kiwicyclo

As a bit of a treat I havemanaged to book a bit of a journey for the end of the year. Becuase of different expiring credits etc and using a loyal travel agent it is a mix of booking refs and methods of booking. Also only my second self funded trip since 2010.

ZQN-AKL (Flexi refund) on one booking ref
AKL-SIN-FRA on SQ Metal but NZ ticket (Business, paid. Very good deal)
FRA-EDI on LH Metal and LH Metal - LH Booking Ref

Elite and elite partner travelling. I know ZQN staff have struggle to previoulsy to tag luggage and issue boarding passes right through to destination (took 2 hours last time and managed to off load us from a UA flight!)

Wondering what the chances are of having luggage tagged right through to EDI from ZQN? ore we may end up having to collect bags and recheck at FRA?

For the return

EDI-FRA -LH Metal on LH Ticket - LH Booking ref
FRA-ICN - LH Metal on LH Ticket (Booked through Air NZ) - Premium Economy
INC-AKL - NZ Metal on NZ Ticket (Booked through Air NZ) - Premium Economy (Requested Upgrade to Business)
AKL-ZQN - (Flexi Refund) on a different booking ref

Same question as above re having luggage checked right through to AKL.

I have lots of time, 4 hours plus connection between flights with 10:40 connection in INC. Bit of a relaxed trip and rechking bags will not be a big deal if we have to.

Any thoughts on the above

Cheers

Thai-Kiwi

Your first self-funded trip since 2010?! Lucky you. I’ll go to the grave broke as I am mainly self-funded post-covid; 1 annual work international trip (to SYD this year ) and some work domestic trips.

Looks like fun. Quite a lot going on. What input were you seeking from the community…?

mad_atta

Sounds like a fun trip! I assume you mean ICN (Seoul) not INC as your connection point on the return?

Re through checking your bags, based on the recent thread in this forum (which as it happened detailed someone's experience of being refused interlining in ZQN) it sounds like it's a complete crapshoot - each airline, airport and to some extent agent seems to vary. You'll find out on the day. Though if it were me, assuming a reasonable connection time in AKL on the outbound I wouldn't even try at ZQN - as your own experience shows, it can be painful and counterproductive. However I would try at AKL, as that could make a very material difference to the quality of your transit in FRA, and the fact that you're on a paid biz ticket and departing from a hub airport (with, presumably, experienced check-in agents) might help you.

For the return, I wonder whether you'll get actual LH agents at EDI or contract staff? If the latter then that would likely impact your ability to get this done. With 10h 40 in ICN I hope you're escaping the airport?

Let us know how it turns out!

kiwicyclo

Yup questions was about interlining bags on what is essentially 3 seperate outbound bookings and 3 seperate inbound bookings. We have a fair bit of time betwen connections and no pressure in ZQN so can arrive early for check in.

3.05 in AKL
4.10 in SIN
4.30 in FRA

Picking we will probably have to collect and recheck in FRA out bound and inbound.

6.20 FRA
10.30 ICN
2.15 AKL

The plan is to break free from ICN and find something to do / somwhere to go

Markhm

I went to the DMZ on my day in ICN recently.

sbiddle

I don't know how recently you were there but DMZ tours have been suspended due to the current tensions since late 2023. You can still visit some of the viewing areas but not the JSA so it's rather pointless doing one at present.

gambda

I had a similar transit time at ICN early 2023 from FCO via FRA. Unfortunately the spa and the transit tour of Seoul (Similar to singapore's free tour) was not in operation due to "covid".
I see they are both back in operation so that's something to consider if you're interested. Nothing special about the Asiana lounge apart from the huge windows to do a bit of plane spotting. Haven't tried the SQ lounge there.

https://www.airport.kr/ap_cnt/en/trn...tour/trtour.do

NZbutterfly

Demilitarized zones (DMZ) tours are a go. I did this in Feb 2024. You can book via the Klook app etc. You may be confused with the Joint Security Area (JSA) tours which were suspended after the US soldier Travis King did a runner across the border to North Korea. On the DMZ tour we were told the JSA tour was to return but there was a backlog of people wanting to do the tour so could take months to get on the tour. The JSA tour takes you via those blue buildings where North and South have their meetings and the meme where Trump shakes Kim Jong Un's hand then walks across the border and goes down a trap door . That's different from the DMZ tour I did this year but we could see those buildings through the trees.

IMO it's criminal not to do the DMZ tour. It's absolutely fascinating. The War Memorial is great to visit for background prior to the tour.

Edit: Just reread your post. Despite not getting to see the JSA it's still a good tour. Add on the gondola tour across the way. The American in our group was taking video and sending them to his daughter back in the US telling her he was crossing into North Korea - so funny!


For the OP, you're flying after the restart of NZ flights to Korea so it's quite possible the JSA tours will be back up and running barring any further issues. The domestic tours have restarted for Korean citizens already and the Ministry of reunification website says there are plans to restart for foreigners but no dates yet. I'll definitely book the JSA tour when it restarts.

Re checked luggage right through. I like your chances of checking all the way through from Auckland. I've had separate tickets with NZ then SQ and they checked them through at the AKL premium desk. They'll know your flight is on time and there shouldn't be any issues connecting. Just need to change it in the system. I was also told Air NZ could ticket my luggage through to LHR despite SIN-DOH-LHR being on Qatar. Unfortunately I only chatted to the agent after I'd sent my luggage through But this could depend on which agent you talk to. But for *A I really don't anticipate any issues. My experience was pre covid.

sbiddle

Just to add some comments to this thread.. Last Thu was 86 mins in a queue to clear immigration at ICN. I've been told this is quite typical these days at busy times (NZ75 was delayed by 90 mins).

mad_atta

I'm shocked by this. I think of ICN as one of those efficient airports where everything works and you just blaze through with minimal fuss. The last time I was there (other than in transit) was 2018 so I guess things must have really gone downhill since then.

Thai-Kiwi

I lived in Seoul 2014-2018. The queues then could also be terrible, both inwards immigration and outbound security. I was seeing off one of the adult lads, and the departure security queue was enormous. At least it was orderly and progressed relatively smoothly.

edmm

Did you have a K-ETA? We are currently exempt, but I wonder if it is worth getting one anyway.

sbiddle

Zero point in getting one. You join the same queue.

Takes literally 60 seconds to fill in the passenger arrival card and processing by immigration was very fast - literally 90 seconds to scan my passport and take my photo and prints.

It was the queue that took all the time!

sbiddle

Zero point in getting one. You join the same queue.

Takes literally 60 seconds to fill in the passenger arrival card and processing by immigration was very fast - literally 90 seconds to scan my passport and take my photo and prints.

It was the queue that took all the time!

kiwicyclo

SQ allocated some pretty "Stink" seats. All legs on them in Business. AKLSIN were right betwen 2 sets of lavatories and by the galley. SINFRA were right by the lavatories.

Wonder if this is becuasue the are NZ3326 and NZ 3282 and not SQ tickets.

Travel agent has managed to get them change to more desirable locations.

For some 24 hours of flying with them this would not have been great.