Air New Zealand 1 and 38
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I do this trip regularly. The HK route is much more "user friendly" though slightly more expensive. It also has the advantage that the people next to whom you find yourself sitting are generally smaller!
First time I did this was 1983 via LAX, and the introduction of the HK option is a real godsend in my view.
First time I did this was 1983 via LAX, and the introduction of the HK option is a real godsend in my view.
ThRedBearOne
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Recently read somewhere, probably on here that the 'TSA crap' at LA for NZ1 was reduced from, I assumed, 'seriously crap' to, maybe, 'just crap' when NZ said they would pull the flight from the schedule unless the TSA 'service' was improved.
Nice, overlong sentence with an excess of commas.
Nice, overlong sentence with an excess of commas.
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I would second rgsaero's comments. I always try to do the Hong Kong route if possible, as it's generally more pleasant. Theoretically, it can be done for the same price, but it's always a bit of a struggle to get the cheapest prices on the HK route. My personal weighing up of the two routes always involves:
Hong Kong - good flight time heading south - 9pm-ish departure from LHR which is good for a long sleep on the first leg; stress-free stop in Hong Kong. Bad points - flights only go 4 days a week, they tend to be a bit pricier, and there's a bit of a scrum for the showers in HK if you've got lounge access.
LAX - good flight time heading north - it goes at approx. 8pm-ish from AKL instead of around 11pm-ish for the Hong Kong route. Goes 7 days a week. Generally cheaper. Bad points - the TSA. The process is better than it was, but still ghastly. You can either go into a holding pen for 2 hours or into the main airport, but either way you have to clear immigration, which gives you the opportunity for a life-enriching exchange of views with the charming employees of the TSA.
Happy travels!
Hong Kong - good flight time heading south - 9pm-ish departure from LHR which is good for a long sleep on the first leg; stress-free stop in Hong Kong. Bad points - flights only go 4 days a week, they tend to be a bit pricier, and there's a bit of a scrum for the showers in HK if you've got lounge access.
LAX - good flight time heading north - it goes at approx. 8pm-ish from AKL instead of around 11pm-ish for the Hong Kong route. Goes 7 days a week. Generally cheaper. Bad points - the TSA. The process is better than it was, but still ghastly. You can either go into a holding pen for 2 hours or into the main airport, but either way you have to clear immigration, which gives you the opportunity for a life-enriching exchange of views with the charming employees of the TSA.
Happy travels!
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In my experience, the immigration staff at LAX have all been professional and helpful if you treat them with the sort of courtesy one might expect from another human being. Don't be rude and don't try to be smart. Just accept that they have a job to do and accept it. An exchange of humour seems to work wonders as does a comment about how much you like the USA. Of course, if you're a stupid English tourist who hollers "Can't you damn yanks get a move on" from the back of the queue (as we once saw) then life can become very interesting.....
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When dealing with immigration people, especially any known to be twitchy about visitors, my humour switch is nailed so firmly in the "off" position that that the one time a US immigration officer cracked a joke, I spent a noticeable amount of time looking at him in confusion to try to understand what his statement literally meant.
Humour rarely translates reliably across cultures, so I tend to avoid it in confrontational situations (and immigration is, to a greater or lesser degree, confrontational). I just stick to being polite and briefly, helpfully factual with the American immigration people.
Humour rarely translates reliably across cultures, so I tend to avoid it in confrontational situations (and immigration is, to a greater or lesser degree, confrontational). I just stick to being polite and briefly, helpfully factual with the American immigration people.
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Said Heathrow Director:
"...In my experience, the immigration staff at LAX have all been professional and helpful."
I well recall going through LAX on ANZ en route Auckland in 1984. I had procured a seat right by the first exit on the 747 and was first off looking forward to a shower, a beer and then start the journey again. In those long-past happy days there was none of this electronic personal data stuff.....
A very short immigration official of the female gender scanned my passport and (very large) transit card. "You don't have a visa," quoth she. "I'm in transit to Auckland, New Zealand," I responded. "I don't care and I don't know where that is, but when you come past me you're entering the US of A, and you don't have a visa." This went on for some time, me explaining that I had no wish to enter the US of A but had no choice as the aeroplane could not be refuelled if I and many others were on board.
"What do you plan to do while you're here?" asked she. "Have a shower in the NZ lounge and then a few beers...." I said.
After five or more minutes of this, with the vast queue behind me getting increasingly restless, she instructed an armed guard to ensure that I didn't leave the "lounge" unless it was to get back on the flight.
As we (guard and I) ascended the elevator en route to said lounge I said - "Does that happen all the time?" "No," he responded. "I think they're training new staff for the people who are coming in to see the Olympics." "Now I know why the Russians decided not to come," I said. He laughed - a lot!
"...In my experience, the immigration staff at LAX have all been professional and helpful."
I well recall going through LAX on ANZ en route Auckland in 1984. I had procured a seat right by the first exit on the 747 and was first off looking forward to a shower, a beer and then start the journey again. In those long-past happy days there was none of this electronic personal data stuff.....
A very short immigration official of the female gender scanned my passport and (very large) transit card. "You don't have a visa," quoth she. "I'm in transit to Auckland, New Zealand," I responded. "I don't care and I don't know where that is, but when you come past me you're entering the US of A, and you don't have a visa." This went on for some time, me explaining that I had no wish to enter the US of A but had no choice as the aeroplane could not be refuelled if I and many others were on board.
"What do you plan to do while you're here?" asked she. "Have a shower in the NZ lounge and then a few beers...." I said.
After five or more minutes of this, with the vast queue behind me getting increasingly restless, she instructed an armed guard to ensure that I didn't leave the "lounge" unless it was to get back on the flight.
As we (guard and I) ascended the elevator en route to said lounge I said - "Does that happen all the time?" "No," he responded. "I think they're training new staff for the people who are coming in to see the Olympics." "Now I know why the Russians decided not to come," I said. He laughed - a lot!
I've fairly recent experience of both routes.
The route via HKG (38/39) is good going east as it's effectively 2 long overnight sectors (eg, leave LHR Friday evening, arrive AKL Sunday early morning). Not so good coming back from a rest point of view, as it leaves AKL around midnight, and then moves on from HKG in the early morning for the long 13hr daylight sector to LHR, arriving early afternoon.
The LAX route (1/2) is slightly more bearable timings wise, but having to be photographed and fingerprinted in order to sit in an airside transit lounge for 2hours seems to be a complete nonsense.
Credit to Air NZ for making this more bearable by providing complimentary snacks and soft drinks to all pax once in the Transit area.
The route via HKG (38/39) is good going east as it's effectively 2 long overnight sectors (eg, leave LHR Friday evening, arrive AKL Sunday early morning). Not so good coming back from a rest point of view, as it leaves AKL around midnight, and then moves on from HKG in the early morning for the long 13hr daylight sector to LHR, arriving early afternoon.
The LAX route (1/2) is slightly more bearable timings wise, but having to be photographed and fingerprinted in order to sit in an airside transit lounge for 2hours seems to be a complete nonsense.
Credit to Air NZ for making this more bearable by providing complimentary snacks and soft drinks to all pax once in the Transit area.
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When dealing with immigration people, especially any known to be twitchy about visitors, my humour switch is nailed so firmly in the "off" position
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A few years back arriving in LAX, the immigration chappie asked. "what is the purpose of your visit to the USA",
"To attend a family reunion in Florida", I replied.
He thought about this for a few seconds and then asked "what is a family reunion ?".
I thought it was self evident, but there was not a flicker of expression on his face as he said that so I presume he genuinely didn't know.
"To attend a family reunion in Florida", I replied.
He thought about this for a few seconds and then asked "what is a family reunion ?".
I thought it was self evident, but there was not a flicker of expression on his face as he said that so I presume he genuinely didn't know.
It used to be that NZ1 via LAX was the one to choose due to increased luggage allowance making up for the "friendly" American welcome.
But now that luggage allowance is no longer a differentiator my advice is to go NZ38 via Hong Kong and enjoy the couple of hours at Hong Kong airport whilst the plane is refueled and crew changes.
Although if the price is very different then you could always look forward to NZ1 and standing in a long queue at LAX to go through passport control so that you can get into a grotty transit room (which, to be fair to them, Air NZ have done their best with by providing free snacks etc).
Either way service on the plane will be excellent!
But now that luggage allowance is no longer a differentiator my advice is to go NZ38 via Hong Kong and enjoy the couple of hours at Hong Kong airport whilst the plane is refueled and crew changes.
Although if the price is very different then you could always look forward to NZ1 and standing in a long queue at LAX to go through passport control so that you can get into a grotty transit room (which, to be fair to them, Air NZ have done their best with by providing free snacks etc).
Either way service on the plane will be excellent!
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Agree about the service - we now try to fly on NZ1 if we are ever going out to California as they're the best flights LHR to LAX. Great food, proper wine, decent selection of films, very pleasant cabin crew, a lovely experience all round. We flew out on it last September for our honeymoon - now I can tell you the immigration officials are actually quite nice if you tell them that's why you're there... think they appreciate the people that have chosen to come to Cali!
now that luggage allowance is no longer a differentiator
The "differentiator" on this route is QF - still applying the piece concept AKAIK - and definitely not as precious as Air NZ can be at times.
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If it makes any difference, NZ38 is about 2 hours quicker going out and NZ2 is about 2 hours quicker coming back (due prevailing jet stream). Also, be aware that, unlike NZ1, NZ38 doesn't run every day.
I used to be amused when filling in the field on the US immigration form that required you to give the location of your first night's residence. I think we were instructed to enter the flight number. "How long are you planning to stay on this trip to the States, sir?" "Oh, about 90 minutes."
I used to be amused when filling in the field on the US immigration form that required you to give the location of your first night's residence. I think we were instructed to enter the flight number. "How long are you planning to stay on this trip to the States, sir?" "Oh, about 90 minutes."
