First and foremost, I love, love, love Air New Zealand. This review is based solely on the experience at the Honolulu Airport at Air New Zealand check in desk, gate and overall experience. Hence the reason why I am putting it in the Air NZ Honolulu Airport area. Please see the rest of my reviews for Air New Zealand...this was my/our only indifferent experience.
Air New Zealand itself is amazing. Definitely one of the best airlines I have dealt with and flown with in the world. I highly recommend them. However, the experience at the Honolulu Airport with the local staff...not so much. All I can do is share my experience and let you know what you may be in for. I surely wish you to have a different experience.
It goes without saying that everything is open air in Hawaii. When you arrive at the airport it is no different. All lines are long these days, but there were extremely long lines that I feel could have been prevented at check in. Why? The short answer from what I observed is idle chit-chat and inadequate use of employees. You have one person calling someone forward (after a lengthy conversation with a fellow employee followed by laughing of course), while the other employee stands there doing what other than standing there??? And there are a few employees telling people where to line up, something a few barrier ropes could handle. There are these "extra" employees who seem to have time to converse, hold up the process with the employee that may be trying to process people, employees walking around aimlessly, and employees with a job that a roped off area could handle. Meanwhile, the line is growing, people are openly stating what I typed in above, frustrations start to go up and therefore tempers. Meanwhile, you have a few check in areas that are closed and employees walking or standing around doing what looks like "nothing". When asked a question by a passenger their answer would be "please be patient" and they commence back to their "nothing". Well it is hard to be patient when there is so much "nothing" going on. It's quite the cluster! OK...done with the check in...let's go to the gate! After all, they tell you to proceed directly to the gate since it's an international flight.
When you arrive at your gate you will find the doors closed, little seating and no where to go to the bathroom outside of the gate area of which they will not let you in to and due to the time of day more shops and cafes are close. For extra entertainment, there is very little seating in the hall area. If you get to the gate early, grab a seat immediately...we did! Then of course we gave up our seats for an elderly couple. The staff will come out and say they will open in a few minutes, but that few minutes could be upwards of 45 minutes or more. Honestly, my husband told me to stop looking at my watch. In addition, there will be these signs in front of the door. You'll get the occasional person to try to move them to go in...after all, you were told to go to the gate. But the staff inside chatting it up and laughing will take a break from that to come tell you they aren't open yet. Yes, that's right, there will be a full staff inside, but they won't let you in. Finally, they open the gate and of course everyone pushes in because they are tired of standing around after the check in experience, standing around in the hall, needing to go to the bathroom, nothing to do and now you have to go through another check in since it's an international flight to board the plane so you can't just go in and sit down. Seriously? Improvements need to be made.
The Air New Zealand staff can definitely do better and needs improvement in Honolulu for departures. It is not their regular superb customer service and attention to detail that they normally have for sure. Hopefully my review will at least help and/or assist you now that you know what you may be in for.
As for our return...no issues...like a well oiled machine. Therefore, the departure is a 2 and the arrival is a 5 to equal a 3.5. They do not deserve a 4, so I have no choice but to give them a 3. read more