Airport security?

Old May 15th, 2007, 02:10 PM
  #1  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 33
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Airport security?

I will be arriving in Auckland (on a flight w/ AirNZ) at 5:15 am and then catching a flight (w/ Qantas / JetConnect) at 7:00 am. Normally this would not be a problem. Except I just found out that AirNZ and Qantas do not have an interline agreement. Which means we need to get our luggage and recheck it and then go thru security again. All in about 45 minutes (as long as our flight is not delayed). My question is... is security in NZ as big a nightmare as in the US? I know I need to budget AT LEAST 2 hours when flying within the US. Do you think we'll have time to catch the Qantas flight?
langrobe is offline  
Old May 15th, 2007, 05:16 PM
  #2  
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 2,018
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
A similar issue came up in relation to LAX and NWA-Qantas. I'm not sure whether the lack of an inter-airline agreement necessarily means you can't check your bags all the way through. But perhaps it does, a bit sad if Air NZ and Qantas can't co-operate on baggage handling.

Sorry I'm not being much help, but I'm interested to know whether this issue always applies. If you don't have any luck on this board, try the airline board as there's some very knowledgeable people there.

BTW you have 1 hour and 45 minutes, don't, you between flights?

Susan7 is offline  
Old May 15th, 2007, 05:35 PM
  #3  
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 24,528
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
One thing in your favor is that Auckland airport is nowhere near as large as LAX. Find out if you need to change terminals and go thru customs.

If you need to go thru customs in Auckland then be sure you are not carrying any agriculture items, camping gear, etc, so you won't get pulled into the inspection line.
mlgb is offline  
Old May 16th, 2007, 02:34 AM
  #4  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 33
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I will need to change terminals. The representative from AirNZ said it is a 15 minute walk from the international terminal to the domestic terminal. I think we'll chance it because the tickets only cost $95/person. But the fee to change flights is $130/person.
langrobe is offline  
Old May 17th, 2007, 12:09 PM
  #5  
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 24,528
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
You will have to go thru customs. Normally this doesn't take that much time.

There is a shuttle to the domestic terminal, if you happen to be outside when it is there, it's slightly faster. But otherwise, grab a trolley and walk.

I haven't flown since NZ decided to follow the TSA rules on liquids, so don't have any recent experience on time for domestic checkin. Anyone?
mlgb is offline  
Old May 17th, 2007, 04:48 PM
  #6  
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 2,018
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Langrobe you're not having much luck with this question! A few things are in your favour:

1) you're arriving so early that the terminal may be fairly quiet. If it's on the weekend that would be even better.

2) you don't have to go through immigration the way you would if you were in transit in the US. Hence in comparison to changing planes in the US there's one less process involved.
Susan7 is offline  
Old May 17th, 2007, 05:12 PM
  #7  
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 24,528
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I'm not sure I understand the last comment. On an international arrival (I'm assuming this is one of the flights from LAX) you have to collect your luggage and go thru agriculture, there was a passport control (get a visa stamp) when I entered last November. Collecting luggage is what takes the most time. Hopefully nothing goes missing. Be careful about foodstuffs, I would advise not packing anything at all if you are worried about time since you need to declare it (as long as it's not fresh food, meats or dairy they should allow it but it may send you to a slower line).

You'll need someone who has flown since April 1 to tell you how things are being managed over at the domestic terminal.
mlgb is offline  
Old May 17th, 2007, 05:54 PM
  #8  
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 2,018
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I may have this entirely wrong, so please correct me if I am, but I was under the impression there was still a "transit" category in Australia and New Zealand. By this I mean, you don't have to go through immigration because you are going forward to another country.

For example, I've often been in transit at Singapore Airport or Heathrow, changing flights and/or terminals etc but not having to clear immigration because I'm not going to Singapore or the UK.

Whereas recently when I changed planes in the US on the way to Canada, I still had to go through US immigration even though I was in only in the terminal for less than 3 hours. It doesn't seem to be possible to be "in transit." But maybe I have this all wrong...
Susan7 is offline  
Old May 17th, 2007, 06:22 PM
  #9  
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 24,528
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I'm assuming OP is on one of the ANZ transpacific flights from either San Francisco or Los Angeles. Everyone on those flights disembarks, get their luggage and goes thru the passport control area, collects their luggage, and goes thru agriculture. They may be in a "transit" status or not, but as I said, what takes the time is collecting your luggage so you can haul it over to the domestic terminal. You actually step outside the international terminal and there really isn't anything to stop your from flagging a taxi and leaving the airport for a while before your connecting flight.

So I don't think your experiences at Singapore, Canada, or Heathrow apply.
mlgb is offline  
Old May 17th, 2007, 06:38 PM
  #10  
 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 609
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Hi there Langrobe

You have 1:45 between flights, so hopefully if your flight is on time you should be able to make it through OK.

Procedure at AKL is you land, walk out through the duty free shop area, down the escalator, turn right and queue up for passport control. There should be a fair few desks open at this time as a few international flight arrive early in the morning. You cannot use the passport control on the upper level unless you hold a NZ or Australian passport, shame as the queues are usually very short.

Make sure you have completed your arrival card which will have been given too you on the fight by the aircrew. You will need one half of this form for immigration and one half for MAF inspection (Ministry of Ag and Fish)/customs.

If you do not get one on board, ask your FA for one. These are a blue and purple form with green tick boxes for the usual details about bringing in cash, contraband etc. However there is a very important part about foodstuffs. Be very careful when filling this bit in because if you bring in food and do not declare it two things will happen.

one: You will be fined NZD$200 for bringing in food and two, you will be held up at the MAF station.

After passport control you walk straight forward and you are looking at the baggage belts. Grab your bags and follow the line to your right through to the customs MAF area. There are about 5 queues for teh five xray machines. All bags (including handluggage) are xrayed before you can enter NZ properly. These xrays are looking for contraband and food.

One past this point you are in arrivals.

If you walk straight out to the front of the terminal you will find the transfer bus stop. This bus comes round about once every 20 mins between terminals. If it is a nice morning, turn left and follow the signs and painted line for the 400 yard walk to the domestic terminals. You do not need a coin for the baggage trolley and you can use the same baggage trolley from the belt area in the international terminal till you put your bags on the scale at the Qantas terminal. Beware baggage limits in NZ domestic. 20 kgs (44lbs) per person checked luggage, hand luggage is 7 kgs.


Qantas terminal is the first terminal you come to. Checkin area is pretty small there but usually only small queues as there are not that many domestic flights operated by Qantas, they only operate 737's domestically. Checkin closes 1/2 hour before departure.

Security at domestic is not as tight as international. You can (At the moment) take liquids. Your carry on bags will be xrayed as you go to the gate. There are only a couple of xray machines there but the security guys are pretty efficient, and usually reasonably friendly, I have cracked the odd joke with them on the way through they do not seem to mind. Make sure you take your jacket off and all metal objects/phones etc out of pockets before you get to the machine. Locals are pretty used to it and that is how the efficiency in sceening is maintained. The metal detectors at AKL are pretty sensitive, so you may get a pat down/hand wand, about 50% of pax seem to get one in my observations, again, quick, polite and efficient.

The longest I have taken to land clear immigration/customs/MAF is about 45 minutes. It takes about 10 minutes to walk between terminals, you should have plenty of time. Fingers crossed for your international flight to land on or before time.

I hope this helps.
Kiwi_acct is offline  
Old May 17th, 2007, 06:50 PM
  #11  
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 24,528
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Helpful post Kiwi acct.

One correction, I think, you turn right to get from international to domestic?

Left just gets you to the Avis cars!
mlgb is offline  
Old May 17th, 2007, 07:20 PM
  #12  
 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 609
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I have a cold and have become geographically challenged, you are of course correct, a left turn takes you out to the rental cars and taxis, a right turn will take you toward the domestic terminal.

Thanks for spotting that error mlgb. I may well have caused an "incident" if I had accidentally/deliberately sent someone the wrong way LOL
Kiwi_acct is offline  
Old May 18th, 2007, 09:53 PM
  #13  
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 786
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Have I missed something as I cannot see where you have said you are flying within New Zealand or onto Australiabut as you mention 'domestic' I assume you are flying Qantas domestic.
We have the full customs clearance laws here of course like any other country and they are strict. It is quite a hike to the immigration counters so don't dawdle on the way, as someone said you need to go downstairs to line up, try and be quick to get down there, the baggage claim is close by. If you have foodstuffs etc you will have noted it on your card, it is good to make a list if necessary and show the MAF officer on your way thru the appropriate line. No fruit please!!! There are usually afew MAF officers standing round prior to reaching the x-ray counter who may ask you, 'Anything to declare' this will speed up process.

If there s no shuttle bus waiting to go to domestic then start walking and follow the arrows on the path, it is a brisk 10 mins or a fast 15 mins. At that time of the morning I think you can make it to your domestic flight if you
1. Clear customs by 6.15am
2. Arrive at Qantas domestic check in by 6.30am.
as you say the fares aren't too bad now but I think 130.00 to change a flight sounds a bit steep to me.
Youmay find your flight arrives early and you may also find that you are the first flight of the day to arrive in which case you will have a big advantage for sure.
I would also mention to one of the crew that you have a domestic flight to catch, you may get help I'm not sure but it's worth a try.


You must pick up your bags from the carousel before proceeding thru customs as they are all X-rayed.

susan, I think you are unintentionally leading this poster astray, it appears that you assume he is going on to Australia, it appears not

And we didn't 'decide'to adopt the liquids policy, it is a worldwide airlines policy that we have to adhere to like everyone else.
KathyNZ is offline  
Old May 19th, 2007, 11:13 AM
  #14  
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 24,528
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Looking at my trip report from last year, I cleared customs, etc in 15 minutes from arrival time. My flight was not especially full, though, and my bags all showed up.

My friends who went during peak season on a full flight also cleared customs quickly. However, their flight was delayed in LAX and they also had to report a missing bag.

They were not able to use the facility in the international terminal for ANZ domestic passengers, which transfers bags over to the international terminal (this is AFTER you clear agriculture). You need at least 60 minutes for that service. They landed at 8:25 am and made a 10 am connection to Christchurch, with about 2 minutes to to spare, even with the missing bag fiasco. However, this was pre-liquids rule.
mlgb is offline  
Old May 19th, 2007, 11:27 AM
  #15  
 
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 48
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
With regard to food. If you bring anything in yur carryon to eat (like a sandwich etc - we did) the dogs will find it. Even if you ate it on the plane hours earlier, the dogs will find the odor. Not a big deal, they seem to be used to it. They'll ask you to open your bag and they'll check it manually. Suggest that any food be in a plastic bag - and you toss the plastic bag before going through. (we kept the bag because we thought we'd want it for wet stuff etc).
dktenor is offline  
Old May 26th, 2007, 06:59 AM
  #16  
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 213
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
langrobe:

Yes, we changed from international to domestic in Auckland on our way from Canada to Christchurch.

We took a trolly and walked as we felt the time was tight and did not see a shuttle. It was a brisk walk with not too much time to spare - for us.

We were told not to worry. If that flight was missed, we could get on the next one of many. Would that work for you?

We have been to New Zealand 4 times and have always found the security people to be pleasant and we could deal with them - not very much problem - unlike LA or Canada where stupidity must be a job requirement.

But very good news for us, Air New Zealand will be flying Vancouver/Auckland as of November 2007.

One time leaving Auckland en route to the Cook islands on our way home, I forgot and had ny mustache sccissors in my carry on. When they were discovered, I was surptised that I had not packed them in my luggage and the inspector was most understnding. He too had a mustache. He called his supervisor who said it was okay once he learned we were going to the Cooks. "Don't forget to pack them when you head to LA after Rarotonga," he told me. He too had a mustache. My good luck. But they were understanding.

The point is, this 76 year old did not look to be a terrorist and the security people were considerate and kind. Not quite what we have at home.

Another time, we faced a very long line up on arrival. Several international flights cane in at the same time. That took a very long time.

In general, the NZ life style is more laid back and relaxed and so was our experience with all of NZ, including security.

Oh yes, on our last trip, my wife had an apple along with other foods that we hade eaten before arival [I am diabetic and my wife always takes snacks]. The airport security beagle would not let our carry on bag pass. He insisted on staying with us, even after his handler tried to take him off. He made a cute picture.

Woodie
woodie is offline  
Old May 26th, 2007, 07:35 AM
  #17  
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 73
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
A relative in New Zealand taught me something which has helped with customs many places. I carry a small bag of ground coffee or green bean seeds. Then I see whether the line is as long at the "items to declare" counter. It usually is not. (Last time I arrived at Auckland the lines at "nothing to declare" were about 12-15 deep but there was no one at the "items to declare". The lines DO move faster in NZ unless someone has a major problem in front of you). I show the item. Am asked if that is all and I am on my way. At the worst you lose the coffee or seeds...

An earlier post is correct about turning RIGHT when you leave the international terminal. And if you don't hesitate and gander, grab the nearest trolley and outside walk is less than 10 minutes...
theheadysmiths is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Original Poster
Forum
Replies
Last Post
kiwi_rob
United States
15
Aug 15th, 2007 08:37 AM
Jane196
Air Travel
3
Jan 31st, 2007 12:37 PM
GP
Australia & the Pacific
4
Mar 18th, 2006 02:35 PM
julies
Europe
5
May 16th, 2005 06:22 AM
sfgrace
Australia & the Pacific
4
Feb 18th, 2004 09:35 PM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are On


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information -