Internaational transit at AKL at 0200

[kpc]

Just wondering: if flying Rar-Akl-Syd on VA (on one PNR), the flight arrives at Akl at 150am and the flight from Akl to Syd leaves at 8am...can you still go through international transit at Akl at 2 am? (the last time I arrived at Akl at 1230am, the transit area looked abandoned!). I also note the ANZ lounge at Akl does not open til 0430am....are there any shops open airside at Akl from 0200-0430? (or more importantly is there a quiet area you can fall asleep) ? Thanks...

 

[serfty]

After the last flights arrive from OZ east coast at or shortly after midnight it pretty dead.

To do the following HLO is essential.

At International transit there is a buzzer that late at night. IF there are still outbounds such as some 2 or 3 am flights to some pacific islands, they will escort you through to normal security to be processed back airside.

From there you can head downstairs to find a quiet gate such as 1, 2, 3 or 4 - maybe sleep on one of the benches in an unused lounge.

It is bright and can be noisy, so eye masks and ear plugs are essential.

Depending on time of year it all fires up from around 4 am. If needing to check in I have done so at the NZ or AF lounges.

 

[serfty]

Of course, if there are no outbounds, then air-side security may be in hiatus and your choices are to:

- stay somewhere in airside arrivals and wait until security opens (I have never done this), or

- go through immigration then when landside try to find a place to rest. The food court upstairs can become a large dormitory with the Macca's benches coveted. Long gone is the era when there were some great bench seats up at the observation area - much of that space has been consumed by the Emirates and access to the NZ lounge.

 

[kpc]

Of course, if there are no outbounds, then air-side security may be in hiatus and your choices are to:

- stay somewhere in airside arrivals and wait until security opens (I have never done this), or

- go through immigration then when landside try to find a place to rest. The food court upstairs can become the a large dormitory with the Macca's benches coveted. Long gone is the era when there were some great bench seats up at the observation area - much of that space has been consumed by the Emirates and access to the NZ lounge.

i suspect going through immigration is the most likely option....not enough transit time to really look at staying at a hotel for at most 3-4 hours

 

[NZflygirl]

This is a bit left field but could you do something like find a cheap car rental and sleep in that from 0230-0700? If VA have those $35 deals I can never find?! Put heater on, be warm, recline, eye mask, you wouldn't go below full so no need to pay gas. Maybe I should send that into the editor of sleeping in airports?

Anyway, I'd go there......

This comes more from an experience of locking myself out of the house

 

[parsonstrish]

Don't know what Novotel a/port hotel would charge, this is my choice, right outside international terminal, very quite rooms.

 

[NZflygirl]

Don't know what Novotel a/port hotel would charge, this is my choice, right outside international terminal, very quite rooms.

A full night, they only do up to 6 hrs I think during day and up to a certain time.

 

[serfty]

They have a day rate ... 9am until 6pm IIRC .. no good for this ...