What do you tell Customs Officials?

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Chris_Leo

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Mar 5, 2007
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Hi everyone...

I'm new to the forum, and am really glad I found a like minded community.

I recently read a message thread about someone who suggested buying two tickets with LAN between AKL-SYD and SYD-AKL over the course of three days. This got me thinking, what on earth would you tell customs officials in that scenario? Surely this kind of activity would seem dodgy at best!!!

Cheers
/C
 
In AKL, tell em you there to see the Rugby; for Kiwi's this is quite an acceptable thing to do! ;)
 
Welcome to AFF Chris_Leo :)

A weekend in NZ (or Australia) isn't that unusual - plenty of people visit friends, go for a sporting game, shopping etc. Don't lie though.

What can be questioned about is when frequent visitor - eg I had 3 trips within a week. Even then questioning is minor. Frequent short trips to certain other countries on the other hand, tend to get a grilling about.
 
serfty said:
In AKL, tell em you there to see the Rugby; for Kiwi's this is quite an acceptable thing to do! ;)

That only works in rugby season (ie about 9 months of the year).
 
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Arhaha...that is hilarious...why didn't I think of that before!!!

I've never actually travelled to NZ before, is the experience almost like a domestic Aussie flight - i.e. at the airport, and in the air?
 
Kiwi Flyer said:
That only works in rugby season (ie about 9 months of the year).
True, and I have used it and I didn't lie (the Blues came from behind to defeat the Reds at Eden park); however the friendly reaction from the kiwi Agent was an eye opener. :shock:
 
Chris_Leo said:
Arhaha...that is hilarious...why didn't I think of that before!!!

I've never actually travelled to NZ before, is the experience almost like a domestic Aussie flight - i.e. at the airport, and in the air?
In the air, YES ...

At the Airport, NO ... as you need to pass customs/immigration at each end of the flight and also you can purchase goods Duty Free if you desire.
 
I must try this LAN route the next time I am Australia bound. Seems like an amazingly cheap way to rack up those SCs - while at the same time getting a chance to see visit NZ for the first time!!!

It's amazing, i always made plans to visit NZ while I was in Australia, but never got around to it. And even when I was arranging travel, i ended up deciding to go further overseas instead of NZ. Now that I am thousands of miles away, the urge to go to NZ is coming back.
 
Thanks for the welcome Kiwi Flyer!!!

Serfty - what is that avatar of yours?
 
serfty said:
In the air, YES ...

At the Airport, NO ... as you need to pass customs/immigration at each end of the flight and also you can purchase goods Duty Free if you desire.

Duty free is available on departure or arrival. NZ has more generous limits than Australia.
 
Chris_Leo said:
I must try this LAN route the next time I am Australia bound. Seems like an amazingly cheap way to rack up those SCs - while at the same time getting a chance to see visit NZ for the first time!!!
You may have second thoughts when you see the departure from AKL :shock: .
 
AKL-SYD departs very early. 5:45am at the moment, and even earlier once daylight saving ends.

Factor in time to clear immigration, pay departure tax, check in, get to airport from city (from central city a 30 minute drive even at this time of morning) etc, and you have a very early start to the date.
 
Kiwi Flyer said:
AKL-SYD departs very early. 5:45am at the moment, and even earlier once daylight saving ends.

Factor in time to clear immigration, pay departure tax, check in, get to airport from city (from central city a 30 minute drive even at this time of morning) etc, and you have a very early start to the date.
And if you just arrived the evening before, then also factor in that your body clock is on SYD time and you might as well just stay up all night :shock:
 
Ahhh all so true...

The last time i went on a mini-break, i did the SFO-LON route over a 4 day weekend. I was so out of it on my return...my voice was croaky and my eyes were sore for the entire day on return (you know, the type of sore when you are in a really smoky room).

perhaps this LAN thing aint what it's cracked up to be. Well definitely not the 2 ticket mish-mash....

Thanks for putting some sense back in my head...
 
4 day trans-atlantic round-trip.

Pah. The short trips work best since body doesn't get jetlagged. 2 day trips to US, Canada, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia etc
 
oh no!!!

49 confirmed dead in jet crash....Australians were on board a jet which burst into flames on landing in Yogyakarta killing dozens of passengers. - Source:SMH

Where is Yogyakarta!!!!
 
Chris_Leo said:
... Serfty - what is that avatar of yours?
A Scanned image of 12 of my Qantas Club/Frequent Flyer cards from the last 13 years. Top left is the old navy Blue 1994 QP card and bottom right is my 2005 WP card.
 
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Chris_Leo said:
oh no!!!

49 confirmed dead in jet crash....Australians were on board a jet which burst into flames on landing in Yogyakarta killing dozens of passengers. - Source:SMH

Where is Yogyakarta!!!!

Java, Indonesia (roughly halfway between Jakarta and Bali).
 
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