2cn From United States of America, joined Aug 2001, 647 posts, RR: 0 Posted (10 months 3 weeks 5 days 9 hours ago) and read 6454 times:
In less than a month I have a trip planned to go to the French Polynesian island of Raiatea/Taha(within eye sight of Bora Bora from the resort) and part of the journey has us going from Papatee to the island of Raiatea on Air Tahiti.
I tried searching but nothing seems to come up on this airline...there arent even photos in the database here that I can find.
In all the trip has us going from LA to Auckland, New Zealand on Air New Zealand. From Auckland to Papatee on Air Tahiti Nui. Then from Papatee to Raiatea on Air Tahiti.. then onto a boat to get to the resort.-- and the journey involves cross the international date line twice in each direction. Chose this specific routing as able to also have a stop over in Auckland on the way back for a few days without any difference in cost.
StasisLAX From United States of America, joined Jul 2007, 2274 posts, RR: 3 Reply 1, posted (10 months 3 weeks 5 days 9 hours ago) and read 6445 times:
Known as Air Tahiti Nui. I see their A340 a/c at LAX on a regular basis. Very nice colors.
StasisLAX From United States of America, joined Jul 2007, 2274 posts, RR: 3 Reply 3, posted (10 months 3 weeks 5 days 9 hours ago) and read 6423 times:
Quoting 2cn (Reply 2): I am refering to the airline Air Tahiti
Ah, I beg your pardon. Apparently there is an island-hopping operation that I had never heard of. Apparently took over some routes from UTA.
Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety!
NWADC9 From United States of America, joined May 2004, 4626 posts, RR: 16 Reply 4, posted (10 months 3 weeks 5 days 9 hours ago) and read 6411 times:
Quoting 2cn (Thread starter): I tried searching but nothing seems to come up on this airline...there arent even photos in the database here that I can find.
History
The airline was established and started operations in 1953 as Reseau Aerien Interinsulaire (RAI), when the government of French Polynesia took over the operations of small private carrier Air Tahiti, dating from 1950. In 1958 RAI was taken over by the French airline TAI (later UTA). The name Air Polynesie was adopted in 1970, with the further change of identity to Air Tahiti implemented in January 1987[1], when UTA sold its shares in Air Polynesie to local shareholders. In January 1987 ATR aircraft replaced earlier Fokker aircraft. In 2003 the airline carried nearly 729,000 passengers.
Air Tahiti has 1,018 employees (at March 2007) and is owned by the French Polynesian Government (13.7%), Socredo Bank (13.4%), employees (8.4%), private shareholders (33.5), Air France (7.48%) and the rest by other institutional investors
They haven't had a fatality in 18 years according to airdisaster,com:
Kinglobjaw From United States of America, joined Jan 2009, 95 posts, RR: 0 Reply 10, posted (10 months 3 weeks 4 days 23 hours ago) and read 5553 times:
Flew Air Tahiti from Papeete to Bora Bora via Raiatea (no deplaning, just about 5 minutes on the ground) on the outbound, returning Bora Bora to Papeete nonstop. This was back in 2006. Great service, very clean planes and friendly local FA's.
On Bora Bora, the airport is on a motu, so they have ferries going to/from Vaitape, however certain hotels have boats/yachts that take you directly to the hotel. Raiatea's airport was attached to the island.
I bought our tickets in the USA via TRAVELPORTFOLIO toll free phone number 800 346 2599 or 818 907 7981. Very professional agents and will mail everything to you and found the best price.
Yegger From Canada, joined Mar 2004, 61 posts, RR: 0 Reply 11, posted (10 months 3 weeks 4 days 20 hours ago) and read 4984 times:
2cn:
You'll have a great visit to Tahiti. I flew Air Tahiti (and as another person wrote, it is a separate operation from Air Tahiti Nui) a few years ago Papeete-Raiatea-Bora Bora-Rangiroa-Papeete. The inflight service is very simple (beverage service only), but do get a window seat as the views are spectacular, especially on the approaches. We stayed at a place called Vahine Island (which is off shore of Raiatea's "sister island" Tahaa) and it was beautiful. The resort's boat picked us up from the airport and took us right to the dock at the resort, where the manager was awaiting our arrival with a couple of cool tropical drinks! Enjoy!
FatmirJusufi From Kosovo, joined Jan 2009, 1998 posts, RR: 2 Reply 12, posted (10 months 3 weeks 4 days 20 hours ago) and read 4861 times:
Never been on TN but I figure them a fabulous airline. French Polynesia has a total population around 260'000 and its flag carrier fleet size is five A343. It's grand achievement.
BMI727 From United States of America, joined Feb 2009, 3943 posts, RR: 1 Reply 13, posted (10 months 3 weeks 4 days 20 hours ago) and read 4715 times:
TN has definitely built themselves a nice little operation down there. Their A340s are unmistakeable. Who else paints them blue with a giant flower on the tail?
Why do Aerospace Engineering students have to turn things in on time?
RoseFlyer From United States of America, joined Feb 2004, 5728 posts, RR: 28 Reply 14, posted (10 months 3 weeks 4 days 19 hours ago) and read 4467 times:
Friendly service. You get guava juice on board. No food or anything to speak of on your 30 minute flight. The ATR 72s are quite nice. It's a comfortable little airline. I enjoyed my two flights on them.
The crazy thing though is that some of their flights are as long as 5 hours with a fuel stop to reach some of the outer islands. 5 hours in a turboprop is a bit long. If I remember correctly though, the new ATR 72s have the active noise cancelling in them, so while your head will ring after the flight like normal, you can clearly converse while on board.
My job is to make it so your flight is not delayed. Come fly the friendly skies!
Wedgetail737 From United States of America, joined Aug 2003, 4120 posts, RR: 4 Reply 15, posted (10 months 3 weeks 4 days 19 hours ago) and read 4384 times:
Quoting 2cn (Thread starter): In all the trip has us going from LA to Auckland, New Zealand on Air New Zealand. From Auckland to Papatee on Air Tahiti Nui. Then from Papatee to Raiatea on Air Tahiti..
Why is it that you're flying LAX-AKL, then back-tracking to PPT? I hope you intend on staying at AKL for a little while before heading to PPT. Otherwise, I'm surprised you didn't just book on TN from LAX to PPT. Does NZ still fly LAX-PPT? I know they dropped the LAX-NAN flights.
United787 From United States of America, joined May 2005, 1511 posts, RR: 0 Reply 16, posted (10 months 3 weeks 4 days 18 hours ago) and read 3943 times:
I flew them all over French Polynesia back in 1998, including Air Moorea. Great flights, never had an issue, would recommend them...
Viscount724 From Switzerland, joined Oct 2006, 11635 posts, RR: 13 Reply 17, posted (10 months 3 weeks 4 days 18 hours ago) and read 3812 times:
Quoting 2cn (Thread starter): there arent even photos in the database here that I can find.
There are quite a few Air Tahiti photos in the database. Select ATR as aircraft type and enter "Air Tahiti" in the "Keywords" box. A few examples below.
Kinglobjaw From United States of America, joined Jan 2009, 95 posts, RR: 0 Reply 18, posted (10 months 3 weeks 4 days 15 hours ago) and read 2802 times:
Quoting Wedgetail737 (Reply 15): Why is it that you're flying LAX-AKL, then back-tracking to PPT? I hope you intend on staying at AKL for a little while before heading to PPT. Otherwise, I'm surprised you didn't just book on TN from LAX to PPT. Does NZ still fly LAX-PPT? I know they dropped the LAX-NAN flights.
The OP is probably is on a Star Alliance miles booking or earning miles. NZ is the only Star Alliance carrier into PPT. NZ used to fly nonstop from LAX to PPT (flight I took in 2006) 3X per week. It was axed in 2007, partially due to TN's larger than necessary capcity. Nui is running out a lot of competition.
A word of advice for people wanting to fly Star Alliance to French Polynesia and not wanting to backtrach to AKL.
NZ offers nonstop service from LAX to RAR (Rarotonga) once a week on Sundays. RAR is close to PPT and you can fly RAR to PPT nonstop on Air Tahiti (the domestic one, not TN) so it shaves almost 12 hours of your trip + connection time. The flight back from RAR-LAX is on Saturdays.
Mirrodie From United States of America, joined Apr 2000, 6833 posts, RR: 70 Reply 19, posted (10 months 3 weeks 4 days 12 hours ago) and read 2193 times:
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Quoting Haynflyer (Reply 5): They haven't had a fatality in 18 years according to airdisaster,com:
To the OP, be careful! Odds are not in you favor.
In all seriousness, I did not fly them, we flew Air Tahiti Nui.
I saw them fly low over Moorea. I did speak with another couple who flew on them a few days prior. No assigned seats at the time prior to gate arrival. This was summer 2006.
To avoid confusion, there is Air Tahiti Nui, the 5 fleet wide jets,
There is Air Tahiti, the ATR fleet
and there is another, whose name I forget. We flew them from Papeete to... Moorea. Flying twin Otters IIRC. What is that airlines name, just to set them all straight?
Xbraniffone From United States of America, joined Feb 2006, 74 posts, RR: 0 Reply 23, posted (10 months 3 weeks 4 days ago) and read 1337 times:
The views you are going to see on Air Taiti will astound you. You will see colors of the sea and reefs you never knew existed.
Flying from PPT to Tikehau and back on the ATR72 was my favorite part of the flying. (I too took a boat to the resort) I like props. because I rarely fly on them and I think it's the best way to see the islands. The airport terminals are a blast. Tikehau's was thatched roof and open walls. Security was "light" . I was taking a picture of people going up the steps boarding the plane and I was told that was not allowed. ) Very professional air line. The F/A's serve water & juice in little paper cups. It must be boring for them to fly up and down all day long because there is really nothing for them to do. Everyone is busy looking Very very fun flight.
Get a window seat and look and enjoy and most of all, relax. Your on the islands.
P.S I flew Air Tahiti Nui also. Typical flight. They have some nice marketing and "touches" to the service.
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