Letters to the Travel Editor
Delta Air Lines falls to run-outs Dear Sir, On a six-hour Delta Air Lines flight last month from San Jose, in Costa Rica, to Los Angeles, halfway through it was announced they had run out of US arrival cards in English (we were given ones in Spanish). Shortly afterwards they announced they had run out of water — so no more tea or coffee, and no water in the loos. We spent the rest of the flight hoping they wouldn’t run out of fuel . . . Regards, Eila Searles The Travel Editor replies: I’d love to see Costa Rica! The place sounds terrific. But I wouldn’t be happy about sitting through a flight without drinking water. What about us? Dear Sir, Why is it that you see a good trip you want, then find it’s for families? Why don’t the airlines do deals just as good just for couples? Lately it’s been all for families. And when you go on a plane you have annoying kids kicking the back of your seat the whole trip — and their parents see nothing wrong with what little Amy’s doing! Grrrrr — most annoying! Carol Baker, Hamilton The Travel Editor replies: Are you doing anything on Easter weekend? We need someone to mind the kids for three nights . . . Red-eye gives you some shut-eye Dear Sir, In the Travel magazine [March 21], there is an article on Rarotonga, the flight from Auckland arriving there at 1.30pm. Many years Send your Letter to the Travel Editor to travel@ nzherald.co.nz ago we flew to Rarotonga, our travel agent suggesting we fly on the “red-eye special”, a positioning flight that left Auckland at 11pm (to have a plane ready for the morning flight back to New Zealand). The reason? All accommodation is on the basis of bed nights and even an afternoon arrival time does not give you much time after transferring to your accommodation and setting up your room to enjoy the beach or swimming pool. Especially in the tropics — pitch black at 6pm sharp! But if you catch the red-eye special (if it is still running) you arrive early in the morning and get a good sleep and then have the whole day ahead of you to enjoy! We took our travel agent’s suggestion and were pleased with the outcome. Yours sincerely, Eric Strickett The Travel Editor replies: It’s a tricky one. Many travellers feel they’re losing a day of activities on the ground if they pay for a hotel room and go straight to sleep upon arrival. Air New Zealand’s latest service to Rarotonga at the moment is NZ748, which flies out at 7.30pm or 7.45pm. Over July and August, there are some Saturday flights departing at 9.35pm.