SimonM

I thought I'd share my first airport overnight experience with the group.

Booked on the 06:05 Jetstar JQ238 from AKL to OOL, I didn't have any options to get from rural PMR to AKL the same day and I'm too mean to pay for a hotel for a few hours. So, I chose NZ8344 scheduled to depart at 21:15, but running a little late. The ATR72 flight was pretty well full and the person next to me was heading to Paris via Singapore, so we agreed to walk between the terminals together for a little added security. Including a wait for baggage and the 12 minute walk from domestic to international, I arrived at 23:05. There is a free bus, but I like the walk.

The person who'd walked with me was the very last person to check-in for the (23:15 boarding time) flight to Singapore (with a J upgrade, no less) and after that all check-in counters seemed to be closed.

However, the arrivals areas had about 100 people milling around - the usual collection of excited greeters and lost looking pax with trolleys.

I went upstairs to the departure area before the immigration doors and found about 50 people. Some sleeping or eating and others like myself wandering around. Not sure of the exact time now: the upstairs McDonalds had a closed sign, but the cafe next to the eating area in front of Maccas was still open. All the other upstairs shops where closed.

I found a nice comfy spot by the arrivals area escalator and watched a few shows on my iPod Touch before being shooed away by a cleaner. I think it was between 1 and 2am by this time and there still seemed to be people downstairs. The ground floor Macca's was still open. The crew upstairs was now divided between the sleepers and those watching the Vuvuzela concert from South Africa. I took a wander along the check in area and spotted about another 10 sleepers, so perhaps 60 were overnighting with me.

I had expected to be alone and perhaps harassed outside by security but not at all. In fact, I never saw an obvious security guy until morning.

After watching a bit more TV, I noticed that the board had been updated to show that the LAN flight to SYD was checking in and so I went to have a look. A few folks were at check in and there were definitely more people around.

A short time later, the Jetstar check in opened and so I shot down there to secure 1A and having done so, went to Maccas to get breakfast before going airside. In fact, immigration was still closed so more walking ensued. Lots of people now, with long queues for at least one flight and heaps of people upstairs.

Once immigration opened, I went straight through. I noticed a few sleepers on the big soft couches. Since I was one of the first few, I can only imagine they had checked in the previous night, gone through and stayed there. That took the overnighters to 70+.

We had an odd departure from gate 4A, being bussed out the plane way out on the tarmac. I got on the bus at 06:05, the expected departure time, so actual departure was much later. Despite a headwind, we arrived at OOL at 08:10 only 25 minutes late, not bad. I got a few dozes on the plane, but nothing amazing.

So, for overnighting, AKL is not bad. Lots of bench seating for sleeping, no overzealous security and a fair number of others around made me feel pretty secure. The only time I felt slightly uneasy was when a young lady kept walking around near me and seemed to be getting closer to my bag and jacket on an adjacent chair. However, she turned out to be no problem and wandered off.

I felt totally shattered the whole day, but slept well that night and am fully recovered today.