If hunting on the South Island, how do you get there from the States? Do you fly into Auckland then take another commercial flight down to Christchurch? How long is the flight? Would it make sense to stop over in Tahiti for a few days either before or after the hunt?

It's just about 12 hours from LAX to Auckland and most of the carriers fly at night so that you arrive in the morning between 6 AM and 11 AM. If you stop in Tahiti it's usually in the middle of the night.

The International terminal is about 300-400 yards from the domestic terminal. It would be easiest to catch a domestic flight to the South Island.

I love driving in New Zealand with the exception of in Auckland. As you still can't get from the airport to downtown without driving through neighborhood streets. But driving to Wellington and then catching the ferry will take a couple of days minimum if you can navigate well as there is no divided highway that goes the whole way. You do get to see some beautiful country on the way though.

I've been there 8-10 times and I'd highly recommend after the hunt taking an extra 5-7 days and driving back from the South Island to Auckland. The drive should only take a couple of days but get some sightseeing in.

Frank has covered most of it.

About 1 hour 15 mintues flight from Auckland to Chrischuch.

You will have no trouble flying within New Zealand with firearms,just rules as flying internation.

Thanks you guys, much appreciated.

I like the drive idea also but if you want to sit back and still see the country you can take a train from Auckland down to Wellington, ferry across and back on a train.

Check it our they have tickets that allow you to get on and off the train at various towns and back on again when you are ready.

Casual travel and plenty of scenery.

Best Regards

Mike O

There are flights that route directly into Christchurch, Queenstown and Dunedin (All South Island.) from Australia. (Usually via Sydney.)
If you are travelling with a gun, it is a good idea to avoid any flight that hubs through Australia, even if it is only a brief transit.
I am finding that in 80% of cases where hunters are coming in via Austarlia, guns go missing.
They always turn up, but in most cases 3-4 days later (Half way through your hunt.)
The airlines will courier them to where you happen to be at the time. (If they can find a courier driver with a firearms licence.)It costs them an arm and leg. I've had them do 700 kilometre taxi runs at $700 or more.
No one in the airlines has been able to explain why this happens, but be assured it is a right royal pain in the arse.

Good information - thanks.

quote:

Originally posted by TrackersNZ:
There are flights that route directly into Christchurch, Queenstown and Dunedin (All South Island.) from Australia. (Usually via Sydney.)
If you are travelling with a gun, it is a good idea to avoid any flight that hubs through Australia, even if it is only a brief transit.
I am finding that in 80% of cases where hunters are coming in via Austarlia, guns go missing.
They always turn up, but in most cases 3-4 days later (Half way through your hunt.)
The airlines will courier them to where you happen to be at the time. (If they can find a courier driver with a firearms licence.)It costs them an arm and leg. I've had them do 700 kilometre taxi runs at $700 or more.
No one in the airlines has been able to explain why this happens, but be assured it is a right royal pain in the arse.

I havent had one single case of a gun going missing coming into Australia (I'm talking about literally 100's of them here), so I cant imagine what the problem would be, certainly nothing to do with the Australian end...

Arent there some direct flights now from CAL (SF?)-Christchurch

Cheers
Matt

quote:

Originally posted by Matt Graham:
Arent there some direct flights now from CAL (SF?)-Christchurch

Cheers
Matt

Last time I checked, (a month ago) the only locations that had international flights into Christchurch originated from Aus, Dubai, Singapore and Tokyo

quote:

Originally posted by TrackersNZ:
I am finding that in 80% of cases where hunters are coming in via Austarlia, guns go missing.
They always turn up, but in most cases 3-4 days later (Half way through your hunt.)

80% of what number of hunters?

quote:

... only a brief transit.

If this is the case, how long was the arrival time in say Sydney, vs the the departure flight time?

Were different airlines used to fly USA to Australia and then Australian to NZ?

As you say they always turn up, I would assume the above two reasons would be the cause of any such firearms "going missing", actually means failing to be transferred onto the new flight in time.

Or failing to be loaded on the original flight correctly in the first place.

I know when I fly say, Adelaide to Perth to Jo'burg to Harare OR Adelaide to Sydney to Auckland (or Christchurch) I make sure enough time for firearms to be transferred in Perth, Jo'burg, and Sydney is scheduled to avoid "guns going missing". Many travel agents think a hour's transfer time is more than adequate and it is usually not for firearms especially between different airlines.

In Australia now firearms are also more carefully transported than ordinary checked luggage and gun cases are move in a more secure way. I haven't heard of anyone either loosing their gun case nor have it not arrive on time in recent years.

SBT

However if flying from the USA unless you need to come to Australia for a hunt or holiday, flying direct to Auckland sounds the easiest and then onto Christchurch. Leave enough time for the connection.

In 07 I had 8 cases of gun delays.(3-5 days) All were due to Sydney transits, of these 5 were Air New Zealand/United (United uses Air NZ on the Tasman crossing.)and 3 were Quantas.
L.A./S.F.O. to Auckland direct zero problems.
Apart from delays in Auckland causing missed connection flights.
I'm recommending all my clients to avoid the Sydney route. Often it is a cheaper flying option, but not worth the grief.
None of the airlines are offering any explanation.

Yes it would definitely be a scew-up with the airlines...

I dont want anyone who visits here to think that Sydney in general is a problem with firearms - because it definitely is NOT.

If you are flying to Australia to hunt I dont think the airlines will allow you to enter the country without your firearms. I am pretty sure they must accompany you on and off the international flights.

I would also recommend that people flying to NZ with guns (and not planning to come to Australia to hunt) fly direct to NZ. That just makes sense - less changes the less chance of airlines cocking things up..

Matt

Another point that might be worth considering when travelling many flight changes with guns is to recheck yor baggage at certain points.

I am not sure if you are transitting Sydney to NZ if they will allow you to check you bags right through from USA to NZ anyhow?? It seems to change all the time....

Let's say you were flying from Chigo to Darwin. Instead of clearing your bags right through to Darwin (they are clearing cstoms now right at Darwin, from transitted flights) - ask for them to be rechecked at LA or SF and then at Sydney rather than Darwin (or Auckland for that matter). for the small amount of extra time it takes to do this - there is a lot of piece of mind in that your guns are still travelling with you. The airlines are just cocking-up too much these days.

In 2007 season we had all sorts of baggage problems with all of the airlines but nothing with guns. The guns always seem to get through but not the rest of their luggage...

Cheers
Matt