Mini update....(actually not so mini, god I like to talk about myself)
Got back from this trip yesterday.
I checked in at the CBR airport as that is where I live, and managed to get an express card at check-in. goddam_ they have to almost be the best benefit of travelling in J...
Went through Sydney immigration in no time thanks to the card, although it wasn't that busy. I have a British as well as an Australian passport, but I've never used it (don't get out much), so thought it would be "fun" (okay, I'm a bit weird and shallow) to travel on my British passport.
Of course, the immigration bloke took one look at my British passport and asked me if I have another passport. Huh? Well, yes I do. That's good, he says as this one doesn't have the required visa in it.... Oops.... lucky I actually brought my Aus one as well as I might have been in poo. So much for that silly idea!
I had an hour before flight departure, so went for a small wander around qantas club, only to notice that my flight was already boarding. What the???? An
hour before...?
I asked at the QP service desk, and they said, yes LAN likes to board early... I talked to my girlfriend about this today, and she suggested that this may be because Chileans are a bit "flexible" about the concept of being on time, so may need to be told to get on plane earlier so that they are not late!
So like a good boy I went to my flight earlier than I wanted, missing out on shower in QP, but oh well. Too early to really enjoy all that booze anyway, but at least I got some real coffee into me, gotta love that barista service. First time I've had my name called due to late boarding (with more than half an hour to go...) but I wasn't alone, they must have called at least 20 names hahahahaha, great system.
My first impression upon entry to J cabin was wow, look at all that SPACE in front of the seats. Awesome. Pretty empty cabin, with 8 seats out of 30 occupied, so I had all of row 4 to myself. Who cares when you can lie flight anyway?
Then we sat there for a while while we waited for even later people to get on plane. They were probably the experienced Y customers who know that the plane won't leave without them and don't want an extra half hour crammed into Y seat and not going anywhere. I can appreciate that, but was feeling no pain myself.
Plane would have left on time, but airbridge got stuck.... Captain blamed airport for that so we know that LAN are an on-time departure airline. Was only 5 minutes...
Food was a bit ordinary, but for the price I paid, I was not fussed at all. Didn't try any booze on this flight as had a meeting in Auckland that afternoon.... whole point of trip, but always seems such a waste!
On arrival into AKL, didn't get an express pass there either, but I had no checked in bags, so marched outta that airport within minutes of landing. In fact, the flight was 15 minutes early which confused the immigration guy....
(Little tip here, do NOT forget your drivers licence if you have booked a hire car...
)
So, no hire car, and blimey aren't the taxis expensive into Auckland city: $NZ78 this time, ouch. Another (more useful) tip, which I found on this site too: President Taxi, prebooked, in couple of year old BMW or Mercedes: $NZ51.... Better price, great service, thanks.
....and return:
Advantage of leaving hotel at 4am.... no traffic = 20 minutes to airport. What's with having no single freeway from city to airport, instead having 2 freeways "connected" by having to drive through the suburbs? I can't think of any other city where this happens.
Tried to check in with Qantas business counter, but told (politely) to piss off to the LAN counter, which is staffed by Air New Zealand ground staff... weird. No express pass for lowly LAN J customers, which was a tad more annoying as there were quite a few people in immigration line.
Thanks again to straitman for the CHEAP NZ onine duty free suggestion. Great prices and no dramas at all. Even got away with 50ml over my limit
.
QP for 5 minutes. Is it just me or is the food there at 5am RUBBISH? I flew Emirates J from AKL a couple of weeks back, and much, much bigger and better food selection. A quick scotch to help get me back to sleep and off to the flight.
Great to have preferred boarding as the queue was long and I felt horrible. According to my body clock was only 310am and I had only 3 hours sleep prior. I'd only been in NZ for 2 days.
Breakfast similar to QF J food, with nice omelette. Great to eat breaky at 330am...
Surprised the nice cabin staff by asking for a glass of water, oh, and a glass of champagne, please. Even though a "bit" early how can you pass on "free" lovely French champagne.
Then the great bit, the lie pretty flat seat. 2 pillows and a blanket. I felt a bit annoyed by the clanking coming from galley "keeping me awake". Looked at my clock, and hey I've been asleep for more than 2.5 hours.... Hey we're landing in half an hour. Fantastic!
This time we were handed express cards as we got off the aeroplane. Thank god for this. There were more people in the customs line than live in Canberra, the queues went on for ever..... I grabbed a passing customs / quarantine person "Help, is there an express line"... "do you have anything to declare?" One small cabin bag, one duty free bag, been away for only 2 days, "No". She put a stamp on my entry form "use the yellow door over there". Wow, NO people, no queue, even put me to the side of the quarantine scanners. C'est incredible!!!!
All in all, LAN J across to NZ from Sydney is better than QF, except for the time.... Thanks LAN, I'll be back.
