Welcome to our Tripsters

A panel of 65 seasoned travellers have agreed to share their well-earned expertise and smooth the paths of Herald readers. Travel editor COLIN MOORE introduces them.

Cruising the canals of Europe, walking in the Abel Tasman National Park, skiing at Mt Hutt, stuck with the family in a tent for a week of Northland rain, making 20 business trips to Sydney - these are just some of the experiences in the past 12 months of the Herald's panel of travel Tripsters.

When we invited readers to become Tripsters we were looking for people ranging from business-class frequent flyers to families who know the best camping grounds across the country, to shop-till-you-drop specialists.

We wanted travel tips from butchers, bakers and candlestick-makers, not the prose of fledgling travel writers.

We mainly, although not always, use staff and freelance writers of experience and proven ability. But journalists need more eyes and ears than just their own. Our invitation drew 422 replies. From these we identified 137 Tripsters who seemed likely to be just the ticket to join our panel.

We sent them a comprehensive poll on their past travel experiences and their future plans. Sixty-five replied and so became our Tripster panel.

They are not a cross-section of New Zealand travellers, nor are they a cross-section of our readers. Some 35 per cent have a household income of more than $100,000 a year and 28 per cent one of more than $65,000.

More than 80 per cent of our Tripster panel live in Auckland, 76 per cent are in a permanent relationship, about the same percentage have no dependent children living with them, and 90 per cent are equally spread in the age group 25 to 45 years and 45 to 65 years.

Almost all are white-collar workers; they include company directors and managers, teachers, engineers, a judge, a doctor and a pharmacist.

They have cycled through Vietnam, backpacked through Europe, driven across the United States, walked the Milford Track - and spent time with their families camping in the Coromandel or at their own seaside bach.

Today we present some of the information from our poll. Advice and information from the Tripsters will be an ongoing feature of the Travel section.

Travel frequency

As our Tripsters include people who travel regularly on business, the panel has a high travel rate. Some 46 per cent travel up to five times a year domestically, 28 per cent up to 10 times and 18 per cent up to 20 times.

The rates are also high for international travel, with 60 per cent of our Tripsters travelling overseas up to five times a year and 30 per cent travelling at least once a year.

Economy or business

When it comes to domestic flights, our Tripsters, regardless of occupation or income, all fly economy, with 36 per cent choosing Ansett and 26 per cent Air New Zealand, a choice often dictated by loyalty points. The rest have no airline preference.

On international flights, 25 per cent seek the extra leg room and service of business class.

Which airline?

Air New Zealand is the most popular single international carrier, being the choice of 45 per cent of our panel.

Qantas is preferred by 25 per cent of our panel and Singapore Airlines by 13 per cent. Cathay, Malaysia, KLM, Emirates, Thai International, BA, Garuda and United all get minor support.

Air New Zealand has its detractors, too, with 16 per cent of our panel citing it as the least preferred airline, the same number as for United. Rude and arrogant cabin crew are most often given as the reason.

The most unpopular airline is Garuda, out of favour with 20 per cent of Tripsters.

"Bad experience on trip to Bali, dirty, poor food, hard to hear instructions," wrote one Tripster.

A host of other airlines are given a black mark, many for the age and condition of their aircraft. Among them are Korean, BA, Air France, Canada 3000, Continental, Air China, Alitalia, Biman, Philippines and Aeroflot.

Insurance

All but one of our panel buy travel insurance and 73 per cent have claimed at some time. Less than 5 per cent have encountered any problems with their claims.

Our Tripsters, with just one exception, belong to an airline loyalty points programme, so it comes as no surprise that 30 per cent of them are motivated in their choice of international carrier by air points. The panel is fairly evenly divided between the frequent flyer programmes offered by Qantas and Air New Zealand or their associated alliance partners.

Loyalty points

Eighty per cent of our tripsters have redeemed air points, with a huge 75 per cent of the panel claiming they had problems in the process. "Very hard to find information, they have problems with the 0800 number," advised one Tripster.

"You can generally secure a seat one way but hardly ever a return flight that suits me, irrespective of how far ahead of time the flight is booked or one's so-called frequent flier status," revealed another. "Currently a very contentious issue among business/personal travellers who feel they've been ripped off."

"Air New Zealand especially hopeless. Impossible to get hold of by phone and don't seem to care because it is not a revenue-producing ticket," suggested another.

However, several of our panelists suggested that redeeming points got easier once you had mastered airline-speak.

Travel decisions

We are pleased to gloat that the Herald's travel editorial helps nearly 60 per cent of our Tripsters to make their decisions. The advice of family and friends has the same level of influence. Herald advertisements and magazine articles help with about 25 per cent of decisions. Television and the internet are not major factors.

Who books?

Travel agents will be pleased to learn that they are far from obsolete. Sixty-six per cent of our Tripsters use an agent to book domestic travel and 91 per cent use one for international bookings.

Just two panelists use the internet for domestic bookings and one for international bookings. Other domestic and international bookings are made directly with the airline.

Officialdom

New Zealand customs and immigration officers can take a bow. Just two of our Tripsters had cause for complaint. Officialdom overseas is not so well regarded, with 16 per cent of our panel unhappy with their dealings with customs or immigration. The controllers at Los Angeles were cited as rude and grumpy by several Tripsters.

Airport blues

Given the relatively affluent nature of our Tripsters, it is no surprise that just two use a bus to get to the airport. Most use taxis or are driven by friends and family, or drive their own cars and park for short trips.

More surprising is that around 75 per cent do not enjoy members' access to the airlines' airport courtesy lounges. Perhaps they should join, because 72 per cent experience delays on domestic flights, many of them caused by fog. Some 60 per cent have been delayed on transtasman flights, with problems at Sydney Airport given as the major cause.

And 77 per cent have been delayed on international flights. One Tripster gives the cause as passengers who have checked in but delay boarding in the knowledge that the flight will not go without them - at least not unless their luggage is unloaded.

Next week, and in succeeding weeks, Travel will publish further information from our Tripster poll.

Check out our Tripsters' dream trips - after winning Lotto.