowest of the Low)
Posts: 4,671
I don't agree with you or Blackcloud. You do pay for the access, either by paying for Koru Club, or flying excessive amounts to reach a high status, or by paying lots for international business class and an expensive connecting regional flight.
Regional passengers do not deserve lesser treatment than jet passengers. We usually pay more for our flights, often lots more. Of course we get smaller planes, with lesser service, but there is no reason for a considerably worse experience at the airport. I don't mind a cut down lounge, but the CHC one is too cut down. A good concept but not well executed. And it does take quite a bit of time to get to the main Koru lounge in both AKL and CHC, and lots of time to get to your flight. The best lounge in this regard is WLG, which is well suited for everyone.
Regional passengers do not deserve lesser treatment than jet passengers. We usually pay more for our flights, often lots more. Of course we get smaller planes, with lesser service, but there is no reason for a considerably worse experience at the airport. I don't mind a cut down lounge, but the CHC one is too cut down. A good concept but not well executed. And it does take quite a bit of time to get to the main Koru lounge in both AKL and CHC, and lots of time to get to your flight. The best lounge in this regard is WLG, which is well suited for everyone.
I do not care how one gets access, I pay for Koru Club and I know what I get for it, IMO it does not matter if it was from status or paid membership in the lounges you are treated all the same.
I agree with you that the cut back regional lounges, including the CHC "Birdcage", are not the same as the main lounges in AKL, WLG and CHC - DUD is what I feel a regional lounge should be and used to be in offerings. So not a full lounge but something that offers more substantive food and beverage than what we are currently receiving. If that happens I could even live with the disposable plates, cups and cutlery. However claims that we are treated as third class citizens is way OTT and reeks of spoilt entitlement behaviour.
Anyway back to the topic. If the short cut is an initiative between CHC and NZ then good on them for looking at a solution to the poor design of CHC.^
Dec 17, 2017, 8:05 pm
#18
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Dunedin, New Zealand
Programs: NZ Silver, NZ Koru, Accor Silver
Posts: 129
I know this is resurrecting an old post, but the current renovations at CHC mean that the regional shortcut is currently closed. There were frequent announcements in the Koru domestic lounge for those departing from gates 3 to 14. If you've been in the main Koru lounge before catching a regional flight, you'll need to use the exit near gate 22 (and allow a few extra minutes to get to the gate). The announcements stated that you should head down to the regional gate before boarding was announced so that flights could depart on time. I checked with the Koru domestic lounge staff and they were unsure as to how long the shortcut would be closed.
Dec 18, 2017, 1:59 am
#20
Join Date: Apr 2016
Posts: 778
[MENTION=2849]SilverTP[/MENTION], thanks for the heads up.
[MENTION=656651]sbiddle[/MENTION], I'm curious how you think that the shortcut in its current state is a security disaster? I was just reading an article and apparently it was only after the Brownlee incident that they installed the current one-way turnstiles. Previously, it was a manned emergency exit and there was a number of systematic failures that ensued which caused the whole issue to occur.
[MENTION=656651]sbiddle[/MENTION], I'm curious how you think that the shortcut in its current state is a security disaster? I was just reading an article and apparently it was only after the Brownlee incident that they installed the current one-way turnstiles. Previously, it was a manned emergency exit and there was a number of systematic failures that ensued which caused the whole issue to occur.
Dec 18, 2017, 2:03 am
#21
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: New Zealand (most of the time)
Programs: Air NZ Elite *G, Honors Gold, IHG Platinum Elite
Posts: 6,273
The Brownlee incident wasn't through that passageway.
I'm not going to post here on a public forum as to how it can be exploited - but safe to say you don't find turn style doors like that used anywhere else in the world unless it's in conjunction with a physical closing door (such as the AKL domestic exits) due to the fact it offers such as poor level of security to restrict items being taken through them.
I'm not going to post here on a public forum as to how it can be exploited - but safe to say you don't find turn style doors like that used anywhere else in the world unless it's in conjunction with a physical closing door (such as the AKL domestic exits) due to the fact it offers such as poor level of security to restrict items being taken through them.
Dec 18, 2017, 10:50 am
#22
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Christchurch, NZ
Programs: NZ *E, QF Gold, Hertz President’s Circle, Accor Gold, PanPacific Platinum
Posts: 791
I use that path most days either from Koru lounge, or when landing in A320 at Gate 16+ to make speedy exit to car park building. Mind you, after the impending Christmas binge, a few more steps won’t kill me
Dec 18, 2017, 7:05 pm
#23
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Wellington
Programs: AirNZ Airpoints Elite
Posts: 121
Almost been stuck in the turnstyle with my bag more than once! Depending on time of day I find it pretty easy and fast to get to the main lounge - generally give myself some down time there too. Blenheim is where I'd like to see even a Birdcage.
Dec 19, 2017, 1:26 am
#24
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Christchurch, NZ
Programs: NZ *E, QF Gold, Hertz President’s Circle, Accor Gold, PanPacific Platinum
Posts: 791
don’t joke about that! Birdcage is rubbish. I would sooner buy a coffee at Blenheim than submit to the poor offer in chc
Dec 22, 2017, 1:08 am
#27
Join Date: Dec 2013
Programs: NZ Airpoints GE, Qantas Platinum, Accor Diamond, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 1,018