Overnight 11hr layover MEL>AKL>HKG
Mar 18, 2024, 9:06 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2024
Posts: 10
Overnight 11hr layover MEL>AKL>HKG
Hi all, flying MEL to HKG through AKL with a 11.25hr layover between 22:30 to 09:55 next day in J.
Airnz website notes Int. Lounge opens 4:30am each day. Would this mean i would have to sleep outside lounge/find room in Novotel?
Flying early Dec with return booked Feb, was wondering if AKL-HKG and return leg would be the v1 or v2 787-9s? Expertflyer shows v1 but I read new v3 cabins coming Oct/Dec this year, was hoping could to get better A row seats.
Cheers all
Airnz website notes Int. Lounge opens 4:30am each day. Would this mean i would have to sleep outside lounge/find room in Novotel?
Flying early Dec with return booked Feb, was wondering if AKL-HKG and return leg would be the v1 or v2 787-9s? Expertflyer shows v1 but I read new v3 cabins coming Oct/Dec this year, was hoping could to get better A row seats.
Cheers all
Mar 18, 2024, 10:20 am
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: WLG/BKK
Programs: TG*G, NZ*GE, QF G, Accor Gold
Posts: 10,208
Hi all, flying MEL to HKG through AKL with a 11.25hr layover between 22:30 to 09:55 next day in J.
Airnz website notes Int. Lounge opens 4:30am each day. Would this mean i would have to sleep outside lounge/find room in Novotel?
Flying early Dec with return booked Feb, was wondering if AKL-HKG and return leg would be the v1 or v2 787-9s? Expertflyer shows v1 but I read new v3 cabins coming Oct/Dec this year, was hoping could to get better A row seats.
Cheers all
Airnz website notes Int. Lounge opens 4:30am each day. Would this mean i would have to sleep outside lounge/find room in Novotel?
Flying early Dec with return booked Feb, was wondering if AKL-HKG and return leg would be the v1 or v2 787-9s? Expertflyer shows v1 but I read new v3 cabins coming Oct/Dec this year, was hoping could to get better A row seats.
Cheers all
Mar 18, 2024, 10:58 am
#3
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 "v3" cabin belongs to the new ULR 789s that due for delivery around Oct this year. These have been caught up in Boeing delays and not sure until mid 2025.
The cabin refurb project for the existing v1 and v2 cabins that aligns these with new seats (but different to the v3) is still on schedule and will see the first aircraft completed this year but HKG is not a route that these will initially fly on.
The cabin refurb project for the existing v1 and v2 cabins that aligns these with new seats (but different to the v3) is still on schedule and will see the first aircraft completed this year but HKG is not a route that these will initially fly on.
Last edited by sbiddle; Mar 18, 2024 at 11:32 am
Mar 18, 2024, 1:23 pm
#7
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: MEL CHC
Posts: 21,029
Are other airport area hotels.
Mar 18, 2024, 5:35 pm
#10
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Christchurch, New Zealand
Programs: NZ Elite; QF Platinum; CZ Gold; MU Platinum; Marriott Titanium; Accor Platinum
Posts: 1,467
My experience is aside from the two hotels you can easily walk to, Novotel and brand new Pullman, the other hotels are a far from relaxing experience. You either have to take an infrequent paid bus that stops at all hotels, or risk getting yelled at by taxi or uber who doesn't want to take a short ride! And most of the other hotels are old.
Mar 18, 2024, 6:58 pm
#11
Join Date: Sep 2022
Programs: Airpoints Elite
Posts: 123
My experience is aside from the two hotels you can easily walk to, Novotel and brand new Pullman, the other hotels are a far from relaxing experience. You either have to take an infrequent paid bus that stops at all hotels, or risk getting yelled at by taxi or uber who doesn't want to take a short ride! And most of the other hotels are old.
If you are trying to save a few bucks you could go to the Ibis which is walking distance to the domestic terminal, but it's really very basic, not well sound proofed so you can hear a pin drop in the hallway, and then probably the best part of a 30 min walk from the international terminal. The only upside to staying there (price aside) is it's right next to the shopping precinct with a supermarket, The Warehouse etc. I walked all the way there and back from the Novotel last time I stayed there as we realised the night before an early flight we had forgotten something for the baby and it was the only place I could get what we needed ... it's not an unsafe feeling walk just a bit of a trek and the last thing you want to do if you've got to be at the international terminal early. Definitely not something I wanted to do with a one year old and all the crap that comes with one when travelling.
As oranjemakker says, the other hotels are all awkwardly located and you've either got to rely on the shuttle buses (which generally appear to be some system that runs a loop around the various hotels) or roll the dice as to whether you can get a taxi or uber.
Apr 6, 2024, 7:50 am
#13
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2024
Posts: 10
Agreed. Just book either the Novotel or the Pullman (haven't stayed at the latter, but have always found the Novotel decent - would be better if they started breakfast earlier though e.g. 5am).
If you are trying to save a few bucks you could go to the Ibis which is walking distance to the domestic terminal, but it's really very basic, not well sound proofed so you can hear a pin drop in the hallway, and then probably the best part of a 30 min walk from the international terminal. The only upside to staying there (price aside) is it's right next to the shopping precinct with a supermarket, The Warehouse etc. I walked all the way there and back from the Novotel last time I stayed there as we realised the night before an early flight we had forgotten something for the baby and it was the only place I could get what we needed ... it's not an unsafe feeling walk just a bit of a trek and the last thing you want to do if you've got to be at the international terminal early. Definitely not something I wanted to do with a one year old and all the crap that comes with one when travelling.
As oranjemakker says, the other hotels are all awkwardly located and you've either got to rely on the shuttle buses (which generally appear to be some system that runs a loop around the various hotels) or roll the dice as to whether you can get a taxi or uber.
If you are trying to save a few bucks you could go to the Ibis which is walking distance to the domestic terminal, but it's really very basic, not well sound proofed so you can hear a pin drop in the hallway, and then probably the best part of a 30 min walk from the international terminal. The only upside to staying there (price aside) is it's right next to the shopping precinct with a supermarket, The Warehouse etc. I walked all the way there and back from the Novotel last time I stayed there as we realised the night before an early flight we had forgotten something for the baby and it was the only place I could get what we needed ... it's not an unsafe feeling walk just a bit of a trek and the last thing you want to do if you've got to be at the international terminal early. Definitely not something I wanted to do with a one year old and all the crap that comes with one when travelling.
As oranjemakker says, the other hotels are all awkwardly located and you've either got to rely on the shuttle buses (which generally appear to be some system that runs a loop around the various hotels) or roll the dice as to whether you can get a taxi or uber.
Apr 6, 2024, 7:53 am
#14
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2024
Posts: 10
Apr 7, 2024, 2:56 am
#15
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 1,498