Emirates Across the Pond
 

Just booked a trans tasman on Emirates for this weekend.

Check in time for Y Class is shown as 3 hours!

I am more used to the 90 min check in for the trans-tasmans.

Anybody tell me how strictly this is 'enforced'?

There's a new guy ex Jetstar that's controlling the check in nowadays...

Think you will find thats when the checkin opens. 60 to 90mins seems to work.

Don

nomorecrap, Don's correct, travelled to NZ with EK recently, was the same deal. Enjoy your trip, they are a really great airline to fly on across the Tasman, sure beats the hell out of Pacific Blue and the crap they go on with!!!!

Thanks for replies.

Out of interest got an email back from EK saying 3hr at AKL is due terminal congestion and is recommeded by AKL Airport Authority.

However they also recommend 2.5 hr at BNE airport.

FYI, booked at short notice (72hr) EK were actually the cheapest fare available - $345 return + taxes. Next closest was QF (not Jet Connect part of it but the 744 service).

from experience, checkin opens at 1400, although that will change from sun (end of daylight savings).

You are best to checkin as early as you can, as I have turned up for the Syd flight (the last of there 3 departures) at 1600 and stood in queue for 2 hours.

Try and convince the agent to give you a pass to their new lounge that has just opened! :O

I thought that "the pond" referred to crossing the Pacific Ocean and that going to NZ was referred to as crossing "the ditch" (or the 'dutch' if from kiwi land).

Pete, you just confirmed you are a plane spotter with the "travelled to NZ recently with EK". A question was asked about EK and you had to have a dig at PB out of all the airlines that fly to NZ. What about SJ - same product !!!. How did PB come into this post.
PB must have done something terribly wrong to you and I would love to know what?

He probably thinks they're a pack of cockheads. Hmm. Funny about that.

Wasn't "the pond" the Atlantic?:confused:

HGW, you are a d!ckhead. Go back and play flight sim buddy. If only you knew. SJ are the same product, but do it better, you see HGW, the "flair" bullsh!t and unprofessional behaviour doesn't quite gell with the majority, refusing to serve little old ladies a glass of water to take their pills and playing stupid games with toilet rolls on board their flights sort of doesn't cut it with most of us, letting kids run amuck during flight and then some of their pilots tampering with other airlines assets isn't really professional behaviour now is it HGW? Do you want more "facts"? Go collect your taxes pal and stop wasting time following me around.

Read what the Enema bandit says, run along little man.

By the way HGW, some of us travel on various airlines when we are Australians based elsewhere to fly, it's called shopping around for the best price to enable us to commute, something you wouldn't know about because you aren't a pilot, but a shiny bum, so fark off!

Nomorecrap, thats a good fare, some of our guys based in AKL have commuted on Royal Brunei and got a better fare at certain times as well to BNE.

From my experience not surprised you need to rock up 3 hours before. I flew 8 legs with them not so long back - and have never experienced such long-winded check-ins or so many stuff-ups in just getting folk on board a 777. The crowning glory came during the last stop in Singapore, (just for juice) A QF 747 came in after us on the gate next door, unloaded, reloaded and chuffed off while the EK pax just watched EK stuffing around from the departure lounge!

I'm back with QF.

Wow !!! Pete, I obviously hit a nerve. Again, what the hell has EK got to do with PB and I notice everything is fine unless someone disputes what you say.
Geez, you hide well behind that computer and are baited so easily. Sorry mate. I won't say anything more. Just one question, who do you fly for?

Tried Emirates last year and had one of the best trips across the ditch. Great service, food and entertainment options.

Also very cheap if you score one of their $1 fares!

Check in for all EK flights opens -3 hrs prior to STD. Closes at -40 mins no if's, buts or maybes.

Earlier u check in, less time you wait in the queue and better choice of seat. Esp with loads across the ditch from BNE, queues can be lengthy.

As for asking for an invite into the new EK lounges in BNE or AKL - forget it. Restricted to commercial F and J pax (doesnt include those have been upgraded) and Skywards Gold (EK Freq Flyer prog) members.

Correct HAMO - checkin opens 3 hours prior to pushback and indeed closes minus forty.

If you have an agent with any brains, your seat has been preallocated, and failing airport intervention you will get it. More likely to get it if you check in in a timely maner.

A service one will not generally find offerd through Fright Centre, Student flights and other "here is your ticket - have a nice lifez" outlets.

Best regards

EWL

EWL, I believe EK don't pre-allocate seats for economy passengers.

They'll say anything to get a sale.

Not at all naive are we, Mr. Loco-Coco Loco????

No itchy, not that naive at all.

The seat maps showing allocated and free seats are freely available in Sabre on link. Although you cannot "direct conect" sell the seats, if you load the seat request as a 3RQST element, often they will come back KK in Y.

If not, if you are an Agent in good standing with EK (and we are) a phone call to Res or Sales usually does the job.

With a Skywards number, it is even easier.

I just went into the seatmap of EK412 29MAR SYD AKL, and over 25% of the economy compartment seats are showing as allocated, NOT blocked.

As for being stale itchy, I have been stale for years but work bloody hard to make sure nobody has any reason to take a piece out of me and find out!:rolleyes:

Regards

EWL

EWL - yours is yet another side of the " business " that fascinates me as a denizen from a totally different area and I've enjoyed the technical insights into your part of the game.
What stands out like the proverbial dog's nutz is that your main protagonist on this and a related thread is a complete wannabe. Let's hope he discovers just what it is he wantztabe as he hasn't qualified himself for any seat on the ride from what I've read so far.

Cheers digger.