Seat 2A

This section of the Trip Report was originally planned to begin from Queenstown but, as fate would have it, some fun things happened that totally changed the direction of my “planned” travels over the past four days.

After spending a rainy night in a caravan (trailer) parked in a local Te Anau couple’s driveway, I awoke to a fresh mantle of snow topping the mountains surrounding Te Anau. I had a cuppa coffee with my hosts, Peter and Susan and their dog Vinnie, then strolled into Te Anau for a look around town. As well, I intended to book a seat on a bus out to Milford Sound. I’ve tried hitching out there twice, to no avail. In the middle of the week, tourists are about the only people driving the Milford road and the average tourist simply does not pick up hitchhikers.

The weather forecast was not good for the coast. Fresh westerlies and rain would be expected over the next four days. Well, dang! I’ve been to Milford many times, most of them the result of having hiked in over the Routeburn or Milford tracks. Even on a rainy day the place has its charms but… given the inclement weather, perhaps I could instead head up to Glenorchy, my favorite little town in New Zealand, a day early. I wandered over to the local information center and inquired about schedules and availability back up to Queenstown. I also asked about air service in Te Anau as Air New Zealand had recently discontinued all services down there. I was told that aside from tourist flights over to Milford, there was a twice weekly DC-3 service up to Queenstown operating on Mondays and Fridays. Total cost: $60.00 or $27.00USD one way. Whoa! Sign me up! Even if it were sunny and 80 degrees in Milford, it’s not everyday an opportunity to fly on a DC-3 for a mere pittance lands smack in your lap!

Calls were made and it turned out that yes, the DC-3 would be departing Te Anau the next morning but the pilot had decided to go to Mt. Cook National Park instead. Normally, the DC-3 operated charters down from Christchurch on Monday and Friday mornings, then essentially repositioned the aircraft to Queenstown for a return to Christchurch. Being as we’re approaching the end of the summer season down here (witness the fresh snow on the mountains) there was no flight out of Queenstown tomorrow afternoon but there was one out of Mt. Cook the day after. As such, the pilot decided to skip Queenstown and fly on to Mt. Cook instead. As this was not a scheduled flight, no bookings had been taken. Still, they were willing to have me tag along for a mere $80.00NZD or $35.00USD. The only possible hitch was the weather and I was given a number to call the next morning to find out whether we’d be departing on time or at all. As for getting back to Queenstown, well, I’d deal with that once I got to Mt. Cook.

The next morning, I awoke to partly cloudy, but mostly sunny skies. No fog or rain. Fantastic! The flight was on! The taxi arrived about 8:00am and already had five other people aboard: One lady going to an address on the outskirts of town and four trampers heading off to do the Dusky Sound Track. We dropped the lady off while I chatted with the trampers about the task ahead of them. The Dusky is no cakewalk; it’s muddy at even the best of times. With the forecast calling for four straight days of rain along the West Coast, I did not envy the trampers their lot.

Ten minutes later we arrived at the airport. Te Anau’s airport consists of a runway and a very basic terminal building that I probably could’ve built as a high school shop project. As I was unloading my pack, we could hear the distinctive drone of the two Pratt & Whitney Wasps that power the Three. The taxi driver decided to stick around for the landing and we all watched as the DC-3 lined up for its final approach, then touched down and taxied smartly to the terminal. A happy group of elderly American package tourists carefully descended the rickety stairway while the captain and the flight attendant helped them down and bade them farewell. There was no baggage to unload and after everyone had clambered aboard their waiting bus, I grabbed my pack and headed out to the airplane.


March 18, 2002
TEU-GTN Pionair Standard Class
DC-3 ZK-AMY Seat 7A/F
9:00a-1006a Flight time: 1:06

Pionair owns four DC-3s, all of which are used for charter work during New Zealand’s busy summer tourist season. In the winter, they head over to Australia for similar work transporting tourists about the outback.

Today’s aircraft was ZK-AMY a converted C-47 that saw service in Burma with the U.S. Air Force during WW-II. The aircraft was later transferred to Australia where it served the Australian government followed by service with a couple of airlines up in Queensland. Eventually, it relocated to New Zealand where it underwent 5000 man hours of refurbishment and other improvements before starting a new life with Pionair.

The airplane looked to be in excellent condition. It was freshly painted on the outside, and clean and fresh smelling on the inside. It was much nicer than the last DC-3 I flew with Provincetown-Boston Airlines back in 1986. This aircraft was outfitted with 28 dark blue seats – 7 rows of four across. The seat pitch was very generous – about 35 inches. I was the only passenger. Katie, our very attractive stewardess, said I could have any seat I liked. I chose a seat in the last row as it offered the least impeded view of the countryside below. Speaking of views, the windows were huge. I would guess about 12” X 14”, much larger than anything you’d find in a modern day jetliner.

The airplane shuddered as the right side engine fired up, followed a couple of minutes later by the left side engine. The engines initially sounded like they were running pretty rough but after about thirty seconds the began to emanate something akin to a purr. There was no safety demonstration and no announcement from the flight deck about our being first in line for take off, etc. We taxied out to the runway, revved the engines up and, upon releasing the brakes, charged down the asphalt. After about ten seconds, the rear of the aircraft came up and shortly after that we were airborne. We made a long lazy turn back towards Te Anau and flew right over the downtown area along the shores of Lake Manapouri. We continued to head west along the lakeshore as I began to wonder when we were going to make the turn north and east towards Mt. Cook. Katie came back and asked me if I’d like coffee and cookies. Coffee, please! What’s with the heading? Oh, the pilots decided to fly over Milford Sound. Hope you don’t mind! Awesome!

Although the weather forecast from the day before had indicated four days of rain in store for this region, thankfully the forecast was wrong. There were just a few clouds that actually served to compliment the overall vistas quite nicely. This was a perfect day for flying! The views of the mountains, lakes and glaciers in the Milford region were outstanding! We took in spectacular views of Milford Sound, the Darran Mountains and the Hollyford Valley. Then, as I munched my chocolate chip cookies and drank some fairly decent coffee, we passed within scant meters of the rugged summit of Mt. Aspiring. It looked close enough to touch. After the flight I asked the Captain about it and he estimated we passed within about 130 meters of the peak. (He did this by pointing to the terminal building from where we were parked, so 130 is my guess…)

Clouds began to build so I spent the rest of the flight perusing the 1940s style newspaper Pionair had provided whilst glancing occasionally out the window. We landed at Mt. Cook airport in a light rain and, after doing a quick U-Turn on the grass just off the side of the paved runway, taxied to another grassy strip about 130 yards from the terminal. There was no stairway this time. A step ladder was put down and I carefully descended, then thanked everyone for what was one of the most exciting flights I’ve ever been on.

The last time I flew through here was about ten years before aboard a Mt. Cook Airlines HS-748. Alas, Mt. Cook Airlines has become part of the Air New Zealand Link system and Air New Zealand recently suspended regularly scheduled service to Mt. Cook National Park. As such, the terminal was essentially deserted when I entered. I found a girl working at a tour desk and asked about transport up to Mt. Cook Village and the Hermitage Hotel. There was none. Any taxis? Nope. Uh oh. But wait! Maybe I could get a ride with the DC-3 crew as they were staying up at the Hermitage. She ran off to check. I ran off to the bathroom. When I’d returned, my pack was just being loaded in the crew’s car and a space in the back seat beckoned. Right on!

At the hotel, I booked a bus down to Queenstown leaving at 2:30pm. I’d spend the night there, then head up to Glenorchy the next morning. I got out my trusty hostel guide and started making calls in search of a bed for the night. The was nothing. Zilch. Nada. Except for one $94.00 room, the entire town was sold out! No reason, just end of summer and still a ton of backpackers in town. Sigh…

Well alright then, I’ll just get a bus ticket to Twizel, a small town just 45 minutes down the road. The hostel guide indicated the town had one motel that offered a couple of rooms as backpacker dorms. The next morning I could bus or hitch into Queenstown. I tried calling the motel but it was busy all three times. Surely it couldn’t be because they were sold out!

At 2:30pm I boarded the bus and disembarked 45 minutes later in Twizel. The bus left. I walked into the information center and inquired about the motel I’d read about. The man working the desk had a thick Scottish brogue and after a bit of initial misunderstanding, I grasped that he was telling me I’d better have already booked a reservation. Huh? What’s going on? Why, the rowing competition is this weekend. The whole town has been sold out for weeks! Whaaaaat?! Uh oh…

The man was kind enough to call Cromwell, located about 80 miles south, to see if I might score a bunk or cabin at the holiday park there. Bingo! They had a cabin for only $25.00/night! It was explained that I’d be hitchhiking down. No problem. They’d hold me a reservation anyway. Only in New Zealand!

It was only 3:30pm, plenty of time to catch a ride or two down to Cromwell. I grabbed a sandwich and a bottle of water before heading out to the highway. Once there, I made myself a sign for QUEENSTOWN and put out my thumb. A couple of murders that cast hitch-hiking in a rather negative light had been playing prominently in the local news, but I was confident that I’d get a ride regardless. After a wait of only 40 minutes, a van driven by two crazed German kayakers stopped to offer me a ride. Their van looked like a laundry bomb had gone off in it but I found a place for my pack and myself and squeezed in. They were going all the way to Queenstown and I had a good time chatting with these guys about everything from river rafting to the weird and wacky world of American foreign policy. It was a fun ride. I have rarely encountered two people more excited to be in New Zealand! I could go on and on about all this and more that happened over the next day like the taxi driver that pulled over because he thought I was this famous marathon runner he knew of who could get him a ticket into a big cross island triathalon. I’ve never been mistaken for a marathon runner before… Or watching Bunji jumpers leap off the Kawaurau Bridge… Or barely catching the last ride of the day out to Glenorchy and then only because the driver, he of the hurricane force hairstyle and huge earrings, didn’t have any pickups for his scheduled departure and was just goofing off in town. Thankfully his cell phone was turned on. But hey, describing the flights takes up enough space and besides, I don’t want to bore all the Starwood Gold and Hilton Honors members with descriptions of the basic accommodations at the Cromwell Holiday Park or the tramper’s bunkhouse at Glenorchy. Suffice to say that for the price of a room service lunch at a fancy hotel, I got two nights accommodations.


March 20, 2002
ZQN-CHC Air New Zealand 542 Business Class
737-300 ZK-NGM Seat 1F
415p-500p Flight time: 0:34

It’s been ten years since I last flew out of Queenstown. Back then, Mt. Cook Airlines was the only airline in town, offering Hawker Sidley 748 turbo-prop service to a variety of South Island destinations. Today, Air New Zealand offers jet service throughout New Zealand and both Air New Zealand and Qantas offer nonstop service to Australia. The terminal is much larger and even features Air New Zealand’s Koru Club.

Due to road construction out of Queenstown, I arrived just 35 minutes before departure and barely had time to change, check in and head off to the gate. Thankfully, the ladies working the check in counter were swift and efficient. They supplied me with a large plastic bag for my pack and appended Priority and Business Class tags before telling me I need only present my boarding pass for entry into the Koru Club in Christchurch.

One improvement that has yet to be implemented at Queenstown is jetways. Even so, I enjoy walking out to an aircraft and climbing aboard – as long as it’s not raining. Air New Zealand’s 737-300s seat eight in the forward cabin and the seats are real 2X2 Business Class seats or what we’d call First Class in the US. At first glance, they look pretty impressive, complete with leg and foot rests and four different buttons to control 1.) Recline, 2.) Lumbar I think, though I couldn’t detect any discernable difference, 3.) Leg Rest and 4.) Foot rest, though I was able to lower this without using the button. Still, despite all these gadgets, these seats failed in the most important area. They were stiff and uncomfortable and offered only minimal recline. Seat pitch was a good 40” but still not enough to take full advantage of the leg and footrest. A 13” TV screen was mounted on each side of the Business Class cabin. Nothing was ever shown, however.

Once I got settled in, my jacket was hung and I was offered a glass of orange juice or water with a slice of lemon. Both were served in real glass, no plastic. The door was shut and the safety demo was performed. It was mentioned that “heavy penalties” would be imposed upon anyone caught smoking in the lavatories. Heavy? That almost sounds as if there might be some physical aspect to the penalties – a beating perhaps or a week of hard labor in a Kiwi prison camp. Thankfully, I only smoke when I’m on fire so this was not a concern for me. After a mere 16 second take-off roll we were airborne.

The climb out of Queenstown is beautiful. I was reminded a lot of the climb out of Quito, Ecuador. We banked left and flew right over Queenstown, giving those of us on the right side a spectacular view of Lake Wakatipu and the prominent mountain peaks known locally as The Remarkables.

It’s only a 220 mile flight from Queenstown to Christchurch, and our flight time was planned for just 35 minutes. Service started almost immediately after take off as one of the Flight Attendants struggled by with a beverage cart, straining to hold it back as he walked downhill into the coach cabin. Meanwhile, in Business Class, a light snack was planned. I was presented a tray bearing:

 A fruit bowl with grapes, oranges and melons
 Cheese and crackers
 A hot burrito and a broiled tomato on a small dish
 A rolled napkin containing a little teaspoon, a normal sized teaspoon, two forks and three knives

The burrito turned out to be more like something offered in a Greek restaurant. We’re talking filo pastry dough filled with a variety of vegetables, including beans. There was no meat that I could detect. It tasted good, though. I ordered a beer to wash it all down and once again the beer was served tepid. Yecch! Being the national airline of a country that prides itself on the quality of its beer, I should think Air New Zealand could serve up a cold one now and then. Perhaps I should call ahead and have a few beers put on ice for tomorrow’s flight to Melbourne.

Here’s my rating for this flight:

Check in: A
Preflight: A
Comfort: B-
Service: A
Meal: A-

This certainly ranks as the shortest flight I’ve ever been served a hot meal on. Warm beer not withstanding, this was quite a performance by NZ and the meal was quite good as light snacks go.


March 20, 2002
CHC-AKL Air New Zealand 548 Business Class
767-219 ZK-NBA Seat 2A
700p-825p Flight time: 1:03

Air New Zealand’s Koru Club was conveniently located right next door to Gate 18 from which my flight to Auckland was scheduled to depart. At the reception desk was a distinguished looking gentleman who could have been a double for the actor Patrick Stewart. He examined my boarding pass and welcomed me in with “Come forward!” I heard him say these words to a couple of other folks as well. I wonder what he’d say to those without proper authority? “Go back!”

The Christchurch club appears every bit as large as its counterpart in Auckland with plenty of windows from which to view the aircraft activity out on the tarmac. Most of the club was made up of couches and low coffee tables. It was about 5:30pm and the club was packed. I was happy to see one section marked off as a “Cell Phone Free Zone”. Obnoxious things! How did society or business in general ever keep from collapsing during all those years that we didn’t have them?

In the center of the lounge was a large island stocked with all manner of light foods. There was a nice variety of sushi including ginger and wasabe, veggies and dip, slices of ham and corned beef, breads and a selection of cookies. Along the wall was a self-serve refrigerator – four glass doors worth – stocked with wines and all the major New Zealand beers. That’s right, all the major New Zealand beers, even Monteiths. Name me one US airline club that stocks more than three or four different brands. I grabbed a Monteith’s Pilsner and found a desk at one of the two workstations. A nearby computer terminal offered Internet service and a fax and printer were also available. Interestingly, there seemed little interest in the workstations. Everyone seemed quite content to sit and chat with one another. If I were travelling with someone else, I reckon I’d be doing the same.

The call to board came twenty minutes before scheduled departure. I had thought this flight was scheduled to operate with another 737 but was more than pleased to discover my old friend, ZK-NBA would be doing the honors up to Auckland this evening.

Be it in Business or Economy Class, Air New Zealand’s 767 is far more comfortable than its 737. This is especially true up in Business Class where the seat pitch on the 767 is close to 50”. (As a separate side note to Mad Atta, the leg rests on ZK–NBA at least are most emphatically not electronic. When I pushed the button for them, the leg rest exploded up out of its position and whacked the back of my calves with a force that’d do Tonya Harding proud.) However, these seats were not outfitted with personal video screens and based upon what I could make of the center consoles, never had been. I think it was mentioned somewhere in the annals of FlyerTalk that ZK-NBA, Air New Zealand’s first ever 767, had been relegated to domestic only duty on the AKL-CHC run so no doubt there’d be no need for the PTVs. For my video viewing pleasure I watched either the small 13” screen on the bulkhead or the big 4’ screen on the center bulkhead. The only program shown during the flight was SkyMap.

The load for tonight’s flight looked pretty light. Only four of the twenty-four seats in Business Class were occupied while Economy looked to be about two thirds full. I was offered a pre-flight beverage, which I declined, and the Auckland newspaper, which I accepted. As we taxied out to the runway, the captain took a moment to appraise us of the flight ahead. We’d be looking at an hour’s worth of flying time, cruising at 37,000’. I’d been looking forward to this flight in the hopes that it would be at sunset. Unfortunately, I was unaware that New Zealand went off Daylight Savings Time last Sunday. Had this not occurred I would’ve had my sunset. Ah well, the seat was very comfortable and I was looking forward to the dinner ahead.

An hour isn’t much time to feed a 767’s worth of passengers, so as soon as we'd leveled off the crew got right after it. I started out with a glass of Montana Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot, a tasty little wine that on the bottle states that it’s produced especially for Air New Zealand. Oddly, I saw the same type offered for sale all over the country. Whatever, it’s not a bad tasting wine and complimented the appetizer course quite nicely.

Imagine that – an appetizer course on a one hour flight! Good ol’ Air New Zealand! Tonight’s selection was a plate of thinly sliced Parma ham served on a plate with slices of honeydew and cantaloupe. It was accompanied by Swiss cheese, crackers and a bread roll.

I was just savoring my last bite of the ham when the entrée was delivered. It was almost exactly the same meal I had a month and a half ago on my southbound flight from Auckland. Twin salmon and halibut demi-fillets sat in a creamy sauce accompanied by a shredded carrot and zucchini medley and some rubbery potatoes. The salmon and veggies weren’t bad, a bit dry perhaps, but those potatoes were a disaster! Even so, for an hour’s flight, I think it’s amazing that we got anything at all so I’m not gonna winge too stridently. After all, even Air New Zealand can’t be perfect every flight.

We were well into our descent by the time the dinner trays were cleared off. It was a real treat to walk straight from the aircraft into baggage claim and find my bag already on the carousel. Even the Garden Inn’s van was halfway to the airport by the time I called them. Days as good as this one should be longer…

Check in: N/A Transit
Preflight: A
Comfort: A-
Service: A
Meal: B+

With the exception of the potatoes, one-hour flights really don’t get any better than this. The service from the FAs was attentive throughout the flight and the baggage delivery was exceptional!


March 21, 2002
AKL-MEL Air New Zealand 125 Business Class
767-204 ZK-NBJ Seat 2A
230p-530p Flight time: 3:52

The Garden Inn had a check out time of 10:00am so I was dropped off at the International Terminal at 10:30am, four hours before my scheduled departure time of 2:30pm. I was uncertain just how early I could check in for the flight and my concerns were hardly allayed when, upon entering the terminal, I saw no indication of check-in for flight 125 to Melbourne. About this time I spied a big fancy double glass doorway with a sign indicating Business and First Class check in over it. It was nicer than most lounge entrances I’d seen. I walked over and peered through the doors. All I could see was lounge furniture so I assumed it was some sort of waiting area and returned to the main check-in area.

Finally, I spied a counter advertising Pacific or economy class check-in for a flight 127 to Melbourne. That’ll do. Perhaps they’d changed the flight number. Either way, I just wanted to be rid of my pack and head for the lounge. The counter was understaffed and an agent who appeared to be in a position to help was doing nothing. When I did finally get to the counter, I found out that the area I’d earlier thought was a waiting area was in fact the check-in area for First and Business Class passengers. To make matters worse, due to an air traffic controller’s strike in Australia, my flight was delayed by almost two hours. Anyway, I eventually got checked in and, after clearing immigration, headed upstairs to the Koru Club.

It was a busy day at Auckland International. Flight 125 was supposed to leave from gate 3 but was instead reassigned to a remote gate that meant we all had to board busses and drive out to the aircraft. It was a warm day in Auckland – almost 80F – and the busses were crowded, hot and slow. On a positive note, I enjoyed cruising around the tarmac amongst the colorful variety of giant airliners. In town today were 747-400s from Air New Zealand (2), Qantas, Korean Air, Thai and Singapore along with an A340-300 from Aerolineas Argentinas and a 737-800 from Air Pacific. Finally, we pulled up in front of our aircraft, 767-204 ZK-NBJ, the all-white ex-Britannia machine in need of a completed paint job.

It sure felt good to climb the stairs, enter the air-conditioned cabin and sink into the dark blue sanctuary of seat 2A. The Business Class seats on this 767 were different from yesterday’s model in that they included a PTV in the center console. Seat pitch was about the same but these seats reclined a bit farther. I would say however that as International Business Class seats go, these seats are a bit past their prime. They offer fairly decent recline but the leg rest really doesn’t come out too far. The PTV is a tiny 5” screen. I understand Qantas is offering 1-2-2 seating on its trans-Tasman 767s and United has I think the best non-flat Business Class seat going. Still, so long as NZ keeps these aircraft on trans-Tasman services they’ll probably be okay. For comparison purposes, I’d be curious what kind of seats are offered up front on the 767-300s that serve the longer international routes.

Business Class looked to be about 80% full, and I was thankful to have an empty seat beside me. Preflight drinks and newspapers were offered, so I selected an orange juice and perused a copy of the New Zealand Herald. We were slightly delayed by four people who’d somehow missed the numerous boarding calls and had to be found in the terminal. Finally, they were located and driven out to the aircraft in a little van. They climbed the stairs and sheepishly walked down the aisle, no doubt enduring all manner of withering looks from their fellow passengers.

It was a beautiful day for flying and as we climbed out of Auckland, the view of the harbor and surrounding countryside was stunning. Hot days like this combine with all the moisture coming off the sea to make wonderful clouds. Outside my window were multi-layered cloud formations, but not so many that I couldn’t still see the deep blue Tasman below. Once we’d reached cruising altitude, hot towels and dinner menus were distributed. Drink orders were taken and for some reason, I felt a sudden need for ice cold sugar and fizz. A Ginger Ale hit the spot nicely. It was just after 5:00pm when we finally took off and the sun, now much lower in the sky, cast a pretty orangish-pink glow upon the clouds below. For a cloud lover like me it was a beautiful view and validated what I really enjoy about flying: Just being up here. It’s a pretty world from 37,000 feet. I reclined my seat and watched the world go by.

Here is the dinner menu:


DINNER

Appetizer

Marinated chicken supreme
Presented with spiced cucumber, water chestnut and green onion salad

Main Course

Beef, bacon and olive lasagna
With lemon and rosemary, green beans and tomato basil sauce

Ginger lime glazed pork fillet
Served with coconut and sweet potato bake and tropical fruit salsa

Chilled sesame crusted tuna
Served rare on soba noodles, with seaweed, wasabi caviar and Japanese seasonings

** ** **

Cheese and fruit
Fine regional cheese and preserved fruit

Dessert
Kapiti connoisseur ice cream


Blue table linens were distributed, followed shortly by trays bearing our basic place settings and the appetizer. Service was from the back of the cabin forward. The appetizer, described as Marinated chicken supreme, was pretty good but hardly marinated. It looked and tasted to me like two big slices of roasted chicken breast atop thinly sliced cucumbers with a few onions and water chestnuts thrown in. Bread was served separately – a nice touch – and we were offered our choice between toasted garlic bread and whole grain olive herb rolls. I had the herb roll with my appetizer and the garlic bread with my entrée. Tasty.

When the FA appeared to take my entrée selection, I was informed that the Pork Fillet didn’t make the flight and the caterers had instead substituted a toasted lamb sandwich. I’d seen one of them being served to the folks behind me. It didn’t look very substantial so I went with the lasagna. A good choice. Very tasty with a layer of bacon and not too many olives. I accompanied this with a glass of pretty decent New Zealand Shiraz. Dessert was New Zealand’s justifiably famous Kapiti ice cream. Rich and creamy, topped with tropical fruit pieces. Mmmm!

The PTV offered six or seven movies, some reruns of popular TV shows which I’ve never seen (I’ve never even seen Seinfeld or Friends yet) and the Sky Map. Interesting how each airline seems to have their own versions of Sky Map. Air New Zealand’s is quite basic. The best I’ve seen are with UA and BA. Lots of different perspectives on the landscape and lots more information about scintillating stuff like time at destination, headwinds, etc. I pulled out the trusty laptop and worked on this report while listening to the Dead’s great show from May 8th, 1977 at Cornell University. Hey Now! The finest Scarlet/Fire ever done!

Our approach into Melbourne was just after sunset and the grassy plains below were tinged a pinkish brown hue. We landed quite smoothly and taxied past what looked like most of the old Ansett fleet before parking at our gate. Business Class passengers received an Express Australian Arrivals card for Immigration but when I showed up, it was apparent that many others from our flight had also gotten the express treatment. Perhaps just being an NZ frequent flyer will get you this. Either way, I cleared immigration and customs quickly and located a room for the night at this neat little hotel called the Formule One Hotel. It was within easy walking distance of the airport and at only $59.00AUD ($34.00USD) per night was by far the most economical choice amongst airport area hotels. Everything about this hotel was pre-fabricated. I guess I’d call it a “Kit Hotel”. Some assembly required. Although the rooms were quite small, they were also exceedingly functional. Like Officer’s Quarters on a navy ship. My room included a well lit desk area, a quiet and very cool air conditioner (pronounced “egg nishna” in Strine) and a modular bathroom and shower unit that smelled like badly cooked Brussels sprouts. A full continental breakfast was available in the lobby for only $6.00 more.

Here’s how I’d rate my trans-Tasman flight with NZ:

Check in: D
Preflight: A-
Comfort: B+
Service: A
Meal: A-

The check in area was so nice that it totally fooled me. The D grade is based upon my experience at the Y class counter. No doubt this would’ve been higher had I checked in at the proper area. Inflight service was excellent as always. NZ has some of the best trained FAs I’ve ever encountered aloft! The seats could use an upgrade, though.


22 March
MEL-HBA Qantas 585 Coach Class
717-2K9 VH-IMP Seat 15D
1215p-120p Flight time: 0:53

It is perhaps a five minute walk from the Formule One Hotel to the Qantas Domestic Terminal. I arrived about 10:30am thinking perhaps I could make the earlier 11:15am departure to Hobart.

Wrong! The Economy Class check in line was the longest I’d seen since flying out of Las Vegas on September 14th! Sigh… As much as I enjoy the larger seats, nicer meals and lounges that come with travel in Business or First Class, one of the most important perks of J or F class travel or elite level membership in a FF program is the right to check in at the First and Business Class counters. I hate waiting in line. Still, such was my lot in life for today so I took my place and whipped out a book. Twenty five minutes later, I was checked in and on my way.

These days, in a hub airport, I guess that’s not too bad as waits go. Qantas had plenty of personnel manning the counters and an imposing woman (not only in stature but especially in facial expression) kept things orderly in line. Where I do have a complaint with Qantas is in the area of seat assignments. All seats are pre-assigned. As an economy class passenger, unless you are part of Qantas’ FF program you have no say in your initial seat selection. I tried to get a window but they were all taken. Thankfully, an exit row aisle was available.

The Domestic Terminal has an excellent food court with huge windows overlooking the tarmac that make it a great place for plane spotting. I saw a couple of ex-BA 767s with the RR engines along with 767-238 VH-EAL, the “City of Geelong” which I flew back in 1987 from MEL-CHC. The most intriguing aircraft spotted however was a QF 737-400 with winglets! This was the first time I’d ever seen winglets on a non-NG 737. I think they look cool and if they really do result in the fuel savings as advertised I predict we’ll be seeing a lot more of them.

It also occurred to me that Qantas has had the same color scheme for just over twenty years now. Amongst the major carriers, 20-30 years is about it for color schemes before it’s time for a new, fresher corporate image. Granted, there are exceptions (AA) but I wonder if QF might be unveiling a new corporate image with the arrival of its A380s or even A330s?

I arrived at Gate 12 just as boarding had commenced. The aircraft was 717-200 VH-IMP, the first 717 delivered to Qantas Link operator Impulse Airlines and I believe the first 717-200 ever to operate in Australia.

Inside, the aircraft is configured in an all economy class seating arrangement. All of the seats are dark blue and seat pitch looked to be about 31”. Not too impressive, in terms of either style or comfort. Still, the 717 offers only 5 across seating so the seats are just a bit wider and reasonably comfortable as economy class seats go.

As we pushed back from the gate and listened to the safety demo., a flight attendant came back and asked each of us in the exit rows, one side at a time, if we were ready and willing etc. She even had the guy behind me woken up so he could hear her. While this all makes sense, I comment on it simply because I haven’t really seen this approach taken on US carriers.

Take-off was swift and the climb-out impressive. The engines emit more of a whine than a roar. I was impressed. The last time I flew a 717 was aboard Air Trans in Business Class and of course it was even quieter up there.

With a flight time predicted for only 54 minutes and a lunch to serve aboard an almost full aircraft, the FAs got to work pretty quickly. There were four of them aboard, an impressive number for such a small aircraft. Luncheon boxes were cheerfully distributed and drinks offered in a most efficient manner. Each lunch box contained a large ham and cheese sandwich, a coffee cup and a small container of water. The sandwich was excellent if only for the quality of the bread! It was whole grain, sliced thick and tasted delicious making this perhaps the best sandwich I’ve had inflight. Our FAs had time to make a couple of rounds with coffee and tea before getting everything cleared.

After lunch, I perused the inflight magazine, in particular the route maps. Hmm… QF operates an Auckland – Buenos Aires service. How far is that? Alas, the magazine only supplied mileage information for domestic services. I’ll have to check it out on WebFlyer some day. Also of interest: Under fleet listings, QF is credited with operating a single 747SP. Not too many of those left these days…

Our approach into Hobart was smooth and scenic. I wished I’d had a window seat to better see the Derwent River, Mt. Wellington and the surrounding countryside. We landed, braked quickly and taxied to the terminal where we exited via stairway as no jetways were present. It was a beautiful day, sunny and 75 degrees. It’s good to be back in Tasmania again! I’ve got two weeks here exploring new areas and revisiting old haunts. After that, I’m Helsinki bound!


Check in: B
Boarding: A
Comfort: B
Service: A
Meal: A-

A nice job by all concerned for such a short flight! I must get that bread recipe!

Thanks for reading this far, everyone! I hope you enjoyed the report!

trentis

Phew! That was fantastic...the romance of the DC3, beautiful Kiwi surrounds, Air New Zealand and their "world's warmest welcome" and even some good service on Qantas. Wow! It was great reading the report Can't wait for the HBA-HEL (and everywhere in between!) From one end of the world back to the other again. Oh the life some FTers lead...

studley

Oops. Duplicate post, sorry.


[This message has been edited by studley (edited 03-22-2002).]

studley

The best thing about the 717, aside from the 100% fresh air in the cabin, is the take-off and climb-out. It's a rocket! I just wish AA would have kept the ex-TW ships.

Great report! A DC-3 and crew all to yourself as well. That's really cool.

------------------
The perfect ladies' man is a perfect gentleman.

[This message has been edited by studley (edited 03-24-2002).]

studley

Oops. Duplicate post, sorry.

Quokka

Another great trip report -- thanks, Seat 2A!

And wow ... I never imagined I'd see a mention of Twizel ("Town of Trees"), Cromwell (home of the giant fruit monument) or Glenorchy in a FT trip report

For anyone interested in the DC-3 airline, Pionair, their website can be found at http://www.pionair.com

[btw, please don't hold the Evening Post, "Newspaper of the Most Important City in New Zealand", against Auckland as it's really from Wellington]


[This message has been edited by Quokka (edited 03-23-2002).]

Sand Wedge

Enjoyed reading about your flight on the DC-3. Brought back fond memories of many a flight on the venerable Goony Bird, both in the USAF C-47 version and the DC-3, Trans Texas Airways.

JayBrian

Great report. I loved reading about the Dakota. Thanks.

Jay

Clement Lowe

Enjoyed the report!

The QF 737 with winglets is actually a 737NG! QF recently took delivery of some B737-800's (B737-838) and have had winglets fitted. I can see why you mistook them for B737-476's

Tasmania, I'm sure you'll find is remarkably beautiful.

cheers,

Clement

Seat 2A

Quokka, sorry for the error on the Evening Post there. I have edited in the correct city.

Clement, I had no idea Qantas had even ordered 737-800s! I only had a partial view of the rear half of aircraft at a distant gate. (This excuse will work only once for an old plane spotter like me.) I've flown them both and no doubt there's substantial difference between a 400 and an 800, like 15-20 feet I reckon...



[This message has been edited by Seat 2A (edited 03-23-2002).]

greggwiggins

This is a friendly "d@mn you."

I'm jealous.

Partly because I want to be taking the trip you're taking.

But also because, I write for a living, and I don't think I could have written these superb trip reports as well as you have.

As I've said before, when I finally visit Denali, I want you to be giving the tour.

(edited because I forgot the first word in quotes would get turned into four **** -- which looked much worse than I really meant.)

[This message has been edited by greggwiggins (edited 03-24-2002).]

Seat 2A

English class, particularly all that boring stuff about grammar and participles, etc. was always a struggle for me. Still, I've always enjoyed reading. It is indeed an honor to have my writing praised by one who writes for a living. Thanks, Gregg.

rjh

I especially enjoyed the references to Glenorchy. I'm guessing you stayed at Glenorchy Holiday Park and probably had some of the baked goods from the Glenorchy Cafe.

Glenorchy is a far cry from the hyper modern Singapore we talk about a lot here and hearing about it was very pleasant.

Once the road is fully sealed, as it may be even now, Glenorchy's character will likely change forever.
Rich

Shinkansen

Thank you Seat 2A for another excellent report.

I am sitting in my office, buried under piles of paper, feeling very trapped. Reading your trip report got me out of here -a least for a few minutes. Thanks for that.

I look forward to your next report.

Seat 2A

Indeed I did stay at the Holiday Park. The Glenorchy Hotel in town offers backpackers accomodations as well but I enjoy walking into town from the Park. It's also quieter than staying right behind the pub.

I did visit the Cafe and had dinner at the Glen Royden Lodge. Both places are excellent!

The road is now fully sealed, and the Routeburn Track is a reservation only super highway these days but Glenorchy itself still retains both the physical and social charm I've always associated with it. I look forward to my next visit whenever that may be...