Megan Watts ticks off three cities on her long-haul flight back to Auckland. Photo / AP
Megan Watts flies in economy class from San Juan to Auckland via Atlanta and Los Angeles with Delta Air Lines.
AIRLINE: Delta Air Lines.
FROM: San Juan Luis Munoz Marín International Airport.
TO: Auckland International Airport via Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and Los Angeles LAX International Airport.
VISAS AND REQUIREMENTS: New Zealand passport holders will need an ESTA when travelling to San Juan, Puerto Rico, which allows travellers to stay in the United States for up to 90 days. A proof of address of your stay in Puerto Rico is also encouraged. No Covid-19 or vaccination documentation is needed during the trip.
DEPARTURE AIRPORT EXPERIENCE: Upon arrival at Luis Munoz Marín International Airport, all suitcases of passengers travelling from Puerto Rico to the United States must go through an inspection process. The inspection is carried out by officials from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), which can be found at the entrance of all terminals, and requires passengers to put their bags through a screening machine to check for prohibited goods such as fresh fruits, plants and seeds.
This came as a surprise as we don’t have a separate bag check at Auckland Airport for checking items outside of Customs. Puerto Rico’s airport officials won’t let you through security unless your luggage has been tagged by the USDA and approved to enter the US, so it is important to note this.
Checking in went smoothly, as did the walk through security. The desk staff were extremely kind and helpful and there were no hitches getting from desk to duty-free.
With a long three hours before the flight was set to take off, I was ready to spend the extensive wait time in the airport lounge, with images in my head of a large buffet, a comfy seat to sprawl out in and a space to decompress after a big week of exploring. However, my daydream didn’t quite match up to reality.
The lounge, its official name within the airport, comprised of a small room divided into three sections, all of which were overflowing with people crammed into the tiny space. Replacing the vision in my head of a buffet spilling over with delights was instead one breakfast option - an omelette, taken out of a tray and placed in a microwave for a minute and a half. With Christmas music filling the speakers and one television surrounded by people, it wasn’t exactly the relaxing experience I had hoped for.
However, the entry to the lounge was only $5 ($8), so no hard feelings were felt and no grudges were kept.
THE JOURNEY: I travelled via three flights to get form San Juan to Auckland. The first flight from San Juan, Puerto Rico, to Atlanta, Georgia, was four hours and 11 minutes. The second flight from Atlanta, Georgia, to Los Angeles, California, was four hours and 15 minutes. The third flight from Los Angeles, California to Auckland, New Zealand was 12 hours and 15 minutes. All in all, it was a long journey.
SEAT: I was seated in a window seat on all of my flights, which was great considering it is my preferred seat in a cabin.
On the first two flights, the pitch was 31-33 inches but the width was a narrow 17.2 inches, which feels like it gets smaller and smaller on a long-haul flight. On the last flight, there was a 31-32 pitch with a slightly wider chair at 18 inches.
On the first flight, the air conditioning was not working throughout the journey, resulting in a pretty warm few hours. On the third flight, my headrest was broken and stuck in a position by my neck. When I tried to push it up, it would just fall down again.
CREW: The cabin crew were super-lovely and helpful throughout all the flights. On the first flight, I put my assistance light on as I was struggling with my air conditioning, and the air hostess was extremely prompt and accommodating.
FOOD AND DRINK: My first two flights didn’t offer food - you had to pay extra for snacks and meals. However, for someone who isn’t the biggest fan of aeroplane food, I thought Delta’s meal service on the third flight was really good. I had the pasta option and the continental breakfast, along with biscuits, snacks and drinks handed out throughout the flight.
ENTERTAINMENT: On the second flight, my screen had a faulty audio port so the sound was not working properly. However, I didn’t make a complaint as I was more than happy to take a nap during the journey instead. There were heaps of entertainment options, with many of the latest blockbusters available - including Barbie! On the third flight, I watched Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny along with a few episodes of Friends.
ARRIVAL AIRPORT EXPERIENCE: Nothing beats coming home to Auckland Airport. I arrived in the morning with a slew of other aeroplanes. While the lines through immigration were packed and long, my bag was one of the first out on the luggage conveyor belt, so the wait times all balanced out. I waited a while in the bag inspection line, but this was because I had something to declare and I don’t have a New Zealand passport.
THE BEST BIT: On the second flight, I got chatting to the man on my left, who was on his way back home from a jewellery-selling convention. At the end of the flight, he gifted me and my friend some beautiful rings from his shop, which proved to be a highlight of the trip.
Another honourable mention was when I landed at LAX from Atlanta, Georgia and was sure I was going to miss my next flight, which was leaving from the other side of the terminal. As I was running through the airport, a nice airport worker driving on one of the assistance buggies saw that me and my friend were struggling and stressed and he offered us a lift. We were so grateful he did, because we would have never made it to the gate on time if it wasn’t for his kindness. There really are good people in the world.
THE WORST BIT: The worst part was probably just the amount of time it took to travel from San Juan to Auckland. You spend, in total, over 22 hours on an aeroplane, and that doesn’t include the time spent at layover locations, rushing from A to B. Not for the faint of heart, this route really takes it out of you.
FINAL VERDICT: Overall, I think the aircraft we travelled on showed some general wear and tear, with a few functional elements not on par with expectations. However, the service, food and experience was really good and made up for the parts of the journey that were lacking.
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