Air Raro - not impressed.

Well we are off to the Cook Islands next week....3 days Atiu, 9 days Raro, 4 days Aitutaki.......or so we thought.

First Air Raro decides to drop our return flight from Atiu - Raro, meaning we have to cut one day off our time in Atiu. Now they email to say they have decided to drop our flight to Atiu as well because only 4 people are booked on the flight so far. They have offered us a flight a day earlier but we won't have even arrived in the Cooks by then. So now the best we can hope for is one night on Atiu - we would never have booked the flight if we knew we would only be there for one night. And as lovely as Rarotonga may be, we certainly don't need to be there for 12 days.

If this happens regularly, I feel sorry for the people trying to operate tourist-oriented businesses on the smaller islands. Grrrrr........

I can see why you would be frustrated. I can't say it happens regularly, but if it happens to you it is too often. Does Air Raro just have the single flight each day to/from Atiu? Have you tried working the Aitutaki/Atiu/Raro ticket? I would check in with your lodging providers and let them know your situation and then get on Air Raro's case as soon as you get to Rarotonga, maybe something will open up, more bookings, etc.

Air Raro recently raised prices to Northern group islands by 40%, how would you like to be a tourist oriented business up North?

Raro (Elliot)-you have any ideas?

Papa Mike

Sorry Papa Mike , I just had to have a little frustration vent, seeing as how I can't seem to get anyone on the phone at Air Raro to discuss this before we leave.

Unfortunately the reason for the trip to the Cooks is for my partner to take part in the Vaka Eiva, so we can't really chop and change our itinerary too much as there are a certain set of events we have to be on Raro for.
Yes, on the day we had planned to travel to Atiu there was only one flight. There were two flights on our planned day of return but they cancelled the morning flight (which was the one we were booked on) and the evening flight gets us in too late - we will miss the opening ceremony and registrations for the Vaka Eiva.
The cancellation of either flight was not a huge issue, we could have worked with that, but cancelling both flights (to and from Atiu) really threw the spanner in the works.

I'm hoping that my accom provider on Atiu can help my pleading with Air Raro since we will otherwise have to cancel our accommodation on the island. Unfortunately Atiu was to be our first stop as we were to land in Raro at 2:40am then transfer to Atiu at 11:00am. Now we are not sure what island we will be on for our first night, so we can't book any accommodation.

The Northern Group sound like they have it even tougher, I was reading in the LP last night that it is not uncommon for Air Raro to cancel flights to that group if the bookings are light, and the first that tourists often know about it is when they turn up to the air strip and the plane doesn't! That must make things hard for all concerned.....
I was under the impression that flights in the Southern Group were more "regular and reliable" though. Guess not.

Sorry, can't help much, can only sympathize. Air Raro is apparently suffering a bit from the increase in fuel prices, so they seem to be cutting unprofitable flights. United Airlines here in the US does the same thing, if it's any consolation (probably not).

But contact the accommodator for two reasons. 1. maybe they can try to convince Air Raro to fly (probably not). 2. Make sure you won't be charged for those nights you missed!

The connections between Aitutaki and Atiu have always been subject to change, but the ones from RAR to and from Atiu are usually pretty solid. But then again, there are rarely two flights a day from Atiu to RAR, never heard of that. So, they put that extra flight on due to supposed extra business, I guess, and it didn't pan out.

12 days on RAR isn't horrible! Maybe you can extend on Aitutaki. Or, maybe take a flight to Mangaia, Mauke or Mitiaro and spend two or three days there and then come back. Maybe Air Raro will just exchange your current tickets from Atiu for something like that, even though it would normally cost more.

I'd love to get out to Mangaia, Mauke or Mitiaro, I'd be equally happy seeing them as seeing Atiu, so I'll explore that option - as long as we are not likely to get stranded out there and miss the Vaka Eiva if they decide to drop our return flight!

Yes it seems a bit weak "complaining" about 12 days on RAR, doesn't it? Most people would kill for 12 days on Rarotonga. But I actually live in a resort town, so lying on lovely beaches and swimming in crystal clear water is something I can do most days of the week at home, and I was looking forward to seeing some part of the Cooks that was a bit different to Raro and had a bit of a different feel to it. Even with the 3 days on Atiu and 4 days on Aitutaki I'll still have 9 days to amuse myself on RAR while my partner does his thing at the Vaka Eiva.

Have talked to Air Raro owner and he said he'll look into it. If he does let us know.

But doing it for one person who complains means he has to do it for everyone. If they do get back I'd suggest as Raro says go to one of the other in the Southern group. My choice would be Mangaia.

Air Raro is one of the best run Airlines in the Pacific. When they have to start doing this, mainly because of fuel prices, it is very worrysome for us frequent Pacific flyers. Its not going to get any cheaper.

Wow, Crossie. Thanks!

I completely understand his point about the drawbacks of trying to satisfy "squeaky wheels". If the return flight was only scheduled a couple of hours earlier we could make it back to Rarotonga in time but of course that could potentially inconvenience all the other people who had booked on that flight. I must confess that I've got no idea how many seats the planes are, I had expected them to be fairly small planes anyway so I've got no idea how many people make a viable flight, or how many are inconvenienced by any changes. Think I better start reading up on Mangaia.....

sigh you are of course right about the worriesome cost of fuel, and although we can do what we can to reduce oil usage at home, I'm not sure what the answer is when it comes to flying.

Speedy-Check your private messages, I sent you a message concerning Mangia.

Papa Mike

Yes, I think Mangaia for 2 or 3 days would be quite a change from what one expects in the South Pacific. Very few tourists go there. No real swimming spots, except the mini-harbour in town. Lots of hills and caves, very strange island, ghosts live in the middle.
There are flights a few times a week. In the past they have never cancelled any, but who knows these days with fuel prices so high.

check www.ck for more info on Mangaia, and Mauke and Mitiaro as well.

You could also charter their Cessna which I presume is still running.

Raro, what plane goes to Atiu. I presume the Bandit which is 12 seats when it comes to Niue but maybe more on short flights.

I'm not 100% sure, you could of course check with Ewan, but as far as I know the Saab can only use Aitutaki. So, it's the Bandit for Atiu, I guess (can be up to a 19-seater I think, but less if there is a lot of cargo, or it is going way up north to Manihiki, etc.).

Good news everyone. Air Raro has reinstated the original Atiu-Raro flight that was cancelled so we are now off to Atiu tomorrow (albeit a day later than planned) and will still be back in time for the start of the Vaka Eiva.

Cheers and thanks for everyone's efforts and lateral thinking.

Off to Tamarind for dinner tonight. Yum!

Congrats to you and a big attaboy to Ai Raro and Ewan Smith. Speedy, I sent you the chapter on Atiu. This is EXACTLY why I love the Cooks, they at least try to solve problems. Try getting Aloha or Hawaiian Airlines to add a flight, way to go all!

Papa Mike
www.mikehollywood.com

Glad to hear that. Say hi to Roger and Kura at the Atiu Villas, if you get a chance, from Elliot.

Crossie probably deserves a purchase of one of his paintings by you when you get home!!

Cool Speedy, And I stayed at the Manderin for 6 months before it was the Manderin and still just a house. You could probably still smell my body odor in the room at the back which I think is now a toilet. Six of the the most luxurious months of my life living on the beach with a mad host who I believe is now the solictor general which my wife and I appreciated and never regreted but we needed to get back to harder makatea and the real world - Niue, hmmm

Hope it was my message to Ewan that bent the rules a bit

Raro, no more paintings for sale. Tax reform (and I'm on the Steering Committee) is making things less advantageous for artists so I am accumulating my work for a few years and immigrating to Ireland where there is no income tax on original artwork. If I export from there back to the Pacific it is zero rated and therefore I won't have to pay any consumption tax either, while claiming back my expenses. Have already made enquiries. Have to pay consumption tax on purchases though but only if I consume, which of course I will - especially that black beer and endless nights in cosy pubs listening to Irish music. Then Come back to Niue and Rarotonga saying I have beaten that damn "two things sure in life" saying.

I can beat both, now thats a life's challenge for you.

Hope to have a small modest accommodation unit (village stay) up and running by then if anyone is interested in looking after it while we are legally avoiding tax and death.

Good idea Crossie. One of the challenges in life is beating taxes, the other is beating, well, the other sure thing, at least delaying it!

I think you meant to say "Tamarind" not "Manderin", for that great restaurant. Yes. MM used to own the building, as a home. We can't smell your sweat anymore, but as you said, it's where the bathrooms are, so maybe it's just joined a melange of other South Pacific odours!

Yes, the Tamarind sorry Raro, run by the English artist lady whose name I forget and equally forgettable is her partners name, even though I went to his 40th birthday party when whisked out of Niue into breif exile in 2000 on the Saab. But I can never forget what he said to me when last I ate there. He said" Excuse me Mark is that your girlfriend?" and I said "no sir, that is my wife" My wife and I laughed all night over that one and to this day we still don't understand the complex Cook Island connotations suggested in that question. Thats what I love about Rarotonga. That sensual mystery and inuendo.

Yes, it's Sue Carruthers (grew up in Kenya i think), and her local guy Robbie, I think his family is from Mangaia.
I don't think Robbie meant anything bad, he's a real nice guy, good sense of humor. Maybe he's learned to ask generic Q's like that, rather than presume a couple is married??

Well I'm back! And as an addendum to this little thread I'd like to thank everyone who played a hand in getting me and my partner to Atiu - it was truly a fantastic place to visit, so unlike Raro and Aitutaki, a totally different atmosphere, amazing people. Wish I could have stayed MUCH longer. Three days is definitely not long enough to ramble round this island. I'm a big advocate for anyone thinking of adding this lovely island to their itinerary.

It seems that the cancellation of our original flight may have been in response to one of the aircraft being chartered for a flight to the northern group, but planes and people were shuffled a bit and we eventually managed to get our flight as originally planned.

Cheers,

ST