Auckland Airport

It is a 5-10 minute walk from the International to the Domestic terminal very pleasant after a long haul. I use AKL once every 3 months flying in from LAX and only once in a year have I had to wait at passport control or the x-ray. AKL is one of the easiest fastest airports to get through. In June I was off the plane and outside the terminal building in 20 minutes.

One thing I like about Auckland is its size it is small so I don’t need to walk that long to get in and out of the airport. Once you arrive you will find the largest duty free shop in New Zealand which is about the size of a minimart. You will then find an irritate immigration queue. I spent almost two hours at the immigration queue and extra 45 minutes waiting for my bag to be x-rayed at MAF biosecurity checkpoint. There are few washrooms at the airport and old and sometimes dirty. I have to wait in line in order to use the toilet facilities at the departure gate. The airport information screen is not very useful; the gate number will not appear until 15 minutes before boarding while the plane is already at the gate. Once you pass though the passport control and security there is only restaurant in there Burger King. If you are planning to visit Auckland I suggest that you buy some food in the city before you go to the airport.

Just about any international flight is going to be a long one and people will be disgorging from their 747's and A340s sleep deprived and disoriented. Thanks to some brilliant flight planning a bunch of flights arrive at the same time - around 4:30 am and then the fun begins. There are two different queues one for people making international connections and one for people making domestic connections. But there are no signs. (well no signs at the BACK of line so you walk up front to figure out what queue to get into then head all the way back to take your place). At least two ANZ 747 flights arrive simultaneously (SFO & LAX). But they only have 2passport officers on duty. So you stand. and stand. And stand. Until about 6:00 am when clearly the next shift starts. And suddenly the line starts to move. Well you figure after giving them an hour and half to unload bags yours should be on the belt right? Wrong. I thing the baggage handlers have the same shifts as the passport guys. Unless ANZ loses your bag. Then you have to wait again for customs. And wait and wait. And wait so long that you dont have time to wait in the next long line to check in your bags at the transfer desk. "No worries" they say with that wonderful laid-back Kiwi attitude. You can just check them in at the domestic terminal desk. Just head out to sidewalk and follow the blue line. Did they mention that there was a bus? Or that it is a long long walk? No. Of course not. I've been in third world airports that were more efficient.

Pier B (gates 15 16) does take a walk and possibly needs more shops for departing traffic but it is very spacious. Inwards passport control couldn't be faulted also the departing check. Still a good airport in the 5m international pax per year category.

Returning from Sydney it was sad to see that the entrance to Auckland is now also through (rather than beside) the duty-free shops. It's quite a long walk from the new gates built for the A380 and although the line for Immigration was moving fairly quickly it still took another 15 minutes to reach the desks where everyone appeared to get a really friendly welcome. Free tea and coffee available in the baggage area but because of the delays my suitcase was already on the carousel. Although I haven't seen it anywhere else Agricultural Quarantine screening is something all New Zealanders are very grateful for.

Had checked in online which meant only a few minutes in the queue to deposit suitcase. Friendly staff all the way from checkin through Customs and Immigration. However this was the first time I had used the new pier built for the A380 (although I wasn't fllying on one). There are four travelators because it's a long way from the main departure concourse (at least 400 metres) to the lounges at Gates 15 and 16 but only the first (and shortest) was working. Very comfortable seating in the gate lounge but no entertainment that I could see.

Auckland has always struck me as one of the most pleasant and welcoming of airports arriving and departing through the new international pier felt slightly less so. Despite the artwork and some stunning views the new area felt somewhat cold and stark. The ability to pre-order duty free and to collect it in the baggage hall on arrival is a real advantage. From plane to kerbside took less than 40 minutes. Departing on a flight to Sydney was spoiled by one very surly and inefficient official manning the NZCS Pre-Clearance desk. I have always found staff at the airport to be pleasant and most helpful and was saddened that this one individual didn’t understand that his attitude reflected poorly on the airport and on New Zealand.