For those of you who booked Talkneeta Flightseeing Tours...

[sbpdkp]

Did you already have the Toursaver coupon book and have to give them a number to use the buy one/get one free...or did you just tell them you were planning on getting it?

 

Gave my family the option of the glacier or summit and outlined the pros and cons from all the comments on these boards and yes, even gave them BQ's recommendation of taking the summit and they voted on the glacier...I'm sure it will be great regardless. I guess we'll have to go again someday and take the summit tour!

[stired]

Did you already have the Toursaver coupon book and have to give them a number to use the buy one/get one free...or did you just tell them you were planning on getting it?

 

Gave my family the option of the glacier or summit and outlined the pros and cons from all the comments on these boards and yes, even gave them BQ's recommendation of taking the summit and they voted on the glacier...I'm sure it will be great regardless. I guess we'll have to go again someday and take the summit tour!

 

We booked with Talkeetna Air Taxi and did not have to give them the coupon # - just told them we were using it - no problem.

 

I also had a very difficult time deciding on whether to do the summit or glacier landing. We ultimately decided on the glacier landing trip as well, along with the grand denali tour. Part of the reason is that we found out you have to use oxygen for the summit trip (that's why they do not allow children under 13) and some people may have airsickness issues. We are going with 2 other people and 1 of them is very concerned about the possibility of getting airsick. Also, we all agreed we just really wanted to experience being on the glacier. So, like you, perhaps the summit for my next trip!!:D

[bayview97]

We booked a June summit flight thru Talkeetna Aero last month. I mentioned to Tina that we had a toursaver coupon and asked if she wanted the book number. She said is it was not necessary at the time but to be sure to bring the book with coupon attached (I think Kenai Fjords Tours mentioned this as well). Hope this helps.

[Alaska05]

We went with Talkeeetna Aero in July 2005. We did not book in advance. Since we were spending 3 days in the Talkeetna area, we wanted to wait for a "good" day, so just went to their offices and booked where they had an opening that day. They were very flexible and applied our Toursaver coupon to the Summit flight. Unfortunately, while we were on our flight, the bad weather moved in and diminished visibility. Don't get me wrong, it was still fantastic. They even refunded part of the cost since we didn't get to do the summit overflight. I have pictures of each of our group with our oxygen masks on!

 

My advice is to be flexible -- depending on weather conditions the day you are there, there may be no glacier landings so you may have to alter your plans. Talkeetna Aero was not doing glacier landings the day we were there. The office is in constant contact with the pilots to keep pace with the ever-changing weather conditions around Mt. McKinley.

 

Be sure to wear sunglasses. I didn't and the glare even when it is cloudy is very intense. By the end of the flight I had to close my eyes to get some relief.

 

As others have stated, be sure to bring the entire Toursaver book with the coupon still in the book.

[cwestbrook]

In all our travels, the TAT flight with glacier landing is one of the best and most memorable things we have ever done. You'll love it!!!

[fti]

I have been trying to contact both Talkeetna Air Taxi and Talkeetna Aero for the past month without success. How have you guys been booking? I have EMailed twice to each of them with no response. Called twice to each of them - one doesn't answer their phone and the other I was on hold for 20 minutes before hanging up. I know it is off-season but the least they can do is put on a recording saying to call back on a certain date!

 

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

 

Unfortunately we only have one shot at a flightseeing tour based on our schedule. We arrive into Talkeetna too late to take a flight on our way to Denali so our only hope is the afternoon or evening on our way back to Anchorage a few days later.

[NancyIL]

 

Unfortunately we only have one shot at a flightseeing tour based on our schedule. We arrive into Talkeetna too late to take a flight on our way to Denali so our only hope is the afternoon or evening on our way back to Anchorage a few days later.

 

John - I know you want to use a Toursaver coupon for flightseeing. Talkeetna Aero's coupon is good only for 11 a.m. departures out of both Denali and Talkeetna, and Talkeetna Air Taxi's coupon is good only for 7 p.m. departures.

[Budget Queen]

You do not need to have the coupon when you book, you will just be charged full price if you do not produce it. I have gone on both of the flights listed here as well as a few different routings. My first summit trip I did take my son who was 10- with no age restrictions- Eric seated him up front for a fantastic trip. (I specifically will only go with Eric on my summit flights) Having gone on many glacier helicopter landings the ski plane is fun to land and take off with, but there is no comparism to the superior ice exposure of the helicopter trips- mostly snow via the ski planes.

 

As for the times, verify if you upgrade to the summit flights- what the timeframe is. I'm assuming that the 11am Talkeetna Aero flight is their summit view- regular flightseeing?

[stired]

I have been trying to contact both Talkeetna Air Taxi and Talkeetna Aero for the past month without success. How have you guys been booking? I have EMailed twice to each of them with no response. Called twice to each of them - one doesn't answer their phone and the other I was on hold for 20 minutes before hanging up. I know it is off-season but the least they can do is put on a recording saying to call back on a certain date!

 

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

 

Unfortunately we only have one shot at a flightseeing tour based on our schedule. We arrive into Talkeetna too late to take a flight on our way to Denali so our only hope is the afternoon or evening on our way back to Anchorage a few days later.

 

I phoned TAT to make our reservations on 12/20/06 and got right through, no problem. Perhaps they are taking a bit of vacation? You might try next week.

[bayview97]

I have been trying to contact both Talkeetna Air Taxi and Talkeetna Aero for the past month without success. How have you guys been booking? I have EMailed twice to each of them with no response. Called twice to each of them - one doesn't answer their phone and the other I was on hold for 20 minutes before hanging up. I know it is off-season but the least they can do is put on a recording saying to call back on a certain date!

 

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

 

Unfortunately we only have one shot at a flightseeing tour based on our schedule. We arrive into Talkeetna too late to take a flight on our way to Denali so our only hope is the afternoon or evening on our way back to Anchorage a few days later.

 

I also tried to email Talkeetna Aero twice without success. I did contact them by phone about two weeks before Christmas. Guess I was lucky. Note that if you want to do the summit flight with Talkeetna Aero, there is a $15pp upgrade fee as the coupon in the tour book is for a "Mt. McKinley Scenic Flight", only. And as mentioned earlier in the thread, the coupon is "valid for 11AM departure only".

 

Now, if I can just get my selected B&B in Seward to return my emails and phone calls...