Regional lounge access and AKL express lane
Jan 31, 2024, 12:18 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2022
Location: New Zealand
Programs: Skywards Gold
Posts: 13
Regional lounge access and AKL express lane
Just clarifying a few things, I have a few flights coming up to/from aussie and the islands in biz. Flying from a regional airport and connecting through Auckland onto business premier, am I entitled to access the regional lounges? All booked through on one ticket. Also, transiting through AKL can i walk into the express lane through the main security entrance or do I need to go up through the premium check in area?
I'm not quite at a point where koru club is worth it for regional lounge access in terms of the number of flights I take but hopefully that's going to change next year.
I'm not quite at a point where koru club is worth it for regional lounge access in terms of the number of flights I take but hopefully that's going to change next year.
Jan 31, 2024, 12:27 am
#2
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Auckland, New Zealand
Programs: NZ *G
Posts: 413
I believe the answer to your first question is yes, given it’s all one ticket.
For your second question, you can use the Premium Checkin area and go upstairs using the lift and then follow the pathway to the dedicated lines. Sometimes if there’s a big queue for the lift it’s faster to go upstairs using the main escalator. At the point the public enter the security area you can then cut across to the premium line (it’s against the back wall, if you’re looking from the public access point).
For your second question, you can use the Premium Checkin area and go upstairs using the lift and then follow the pathway to the dedicated lines. Sometimes if there’s a big queue for the lift it’s faster to go upstairs using the main escalator. At the point the public enter the security area you can then cut across to the premium line (it’s against the back wall, if you’re looking from the public access point).
Jan 31, 2024, 8:25 am
#4
Join Date: Dec 2013
Programs: NZ Airpoints GE, Qantas Platinum, Accor Diamond, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 967
Tried to use the express lane in AKL last week (was flying AA in biz) and the person manning the gates told me to go back to the check in hall to get a piece of paper to allow me to use the gates. My boarding pass had the bar code on it as that is what the machines read, so I wonder what the piece of paper is all about.
went through the normal route instead. Needless to ay security was dreadful. Both my bags went for secondary screening but they actually didn't look inside, I just waited for them to get round to getting my bags and they handed them straight over.
A couple of 'what was that all about?' moments at our gateway airport.
went through the normal route instead. Needless to ay security was dreadful. Both my bags went for secondary screening but they actually didn't look inside, I just waited for them to get round to getting my bags and they handed them straight over.
A couple of 'what was that all about?' moments at our gateway airport.
Jan 31, 2024, 9:20 am
#5
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: New Zealand (most of the time)
Programs: Air NZ Elite *G, Honors Gold, IHG Platinum Elite
Posts: 6,119
The barcode is irrelevant - Air NZ and Qantas print an express logo / text on boarding passes and this is what entitles you to use the express lane.
I would have assumed all airlines would do this but obviously AA aren't.
I would have assumed all airlines would do this but obviously AA aren't.
Jan 31, 2024, 10:55 am
#6
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 2,645
Tried to use the express lane in AKL last week (was flying AA in biz) and the person manning the gates told me to go back to the check in hall to get a piece of paper to allow me to use the gates. My boarding pass had the bar code on it as that is what the machines read, so I wonder what the piece of paper is all about.
went through the normal route instead. Needless to ay security was dreadful. Both my bags went for secondary screening but they actually didn't look inside, I just waited for them to get round to getting my bags and they handed them straight over.
A couple of 'what was that all about?' moments at our gateway airport.
went through the normal route instead. Needless to ay security was dreadful. Both my bags went for secondary screening but they actually didn't look inside, I just waited for them to get round to getting my bags and they handed them straight over.
A couple of 'what was that all about?' moments at our gateway airport.
Jan 31, 2024, 11:45 am
#7
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: WLG/BKK
Programs: TG*G, NZ*GE, QF G, Accor Gold
Posts: 10,208
Tried to use the express lane in AKL last week (was flying AA in biz) and the person manning the gates told me to go back to the check in hall to get a piece of paper to allow me to use the gates. My boarding pass had the bar code on it as that is what the machines read, so I wonder what the piece of paper is all about.
went through the normal route instead. Needless to ay security was dreadful. Both my bags went for secondary screening but they actually didn't look inside, I just waited for them to get round to getting my bags and they handed them straight over.
A couple of 'what was that all about?' moments at our gateway airport.
went through the normal route instead. Needless to ay security was dreadful. Both my bags went for secondary screening but they actually didn't look inside, I just waited for them to get round to getting my bags and they handed them straight over.
A couple of 'what was that all about?' moments at our gateway airport.
A hassle either way to go ‘normal’ or return to AA check-in.
Jan 31, 2024, 11:59 am
#8
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 2,645
As @sbiddle noted, the paper or electronic boarding pass has EXPRESS PATH printed on it. The person is there simply to turnaround pax that don’t have that. AA presumably could (and should) have stamped ‘express path’ or printed a BP-sized card with ‘Express Path’ on it.
A hassle either way to go ‘normal’ or return to AA check-in.
A hassle either way to go ‘normal’ or return to AA check-in.
Jan 31, 2024, 6:03 pm
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2022
Location: New Zealand
Programs: Skywards Gold
Posts: 13
Does this include boarding passes printed at regional airports? Flying out Tauranga
Jan 31, 2024, 7:05 pm
#10
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: WLG/BKK
Programs: TG*G, NZ*GE, QF G, Accor Gold
Posts: 10,208
Feb 4, 2024, 3:13 pm
#13
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: New Zealand
Programs: Air NZ *E
Posts: 146