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Index added so those interested in a particular part can jump straight there without scrolling through all the pages. Note there are lots more domestic flights within NZ not written up, so if you want info on something that isn't already here just ask - I may be able to help.
INDEX Index (sorted geographically) Qantas / Jetconnect unreliability The highs and lows of domestic service Queenstown winter flights Some tips about A320 business class seats on NZ domestic OLCI and PYOBP at time of booking on NZ domestic (NB for QF it is from 24 hours prior to departure) End INDEX updated to post #253 I had a number of trips around NZ within a short period, so thought it may be worthwhile updating ntddevsys's great The Summer Series - AKL WLG CHC DUD with NZ. Auckland to Christchurch (AKL-CHC) on NZ 737-300 First up an early start from Auckland (AKL). Terminal fairly quiet. I used the quick check in and surprised it coped with multiple bookings to spit out a fistful of boarding passes. Wander off to the Koru Club for a coffee and find security is just opening at 6am. Quickly through and grab a coffee and newspaper in the short wait until flight is called for boarding. Breakfast foods are out (naturally given the time) and 3 different fruit juices. I check the alchohol fridge and servery - 16 different beers, but only 3 wines (all white - the red not yet out on the bench). At the quick check machine I noticed my row was full despite the a/c load looking fairly light, so I substituted my seat for another further back in an empty row (so less likely adjacent seats will fill). Those originally pre-selected in my original row must have changed seats or no-show, as that row was empty while my new row was full. So of course I swapped back again after clearing it with the FA. Service is standard for NZ domestic one-class. Tea, coffee or water; a small cookie; and that's all. They do 2 runs with the hot drinks before collecting the paper cups and other rubbish. The weather is partly cloudy, especially in the North Island; so not too many views of the mountains we fly past and over. As we land in Christchurch I see the NZ 747 there on its transit en route between Tokyo and Auckland. ============ Christchurch to Dunedin (CHC-DUD) on NZ ATR72-500 The Christchurch Koru Club is rather small and crowded with 8 flights departing to all corners of the country within 15 minutes. Breakfast foods are out (yes it is still early). The beer and wine check reveals 16 different beers and 9 different wines (including both red and white). Short delay at the gate so as to avoid being blasted on the walk across the tarmac by the 3 departing aircraft at adjacent gates. As I walk across I see a hive of activity - in fact I have never seen Christchurch busier. Lots of aircraft both arriving and departing, plus the usual assortment of baggage trolleys, golf carts, refuelers, etc zooming around the tarmac. I can only imagine ground control and air traffic control flat out coordinating all this movement in such a small airport. Board by stairs of course. Being a shorter flight, only one run through with hot drinks. |
Dunedin to Wellington (DUD-WLG) on NZ 737-300
This is my first visit to the refurbished Koru Club at DUD. It is very good. While smaller than AKL or WLG it is at least as good, with lots of touches that make it better in some ways. Eg the minties, Speights on tap. It doesnt however, have a view which is a shame. Mid-morning foods are out - a huge spread of cakes, cookies and sandwiches. With only a few flights I would guess there is ample left overs to feed all the workers in the airport if desired. Beer and wine check - 19 different beers and 7 different wines. Catch up on some messages on the computer terminals (the other Koru Clubs also have them) before its time to board. Security is at the gate. I recognise an american in the security queue even before he speaks - he is the only one removing shoes and belt (as well as emptying pockets). When he speaks to the screener the accent confirms my suspicions of his nationality. The airport is undergoing some redevelopment so down some temporary stairs below the airbridges and then across the tarmac to board. This flight is fuller than the other 2 flights above - perhaps 90% full instead of about 75%. Again my status and careful selection of seats when checking in provides an empty middle seat for more space. The weather has clear enough to get great views of the Seaward and Inland Kaikoura Ranges, the Wairau Valley and Lake Grassmere and the edge of Marlborough Sounds. While taxiing on arrival at Wellington I see the NZ Air Force's 757 preparing to depart. |
Wellington to Auckland (WLG-AKL) on 737-300
The Wellington domestic Koru Club is one of my favourite lounges. Unfortunately I would only have time for an extremely brief visit. Still, this was long enough to do a beer and wine check - an astonishing 22 different beers and 7 different wines. Food consists of a wide selection of fruit, cheeses, bread rolls, 3 different salads, spreads (hummus, pesto etc), 3 different types of sushi, wraps and other assorted goodies. I think I've mentioned before that the NZ domestic setup works rather well for frequent flyers (with lounge access) - extremely limited inflight service is more than made up for by great lounges and more food and drink than you can shake a stick at. Some of the artwork has been changed since my last visit less than a couple of weeks ago! This flight is almost totally full - yet one of the few empty seats is in my row. Status really does make a difference ^ Cloud obscures both Mount Taranaki and the central volcanoes (Ruapehu, Ngauruhoe and Tongariro), but mostly clears when closer to Auckland. |
KiwiFlyer, thanks for the updates. Love the wine/beer count-down!
BTW - small as Christchurch is, that lounge will ALWAYS hold a warm spot in my heart. When I was there in Jan '04 I stopped in to check email after flying down from Auckland. After snarfing down the food (pasta, salad, etc - much nicer vittles than UA RCC!) & the white wine whilst checking email on the free i-net, off I went to hotel blithely unaware I had left my paper F ticket (etc) back to America in packet sitting next to terminal. The next day upon checking out at hotel I discover missing packet & in a panic call ANZ - please tell me it's electronic (nope). Me (thinking to self - OMG, how am I going to pay for a return F flight). Them - oh, your ticket etc was found at lounge & it's waiting there. When you fly out today to Queenstown you can pick it up. Saved! But what particularly impressed me was that my domestic NZ flights & my int'l flights were on separate PNRs, so either the lounge guys or the cust svc staff figured out the 2 & knew I was coming back. That wouldn't happen in America! (or not often). When I checked in for my flight to Queenstown, the check-in agent also told me that my stuff had been found & 'don't forget to pick it up' at the lounge. And when I got to the lounge the same staff was working & when I walked in, before I had a chance to say anything, they said - oh here's your stuff! So - free i-net, lots of booze (as mentioned by KiwiFlyer), good food (real food not snackies) - ANZ Clubs get 2 thumbs up from me! On sep note - Queenstown lounge no big deal - a big room w/ oj, water, coffee, tea. But it's a small airport so that's not unexpected. Reminded me of Aspen airport. The thing that amazed me on all my travels w/in NZ was how little time a) check-in; b) security, took. Cheers. PS - Alas, all my various internal NZ flights were 737s but totally full so no empty seats next to me. But - I did have a picture of Viggo Mortensen (Aragorn in Lord of the Rings) on the cup of tea they gave me :D |
Auckland to New Plymouth (AKL-NPL) on NZ Q300
The AKL koru club hasnt changed, except now 2 red wines out. Very poor that the busiest koru club has the least beer & wine options. Food in the middle of the day starts out similar to WLG koru club (see post #4) and then changed to scones, biscuits, cheese & crackers, and fruit. Back through security to the props pier of the terminal. Its been slightly reconfigured since my previous prop NZ flight. A/c is just finishing refueling as we board. The best seats on the brand new Q300 are 1B then 1C - much more legroom. The worst seats are 1A and 1D - awkward angle for legs (tray table between seats forces forward but curvature of fuselage forces sideways). Load is light enough to get the best seat. Very short flight so only water service. The cloud has cleared enough to see the volcanoes of Ruapehu and Taranaki, and also the oil rigs on approach to New Plymouth. |
New Plymouth to Auckland (NPL-AKL) on NZ Saab 340
New Plymouth has a regional koru club (apart from being small the main difference to main koru clubs is no *Gold guests). As with the others there is keypad entry (get the daily code at check in). The terminal is small and basic, and reminds me of Kerikeri airport. Beer and wine check - 2 wines, 5 different beers. No computer terminals (as with all the regional koru clubs), although there are ports to plug in your laptop and a printer. The magazine selection is okay, which means it is so much better than the main koru clubs. While waiting for flight 2 private planes fly in wingtip to wingtip formation over the runway at a few feet off the ground before banking and landing on the grass runway at right angles to the sealed runway. The flight is called early - one of the benefits of leaving from a small airport, if everyone has checked in and the a/c is ready then they can leave early. Flight is full, but I had managed to get a window and aisle seat (ie "A" seat). We have a fast taxi down the runway to the turn point. I see the reason for the fast taxi out the window - an approaching aircraft on final approach. So we spin around and quickly take off. Again a water service, but this time also a hot drink. |
Thanks SkiAdcock for your comments. The food changes quite frequently. One of my favourites, especially in winter, is the soup. Ginger and kumara flavour is nice.
Australia is also generally very quick with check in and security checks. The current cups on domestic flights are athletes. I seem to get either Sarah Ulmer (cyclist) or Hamish Carter (triathlete) - not sure if there are others. |
22 beers and 7 wines - and people kept asking me if it wasn't too inconvenient that I had to fly AKL-WLG return every two weeks, for two years in a row ;-)
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Try doing it weekly or twice weekly ;) Thankfully not any more.
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As domestic airline lounges go, Air New Zealand's Koru Clubs are some of, if not the nicest domestic lounges I've ever been to. I have fond memories of the well stocked fridge and the great buffet in the CHC Club. Sadly, my recent visit to your fair country did not include Business Class travel on NZ.
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It would be a bit hard to do business class within NZ seeing as no one offers it any more ;)
You want *G status to get into Koru Club, or have a travel partner who is *G. |
Queenstown beer/wine count!
Well, I happened to be passing through ZQN a couple of days ago, so I thought it would be rude not to keep everyone updated on the beer/wine count there! :D
6 beers and 3 wines. Now, don't ask me whether they were white or red, because I can't remember! They were all in the fridge though. Didn't spend much time in the lounge, as initially I hadn't been given the pin code, so had to go right back to check-in to get it (security, if done at all, is done right at the gate before you board the aircraft, so practically the whole airport is "landside"), and once I got in there, I didn't really want anything and the view was much better from the airport cafe downstairs! :eek: We took off to the West, right back over Queenstown and the captain reduced power after take-off in order for us to get a better and longer last look ^ at the beautiful town and its surroundings, before we powered up and away over the mountains. |
Auckland to Palmerston North (AKL-PMR) on NZ ATR72-500
The Auckland Koru Club is much the same as usual, but I notice a couple of changes to the beers (current count 15 different types) and the wines seem to have changed winery. One of the 2 coffee machines is out and so big queue for the working one. Flights to everywhere are delayed by 10-20 minutes due to the inclement weather. The varying delays are causing confusion at the boarding pass check for the prop gates - they can't hear all the announcements and if haven't been phoned to advise they hold up the queue briefly while ring to check which flights are boarding. Fortunately heavy rain earlier has eased to light drizzle so dont get wet walking across the tarmac to the aircraft. Flight is almost full with just a couple of empty seats. Service is the usual water and once through with hot drinks. Sitting at the back and wanting coffee it wasn't until we'd started descent that I got a hot drink. Cloud all the way but not too bumpy. We see through the gloom only when we are close to the airport, fly past and turn back into the wind to land. Fortunately not raining in Palmerston North either. |
Palmerston North to Auckland (PMR-AKL) on NZ ATR-72-500
Check in. Forget to ask about paying the domestic $5 departure tax at check in so have to use the machines. Only coins allowed, so if don't have enough you'll need to change some money at the cafe or the small shop. Get the code for the lounge. Its the standard regional lounge. Fairly basic with small drinks fridge, tea, coffee, water cooler, juices, biscuits, cheese and fruit. Back downstairs to the gate. They check the BPs have the sticker for departure tax. Another full flight with only 1 empty seat. The low cloud is scudding past so we taxi down the runway slightly early, turn at the end and quickly take off into the murk. We get a few bumps along the way, but water tea and coffee served throughout. I get a sense we are flying higher than usual for a prop, perhaps to avoid the many building thunderstorms in our path? We approach AKL across the Manukau Harbour and a fast short taxi to our stand. Dodge the raindrops to the terminal walkway and landside within 2 minutes walking. |
Auckland to Hamilton (AKL-HLZ) on NZ Beech 1900D
We check in using the quick check machines bypassing the large main queue. Even though the flight has a light load we don't have much choice of seats due to the need for balance control. Quickly through security to the domestic Koru Club. Once again the staff show they don't like the new maitre'd entry station by instead manning the desk just inside the second set of doors. Breakfast food is out and I notice one of the 2 coffee machines is again (still?) broken meaning a queue for the serviceable one at this busy time of day. No one is taking up the pots of coffee sitting on the elements. While we wait we grab window seats to see a bank of several puddlejumpers land in succession, followed shortly by the first of the day's asian flights. The breakfast food is soon replaced by mid-morning fare - muffins, scones, 2 different types of danish pastry and some cheese. Oh year beer count has dropped a little to 15. Boarding is called a little late and we head back out to the main part of the terminal and down to the far prop gates. A short chilly walk across the tarmac and up the steps into the aircraft, minding the head on the low doorway. The pilot shuts the door and we soon pushback while the safety briefing is played. The area around is a hive of activity with about 8 a/c being turned around for departure having just arrived minutes before. The Beech is so small that the cockpit is open and you get a great view of the pilots working and also a view out the forward windows - mostly sky and cloud except in the steeper part of the descent. Our taxi is short but we wait for a couple more intercontinental flights to land before a rapid and short takeoff roll and a leap skywards. Almost immediately we bank hard to head south on this short flight to Hamilton, passing low over the Bombay Hills and rural north Waikato. Ahead we see the recent snows capping the central mountains. Barely do we stop climbing and we begin a descent with the city of Hamilton spread out before us. We pass over the city and into the small airport. The flight was short and smooth at barely 20 minutes including taxiing time at each end. We land all to soon. |
Auckland to Christchurch (AKL-CHC) on QF 737
Another day, another flight. I won't comment on all my flights but thought there may be some interest in a comparison with QF domestic flights and lounges. The construction of yet more shops - these ones between the domestic Qantas/Origin Pacific terminal and domestic Air NZ terminal means the forecourt is a mess of barriers and rerouted traffic. The footpath between terminals is, instead of a few metres across the short distance, a meander past 2 separate car parks and crossing the airport road 3 times. Check in is at the counter (no quick check machines here) but fairly quick at about 2 minutes. There are 3 QF counters, one of which is signed for Qantas Club members. Up the escalator and through security to the Qantas Club lounge. Unlike the Air NZ lounge, a quick wave of the card and I'm past the bouncer (due to the different lounge entry rules). The lounge is much smaller than NZ (naturally with much less flights), but has separate zones and a couple of tvs, 2 computers opposite the entry desk and 2 more around the back by the toilets. 2 showers. The spread of food includes mini rolls, sweets (chocolate slice, meringue slice etc), salad food, soup. There are 2 different red wines and 2 white wines, plus 4 types of beers. There are nice views across the tarmac - either towards the international terminal and runway take off point (when wind is from the right direction) from the computers opposite the desk, or across to the runway elsewhere. With only a couple of flights every 90 minutes or so this lounge never gets full, apart from early morning and early evening weekday services. First boarding call is made with a comment that final boarding call will be made in 2 minutes. Boarding of the full flight is quick and efficient and soon we push back on schedule despite the boarding call being made only 7 minutes before scheduled departure. The turnaround on this aircraft was a scant 30 minutes. Most of the domestic aircraft are one-class 737s. The bulkhead row has the tray built into the arm rest and hence is narrower than the other seats. The bulkhead has a cutout section at the base enabling storage of carry-ons (not that it is needed given the overhead bins are rarely full) and room to stretch out the legs. The day was one of those pristine flying days which was perfect for the stunning scenery. Yes - I had my nose glued to the window all the way. From take off over the tranquil harbour, banking to fly low over rolling farmland and then out past rugged surf beaches and over the wind whipped sea. Then we fly almost directly over the top of the classic volcanic cone that has featured in some movies as stand-in for a more famous volcano. Again across a body of water and peaceful sinuous tongues of land reaching for the sea. Over mountains with a light dusting of snow on the tops and a view across the rift valley and long fault escarpments and across the strait to the other main island. More rolling hills, these barren and bare, and valleys with forest plantations, which give way to the wide open plains. The flat expanse covered by a patchwork of fields and windbreaks and crossed by many meandering braided rivers which contrast against the arrow straight roads and rail tracks. As we circle the airport to land we get views across the city and estuary to the broad flanks of the twin extinct volcanoes jutting into the sea and the large circle of the coastal lake beyond. Inflight service consists of a tv show (standard US fare I'm afraid), tea coffee or water and a choice of 2 different flavours of muffin. We land from the south at have a short taxi to our gate. |
Christchurch to Queenstown (CHC-ZQN) on QF 737
The Christchurch Qantas Club doesnt have a view but has plenty of comforts. A couple of tvs, 5 different beers on hand and a couple of wines. A nice spread of food (similar to AKL but a wider selection), and a couple of computers. Today the lounge was very quiet so had a short chat with the bouncer before catching up on emails and FT. Boarding was called and I left the lounge a little earlier. I was looking forward to this flight as the route is one of my favourites anywhere (perhaps only topped in my experience by the scenic flights between Queenstown and Milford Sound). Woohoo I got lucky with one of the few domestic a/c to be fitted with business seats - only shorthaul ones but luxury compared with the rest of the cabin. A large mountain range dominates the horizon on one side, and on the other is the gentle open sweeps of a huge bay where plain meets ocean. At first we are flying along the great plain but soon we reach the first of the fold hills, the barreness apparent even through the light snow cover. As we steadily head inland the ranges grow on either side of the aircraft - low at first but steadily becoming higher and higher. We pass canals and dammed lakes, the water shining an irridescent turquoise thanks to the glaciated water running off the peaks. Big river valleys reach deep into the mountains. As we begin our descent the land shines brightly, the schist and mica outcrops reflecting the strong sunlight, as does the snow on the tops. Now the mountains appear close on either side of the aircraft and the pilots' hard work becomes apparent. We pass close over ridges as we descend towards the bowl containing the airport. Skifields break the emptiness of the mountains underneath while deep canyons are scarred by tortuous ribbons of roads cutting into the heartland. Today the flight path is different from the usual approach and we burst into the confined basin above the airport, below the peaks towering on each side but far too high for landing. The pilots expertly spin the aircraft in a pirouette around the sides of the bowl as we sharply descend to final approach over a small hill and across the swift deep river and all too soon we touch down. Inflight service consists of tv programming (music videos today), tea coffee or water and a choice between cookie and muffin. |
Queenstown to Christchurch (ZQN-CHC) on QF 737
No Qantas Club at Queenstown but there is no real need (for me at least) here as check in can be quite late and, as long as the weather is not inclement, I'd rather spend the time admiring the amazing scenery from the Remarkables which reach for the sky seemingly alongside the airport, to the rugged ranges on 3 other sides. We have a small delay in departing as we wait for another aircraft to take off, there being no taxiway and only one tug to push back, and also wait for a landing aircraft. As we wait we admire the view and say farewell to the lovely town. The taxi down the runway is short and we spin around at the end before immediately rolling for takeoff. We lift off very quickly and steeply climb above the lake, banking as we go around a modest hill and thankfully avoiding the mountain a short distance away on the other side of the lake. We keep climbing to clear a rugged mountain range that appears to leap out from the lake beside the airport. The snow is still high on the range but soon the slopes will be packed with skiers. The great mountain range appears to the side and stretching out in the distance ahead of us. The cloud is banked up far on the windward side but our side is clear, protected by the great range. The highest peak, fittingly, pierces the clouds with its distinctive shape. As we retrace our path across the mountains, hills and plains, the sun sinks lower in the sky. The mountains casting shadows for hundreds of kilometers until eventually the sun sets. The silhouette of the alps is both striking and familiar as we descend to land. The city lights cast a glow before us, while in the distance are pin pricks of light from smaller townships. |
Christchurch to Auckland (CHC-AKL) on QF 737
Apart from being in the dark the whole way this was the same as the flight down. The CHC Qantas Club was again very quiet and together with some of the lounge staff and other guests we watched part of a rugby test. I'd also split the return flight on separate flight numbers instead of the through flight with transit at CHC, to reduce the fare and also get an extra 1000 points + 10 status credits :D On arrival at Auckland I noted the rugby test was about to end so I briefly searched the almost fully closed domestic terminal for a tv before high tailing to the international terminal. Sure enough the arrivals welcome giant screen was showing the rugby - another win yay! |
Auckland to Gisborne (AKL-GIS) on NZ Beech 1900D
Same drill as last time - quick check machine (no choice of seats), security, and in to the lounge. Breakfast foods still out but soon replaced with mid-morning food. No muffins or scones this time. 2 different danish pastries, 2 different cookies, cheese, bread rolls, fruit loaf. Again only 1 coffee machine working! Beer count 14. Flight was slightly late in boarding - a very busy time for the props with 9 arrivals and 9 departures in under 20 minutes. The weather was shocking with thunderstorms all around but thankfully dry for the walk across the tarmac. The flight was totally full - hope they loaded enough fuel as Gisborne is getting towards the range limit of this a/c type. With a full load the takeoff roll is long for the small aircraft although still less than a 737 for example. The flight time is shortened by the strong tailwinds (once we've made the sharp turn shortly after takeoff that is). While the flight is hardly smooth the turbulence isnt too bad as the pilots do a good job steering us around the worst of the storms. There is no view other than the towering cloud around us until we pass over the Poverty Bay plains. We head briefly out to sea before banking and back in to land - the city of Gisborne out to the right. We touch down smoothly with just a slight judder crossing the railway lines (yup train tracks cross the runway complete with special warning lights for the aircraft!) before a short taxi into the small terminal. A helicopter passes in front of us as we taxi, just a couple of metres off the ground. |
Gisborne to Auckland (GIS-AKL) on NZ Beech 1900D
No Koru Club here either. On this windy day the cafe is doing a roaring trade - there really isnt anywhere else to go in the terminal or airport (the aviation museum next door is resolutely shut). This flight is fairly full with just a few empty seats. Board and settle in. Taxi across the railway line, turn around and soon we're in the air. I guess I'm starting to show my age as the pilots of these puddlejumpers all look very young (naturally as they are yet to progress onto jets). As we fly across the vineyards, crops and fields I think of the many nice local wines before being awoken with a start by the first of many bumps. There are strong headwinds (flight is more than 20 minutes longer than the opposite direction) and we duck and dive to dodge thunderstorms most of the way. As we approach AKL we descend steeply between dark towering clouds for a straight in landing. The fields around Clevedon appear then the vast suburbs of south auckland. We land rather quickly and taxi at a fair clip in a race against the approach storm, which we win and so a dry walk across the tarmac to the covered walkway into the terminal. Minutes later the skies open for a brief intense shower. |
Auckland to Wellington (AKL-WLG) on QF 737
After negotiating the ongoing works in front of the terminal (the carpark across the road looks almost complete even with ground floor shops but the shops between QF and NZ terminals still have a lot of work to go). Check in is quick. I unfortunately mistimed my arrival and so not able to change to the earlier flight that I'd hoped to make. Afternoon fare is laid out. As the day is stormy and cold (very cold for Auckland and laced with thunderstorms and odd heavy bursts of rain) I opt for some nice soup, savouries and red wine. The shiraz is pretty good and I find myself having more of it than intended. Beer count is 7 - an improvement on last time. The flight is delayed - first 10 minutes then another 10. We're told in the lounge its because of late inbound a/c but that is rubbish since I saw the a/c arrive right on schedule. There appeared to be no mechanical activity during the turnaround. Once onboard and seated we are delayed a further 20 minutes with the airbridge still connected but no one boarded late. We take off into the murk and have a few bumps climbing to cruise altitude. The pilot repeats the QF li(n)e that the delay was caused by late inbound aircraft - you might get away with it in SYD/MEL/BNE but AKL domestic when there is only 0, 1 or at most 2 QF a/c around at any time is not so easy! The music videos were shown while we were on the ground and in the air we only had sound channel. No biscuit - this time it was a piping hot mini pie. We arrive to a cold and clear skies over Wellington. |
Wellington to Auckland (WLG-AKL) on QF 737
The Qantas Club is modest size - similar to Christchurch and Auckland. There are views over the tarmac, but only through 2 sets of windows since the QP windows face the large atrium in the middle of the terminal, but the huge terminal windows enables the views. Beer count is 7 with 3 red wines and 3 white wines also. Food is hot savouries, no soup, some salad items, cookies, cheese. The usual tea & coffee, juice (3 types) and water and soft drinks. There is one tv and a few computers in a room out the back. Sorry I forgot to check if there are showers. Boarding is called late and I dont even reach the security checkpoint along the QF pier when they do a hurry up call (this time not naming names). As I walk up to the gate it appears I am the last to enter the airbridge as I'm greeted "Kiwi Flyer I presume" and the agent walks alongside me through the airbridge. No I didn't hold up the flight - there was still a queue when I got close to the aircraft. We push back rather late and safety briefing is done while taxiing to the northern end of the runway. It barely finishes when we turn onto the runway and take off into the night. IFE was showing the US version of The Office - together with the introductory QF promos this takes the entire flight, which gives an indication that the promos are about 20 minutes long! The snack on offer this time is a sickly looking slice and I notice very few pax taking it. The flight is smooth and we manage to miss the worst of the fowl Auckland weather on arrival, although it too is rather brisk. We brake hard on landing and have a taxi of just a few metres to the gate - clearly the pilot was aiming to make that particular runway exit but perhaps touched down a little later than planned or the slippery runway slowed braking? Other than a handful of regional koru clubs that covers all the domestic lounges in NZ. |
Thanks, Kiwi Flyer for the latest additions to your tour of N.Z. ^
Always great to get those counts of beer|wine on offer ;), but what I loved most about these installments were your descriptions of the scenery :)... made me feel as though I was there again. Cheers! |
If I'd done the Queenstown flights more recently then it would have been snow as far as the eye could see - Canterbury and parts of Otago still have snow down to sea level and more falling.
Looks to be a good season for the skifields - if you can reach them. |
Originally Posted by Kiwi Flyer
Looks to be a good season for the skifields - if you can reach them.
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Oamaru to Christchurch (OAM-CHC) on NZ Jetstream32 (J32) (operated by Air National)
Air NZ has only recently returned to Oamaru after an absence of many years so I had a chance to visit a new destination (by air, I've been many times by car) and a new aircraft type for me at the same time. The airport is tiny, with the terminal smaller than my rather small apartment. Naturally no quick check machines here, and even the boarding passes are the old fashioned kind printed by dot matrix printer, last seen in the main cities for several years at least - no tiny stubs with barcodes here! Running late? Don't worry, boarding is just 5 minutes before departure. And there is no such thing as parking charges, shops or other things to loosen the wallet. It is a blustery, unseasonably warm day with a classic nor'wester complete with the Northwest Arch cloud formation across the alps. Fortunately the wind isnt as strong as forecasted but strong enough to cause more than a few bumps. Boarding is called and we walk the few paces across the tarmac and up the rear stairs. It is a fairly full flight - good to see that a new service is being patronised. There is a delay before we can close the doors - a youngster on the previous flight lost his or her egg so everyone goes through seat pockets and checks the floor. The seats are well cushioned but very tight pitch (maybe 28 or 29") - thankfully the flight time is so short (35 minutes) that it is bearable. It looks like row 4 (emergency exit row) has an extra inch or so compared to the other rows. It is strictly carry on under the seat - and the space is much less than on larger a/c, even a small day-use backpack is a tight squeeze. Bags are loaded with some jiggling around to get them all in - no one's bag is left behind this time but close thing. Once the door is closed, a pilot asks one pax to switch seats to improve the balance. Then we have a further short delay as one engine fails to start properly. They manage to start it off battery on the second attempt and so we are off, some 15 minutes late. Taxi is short, as is the take off roll into the darkening skies. The sun is already well below the southern alps, giving them a dramatic sillouhette with the NW arch and dark pink sky in between. As we head north across the plains we are buffeted by the winds gusting off the mountains. Pinpicks of light identify towns and villages 12,000 feet below us. All too soon the bright lights of Christchurch appear before us. As we descend we reach calmer air, the strong winds having not yet dropped to ground level this far north. The approach is straight in and a short taxi to the terminal. Other than the much tighter seat the experience is much the same as the Beech 1900D. For all intents it is an Air NZ flight. |
Christchurch to Auckland (CHC-AKL) on NZ 737
I had a very short transit - originally 20 minutes but reduced due to the late departure from Oamaru. Nevertheless I went through security and into the lounge for a quick drink. As usual plenty to choose from, plus some party pastries, sandwiches, cakes and biscuits, salad, etc. Then rush off to board. The thin BPs are scanned by barcode making boarding very quick. I guess the agents would quickly tire of the beep at each one though. I wont bore you with details of the flight since fairly mundane, and the by now total darkness means no view except of the lights of Huntly, Hamilton, Thames, Tauranga and Auckland as we approach AKL. The buy on board was discontinued quite early into the flight. The overhead screens showed the buy on board options while it was open for purchases. |
Wellington to Westport (WLG-WSZ) on NZ Beech 1900D
It was another windy day with the promise of a bumpy flight ahead. The flight was called in the lounge quite early compared with the 737 flights, understandable given the distance to the prop gates. The taxi is short and we leap into the air, instantly buffeted by the gusts sweeping off Wellington's hills. We turn just off the central city - shame it is too early for any game in the caketin which we have great birds eye view of, and cross the hills to Cook Strait. The bumps stop once we get high enough over the straight. Despite a little cloud there are fantastic views all around (including out the cockpit windows). Far below I see the tidal front where the turquoise waters of the Tasman Seat meet the deep dark blues of the Pacific, the contrast very sharp and clear even with a big swell and whitecaps sweeping across driven by the winds. Out one side I see the cone of Mount Taranaki in the distance, while out the other window the Seaward and Inland Kaikoura Ranges look magnificant - their winter snows already starting to recede thanks to the warming fohn winds. Ahead is the wide Wairau Valley and the labyrinthine tentacles of land that make up the Marlborough Sounds. A few more bumps over the ranges and gorges behind Nelson then clear views of Tasman Bay, the checkerboard that is Waimea Plains and more mountains ahead. Further ahead is a looming mass of cloud stretching as far as the eye can see - the effect of the westerlies running up against the mountains. Before long we are skimming the tops of this cloud and getting bumpy while in the cloud and smoother when just above it. Eventually it is time to descend into the whiteness - hoping the pilots know exactly where we are and not flying us straight into a mountain. We have a lot of big bumps going through the cloud until suddenly we burst out under it only a few hundred feet above the sea bordered by wild cliffs off to our left. We fly along the coast for a few minutes before seeing the flats around Westport. Final approach is across the Buller River (see the huge surf on the bar at the mouth), buffeted by the strong winds, and suddenly we are down, right beside a beach with some farm paddocks at the end looking lush as ever in this sodden place. Another small airport - the building is even smaller than Oamaru. We are in between showers but the wind blows hard as we deplane. The roar of the nearby surf drowns out the calls of friends and family greeting the pax. |
Thanks, Kiwi Flyer for the latest updates ^
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Wellington to Timaru (WLG-TIU) on NZ Beech 1900D
Another day, another flight. Head to the lovely NZ domestic Koru Club lounge at Wellington, BP in hand. Get a nice surprise in that the seasonal specialty beers are back - a very big selection currently with 27 different ones! Burp. Oh yeah and half a dozen wines and selection of spirits. 3 different fruit juices plus the sodas/soft drinks on tap. Food is the usual good stuff. This time there is a hot tomato-ey chicken dish with rice, salad, cheese, cold meats, bread rolls, scones, lamingtons, tarts (no I'm not calling any punters this, I mean the sweet food), carrot cake, fruit selection. I think the boarding call in the lounge was a bit late since less than a minute later (while I was on the way out of the lounge) I hear "Kiwi Flyer flying to Timaru, this is your final call". Get to the gate downstairs (this time not on the finger pier so only a moment's walk away) to be greeted with "Kiwi Flyer I presume?". As I board the door is swung shut in behind me. It is a totally full flight - 19 pax plus infant. We have a short taxi out to the runway, followed by a short take off roll. This time we bank right away from the central city and follow the eastern edge of the harbour - giving good views of the fold hills and valleys between Wellington and Wairarapa, and glimpses of the plains beyond. Despite being a windy day there are very few bumps. Before we climb through the high cloud we have good views across Cook Strait to Marlborough Sounds, the Wairau and Awatere Valleys with their multitude of vineyards laid out across the valley floor, the various colours of the Grasmere salt works ponds, and of course the mountains that appear to leap from the sea. We spend much of the flight above the cloud layer and only catch glimpses below, of the sea, Akaroa Harbour (the little French town at its head), the shallow expanse of Lake Ellesmere flanking the volcanic cones of Banks Peninsula, and the patchwork of the Canterbury Plains. After nearly an hour we descend through the cloud and emerge over South Canterbury - the dairy factory towering over the small settlements and farmland. We fly straight in to Richard Pearse airport - named after the early aviator who flew, supposedly a year before the Wright Brothers, across some paddocks very near to the current airport. As we approach I see the sweep of the bay around which Timaru is based and the rolling hills in the distance which mark the end of the plains. Timaru airport's terminal is fairly small, but bigger than Oamaru and Westport for example. Still limited amenities (toilet, plenty of chairs, get cold drinks from check in, hot drinks from vending machine). |
Auckland to Wanganui to Auckland (AKL-WAG-AKL) on NZ Beech 1900D
It was a wild stormy dawn as I head out to the airport again. I left early, hoping to get some work done in the lounge. As usual, quick check lived up to its name and I was off to security in seconds, 2 BPs in hand. For the first flight I had a choice of a few seats so was quick to move back from 2A which I knew to be windowless. For the return flight I had no seat choice - indicating either the flight is totally full, or conversely that the flight is almost empty and seat selection is restricted for reasons of balance. Security took longer than normal - 2 minutes instead of a few seconds, thanks to Mr and Mrs Infrequent Flyer ahead of me. Not only did they take their time over divesting pockets, but inevitably the WTMD beeped. Mrs IF exclaimed "oh that always happens to me" as I see all the jewellry, studded belt and high heels still on her :rolleyes: Never mind. The lounge is just opening when I arrive, but I am dismayed to find that the computer problems of the previous day are still not fixed. Internet access is patchy at best - mostly timing out. I consider heading over to the Qantas Club in the terminal next door, but decide against it. Despite the proximity it takes a few minutes walk to get there, thanks to the roadworks and construction going on between the terminals and the new walkway layout, plus the lack of calls for NZ flights combined with gate being at far opposite end of the domestic terminal means there is a risk of missing flight and not much time to work on the computers after all. So I settle in to reviewing some papers over breakfast and a coffee or 3. Eventually the flight is called. As I head to the prop gate I notice the screens do not show boarding or any other message typically seen when boarding is underway/soon to be announced/completed. But it seems I am the last pax when I reach the gate. I boarded in the nick of time - moments later a cloud bursts with a downpour which would surely have soaked me and set me off on a bad mood for the day had I been caught in it. We taxi a short distance, entering the runway less than half way along, accelerating as we do so. I guess they wanted to take off quickly in case the poor visibility or developing surface water caused delays. Within moments we are enveloped in the cloud. There are surprisingly few bumps. The first half of the flight we are in cloud - seeing nothing but white. As we head south we eventually break free of the storms and pass over a sheet of low cloud cover. It isnt until a few minutes before landing we see anything of the countryside below, breaking through over the rolling hills north of Wanganui, the tortuous course of several rivers below us and ahead the small city spread out before the waters of Cook Strait. The approach is a pretty one, low over the Whanganui River, low hills on one side and surf beach a short distance away on the other side. For the limited number of flights (just a few to Auckland) each day, I am surprised to see a cafe in the terminal. |
... continued ....
The weather in Wanganui is much better than in Auckland. It is rather windy and a bit chilly, but the low wind-torn clouds look too small to produce any rain. So I decided to walk into the city centre instead of getting a cab. It is a pleasant walk through the countryside - lots of different animals, farms/lifestyle blocks, a gallery and assorted rural stuff. Pass Patiki Pa, scene of battles long ago (both between Maori tribes and also between Maori and European). After 20 minutes or so the rest of the way is alongside the Whanganui River. The tide is heading in, with little bores evident. The wind gusting down off the hills alongside the river is shown by ephemereal ripples circling in the water. I walked up Durie Hill for a nice view over the city, and took the 90 year old elevator down the bowels of the hill. Across the river and wander through the old (well for NZ anyway) city centre. It is faintly reminiscent of Blenheim, but crossed with the slow decay of Te Kuiti. The old buildings look nice and the town is quietly alive. I take a look at Cooks Park, where in years gone by so many famous (in NZ) middle distance runners raced and set some records. Sometimes it is nice to step away from the normal pace of life and explore like this. Eventually it is time to head back and I decide to walk that too. It takes 30-45 minutes from the town centre, depending on how fast you walk, maybe more if you stop to talk to some locals en route. Some of the tranquility of the walk out is lost however when I pass the pistol range which is being well used at the moment (coincidentally the Wanganui mayor has recently talked about getting a gun in one of his newpaper columns, at least I hope it is coincidence :eek: ). No need for me to check in since I already have the return boarding pass. The terminal seems huge for the dozen or so pax already here when I arrive. More follow me in - a great benefit of these small airports is the ability to check in very close to departure. Yes the flight is almost full. The weather has improved somewhat for the return flight, so we get glimpses of the rugged hill country as we fly back north. Alas it is still bad in Auckland as we dodge the storms to land. |
Thank you for the latest set of installments, Kiwi Flyer ^
...they invariably make me 'homesick' for the wonderful natural beauty of N.Z.—and the excellent lounges of NZ ;) I hope there are more domestic hops in store for you—and segments of this TR for us :D |
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Thanks for sharing your experiences flying Qantas NZ (Jetconnect) Kiwi Flyer.
As you will know, I will be in NZ for the first time in November and December and am eager to fly aboard ZK-JND/G/N and ZK-JTP/Q. I'm most certainly looking forward to rotation at ZQN and seeing those wonderful views. Shame we couldn't catch up :( Thanks again for your reporting! Cheers, QF NB |
CHC-AKL in J
Originally Posted by Kiwi Flyer
It would be a bit hard to do business class within NZ seeing as no one offers it any more ;)
I think I would enjoy zooming around NZ as you did and having a closer look at it from the air--we only went AKL-CHC-AKL and that was pretty spectacular, particularly Mount Taranaki, Marlborough Sound and the Kaikoura Alps. Cheers, BUFman |
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Auckland to Tauranga (AKL-TRG) on NZ Jetstream 32 (J32) operated by Air National
As I again head to the airport it promises to be a fine day, with just a hint of early mist over the fields by the harbour. I check in using the quick check machines. As is my habit I select change seats even though I am happy with the seat I have already, and notice from the seat map that the aircraft type has changed from when I booked when it was a Beech 1900D. Aircraft type changes aren't too common with Air New Zealand's domestic routes, but happen enough that I pre-select an "A" seat so that I get a window and aisle regardless of whether the aircraft is Beech 1900D or Jetstream 32. As an aside, the NZ website is annoying in that it has several different booking engines, each providing slightly different functionality. Want to pre-select a seat online for domestic or shorthaul flight? Then you need to use multi-city booking option, but this removes access to internet only fares and the option of paying by airbucks (NZ Airpoints Dollars - ie an award flight). The default engine for domestic and shorthaul flights does not provide seat pre-selection, so you either have to trust to the computers or have to ring up NZ and request seat(s). I find I get the best seats most consistently when I ring up NZ (since I know what to ask for, thanks to FT). I get reasonable seats most of the time (except peak business flights) when I let the computer default and I have my Airpoints # associated with the booking, thanks to my status. I get okay seats, but not as good, when I have other *G numbers associated with the booking. Checking in early using the quick check machine I can improve my seat perhaps 30% of the time. Note I haven't yet been able to use NZ's on line check in which is slowly being rolled out, due to the many requirements of that (booked after certain date, booked only at NZ website, only certain routes, etc). Checked in, I head for security, noticing for the first time there are some quick check machines right in front of security - wonder how long they've been there? Through security in a few seconds and I head into the lounge for breakfast. A relatively poor selection today - the usual toast, muffins or crumpets plus jams and marmite and vegemite, muesli, pears and plums, some greasy looking sausages. As usual only one coffee machine is set up, but the lounge is fairly quiet so not much of a queue for coffee (there is also a coffee pot for those who can't wait). Sorry I forgot to check the wines and beers this time. I fill in the short interval before the flight checking some emails and posting to my blog before I hear the call for boarding. It takes me a few moments to log off, and mindful that the boarding call appeared to have been made late I scurry back through the terminal past all the people milling around check in and the prop gate lounge. I make a mental note that when it is a nice day it may be better to walk outside the terminal to get from one end to the other. For a change I get one of the closer prop gates - somehow I seem to get the far ones most often on stormy days when the wind and rain howl through the temporary walkway to the gates, the ongoing terminal construction work not quite managing to protect me from the elements. Anyway I board and take my seat. The flight is only half full. Even though everyone has boarded, we have a small delay for the bags to arrive and be loaded. The aircraft rocks each time a bag is thrown in the back. Once loaded we are soon making a short taxi and take off over South Auckland. It is a while since I have taken off in this direction in a prop aircraft and so I enjoy the views over the isthmus with the waters of the twin harbours like the arms of lovers reaching for each over. The Hauraki Gulf is sparkling in the sun and in the background the Coromandel Ranges are clothed in a thin blanket of cloud, draped like a shawl in the cool early morning. Approach the Kaimai Ranges we climb through the thinnest layer of cloud I can recall. Unfortunately this means the ranges themselves are obscured from view. On this short flight (some 20 minutes airborne) we soon descend down the other side and into clear skies. We fly low over the harbour and a short distance out to sea. There is the gentlest of waves lapping the shore as we turn past The Mount and land from the sea. We have a very short roll for landing, but since we were halfway down the runway on touchdown we have to turn to taxi back to the terminal. For those with a little time to spare on arrival (or departure), I suggest a visit to the nearby Classic Flyers Museum - just a couple of minutes walk or drive from the terminal back towards Tauranga and Mount Maunganui, and open 10am to 4pm daily. |
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