looking for flights to New Zealand around next Easter

sylwright

VixxAnn wrote:

Sylwright (sp?) thanks for the flight info, especially on stopovers. Sorry to hear you didn't particularly enjoy NZ - I suppose not everything can be to everyones taste. I cannot wait to get there - I think I have fallen in love already from the books I've read, photos I've seen and general research I've done.

We are going to look around with a view of emmigrating there in the future. I hope it lives up to my expectations! I actually think it will still far exceed them. I do think that perhaps staying a week in Auckland wasn't a good way to see "real" NZ - but hey thats my opinion and I haven't even been yet.;)

Good luck with your plans VixxAnn. I really do hope NZ lives up to your expectations. BTW the reason we spent a week in Auckland was because that was the biggest populated city and was the only place all 4 of us could get work, so made sense for us to check if we liked Auckland rather than the "real NZ" as that is where we would be living. Apart from the week in Auckland, we did travel around for several days and drove up to the Bay of Islands, hired a people carrier for that, which for me was a bit scary on some of the narrow winding roads on that journey. The Bay of Islands is beautiful, as I'm sure is the rest of New Zealand, but unfortunately it isn't an area where there were jobs available for us.

Anyway good luck with your trip and have a great time.

VixxAnn

thanks folks

Swizzle - have you been before and what are you planning to do when you go? Also how old are your kids and were they ok on the flight (if you've been before)

swizzle_2

VixxAnn- Yes i have been before 5 or 6 times- it took me a while to get out there and now I`d go every year if I could!

I have family in Nz- hence the reason for the trips- plus just having to find the airfare a big bouns.

I have travelled to Nz as a single girl, pregnant and with a 17 month old toddler with no seat who was too big for a skycot. This next time it will be with a 7 year old-the toddler grown up and a hyper 4 year old. Did not plan to leave it so long since the last visit but my youngest is a bit hyper plus money-plus wanted to wait until he was old enought to enjoy the trip and remember it.

I have done stop overs and gone straight through- my sister has done 2 with 2 children- and I think we are both of the same opion it`s best with children just to get there.We did a stop over in KL when we went with the toddler as Malaysian had a good deal on we saved £500 over other air fares plus hotel,transfer and a meal was included.But it was a pain, we had 18 hours I think- just time for a sleep and a meal- maybe if we had had longer it would have been better.
Have done a day stop in Singapore which was good, airline offered 2 trips out- free or small fee. It was good as I landed at 6am and did not fly out until 11pm it filled the day and i saw more than I would if I had been stopping over for a few days.

I have travelled round Nz and it a great place, but it takes time and some places are along way apart though.

Have you any idea where you might plan to live if you manage to emigrate? They would not have me!!
Nz is a big place and hard to see all of it in a few weeks. If you let me know which area you are thinking of I might be able to help better- what jobs do you do?

Feel free to PM me.

VixxAnn

PM'd you Swizzle

mystic_trev

VixxAnn wrote:

Can someone please tell me something about Korean Air because that price sounds amazingly cheap - basically I am wondering is there a reason they are cheaper and is it not worth saving the money ?????

Hmm depends on hoew much excitement you like!? Korean have had a dreadfull loss experince in the past, and managed to total two "wide bodies" on 1999. They also have managed to have two (yes two) of their Aircraft shot down by the Russians! Would you like me to continue?

richardw

BTW If you are based in Queenstown and want to do the day trip to Milford Sound, the coach journey going there is good but tiring on the way back, consider budgeting for the return air journey back to Queenstown.

April is Autumn, may be worth researching the dawn and sunset times in the different parts of New Zealand and plan taking these into consideration.

swizzle_2

Have you looked at https://www.austravel.co.uk? website does not always bring up stuff but ring them, I have found them helpful. They did a ring back service-put your details in and they will ring you. They have an office in Leeds so good for those of us who live up north- can pop into shop to pay to avoid cc charges.

We are going for xmas- but leaving Uk in November to avoid increase in prices-although I am thinking about travelling at Easter in 2 years time. Like to plan and say in advance!

But usual thing- when it`s school hol`s prices go up!

VixxAnn

swizzle - I have rung Austravel and price was quite high - but I'm going to try them again when its "B" day (booking day!) BUT they were fantastic for info and sent me loads of brochures and theres a NZ DVD on the way too!

Richard - would you say all in all that the journey to Milford sound is worth making then - I'd love to do it but it does seem an awfully long kind of one way road - is it worth the trip?

And I think we have come to decision now to book with anyone other than Korean!!!

richardw

It is worth the trip, but the coach journey back is tiring.

eveyk

hi we ( hubby myself and will be 2 year old) on 17/03 til 17/04 are flying with singapore airlines from manchester to christchurch it has cost us £744 for eachadult fare and £600 for our daughters fare (she is having her own seat) I can't believe the price of childrens fares. It was going to cost us nearly £300 to sit on my lap! i thought the adult fare was a good price. i played the travel companies off each other!! the flights were booked with southall travel via teletext but over the phone. hope this helps