In summer 2022, I enjoyed an incredible holiday in French Polynesia (Tahiti, Moorea, and Bora Bora). Read my trip reports here:

• Review: Air Tahiti Nui Boeing 787 Dreamliner Business Class from Paris to Los Angeles
• Review: Air Tahiti Nui Boeing 787 Dreamliner Business Class (Los Angeles to Papeete)
• Review: The Brando
• Review: InterContinental Tahiti Resort & Spa
• Review: Air Tahiti ATR 72 Economy Class from Tahiti to Bora Bora (today)
• Review: InterContinental Bora Bora Resort & Thalasso Spa
• Review: St Regis Bora Bora
• Review: Four Seasons Bora Bora
• Review: Air Tahiti Nui Boeing 787 Dreamliner Business Class (Tahiti to Los Angeles)
• Review: Air Tahiti Nui Boeing 787 Dreamliner Business Class (Los Angeles to Paris)

Today: Air Tahiti ATR 72 Economy Class from Tahiti to Bora Bora

Unless you’re taking a cruise or ferry, the only way to get to Bora Bora is by plane with Air Tahiti, French Polynesia’s only domestic carrier (although a new private start-up airline is expected to launch soon). Air Tahiti covers a network of 47 islands in French Polynesia and the Cook Islands, covering an area as big as Western Europe: the closest destination to its hub at Faa’a International Airport is Moorea (7 min flight time) while the furthest is Mangareva (which takes 3 hours 30 minutes to reach). The airline has a fleet of turboprop aircraft: 7 ATR-72, 2 ATR-42, 3 Beechcraft King Air B200 and 2 Twin Otters. Air Tahiti choose ATR aircraft as its workhouse due to limitations at the remote airports of French Polynesia’s many islands (e.g. short runways, lack of night landing lights, and small fuel tanks). Air Tahiti is not to be confused with Air Tahiti Nui, French Polynesia’s international flag carrier, which operates flights between Tahiti and Seattle, Los Angeles, Paris, Auckland and Tokyo.

Air Tahiti operates several flights a day between Tahiti and Bora Bora, a journey which takes approximately 50 minutes. In this review:

• Passenger experience at Tahiti Airport + boarding
• Flight from Tahiti to Bora
• Passenger experience at Bora Bora Airport + hotel transfer

PASSENGER EXPERIENCE AT TAHITI + BOARDING

Located on the island of Tahiti, Faa’a International Airport (also known as Tahiti International Airport) is the main getaway to French Polynesia. The airport has a separate check-in area and terminal for domestic and international flights. The domestic terminal is quite basic: there’s only one security check-point, after which you find yourself in a rather unappealing and compact space, featuring some seating areas as well as a small coffee shop with tables and chairs.

Once boarding is announced, passenger have to walk between the terminal and their waiting aircraft since there aren’t any jet bridges at the airport. Air Tahiti operates an open-seating policy, which means that passengers are not allocated a seat at check-in.

FLIGHT FROM TAHITI TO BORA BORA

My flight to Bora Bora was operated by an ATR-72 aircraft with registration number F-ORVA (built in 2015 and named Rereatau). Air Tahiti’s ATR-72 features only one cabin with 68 Economy Class seats arranged in a 2-2 layout. Service during the 50 min flight was limited: a juice is offered shortly after departure (additional items are available for purchase).

Landing at Bora Bora can offer spectacular views, but it’s impossible to predict what side of the plane will offer the best views. In general, the best views are enjoyed from the left side of the plane. But depending on the weather, another approach to the airport might be followed by the pilots, resulting in the best views to be enjoyed from the plane’s right side (which was the case during my flight). I would advise to ask the cabin crew at the beginning of the flight which side of the plane will offer the best views during landing and switch seats if possible.

PASSENGER EXPERIENCE AT BORA BORA AIRPORT + HOTEL TRANSFER

Bora Bora has a very small airport: There’s just one tiny terminal, used for both arriving and departing flights, and there’s no security check-point (which I found rather odd). Most hotels have a desk with staff at the airport, welcoming guests and guiding them to the boat dock.

The transfer from the airport to the resorts is done by boat (varying from 10 minutes to 30 minutes). Cold towels, iced water and floral necklaces are provided during the short trip. The views along the way are stunning: Bora Bora’s crystal-clear lagoon is colored in a million shades of blue with at its center the iconic Mount Otemanu, (2,385 ft or 727 m), believed to be the birthplace of the Polynesian islands in local mythology.

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The post Review: flight from Tahiti to Bora Bora (Air Tahiti ATR 72 Economy Class) appeared first on the Luxury Travel Expert.

Last April, I enjoyed a great holiday in Vietnam, where some resorts far exceeded my sky-high expectations (and rank among the best hotels I have ever stayed at). You can read my trip reports here:

• Review: Singapore Airlines A350 Business Class Düsseldorf to Singapore
• Review: Singapore Airlines A330 Business Class Singapore to Ho Chi Minh City
• Review: The Reverie Saigon, Ho Chi Minh City
• Review: Anantara Mui Ne Resort & Spa
• Review: Vietnam Airlines ATR-72 from Ho Chi Minh City to Con Dao (today)
• Review: Six Senses Con Dao
• Review: Evason Ana Mandara, Nha Trang
• Review: Six Senses Ninh Van Bay
• Review: Amanoi
• Review: Avani Quy Nhon Resort & Spa
• Review: Anantara Hoi An Resort
• Review: Four Seasons Resort The Nam Hai, Hoi An
• Review: Banyan Tree Lang Co
• Review: Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi
• Review: Cathay Pacific A350 Business Class Hong Kong to Düsseldorf

Today (July 19, 2017): Review of a Vietnam Airlines ATR-72 flight from Ho Chi Minh City to Con Dao (Vietnam).

Next week, I will publish my review of one of Vietnam’s most celebrated luxury resorts, Six Senses Con Dao, located in the Con Dao archipelago in the South China Sea. It’s important to keep in mind that getting to the ultraluxe resort from Vietnam’s mainland is not included in the room rate and does require some efforts, as you have to take a 50-minute domestic flight from Ho Chi Minh City to Con Dao’s only airport, followed by a 15 minute shared shuttle ride to the hotel. I hereby share with you a few key points regarding the flight transfer from Ho Chi Minh City’s Tan Son Nhat International Aiport to Con Dao.

• The flight between Tan Son Nhat International Aiport and Con Dao  is always on a small ATR 72 turboprop aircraft operated by VASCO, a fully owned subsidiary of Vietnam Airlines. VASCO has a small fleet of 5 ATR 72 turboprop aircraft. Although I am not a fan of turboprop planes and suffer from a fear of flying, the flight itself was not too bad. I was happy though that the weather was clear and sunny, since I believe it may be a different story during Vietnam’s rainy season which runs from July to October (when thunderstorms are frequent events).

• VASCO’s ATR 72 aircraft don’t feature Business Class. There are 66 standard Economy Class seats in a 2-2 layout, all placed in one cabin. For a seat map, click here. Seats have a pitch of 31 inch (78 cm) and a width of 17 inch (43 cm). Passengers are boarded using the rear door (which is unusual for a passenger aircraft), as the front door is used to load cargo.

• Round trip transfers between Tan Son Nhat International Aiport airport and Con Dao can be arranged by the resort on your behalf (fixed price), or you can book them online on the Vietnam Airlines website (often at a cheaper rate).

• Six Senses Con Dao has entered into an exclusive arrangement with VASCO to guarantee 16 seats every day in each direction between Ho Chi Minh City and Con Dao. These domestic round-trip flights can be booked directly with the resort during the reservation process with the Six Senses team. Guests who have their domestic air tickets arranged by Six Senses Con Dao enjoy special benefits, being priority check in procedure at Ho Chi Minh’s domestic terminal and free access to domestic VIP lounge.

• When you book your ticket via Six Senses, then the following airfare will be quoted for round trip tickets, inclusive of taxes: $210 USD per adult, $158 USD per child from 2 to 11 years of age, and $25 USD per child under 2 years of age. As stated above, tickets are often cheaper when booked directly online on the Vietnam Airlines’ website, but they don’t come with the special benefits extended to guests that book their tickets via Six Senses Con Dao.

• The Con Dao airport only operates during daytime hours, so make sure you take this into account when you have a connecting (international flight) to/from Con Dao.

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