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Author: Steve Biddle

Flight Review – Singapore Airlines SQ291/292 from Wellington(WLG) to Canberra (CBR)

Flight Review – Singapore Airlines SQ291/292 from Wellington(WLG) to Canberra (CBR)

Posted by | 18 Sep, 2017 | |

A few weeks ago I made an impulse decision to fly to Canberra for the weekend on Singapore Airlines. Singapore Airlines began flying from Wellington to Singapore via Canberra in September 2016 in what marked the first direct longhaul service connecting Asia and Wellington. It also marked the first scheduled international service from Canberra after an upgrade of it's terminal to support international flights. Due to the short length of Wellington airport's runway it was the first time a regular scheduled Boeing 777 service has operated from Wellington airport. As the aircraft can refuel in Canberra it's able to...

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Saving money buying flexitime flights on Air New Zealand

Saving money buying flexitime flights on Air New Zealand

Posted by | 11 Sep, 2017 | |

Imagine it's now 11am and you've found out you have to be in Auckland later in the afternoon for an early morning meeting the following day. Chances are you'll probably look at the Air New Zealand website and book the flight most suitable for the time you want to get there. Correct? What if I told you that you easily could save hundreds of dollars simply by booking the flight you don't want? If you look at the Air NZ flight summary screen you'll see four different fare options - A seat only fare allows you to take a carry...

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Hotel Review – Crowne Plaza Christchurch

Hotel Review – Crowne Plaza Christchurch

Posted by | 6 Sep, 2017 | , |

On a couple of recent trips to Christchurch I opted to try out the brand new Crowne Plaza in the Christchurch CBD. The hotel opened at the start of July and relaunched the IHG and Crowne Plaza brands back into Christchurch after the demolition of the former Crowne Plaza and Holiday Inn hotels following the 2011 Christchurch earthquake. A new Holiday Inn is currently under construction and due for completion in 2018. The hotel is a full conversion and refurbishment of an existing office building that remained after the earthquake. It's now one of only a handful of high...

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Air NZ enforces requirement to check in before flights

Air NZ enforces requirement to check in before flights

Posted by | 4 Sep, 2017 | , |

Air New Zealand has recently begun enforcing the requirement to check in before flying. Since 2008 customers flying with carry on luggage have been able to simply turn up at the gate and scan the 2D barcode on their mobile app or e-ticket to board their flight without needing to to check in prior to travel. Despite this process not being official company policy for several years now (and something that was not actually mentioned anywhere for a similar period of time) it was common with some frequent flyers and something the airline did nothing to discourage. Those who...

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United Airlines upgrades AKL to SFO to 777-300ER

United Airlines upgrades AKL to SFO to 777-300ER

Posted by | 3 Sep, 2017 | , |

United Airlines has announced a change of aircraft type when it recommences it's seasonal route between Auckland (AKL) and San Fracncisco (SFO) at the end of October. When the route originally launched in July 2016 it was operated by a Boeing 787-8 aircraft and later changed to a Boeing 777-200ER. In January 2017 it was suddenly announced the route would be suspended for the Northern Hemisphere winter and would begin flying again in October 2017 with a Boeing 787-9 aircraft. United has now announced that the route will be operated by its brand new Boeing 777-300ER aircraft. United have...

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