Papeete - Disembarcation - Could we make a 7:30AM flight?

[tinaincc]

Hi - we are considering the 12 day Marina on Feb 10, 2019. Wondering if we arrive early enough (and would O allow) for us to make an Air France 7:30am flight on Feb 22.

[pinotlover]

1. That Delta flight leaves at 8:25, not 7:30, and they want you there by 6:00- 6:30.

 

2. This exact same question, with correct times, has been asked here multiple times and the answer has always been NO. If you want to fly Delta, then spend the extra night in Papeete and go to the airport early the next morning. Otherwise, you fly the other carriers with a late evening departure.

[tinaincc]

1. That Delta flight leaves at 8:25, not 7:30, and they want you there by 6:00- 6:30.

 

2. This exact same question, with correct times, has been asked here multiple times and the answer has always been NO. If you want to fly Delta, then spend the extra night in Papeete and go to the airport early the next morning. Otherwise, you fly the other carriers with a late evening departure.

 

Strange that the Air France Website shows it as 7:30.

Thanks for taking the time to share #2. I have never been on O and I searched the forum prior to asking. Sorry to trouble you.

[pinotlover]

We’ll be on that cruise with you, and have been looking hard at the flight options that just opened up.

 

Since we’re coming off the east coast, I only looked at the Delta timetables, not AF. Am looking at AA/ Air Tahiti Nui , along with UA which only flies it Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday.

 

Both Delta and ita matrix shows the flight at 8:25 am, funny AF shows a different time! LOL, AF has such a horrendous reputation of being late on those flights, perhaps Delta added an hour to help ensure against tight connections in LAX! At 310+ days out, ( for the incoming flight) , I’m sure that schedule will change multiple times between now and then!

[Hoopster95]

Just a side note --- O chartered seats on a Air Nui 747 8:10am departure for disembarkation just two weeks ago on Monday, March 18. Friends of ours were on it. Breakfast was served beginning 4:30am (I think?) at Waves. Shuttles to the airport were available from 5am-6am. Eating breakfast ourselves up at the Terrace rear deck we watched this Air Nui take off right on time at about 8:10am. Our friends told us they got to the airport and still had over an hour to sit around before boarding.

 

I personally would not this risk this unless I was on the O charter (thus guaranteed so to speak) so that you know that O will be docking early in Tahiti. I figure any delayed docking would be a disaster (expensive) with your own flights booked. I'd be willing to bet that O will have some of your AF flight chartered as they used both AF and Air Nui for the inbound.

 

If you're doing it on your own without O airfare, I would strongly consider staying minimum overnight, and then taking the AF the next day. We stayed 2 nights, grabbed taxi at 6am from the Intercontinental, and we were at the airport 10min later.

 

As a further hint, there were a lot of people (maybe 20 groups?) surprisingly in the "check-in" line.... we had checked in online at the hotel and the line-up for only baggage drop off were only two groups in front of us. We were through in 15 minutes instead of standing there for an hour. Hope this helps.

[delee78]

The Papeete - Papeete 12 day cruise from March 7 - March 19 returned to the port in Papeete the night before disembarkation at 11pm. So, you would have plenty of time to make the early flight. This was probably driven by the fact that the Oceania charter flight left at 8:30am and they wanted to give folks lots of time. The Terrace opened at 4am so that everyone could have breakfast.

If you are flying business on AF, you have to arrive at the airport 90 minutes prior to the flight departure time.

[delee78]

LOL Hoopster!!! Good timing :D

[delee78]

I would probably risk it - Hoopster and I finally disagree on something.

Before I booked the cruise, I originally planned to take the same cruise in February. The return flight was going to be on disembarkation day at 8:20am on AF. I changed my cruise because I didn't want to risk it.

Now, before I changed the cruise and was still trying to figure out if I could make that 8:20am flight, I spoke to my TA. She told me that the ship would dock at 11pm the night before disembarkation. I didn't believe her, so I changed the cruise. It turns out she was right - so you might want to ask your TA what time the ship returns to Papeete.

If it returns the night before, you will probably have plenty of time. There is still risk involved, but thought I should share this with you!

[Andee]

We disembarked on Feb 25. Oceania refused to put us on the morning flight, so I was plenty aggravated when the disembarkation forms listed that as an option and we learned that lots of people had been booked on the flight.

Due to an AF strike, that morning flight left 30 minutes before our midnight flight.

 

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[pinotlover]

Strikes in France are a national pastime. AF has disrupted air service, on a regular basis, due to one union or another calling a strike! These AF flights have a long record of poor on time performance record . Book AF at your own risk! There is a reason they are lower priced than the competition! Buyer beware!

[Hoopster95]

Strikes in France are a national pastime. AF has disrupted air service, on a regular basis, due to one union or another calling a strike! These AF flights have a long record of poor on time performance record . Book AF at your own risk! There is a reason they are lower priced than the competition! Buyer beware!

 

Yep. AF strike was announced while we were in Papeete.... for March 22.... the day after we flew! Whew :o

Conversely, both flights in and out were on time though, and service/food/seats were great for economy.

[Silver Sweethearts]

Another option is to use Hawaiian Airlines out of Honolulu (they offer a non-stop every Saturday evening). In your case, fly in what would be the day before your cruise and stay one day after your cruise. Less hurry or concerns. Even add a few days in Hawaii going or coming if you wish for an even better vacation.

[Caroldoll]

We have done it. ONLY IF YOU ARE OVERNIGHT IN THE PORT...then you take your own luggage off and have a taxi and you will make it.

 

Funny, not funny, the last time we got to the airport and checked in and then the said the flight was "delayed". After an hour or so I asked and the flight attendants had gone on strike. They were trying desperately to get relief attendants. Could not find a whole compliment, so they bumped 50 people off the flight...all people whose reservations were made by Oceania. We had bought out own FC, so we made it.

 

People are right, the French strike, whenever!

 

Anyway, if the ship gets in the night before, take your own luggage off and you will make it.

[tinaincc]

Just a side note --- O chartered seats on a Air Nui 747 8:10am departure for disembarkation just two weeks ago on Monday, March 18. Friends of ours were on it. Breakfast was served beginning 4:30am (I think?) at Waves. Shuttles to the airport were available from 5am-6am. Eating breakfast ourselves up at the Terrace rear deck we watched this Air Nui take off right on time at about 8:10am. Our friends told us they got to the airport and still had over an hour to sit around before boarding.

 

I personally would not this risk this unless I was on the O charter (thus guaranteed so to speak) so that you know that O will be docking early in Tahiti. I figure any delayed docking would be a disaster (expensive) with your own flights booked. I'd be willing to bet that O will have some of your AF flight chartered as they used both AF and Air Nui for the inbound.

 

If you're doing it on your own without O airfare, I would strongly consider staying minimum overnight, and then taking the AF the next day. We stayed 2 nights, grabbed taxi at 6am from the Intercontinental, and we were at the airport 10min later.

 

As a further hint, there were a lot of people (maybe 20 groups?) surprisingly in the "check-in" line.... we had checked in online at the hotel and the line-up for only baggage drop off were only two groups in front of us. We were through in 15 minutes instead of standing there for an hour. Hope this helps.

 

 

 

Thank you so much - as a side note I am loving your review!

 

 

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[tinaincc]

I would probably risk it - Hoopster and I finally disagree on something.

 

 

Before I booked the cruise, I originally planned to take the same cruise in February. The return flight was going to be on disembarkation day at 8:20am on AF. I changed my cruise because I didn't want to risk it.

 

 

Now, before I changed the cruise and was still trying to figure out if I could make that 8:20am flight, I spoke to my TA. She told me that the ship would dock at 11pm the night before disembarkation. I didn't believe her, so I changed the cruise. It turns out she was right - so you might want to ask your TA what time the ship returns to Papeete.

 

 

If it returns the night before, you will probably have plenty of time. There is still risk involved, but thought I should share this with you!

 

 

 

I should probably start a poll! Thanks for your opinion!

 

 

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