tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-495553397518653924.post3404783865737218948..comments2024-01-19T11:41:09.359+13:00Comments on A Hebridean in New Zealand: Who's Doing The Work?GBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10289400344300258872noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-495553397518653924.post-79374252633774353232014-01-10T14:13:38.525+13:002014-01-10T14:13:38.525+13:00Serenata with Emirates I've always flown via D...Serenata with Emirates I've always flown via Dubai and an Australian city. I like the fact that I have these opportunities of an hour or two to stretch my legs. Apart from one occasion in the last 9 years when I struck a lucky £900 Air NZ fare my flight has always cost around £1500 until I started flying Emirates.GBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10289400344300258872noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-495553397518653924.post-91214036885434670042014-01-10T05:04:20.110+13:002014-01-10T05:04:20.110+13:00No contest indeed, and it is good to hear you spea...No contest indeed, and it is good to hear you speak positively of them! It is my first time travelling with them and that route. Slightly more convoluted route on the way back, Auckland - Melbourne - Dubai - London but for the price I decided I would put up with - it doesn't seem to add much more travel time. Such a difference in price isn't it?! I normally fly over every year as well (or at least since 2010) but couldn't go last year as was too unwell and yes they have gone up stupidly in the last two years!Serenatahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08473750681150978115noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-495553397518653924.post-41501752418510191212014-01-09T15:30:59.045+13:002014-01-09T15:30:59.045+13:00I agree Meike and Mark that there are lots of webs...I agree Meike and Mark that there are lots of websites where online booking is excellent and I like the freedom to do things in the UK during my daytime in NZ when often ordinary phone lines are closed. It's the frustration of the times when there is no alternative that bugs me. I had that issue with a bank recently where the whole thing was automated and the thing became circuitous because I was complaining a bout a potential breach of security by the bank. They had obviously never anticipated that they could be at fault under that heading. When I tried to complain under any heading I was told my complain was not relevant.GBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10289400344300258872noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-495553397518653924.post-48286149180794049242014-01-07T20:22:40.506+13:002014-01-07T20:22:40.506+13:00I agree the one saving grace of the railways in th...I agree the one saving grace of the railways in the UK is the online booking and ticket collection facilities. The trains may be overcrowded and not match the timetables but at least it is easy to buy a ticket.Markhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02418527698793489162noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-495553397518653924.post-67270419191970960042014-01-06T22:31:57.822+13:002014-01-06T22:31:57.822+13:00What I really like is the way I can book train tic...What I really like is the way I can book train tickets I will be using in England from here, weeks or months before I travel. I book and pay my tickets, and don't even need to print them out, but when I arrive at Manchester airport, there are several ticket machines (and at least two of them always work) where I can punch in my ticket code and, hey presto, have my ticket in hands and am ready to board the Transpennine "Express". Should the machines fail, there is also a manned ticket office, which so far I have not needed.<br />The website for booking is very simple and easy to understand. The same is true for the florist service I regularly use online to have flowers sent to my mother-in-law.<br /><br />But I have, of course, made experiences similar to yours, when things would get so unnecessarily complicated that I didn't know whether to laugh or cry.Librarianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05704656564078750607noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-495553397518653924.post-63339837439835186392014-01-06T18:30:48.239+13:002014-01-06T18:30:48.239+13:00Bill I had always used Air NZ from the UK and stil...Bill I had always used Air NZ from the UK and still would but for the fact that they are more than twice as expensive as Emirates and I travel that route every year so cost matters. I still feel a loyalty to Air NZ but as someone who lives in both countries they do not make my travelling life easy. GBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10289400344300258872noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-495553397518653924.post-29935154501786174152014-01-06T18:24:25.215+13:002014-01-06T18:24:25.215+13:00I'm afraid so Red.I'm afraid so Red.GBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10289400344300258872noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-495553397518653924.post-55016559072292035022014-01-06T18:24:02.687+13:002014-01-06T18:24:02.687+13:00Well it certainly manages to confuse me Carol.Well it certainly manages to confuse me Carol.GBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10289400344300258872noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-495553397518653924.post-79651740508061052102014-01-06T18:23:25.953+13:002014-01-06T18:23:25.953+13:00Serenata I used to prefer to travel through Hong K...Serenata I used to prefer to travel through Hong Kong because of the shower facilities which allowed me to freshen up on the journey. It was also a lot less hassle than LA. However LA improved and for some reason via HK flights were difficult and much more expensive than via LA flights. Two years ago the Air NZ flights went up to £2,000 for my travel time so my loyalty wavered and I looked at Emirates. Their flight was faster and half the price and I avoided Heathrow (I fly from Glasgow). This year My Emirates flight was £870! Air NZ still wanted £2,000. No contest I'm afraid. GBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10289400344300258872noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-495553397518653924.post-87439015754748780432014-01-06T18:12:19.380+13:002014-01-06T18:12:19.380+13:00ANZ must go by the motto, 'Why do things simpl...ANZ must go by the motto, 'Why do things simple, if you can do it complicated.' But it is a great airline. When we fly from Brisbane to L.A. we always fly ANZ even though we have to spend a couple of hours at Auckland. But the service, IFE and aircraft are better than Qantas. I guess you have to weigh up all the options.wilbo43https://www.blogger.com/profile/00598066077101522060noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-495553397518653924.post-30269849089208363982014-01-06T12:19:02.832+13:002014-01-06T12:19:02.832+13:00Most of the loyalty points are fairly meaningless ...Most of the loyalty points are fairly meaningless I agree Heather. I only use airline ones and even then I lost over 100,000 Airmiles because I couldn't find flights I wanted and my BA Miles would have saved me £60 on a flight to Canada last time I looked - the taxes and £300 fues surcharge brought the price near enough up to the ordinary economy fare and I didn't have the same choice of flights.GBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10289400344300258872noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-495553397518653924.post-37764272267054566262014-01-06T12:15:32.787+13:002014-01-06T12:15:32.787+13:00Amazon are very good I agree Adrian. I've not...Amazon are very good I agree Adrian. I've not used the other two but I'll bear them in mind.GBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10289400344300258872noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-495553397518653924.post-83220182213704746602014-01-06T12:14:36.584+13:002014-01-06T12:14:36.584+13:00You've summarised it perfectly for me Monica.You've summarised it perfectly for me Monica.GBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10289400344300258872noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-495553397518653924.post-835032407541872902014-01-06T12:13:51.223+13:002014-01-06T12:13:51.223+13:00On line can be good Virginia but it's the glit...On line can be good Virginia but it's the glitches and thoughtlessness which can make life very difficult for customers. I'm pretty computer savvy but even the poor Air NZ customer service chap had to go and ask his supervisor. And there must be a lot of people like me amongst their customers.GBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10289400344300258872noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-495553397518653924.post-31080411028482288842014-01-06T11:34:24.429+13:002014-01-06T11:34:24.429+13:00Too many times we get a runaround like this.Too many times we get a runaround like this.Redhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17996243850279671523noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-495553397518653924.post-50760410395141543672014-01-06T08:03:15.976+13:002014-01-06T08:03:15.976+13:00I agree. All done to confuse! xoxoxI agree. All done to confuse! xoxoxCanadian Chickadeehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12995693884248628958noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-495553397518653924.post-78280042712150892872014-01-06T07:50:17.442+13:002014-01-06T07:50:17.442+13:00Oh indeed Graham, I can well relate to this! I sp...Oh indeed Graham, I can well relate to this! I spent hours trying to book flights to NZ via a stop over in Brisbane for a week, you would think it relatively straightforward? Absolutely not! Air New Zealand didn't have anything sensible (which is a shame as it is them I have my airpoints with and who I usually fly with) I think it was them who wanted to fly me to Auckland from Brisbane VIA HONG KONG! Um REALLY? Various other airlines were just as hopeless, with stupid prices etc... Finally found something flying Quantas/Emmirates Serenatahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08473750681150978115noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-495553397518653924.post-63994413582011152132014-01-06T05:44:22.111+13:002014-01-06T05:44:22.111+13:00I agree, Graham. The other thing I think about is...I agree, Graham. The other thing I think about is....in the long run, we aren't saving much. Maybe you still are with the airline mumbo-jumbo and points, but other things seem to be more of a hassle than they are worth (for me). Like coupons. Some are good and easy to go with, but the ones that make us buy $50 or more before we can get a 10% discount - they usually get thrown in the trash (unless, of course, I actually will have the money at the time and happen to need something that makes it all worth while). I don't have time for all of the windy curves of saving a penny - wish I did, because, Lord knows, we need to (and....though....because Lord knows we need to - and I know that He knows - our needs are always provided in some form or another). Heatherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04693495698843336789noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-495553397518653924.post-88698706093777613812014-01-06T05:35:56.968+13:002014-01-06T05:35:56.968+13:00Amazon, Harrison Cameras and PCSpecialists are a j...Amazon, Harrison Cameras and PCSpecialists are a joy to do business with online. <br />That is an awful lot of effort to go to.ADRIANhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07113961163396562781noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-495553397518653924.post-80990574632213578982014-01-06T02:23:51.602+13:002014-01-06T02:23:51.602+13:00It's a fair question in quite a few contexts n...It's a fair question in quite a few contexts nowadays. While no doubt some things are made easier through online services, there are others that tend to be awfully complicated and make me wish I could just go into an office with good old-fashioned face-to-face customer service!DawnTreaderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04533307672147117843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-495553397518653924.post-82476862564590605152014-01-06T01:31:34.575+13:002014-01-06T01:31:34.575+13:00That's really annoying...everything is online ...That's really annoying...everything is online these days, so what gives?<br />I have a rant about American Airlines who issued me a voucher which could not be processed online but had to be processed by a live agent thus resulting in a charge to use a voucher...incredulous!VirginiaChttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17282569773671179047noreply@blogger.com