Study abroad in Australia - AKL to CBR flight question

[slym]

When will the travel occur, there are often sales on for travel across the ditch and don't forget EK or LAN.

She's going in early February, and apparently we need to get this settled quickly so she can apply for her visa. I'll check into EK and LAN. I've seen Quantas using LAN, but though how odd - it's an airline based out of Chili?

 

[slym]

Now I'm back at that 2 hour layover. If for unforseen reasons - long customs lines and such - she misses her connection to Canberra, will Virgin Australia get her on another flight?

Wow, you can really tell I'm novice at flying International, right?

 

[Mwenenzi]

If for unforseen reasons - long customs lines and such - she misses her connection to Canberra, will Virgin Australia get her on another flight?

If AKL-SYD-CBR is all booked as 1 ticket: yes. Virgin Australia get her on another flight
You could also look at AKL-MEL-CBR

 

[slym]

Yes. You must collect your bags at the first point of entry into Australia for customs/immirgration/quarantine. Then re check these on your domestic flights. USA has the same procedure

Also be very aware that carry on limits/weight/size with Aust & NZ airlines is a lot less than with USA airlines. I guess she is on Air NZ to Auckland

I'll make sure to check that limit for carry ons. She's used to the USA limits, and the airlines here rarely enforce them. I've seen people over here carry on what appears to me to be over the limits.

 

[slym]

If AKL-SYD-CBR is all booked as 1 ticket: yes. Virgin Australia get her on another flight
You could also look at AKL-MEL-CBR

Sounds good - it will be booked on one ticket. I've looked at the AKL-MEL-CBR flights and one thing I like about them is the jet to CBR, instead of the turboprop that seems to be the norm for flights from Sydney.

 

[Mwenenzi]

You could also look at AKL-MEL-CBR. Far easier to transit in Melbourne: its all 1 building, Where as Sydney has the international & domestic terminals ~1.5 miles apart

 

[AusTraveller]

This is referring to a bus from SYD international terminal direct by road to Canberra city.
Different from the terminal shuttle bus discussed above.

Thank you for the clarification Mwenenzi, I was referred to the SYD-CBR bus referred to a few posts earlier. I do realise that may have been confusing for the OP.

 

[Mwenenzi]

I'll make sure to check that limit for carry ons. She's used to the USA limits, and the airlines here rarely enforce them. I've seen people over here carry on what appears to me to be over the limits.

Carry on will be enforced.

Is she a member of any freq flyer program?
Air NZ is in the Star alliance as is United & US Airways (until 30 March 2014)
Qantas is in the OneWorld alliance as is AA
Virgin is a partner of Delta

 

[slym]

Carry on will be enforced.

Is she a member of any freq flyer program?
Air NZ is Star alliance as is United & US Airways(unitl 30 March 2014)
Qantas is OneWorld alliance as is AA
Virgin is a partner of Delta

She joined Quantas and United's freq flyer programs. But United's was called Mileage Plus, and I don't think she joined OneWorld, just a Quantas FF program. United and Quantas are the airlines she's flying on to get to NZ.

 

[mannej]

One thing - there is no such airline that is called Quantas. It is an acronym and as such it's spelt Qantas.

Off topic rant over.

Ps Qantas are part of Oneworld.

 

[markis10]

She joined Quantas and United's freq flyer programs. But United's was called Mileage Plus, and I don't think she joined OneWorld, just a Quantas FF program. United and Quantas are the airlines she's flying on to get to NZ.

QANTAS stands for QUEENSLAND AND NORTHERN TERRITORY AERIAL SERVICES, no U!

 

[Mwenenzi]

She joined Quantas and United's freq flyer programs. But United's was called Mileage Plus, and I don't think she joined OneWorld, just a Quantas FF program. United and Quantas are the airlines she's flying on to get to NZ.

Do not use Qantas freq flyer program. Join American Airlines ffp. She will get AA miles from Qantas flights. Repeat:- do not use the QF FFP (Not Quantas). Or AS as edit below

So to get to AKL she is flying United to SYD(or MEL) and then QF to AKL ?

oneworld and www.staralliance.com have airlines from which you get freq flyer miles from other airlines in the alliance (subject to the ticket terms & conditions)

Edit
Alaska is a very good ffp with a wide range of partners airlines
http://www.alaskaair.com/content/mileage-plan/partners/partner-overview.aspx

 

[slym]

You could also look at AKL-MEL-CBR. Far easier to transit in Melbourne: its all 1 building, Where as Sydney has the international & domestic terminals ~1.5 miles apart

I found a good flight going through Melbourne. It's through the Virgin Australia site, but shows that the first leg to Melbourne is with Air New Zealand. Is there anything I would need to know about that airline? Does it have different baggage allowances, carry on requirements, etc? This is getting complicated trying to learn all these airlines.

 

[Mwenenzi]

Virgin & Air NZ codeshare the NZ Aust routes. You buy a Virgin ticket but fly an Air NZ aircraft No real differece, Just check the bagagge allowances

You will probably find the same flights on airnewzealand.co.nz (but with an Air NZ flight number). Prices can be different

 

[markis10]

She's going in early February, and apparently we need to get this settled quickly so she can apply for her visa. I'll check into EK and LAN. I've seen Quantas using LAN, but though how odd - it's an airline based out of Chili?

Do a search on Skyscanner.net for AKL to CBR, the airline won't ticket a connection that won't work and you will get the cheapest option, I would not be concerned to much with the transit city.

 

[JohnK]

I'm trying to get a handle on the fees at the VA site. They mention the credit card fee of $10 per person, which isn't a big deal either. I'm just leery when I don't know the final price - it won't tell me that until after all the passenger data is entered. Are there any other fees that may get tacked on?

By the time you get to payment page all fees will be tacked on. Just be aware to uncheck travel insurance and carbon footprint.

Qantas credit card fees can be avoided by purchasing a gift voucher would mean 2 transactions on your credit card - one for the voucher (let's say $200) and the other for the remainder. This avoids the credit card fee of $7 for trans-Tasman bookings.

Qantas and Virgin credit card fees can be avoided by purchasing a gift voucher. As far as I am aware gift voucher can only be used for travel originating in Australia.

 

[slym]

One thing - there is no such airline that is called Quantas. It is an acronym and as such it's spelt Qantas.

Off topic rant over.

Ps Qantas are part of Oneworld.

LOL - thanks for the correction!

 

[slym]

Virgin & Air NZ codeshare the NZ Aust routes. You buy a Virgin ticket but fly an Air NZ aircraft No real differece, Just check the bagagge allowances

You will probably find the same flights on airnewzealand.co.nz (but with an Air NZ flight number). Prices can be different

Looking at carry on allowances...

Virgin is 105 cm, Air NZ is 118 cm. The bag she wants to use is 113. I'm losing it here, my mind is boggled.

 

[slym]

Looking at carry on allowances...

Virgin is 105 cm, Air NZ is 118 cm. The bag she wants to use is 113. I'm losing it here, my mind is boggled.

If the case is too big, do they gate check on any of these airlines? Or will we need to buy a new carry on bag? Because if the wheels are included in the measurement, her bag actually around 121 cm.

And if you book on Air NZ that has larger allowances, but have one leg of the journey on Virgin, do you have to meet the smaller requirement?

I'm sorry for being such a pest about all this, but I'd really like to get this right so these young ladies don't have to have a lot of hassles at the airport. You all have been extremely helpful - even though I was spelling Qantas wrong!

 

[serfty]

Looking at carry on allowances...

Virgin is 105 cm, Air NZ is 118 cm. The bag she wants to use is 113. I'm losing it here, my mind is boggled.

If the operating carrier is AirNZ then AirNZ limits apply.

FWIW, as long as the 113cm bag weights around the 7kg or less then, in practice, there should be no problem, even on VA flights.