Air Tahiti Nui

[meherio]

Ia orana

liked the fact that now we can get the photos on the posts

for comparison sake, ATn First and business class..

 

meherioi

[Seal]

Ia orana

Air France will put the Boeing 777 on line to papeete next year, watch for it for the 3 class service. the first class is beyond incredible ! (albeit for the price !) Attached is a photo of your flying bed .

The blue seat are the business class, quite narrow compared with Atn + I would hate to be sandwiched in the middle seat especially when everyone is asleep and nature calls.... in the middle of the night. Crazy configuration for a business class with 2 3 2 seats.

 

Hope this helps with future pasengers when booking.

meherio

 

The blue seats look much like ones we had in first class/business on AA Miami to Aruba and back--they look great but they are narrow--better than most any AA I've been on--this was a 767--still like the Air France business/first seats the best--actual 180--had those first a copule or three years ago on a flight from Paris to LAX--not only was the 2 hour feast upon take-off great--great wine etc.--you could actually turn over--lay on your side or whatever on those seats--the best we've had--3 rows of 2 seats--after the flight from Paris we used Air France for traveling to Tahiti twice--they land in the early morning which works for going on to Bora Bora--Nothing wrong with ATN either--new ones look pretty good--we always flew ATN before we realized that Air France flew the same route.

 

Nancy:D

[Wendy The Wanderer]

 

Enjoy your trip/cruise---staying pre or post cruise ?????

 

Nancy:D

 

Just two nights pre-cruise. We're doing a post cruise in LA to visit family before Christmas, flying our son down to join us.

 

Has anyone actually tried going to the airport *later*? I'm guessing that would be tempting fate. We're probably going to cab it to the airport about 5:30, which should be a half hour before the busloads leave the Radisson.

[Spikesgirl]

Even in you go early, you will have to wait in line for the counter to open, although the line for business/first class is much shorter. They only open three hours prior - yes you should ge there a little before the buses as the lines can get very long and the ATN staff is extremely attentive to your paperwork. We had ours checked no less than three times before we got to security, where they checked it again (no, we don't look the unscrupulous type - they were doing it to everyone). However, you can't check in earlier than your flight.

 

We did the business lounge with ATN in Tom Bradley - it was on the floor above the ATN gates (I'm guessing second floor?) They will give you directions at the counter as you check in. They will alert you to when you need to go out and get ready to be loaded upon the bus.

 

We are just fresh back - any other airport questions?

[meherio]

Ia orana

As stated there is no real way to beat the system

many decide to wait in line before the opening of the counters, then the rest of then passengers show up to ensure an endless check in line.

Business and First class passengers do get a special express lane to check in + access to the lounge to relax before the flight.

 

We normally always check in as early as possible and walk up over the bridge to the best chinese restaurant ( with many tahitian touches ): "L'Ocean". nice dinner, great prices and walk back to catch the flight.

 

Hope this helps

PS for the AF photos, the Blue seats are indeed the business class.

for ATN the 2 seats combo with 1 180 bed and the seat next toare for the oerava First class.

meherio

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Meherio, so what you're saying is you check in, go through security and then go off out of the airport for dinner? But then don't you have to go through security again on the way back?

 

If those are the current ATN Biz class seats, they don't look too bad. Can't wait to try them out.

[meherio]

Ia orana

no, just check in,

get your boarding pass, go out and return to go through the passport control/ security and board your flight. Do allow at least 45 minutes before departure to return to the terminal.

 

Meherio

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Okay, I think I can visualize it now. Didn't know about the bridge, or forgot. Is it, and the restaurant, easy to find?

[drpad]

"Has anyone actually tried going to the airport *later*? I'm guessing that would be tempting fate. We're probably going to cab it to the airport about 5:30, which should be a half hour before the busloads leave the Radisson.

Wendy- I woould go early. We were first in line for first class, however, when the buses arrived, they put all handicapped people in that line, ahead of us.

Also, if you are early and coach class people opt to buy an upgrade to businerss, you might be bumpoed to 1st class if they still have one of the six seats there...

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Ooh!! That's worth being there early, for sure. I think we'll leave the hotel about 6, which should get us there about 6:30, maybe earlier.

[boone2]

We just returned last night from our Tahitian Princess cruise. We got to the airport for 5.20 and were 2nd in line, but wanted to go there before the buses arrived. We had a seat assignment but "just in case" The checkin opened at 7 pm. We then had to line up for 45 mins before they would open the security gates. The airport was very hot and airless but we were happier to wait rather than line up with hordes of people. We managed to get a seat under a fan in the upstairs bar while waiting for boarding. ATN crew are wonderful, the service was great even in economy. Tom Bradley is a mess!!

[flamomo]

Please tell us why you say "Tom Bradley is a mess!!" We'll be going there enroute to Papeete in 6 days.

Should we be worried???

__________________

[Spikesgirl]

They have construction going on there. They've had construction going on there - in fact, they'd just started it when we did our first cruise to Tahiti and accodring to the time line, it looks like it'll still be going on until 2011. Don't worry, Flamomo, it's navigatable, it's just stuff like the moving walkway doesn't, the walls are plywood, that sort of thing.

 

Six days - have a most excellent time there! You've been doing your homework and soon all that will pay off.

[flamomo]

Thanks for the clarification, Charlie.

I don't like it when posters say something is bad or a problem, and then don't say why they feel that way. It's too vague, and leaves questions in the minds of readers.

[flamomo]

Thanks for the clarification, Charlie.

I don't like it when posters say something is bad or a problem, and then don't say why they feel that way. It's too vague, and leaves questions in the minds of readers.

[boone2]

Tom Bradley is a mess as it's under construction, once you go through to the gate you have to walk along way along dusty dirty corridors to find a coffee, Im sure it will be nice when finished, we flew back to Toronto from terminal 2 and it was much better. Hope that clarifies

Terry

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Thanks Terry. I'm hoping that the Business class lounge will still be in good shape, and the cafe/restaurant area. We'll be there in 4 and a half weeks!!

[Spikesgirl]

Business lounge is uneffected by the construction. There is some construction on the first floor, but the restaurants are on the second floor above it (it opens out onto it) and they weren't effected by it.

[Spikesgirl]

Thanks for the clarification, Charlie.

I don't like it when posters say something is bad or a problem, and then don't say why they feel that way. It's too vague, and leaves questions in the minds of readers.

 

No worries, Flamomo! The construction looks more disruptive than it really is, although that may not have always been the way. It seems like the construction has been on going since the beginning of this century though. The most disruptive part of the trip is having to haul your luggage from domestic to International (four terminals away. Make sure you get a cart for your bags,even if they roll. it's easier in the long run and porters leave you alone.).

 

Cheers!

[west coast cruiser]

No worries, Flamomo! The construction looks more disruptive than it really is, although that may not have always been the way. It seems like the construction has been on going since the beginning of this century though. The most disruptive part of the trip is having to haul your luggage from domestic to International (four terminals away. Make sure you get a cart for your bags,even if they roll. it's easier in the long run and porters leave you alone.).

 

Cheers!

 

So we collect our bags at LAX and take them to the international terminal instead of the bags being checked all the way through to Tahiti, am I understanding that correctly?

Nancy

[flamomo]

Nancy, I was given to understand on the Cruise Air board, that you have to get your bag when you get off your flight to LAX, UNLESS your airline is a codeshare partner with ATN. If it is, you may be able to check your bag through from your home airport to Papeete.

I checked for mine on the Delta website, and they don't codeshare with ATN. So I guess I will be dragging my bags from Terminal 5 to Tom Bradley.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Yep, that's what I understand too. Originally we were flying to LAX on AA, that would have been great. But not with Air Canada. What a drag--if we were free of our bags, I think we'd seriously take a cab to Venice Beach for lunch. Oh well.

[Spikesgirl]

Nancy, I was given to understand on the Cruise Air board, that you have to get your bag when you get off your flight to LAX, UNLESS your airline is a codeshare partner with ATN. If it is, you may be able to check your bag through from your home airport to Papeete.

I checked for mine on the Delta website, and they don't codeshare with ATN. So I guess I will be dragging my bags from Terminal 5 to Tom Bradley.

 

It doesn't even make a difference if you are a shared partner. United is with ATN, but they wouldn't check our bags all the way through from SF to Tahiti, but insisted that we haul them ourselves. Not a happy time. It might have been different if we has cruise air from SF to LA, but it was cheaper to book that leg oursevles.

 

Think of it as character buliding...:p

[Spikesgirl]

Nancy, I was given to understand on the Cruise Air board, that you have to get your bag when you get off your flight to LAX, UNLESS your airline is a codeshare partner with ATN. If it is, you may be able to check your bag through from your home airport to Papeete.

I checked for mine on the Delta website, and they don't codeshare with ATN. So I guess I will be dragging my bags from Terminal 5 to Tom Bradley.

 

It doesn't even make a difference if you are a shared partner. United is with ATN, but they wouldn't check our bags all the way through from SF to Tahiti, but insisted that we haul them ourselves. Not a happy time. It might have been different if we has cruise air from SF to LA, but it was cheaper to book that leg oursevles.

 

Think of it as character buliding...:p

[flamomo]

I spoke with Delta, and I'll be dragging myself with luggage between the terminals too. Oh well, I've resigned myself to it.

As long as my bag shows up on the carousel at LAX, I'll be a happy traveler.