Trans Tasman SC run -risks?

[medhead]

... and they have free transfers if you don't feel like walking the 900 or so metres each way from/to international.

Personally, for 5 or 6 hours overnight at AKL, I'd "crash" at the terminal - it's a very friendly place for sleeping.

$60 for Formulae 1? How bout $0 for a lie flat bench on the viewing deck - true MR style.

I'm still considering options at this stage, so nothing is set in stone. It would be a poor MR without sleeping rough. On the F1 side is roughly 5 hours in the SYD F lounge on the way to AKL, an earlyish start from ADL, 9 hours between scheduled landing and departure (so 6-7 outside), 4 hours in the SYD F lounge the next day on return and needing a medical device to get a decent sleep. Sleeping on a chair is no problem (mum reckons I could sleep on a barbed wire fence), sleep apnea is the problem.

Against the F1 - $60!!!

 

[Leumas]

Sleeping is for the weak!

 

[serfty]

... 9 hours between scheduled landing and departure (so 6-7 outside) ...

With that amount of time, I'd do (and have done) the F1 thing too.

(I've often arrived at Midnight with something like a 6am/7am departure - in which case it's turn right immediately upon exiting the doors from immigration/customs, down past rental car booths, a hard right to the lift and straight up to level 2 & the obervation access area.)

 

[tyrolean]

I have done it only once in AKL. The Immigration officer asked why I was staying only a few hours in AKL. I answered honestly that I needed the flights to keep my shiny card. He just said that he wanted to be sure that I am not a drug dealer. I found the immigration quite a hassle. The next year I did my missing SCs with some domestic JASAs.

I think that you wont't have any problems if you are honest. Don't try to tell them stories.

I stayed in one of the airport hotels - was not that expensive but quite relaxing for a few hours of sleep.

 

[JohnK]

Thanks. I'm glad I've chose AKL then, at least formula 1 is cheap at about A$60.

That one is next. And I found a motel close to airport with free shuttle, wifi and breakfast.

This one was just too good to pass up but wish I had booked it in April and not February.

Two words - Status Run, if they question you any further explain you like the good stuff which comes with status.

Depends if you get the immigration officer from hell. She just did not understand or did not want to understand. Oh well....

 

[sail0r]

Thanks. I'm glad I've chose AKL then, at least formula 1 is cheap at about A$60.


Sent from the Throne

Thanks, didn't know they had a Formule1 there. will use it in future if I ever do the dreaded midnight land, sparrows depart in internal NZ flight again. (no point charging the client for Novotel if I really am just going in to rest my head)

 

[medhead]

That one is next. And I found a motel close to airport with free shuttle, wifi and breakfast.

This one was just too good to pass up but wish I had booked it in April and not February.

I booked at the correct time, but kinda wishing I did WLG now.

Thanks, didn't know they had a Formule1 there. will use it in future if I ever do the dreaded midnight land, sparrows depart in internal NZ flight again. (no point charging the client for Novotel if I really am just going in to rest my head)

No worries thanks for reminding me, bit over a week to go I should probably book something. :shock:

 

[JohnK]

I am heading off again this weekend and was going Saturday evening, staying in hotel Saturday night with complimentary shuttle to/from airport and breakfast and returning Sunday afternoon.

Unfortunately I had to change plans and I am now heading off Sunday night, cancelled hotel booking which was fully refundable and returning Monday morning. Looking forward to spending ~6:00 hours in AKL airport overnight as I do not arrive until ~23:45 and I am no point going to hotel and returning a few hours later.

 

[medhead]

I just picked up the formula 1 at AKL for NZ$49 on the 17th.


Sent from the Throne

 

[drewbles]

Thanks, didn't know they had a Formule1 there. will use it in future if I ever do the dreaded midnight land, sparrows depart in internal NZ flight again. (no point charging the client for Novotel if I really am just going in to rest my head)

You can get the Novotel for under $100NZD often. I stayed there last w/end and the advance pay rate was around $85NZD. Of course, I may have just got lucky, but considering it's a few meters from the arrivals, I can be from plane to shower to bed within 45 minutes. That's a winner for me with midnight arrivals (and a jet out the next day if doing a status run).

 

[BAM1748]

WLG airport shuts from ~12:00am-4:00am. But....


It wasn't too bad but it is tiring staying up all night and I managed to achieve what I wanted to achieve.

My days of staying up all night or sleeping in a chair (even a comfy one) are over I'm afraid.

In Auckland it's relatively cheap to stay in good hotel, used the Sofitel a month back at less than AUD200 per night.

Matt

 

[pmdg7444]

I am heading off again this weekend and was going Saturday evening, staying in hotel Saturday night with complimentary shuttle to/from airport and breakfast and returning Sunday afternoon.

Unfortunately I had to change plans and I am now heading off Sunday night, cancelled hotel booking which was fully refundable and returning Monday morning. Looking forward to spending ~6:00 hours in AKL airport overnight as I do not arrive until ~23:45 and I am no point going to hotel and returning a few hours later.

shame we miss crossing paths by exactly a day - I was really going fwd to a Flounge meet!

 

[JohnK]

shame we miss crossing paths by exactly a day - I was really going fwd to a Flounge meet!

Sorry about that. When I booked the flights I did not realise I had something on Sunday morning. It cost $110+ to change the flights.

 

[Deleted member]

My days of staying up all night or sleeping in a chair (even a comfy one) are over I'm afraid.

In Auckland it's relatively cheap to stay in good hotel, used the Sofitel a month back at less than AUD200 per night.

Matt

F1 in AKL is about $79(kiwi$)

 

[Deleted member]

You know, maybe it's just me, BUT while I get the status run , I really feel that the journey is just as important as the destination, if I am going to do a SC run to NZ ( or Sydney say) , why miss the opportunity to do a really great viaduct basin lunch, or take some time out to catch a ferry to waiheke, visit a winery, maybe nice lunch with an ocean view and just have a pie/ sandwich and a cup of coffee etc.
Wellington ( which I don't know as well) probably offers similar delights.
I know Sydney certainly does.
The 20 SC's from this weeks Wednesday - Thursday trip won't have much effect on the outcome this time round ( I will be plat in two weeks anyway)
And some of these things can be done in one day, ( yes a very long day) and the money you don't spend on a hotel, ......well I think you get my drift .

 

[serfty]

I see where you are coming from, but after over 50 TT trips over the last few years, for me, there's very little in or around ALL that makes the trip from the airport to 'town' worth the effort/additional cost.

As for Wellington, there a bit to do and it's somewhat closer from the airport than Auckland - and much more wind. In the end though it's similar to Auckland. (Maybe think of Canberra with a port/view.)

Living close to the Mornington peninsular there's not a great deal different in relation to food/wine and general bacchanalia.

No, for the last few years when I've been doing AirNZ GE status runs, it's basically been 'get in' and 'get out'.

Posted on a wing and a prayer ...

 

[Deleted member]

I see where you are coming from, but after over 50 TT trips over the last few years, for me, there's very little in or around ALL that makes the trip from the airport to 'town' worth the effort/additional cost.

As for Wellington, there a bit to do and it's somewhat closer from the airport than Auckland - and much more wind. In the end though it's similar to Auckland. (Maybe think of Canberra with a port/view.)

Living close to the Mornington peninsular there's not a great deal different in relation to food/wine and general bacchanalia.

No, for the last few years when I've been doing AirNZ GE status runs, it's basically been 'get in' and 'get out'.

Posted on a wing and a prayer ...

But surely you had some purpose for those 50 TT trips?

I admit to having some kinship with NZ. But even so. AKL has become a bit more exciting in he last 10 years.

Mind you, if I catch a flight anywhere as cheap as I can get then my return from shebangabang next week will be as a plat and there are a few additional benefits associated with that. Higher points earn +'F lounge access ( big whoop it's AKL) , I do wonder if it's worth it as I will still be plat after the 21st anyway, and my membership year ends on the 31st of august.

 

[medhead]

You know, maybe it's just me, BUT while I get the status run , I really feel that the journey is just as important as the destination, if I am going to do a SC run to NZ ( or Sydney say) , why miss the opportunity to do a really great viaduct basin lunch, or take some time out to catch a ferry to waiheke, visit a winery, maybe nice lunch with an ocean view and just have a pie/ sandwich and a cup of coffee etc.
Wellington ( which I don't know as well) probably offers similar delights.
I know Sydney certainly does.
The 20 SC's from this weeks Wednesday - Thursday trip won't have much effect on the outcome this time round ( I will be plat in two weeks anyway)
And some of these things can be done in one day, ( yes a very long day) and the money you don't spend on a hotel, ......well I think you get my drift .

I certainly agree with this in principle. I guess in my case, I'm going to AKL because I had DSC for August on international flights and I wanted to actually get some double SC. I was also looking to back up NZ runs 2 weeks in a row to get partner gold for a family trip in October, but it would have cost more than partner QP. SWMBO didn't think getting LTS as well was worth the extra few $100.

Anyway to the point, connecting from/to ADL means I'm going to have about 10 hours in the SYD F lounge next weekend and about 9 hours on the ground in AKL. So the journey for me is that lounge. I'd love to check out AKL but I would mostly want to do that with the family not alone. I also want to minimise the time away from the family. And those are my reasons for the short turn around. So while it is a waste from the POV of seeing somewhere else, I am able to achieve my purpose, which is what I need to focus on. (If that makes sense)

 

[JohnK]

My days of staying up all night or sleeping in a chair (even a comfy one) are over I'm afraid.

In Auckland it's relatively cheap to stay in good hotel, used the Sofitel a month back at less than AUD200 per night.

Agree that it is not fun to stay up all night in an airport terminal but I just cannot justify spending $100+ on a hotel room for a few hours. In fact I cannot justify spending $100 on a hotel room most of the time. Big fancy rooms are not important to me.

The motel I had booked for tommorow night was only ~$39 with complimentary shuttle to/from airport and breakfast. Now that is a bargain.

 

[oz_mark]

You know, maybe it's just me, BUT while I get the status run , I really feel that the journey is just as important as the destination, if I am going to do a SC run to NZ ( or Sydney say) , why miss the opportunity to do a really great viaduct basin lunch, or take some time out to catch a ferry to waiheke, visit a winery, maybe nice lunch with an ocean view and just have a pie/ sandwich and a cup of coffee etc.
Wellington ( which I don't know as well) probably offers similar delights.

I largely agree with this, as I am not really into just going somewhere just to turn around and come back. So, there is always some contrived reason for going somewhere!