Flying out
I got to Auckland airport around 2h30 before my 0955 flight to Tokyo. Kiosk check-in was not available for this flight, so I had to join the long queue which fortunately moved quite quickly. There were 10 counters for four flights.
I was given a boarding pass straight away by the check-in agent without having to ring the controller, which is great when one is on standby. Sometimes I have to wait till 45 mins prior to departure before getting it and then rush to get airside. They didn’t even ask for my onward exit ticket from Japan.
Immigration was slow today. It was at this point I realised that I was eligible for priority check-in and fast-track to get airside courtesy of a friend who gave me Partner Elite status.
After breakfast in the airport corporation’s lounge I decide to go to the airline’s lounge where I would try change my middle seat to an aisle. The controller assigned me a bulkhead aisle seat and with that, my flight was now perfect as can be in economy class.
At the gate, a short delay was announced. The 90 min turnaround for the aircraft wasn’t enough.
Masked up again
On board, I found plenty of locker space and I wish I had not checked-in my wheelie, as I was entitled to two pieces of 7kg cabin baggage. I had feared being down the back with very little locker space due to the overhead crew rest.
Today I’m flying with a mask on, something I haven’t done for a while. My cousin (with his wife and kids) from Melbourne recently went back to Kuching to spend time with family. They all ended up with Covid-19, meaning that their trip was spent in hotel isolation rather than with their ageing parents.