This installment will cover our Air Tahiti flights between Papeete and Bora Bora. Note that Air Tahiti is the only airline operating inter-island flights in Tahiti, and they're also not associated with Air Tahiti Nui, which is rather annoying. As mentioned above, Air Tahiti isn't associated with Air Tahiti Nui, which means you can't book…
Continue reading: Review: Air Tahiti ATR 72 Economy Papeete To Bora Bora
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
Ironic that Bora Bora is lauded as such a luxury location, with to be expected sky high food and lodging prices, but it has to be accessed by a pathetic 'Greyhound to Topeka' flight experience. The plane seems ok, such as it is, for a 55 minute flight. But the hours spent in the unairconditioned airport with "disgusting bathrooms", and lacking decent food and beverage options, hardly impresses me as a way to celebrate an aspirational vacation.
Although Tahiti has always been on my bucket list, the overnight flights both ways, with either angled flat J or semi-recline Economy seats, and then this very unpleasant yet expensive connection to Bora Bora, means I've never seriously considered actually going there.
But I'm guessing enough people are willing to put up with all that, (at least once), that the resorts aren't missing me at all. 😉
There is no security at Bora Bora airport? Like there is no security check prior to boarding a plane?
Lucky,
Do you think it is possible to use Priority Pass to access the TN lounge on the international side of the terminal while flying domestically?
@Zich, many small island airports in the South Pacific do not have any formal airport security. Several small airports in rural New Zealand are the same. I love going thru an airport that is so quiet and idyllic that security is completely unnecessary. It’s really pleasant and relaxing.
Similar experience in both Tahiti and bora bora in 2010. I wouldn’t have called the restrooms disgusting but everything else is pretty spot on, to include no security in bora bora.
@ Fan -- Nope, totally different part of the terminal, different security checks, and they won't let you through if you don't have an international boarding pass.
@Zich- that's why they have a separate international section at PPT- because they have to screen everyone to international standards, including those who came in on unscreened flights from domestic flights.
Derek, you cannot access PP lounge as it is in terminal 1 international terminal and you won’t a boarding pass showing you are leaving.
I am taking similar flights fromLAX to PPT and land at 5am, but the 730am flight to BOB was full so I am on the 10am flight. Is there anything to do in the airport, or would i be better off checking my bags in and taking a short taxi somewhere in Tahiti?
Don't count on being able to check in bags more than a couple of hours ahead of flights.
Sat in Melbourne Qantas checkin area for two hours waiting to check in bags for a midnight departure that only opened at 8:30 PM. Checkin was open but Qantas would not accept J class bags more than 3 hours out. Sat steaming when I should have been in the Qantas lounge watching the Men's Final.
This seems to be getting pretty standard these days, Thank goodness CX doesn't do this in HK.
Bora Bora airport sounds very similar to several Caribbean airports. I've been to several Caribbean islands including Saba (SAB) and Statia (EUX). No security and no places to sit are common on island airports. But now that several of the Caribbean airports I have visited are under control of Holland. Airports are being updated to EU standards. I love these small island airports, but if your not used to it keep your time to minimum.
The funny thing is everyone is super excited for the luxury hotel experiences of Bora Bora to only realize their flights are substandard.
I've been to Tahiti several times (my parents lived there for a while). The nice thing about Air Tahiti is that you can get a "pass" that includes multiple islands, it's a cost effective (by Tahitian standards) to see several distant islands like Rangiroa, Fakarava and Raiatea well worth the visit and less over hyped than Bora: https://www.airtahiti.com/multiisland-fares. Moorea is better seen by taking the ferry from Papeete. Another cool mini trip from Papeete marina is a sailing day to Tetiaroa and the nature preserve there https://www.tahiti.com/island/tetiaroa
@Lucky - Just wanted to let you know, in the part of the review where you write the flight information, you wrote "Air Tahiti Nui 402".
F.y.i. - That's probably a mistake I would make too 😉
Given that flights to Bora Bora are every half to one hour from PPT, you can always ask the ground agent to put you on an earlier flight if there is space. No need to wait 2 hrs in the open auditorium.
I flew to 7 different islands from Papeete and none of them have security. Even if you have a bottle of water in your hand, it is not an issue. I absolutely loved that aspect of French Polynesia - I despise transiting the US. Personally I found their planes clean and their attendants friendly. I would not hesitate to recommend them.
Tahiti airport leaves a lot to be desired for. There are two ways to skip the misery of the airport. One is to charter private plane directly from lax to bora bora (from private companies or Four Seaons). That way you can skip the unpleasantness of Tahiti airport all together. Another is if you are going to the Brando, once you get off your plane at Tahiti airport, you can be shuttled to an area next to the airport where the Brando has its own luxury lounge that’s air conditioned and beautifully decorated. Unfortunately you can only use this lounge on your way to the Brando. Upon return to Tahiti, it’s back to the unairconditioned lounge.
I’m surprised those planes have the cargo hold at the front. Generally it is a more comfortable ride on turbo props to ride in front of the wings, from a turbulence perspective. Also, was that other language on those menus korean? If so, surprising.
You don't have to go that far for no security check. My last flight STT-SJU boarded through a gate that had zero - nothing - nada security - and that's domestic and lets out airside at an international airport!
@Kevin
Even flying private, you need to transit PPT once. If you fly private to BOB, you need to stop through PPT as all international departures must be from there. Yes, you wouldn't need to spend a lot of time in the airport, but you would need to stop through.
It is nice the FBO will arrange immigration at the individual islands upon arrival.
Have only been to Moorea but I cannot wait to go to Bora Bora. I absolutely loved everything about Tahiti except mosquitos. I would suggest everyone should go but I loved most that nothing is crowded there. The people and the water are inviting and everyday was truly paradise! I took a shower at the airport, and although there was only one it was perfectly clean. Mauruuru!
There’s no security checks for domestic flights in New Zealand - you clear customs and immigration in Auckland and, following a painted line, can walk outside maybe a half mile to the domestic terminal where you self-check in luggage for the domestic flight and hit the coffee shop. When the flight is called, you simply scan your boarding card at the gate and head across the tarmac to the door of your Air NZ ATR72 or Dash 8. They occasionally board the ‘main trunk’ (main city) A320s and odd high-seasonal-demand (or repositioning) 772s via air bridges. The regional airports are just as simple as Bora Bora. In-flight service can be as limited as a plastic glass of water on a 40-minute coastal hop.
Late 80s, Continental, before or after one of its regular Chapter 11 episodes, used to do LAX-PPT-AKL (I think the DC-10s then rotated to Australia and returned to Auckland for an evening return to LAX). I recall the stop in Papeete on a LGW-LAX-AKL trip - the first and still only open air transit lounge I ever experienced. After 6 months of English winter, a couple hours in warm, humid sunshine sure hit the spot. Can’t remember what the refreshment options or loos were like...
Extremely accurate review. One thing I would add, when you have to wait in the airport on your return leg, bring bug spray. We had an evening return flight to Papeete and the mosquitos were having a meal of us while we waited.
Neal Verdick reminds me of numerous 1970s and 80s trips to NZ where the first officials on after the door opened at the gate were ‘Ag and Fish’ guys with huge aerosols who sprayed the entire cabin with bug killer before we were all allowed off. And woe betide you if they caught you trying to sneak any fruit or veges in without declaring them (they were usually confiscated anyway).
Do such sprays still happen these days?
Those bench seats are similar to the ones Cebgo Air flies on their ATR-72 around the Philippines. I flew on one from Manilla to Coron.
It is a weird feeling of not having to go through security. I too experienced this in Auckland when flying to Rotorua.
I like the atr 72. i was near the wing edg-dub on ei and didn't think the sound was signifcantly different from a jet w wing engines.
@Fred M, are you talking about NZ or Tahiti? New Zealand (and Australia) still has extremely tight biosecurity, but theres no spraying. Spraying occurs in other places, though, such as Jamaica and Ethiopia. (In the latter it is to avoid spreading of mosquitoes carrying yellow fever, from what I understand.)
@Lars - NZ. I remember guys coming thru spraying the cabin before we were let off then the practice stopped. You’re right about biosecurity, many visitors, especially from Asia, get stopped with fresh fruit and veges in luggage. NZ also requires medication in factory packaging and a copy of the prescription for it.
We are here in Bora Bora now... it's raining this evening so a perfect time to catch up on some reviews and recover from the sun and absolutely amazing beauty of nature. These are the things we strive for to make up for the less than perfect experience of getting to this incredible destination! The transition from Air Tahiti Nui to Air Tahiti was a bit more painful for us, as we had checked bags to collect first, then changed into more appropriate attire and finally made our way to the ridiculous line at the check in counter, which by 5:45 am was already way past the check in ropes. Neither of the two lines (one for online check in and bag drop, the other for check in) was moving at all, and I was seriously concerned we would miss our 7:15 am connection. Note to those checking in online, this is only available 16 hrs ahead of the flight time, so given the time change traveling from US and prior travel to departure point, you may be able to check in online but won't be able to PRINT your boarding passes which forces you into the regular check in line. We did finally make it through to only have to wait again in the security line, and watch as others with earlier flights (there's a 6:30am) get shuttled through in front of everyone. This did however make the wait in the airside terminal short. The flight itself was perfectly fine. The best ride is at the very from of the plane ahead of the wing, although this is the farthest from the rear entry door and you'll have to be at the front of the line to get a seat.