nef0423

Thought I'd provide a quick update on my very quick trip down to AKL this past weekend. Apologies for the lack of photos but I didn't intend to write a report. Consider this just an update with a couple of points to keep in mind.

1. Bought the long gone $1480 C-class fare SFO-SYD-AKL-SYD-SFO. Wanted to make a true mileage run out of it, so left on Thursday night, arrived SYD early morning on Saturday and continued on to AKL. After 18 hours at a priceline.com $110 hotel downtown, I started the trek back on the same routing.

2. Lucked out and my SWUs cleared on the SFO-SYD-SFO well in advance, so no problems there. The NZ portions were booked in C and I flew on a 763 SYD-AKL and on the (dreaded?) A320 on the AKL-SYD.

3. The UA flights were both full in F, C was 70% flying to Oz and about 30% coming back. The flight attendants were attributing the light loads to the holiday weekend in the US.

4. Service on UA was not memorable. We had a 2 hour delay ex-SFO and were on-time ex-SYD. Flight attendants were attentive but the seats are old and worn, the food mediocre and the PTV screens far too small for today's standards. If you consider travel a commodity, it did the trick. If you are expecting any luxury, fly another carrier.

5. NZ was several notches higher than UA, even with smaller equipment. Both sectors on NZ were very light, 7 on the way to AKL (24 seats total, I believe) and only 4 on the way back to SYD (out of 8). Didn't eat as I was a little tired but the food looked good - albeit small portions.

6. NZ immigration was fine but the fact that I had written on the form that I was staying for only 1 night threw them off a bit. They sent me to secondary customs inspection (dreaded lane 4 after immigration) where in typical Kiwi fashion the agent was very friendly - but was taking everything very seriously. Taking copious notes of what I was saying, making me sign a form and asking me 3 times whether I had understood the form and the penalties associated with inaccurate information. He said the reason I'd been flagged is that I was in NZ for such a short time, and considering how far away NZ is from everywhere else, not too many people come to the country for such a short time, from so far away. Those of you making a true mileage run out of this fare may experience something like this - hopefully not. It was not a huge deal, just a 20 minute drill followed by a handshake and a few jokes about crazy trips like these. No harm done.

7. The F class lounge in SFO is very nice, the food mediocre and at the time of the evening when I was there, running very low on choices. It was never once refreshed/replenished in the 2 hours I was there. Plus the lounge closed at 10pm, even when the flight was not scheduled to depart until midnight...they simply asked us to go to the Red Carpet Club?!

8. The Koru Lounges in both SYD and AKL are great quality. Nice shower facilities, fresh and good quality food and an overall a good ambiance - especially the SYD lounge.

9. The SilverKris lounge in SYD is being renovated so was denied access even with my Star Alliance Gold card and my First Class boarding pass.

10. The First Class lounge in SYD (next to the RCC) is a disgrace. No food choice to speak of, a grumpy and quite aggressive and rude lounge attendant. Spent 2 minutes there and made my way back to the Koru Lounge.

In overall an enjoyable (albeit long!) weekend that netted in quite a few miles and enough EQMs to get me to 1K for next year. Not too shabby.

Happy to answer any questions you may have....and if you're doing this trip anytime soon, please enjoy!

iluv2fly

Was it Annie? To know her is to love her.

Kiwi Flyer

Thanks for the report nef0423

NZ does get mileage runners just not too many. The relatively short time between purchase and travel may have been a factor. The immigration questioning isn't just reserved for foreigners. When tht and I went around the world in under 60 hours, on our return tht was let through while I got secondary. In my experience the odds of questioning increases with (relatively) last minute bookings and short trips (other than Australia). A visitor staying in NZ for a week or more, normally would not get secondary unless something else is of interest.

Note NZ has 2 "special interest" lines - one is purely for bag inspection (most agriculture), the other (which you got) is for other questioning and inspection.

nef0423

Yes, it was Annie.....and since I don't know her, love is not the first thought that came to mind....found her quite abrasive, actually!

boulderflyer21

Thanks for the...I think I'm going to remove my upgrade on the return as it really sounds like UA F is not that much better than C.

Frankly, I like UA C.

Maybe I'll go First on the outbound and take my 30K miles back on the return.
I really like Upstairs on the 747.

Thanks again for the report.

K

ylwae

Is it dreaded? Seemed fine to me .

That's interesting. I was there in Feb--also *G, with a (TG) F boarding pass, and was told I could not use the SKL. Didn't look like it was being renovated, but was it at that time? Or are TG passengers just not allowed to use the lounge regardless?

bseller

I'm guessing that between now and next March, NZ C&I will learn a LOT about these "short trips"!!

Best, Dave