This is why you're my favourite Airline reviewer. I mean sure there are tons of youtubers out there that provide pretty similar content but the sheer diversity of the airlines you review gives you a tremendous edge. Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines or Emirates? Boring. Give me Aircalin, Mongolian Airlines and Bhutan Air. But perhaps the thing I like the most about your reviews is you almost always fly off an airlines main hub. I mean sure an airline review of an African airline flying off Europe is uncommon, but an african airlines flying off Africa is definitely much better. Its always so much more interesting when an airlines departs from its hub. The ground service and lounge situation is definitely an extension of the flight's services.
I’m so glad to hear that. I always try to fly airlines from their main hub as that’s where we see their full flagship experience from the moment you pull up to the airport. These smaller airlines are what aviation is all about! (And then every once in a rare while, I get to treat myself to Qatar or Emirates!)
@@PatrickSheaAviation I knew airlines through your reviews, every other review is just ppl filming the views from the window or filming themselves talking, we don't get much details about the product as much as we do when watching Patrick 💪🏻🤝🏻
I don't think many avgeeks have done reviews of AirCalin. Thanks for going off the beaten path for our benefit, Patrick. And yes, the value is unbeatable.
Looks like a great experience. Thanks so much for seeking out more obscure airlines and routes. This is what AVGeeks want to see. Your channel just gets better and better! Awesome!
What a lovely service! I noticed the lady on check in had a hibscus flower behind her ear - how lovely! it reminded me of a stop on an Air New Zealand 747 AKL - LAX in the middle of night at Papeete / Tahiti - the cleaners getting on the aircraft were beautiful young ladies each with a hibiscus flower behind their ear - to clean the plane. Beautiful. The South Pacific is my dream - what a wonderful place, 'far from the madding crowds ignoble strife' - look forward to the next review.
COOL flight clog! I've never heard of Aircalin, let alone been to New Caledonia. You go to lots of interesting places! A "queue"!! Nice wingtip paintjob. $600 is a GREAT DEAL!!!!!!!
At the airport I would just eat too much gelato then probably get sick on the plane. I really love how you review and show us all these interesting locations, airlines we'd never heard of, and with great production value too! :) I'd never heard of Aircalin. Very cozy lounge but it looks nice and tidy!
Thanks for this - I'll be flying that route in the other direction in August (also selected largely for the price) and I'm really looking forward to it now.
Both business cabin and economy cabin are beautiful. Aircalin isn’t a big airline, but they have impressive service although there’s still room for improvement.
Hi Patrick, I flew on that same aircraft, F-ONEO, on Oct 17, 2023 from Noumea to Singapore. Your review is spot on. Nouméa La Tontouta is a cool little airport. Aircalin offers a fantastic business product at a excellent price. Their Hibiscus Lounge at NOU is calm and quiet and provides a relaxed start to your journey. My flight also left NOU just after midnight and had a similar departure meal. I found the bed to be very comfortable and had a great sleep. There is no row 4 in their Hibiscus business class cabin, so rows 2, 5 and 7 are the "true" window seats with more privacy. The window seats in rows 1, 3 and 6 are closer to the aisle. I recommend the seat I had - 2H. It was the furthest from all the lavatories and galley providing the quietest location in an already quiet and peaceful cabin. I arrived in NOU from Vanuatu 3 days prior in economy class on F-OTIB, one of Air Calin's A320neos. It was comfortable enough for the short 1 hour flight. Keep up the great work. Thanks!
I'm not sure why Anchorage Alaska isn't a possible stopover to Europe for some Pacific Island carriers. Going up and over the north pole is slightly shorter than going via Los Angeles or Singapore.
Yea but then you can’t get as many connecting passengers. French Bee’s Paris-San Francisco-Tahiti route brings plenty of Paris to Tahiti passengers, but also fills the plane with Paris-SFO pax on the first flight and then replaces those empty seats with SFO-Tahiti pax on the second flight
The airline's original name is Air Calédonie International hence why the "Calin", whoever thought about it from the marketing department deserves a legit calin besides the bonus.
How many hours did you sleep on the plane on a red eye flight to Tokyo Narita? Hope your sleep is good and comfortable on a red eye flight, even though their is no air vent.
I love how you try out the more obscure routes, Patrick. I have 2 ideas regarding LOT and two intercontinental flights from 2 smaller Polish cities: Wroclaw-Seoul and Rzeszow-Newark
So I try booking on their website in March for a Mel-Nou and the only flights shown are via BNE, yet if I try book Syd-Nou, the only flight showing is via Mel. Is there a specific reason the clearly available Mel flight doesn’t come up direct?
Great flight report on Air Calin 🍸 I lived in Nouméa for 2 years, back then it was Qantas and UTA (you’re way too young to know them 😂😎) between Australia and New Cal, it’s great to see their own airline doing well. Not sure if it’s still the same but a flight from Nouméa to Paris was classed as a “domestic flight” 😂 Safe travels 🥂
Yes NOU and PPT to CDG or ORY are domestic as well as those which hop via Guadeloupe or Martinique FDF PTP. In fact Air Tahiti Nui Flight 64 (TN64/THT64) was the world's longest domestic flight ever. It was created due to restrictions imposed by the United States over international flights in a context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The flight, operated by Air Tahiti Nui, was between Papeete in French Polynesia and Paris in metropolitan France, traversing a distance of 15,715 kilometres (9,765 mi; 8,485 nmi) and taking 16 hours, 26 minutes.[1] It was a domestic flight as French Polynesia forms an integral part of the French Republic. (source wikipedia)
I like your reviews but as I said before the lack of j class center line bins which ac just started adding on airbus a330 aircraft is highly problematic when j class is full my opinion is the more bins the better J class pax are always carrying excessive carry ons even with 2 and 3 free bags the worst offender bag is giant nap-sacks and sports equipment bags the spacious look comes at a price delays and bin wars on aircraft
15:23 Papeete in Tahiti is not their only domestic destination, you mentioned it seconds earlier Wallis (WLS) is also a French territory. I didn't see many Japanese faces on this video, the odd departure time is meant to allow mainland bound passengers to have a short-ish layover before continuing onto Paris on the AF flight out of NRT. The SB/AF connection through NRT is the quickest way to get to the mainland from NC. I flew Paris to Noumea back when AF was still serving NC with a 744, good old times. Great review as usual and what a great deal you got!
Good point. Forgot about Wallis being a French territory. I will say that there was a low Japanese population on this flight. Seemed like over half the passengers were connecting with Air France back to Paris from there
now who would dare bully you on your pronunciation (hehe) cool factoid: « calin » means "hug" in French so AirHug ; ) that's actually quite a decent looking airport for the market it serves - the airport design outside is intriguing - i wonder if the additional semi-dome rib is there for practical reasons (wind barrier?) the lumpia type food ha! dig the flipper food reference. cute cabin design except for the frankenstein-ish literature-footwell action. you prolly heard a lot of French spoken in your flight eh - and what a choice spot to film the illuminated engine! whoa bonus on the wi-fi for that biz ticket ($630??) wow nice that you inserted the economy experience from Sydney! that lunch box service quietly screams class, how can you not be enamored by AirCalin? and OMG another great shot of Fuji! (daytime this time) dude!
This is why you're my favourite Airline reviewer. I mean sure there are tons of youtubers out there that provide pretty similar content but the sheer diversity of the airlines you review gives you a tremendous edge. Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines or Emirates? Boring. Give me Aircalin, Mongolian Airlines and Bhutan Air. But perhaps the thing I like the most about your reviews is you almost always fly off an airlines main hub. I mean sure an airline review of an African airline flying off Europe is uncommon, but an african airlines flying off Africa is definitely much better. Its always so much more interesting when an airlines departs from its hub. The ground service and lounge situation is definitely an extension of the flight's services.
I’m so glad to hear that. I always try to fly airlines from their main hub as that’s where we see their full flagship experience from the moment you pull up to the airport. These smaller airlines are what aviation is all about! (And then every once in a rare while, I get to treat myself to Qatar or Emirates!)
@@PatrickSheaAviation I knew airlines through your reviews, every other review is just ppl filming the views from the window or filming themselves talking, we don't get much details about the product as much as we do when watching Patrick 💪🏻🤝🏻
I don't think many avgeeks have done reviews of AirCalin. Thanks for going off the beaten path for our benefit, Patrick. And yes, the value is unbeatable.
Thank you!! Aircalin is one of my new favorite hidden gems. Just flies on the other side of the world from me
I absolutely love all the extra information about the airline you're flying on you add to the video. Keep up the good work!
Thank you! I’m glad you appreciate it
Incredible video Patrick! I loved it! I also hope to fly Air Calin someday soon on the beautiful A330-900neo!
Cheers 🥂 Patrick!
Caleb’s Aviation
Looks like a great experience. Thanks so much for seeking out more obscure airlines and routes. This is what AVGeeks want to see. Your channel just gets better and better! Awesome!
Thank you!
What a lovely service! I noticed the lady on check in had a hibscus flower behind her ear - how lovely! it reminded me of a stop on an Air New Zealand 747 AKL - LAX in the middle of night at Papeete / Tahiti - the cleaners getting on the aircraft were beautiful young ladies each with a hibiscus flower behind their ear - to clean the plane. Beautiful. The South Pacific is my dream - what a wonderful place, 'far from the madding crowds ignoble strife' - look forward to the next review.
Another great video with a load of information! Great work Patrick!
Thank you!
Could you do a review of Finnair’s A330 or A350?
I’m working on it. Trying to find it at a good price
COOL flight clog! I've never heard of Aircalin, let alone been to New Caledonia. You go to lots of interesting places! A "queue"!! Nice wingtip paintjob. $600 is a GREAT DEAL!!!!!!!
Totally! Thank you!
Thanks for this I really don’t need another Qatar or Singapore for awhile
I do miss those airlines still however 🥲. It’s fun to mix it up for sure though!
this is what I call a fully detailed flight review.excellent work
Thanks!
At the airport I would just eat too much gelato then probably get sick on the plane. I really love how you review and show us all these interesting locations, airlines we'd never heard of, and with great production value too! :) I'd never heard of Aircalin. Very cozy lounge but it looks nice and tidy!
Thanks! I’m glad you enjoyed it! And yea… that gelato was awfully tempting!
Luved this review! Makes me want to fly Air Calin. Nice lounge, cabin, and service.😊
Phenomenal value! And I read and love the descriptions!
Ha! Thanks!
Thanks for this - I'll be flying that route in the other direction in August (also selected largely for the price) and I'm really looking forward to it now.
Enjoy! It’ll be fun!
Another great trip report, and this particular one very unique! Love the content and info in each one!
Thanks!
Both business cabin and economy cabin are beautiful. Aircalin isn’t a big airline, but they have impressive service although there’s still room for improvement.
I agree! They serve their market well though
Hi Patrick,
I flew on that same aircraft, F-ONEO, on Oct 17, 2023 from Noumea to Singapore. Your review is spot on. Nouméa La Tontouta is a cool little airport. Aircalin offers a fantastic business product at a excellent price. Their Hibiscus Lounge at NOU is calm and quiet and provides a relaxed start to your journey. My flight also left NOU just after midnight and had a similar departure meal. I found the bed to be very comfortable and had a great sleep. There is no row 4 in their Hibiscus business class cabin, so rows 2, 5 and 7 are the "true" window seats with more privacy. The window seats in rows 1, 3 and 6 are closer to the aisle. I recommend the seat I had - 2H. It was the furthest from all the lavatories and galley providing the quietest location in an already quiet and peaceful cabin.
I arrived in NOU from Vanuatu 3 days prior in economy class on F-OTIB, one of Air Calin's A320neos. It was comfortable enough for the short 1 hour flight.
Keep up the great work.
Thanks!
Great to know! Good to hear! Thanks!
Glad you liked Patrick. 😊
Nice airline. Love the colours of the economy seats.
Same!
Brilliant small airport and wow what a brilliant Airline, and a brilliant review of this Airline
Thanks! It was a great experience at the airport and onboard!
Thanks for the review. I love Aircalin !
Thanks! Good to hear!
Patrick, your descriptions is well detailed. Could you please review on airbus A330Neo,845 Uganda airline 🎉.
You may wanna check out last week’s video 👀
Another great review of an unknown airline. 👍
Thanks!
That soft drink fridge also contained Number 1, which is a basic lager, not bad but nothing special.
Looks like a great flight! However, that seat looks like it could use a good hot water steam extraction to get those stains out. Lol
Yea that was about the only thing I picked out from it lol
I'm not sure why Anchorage Alaska isn't a possible stopover to Europe for some Pacific Island carriers. Going up and over the north pole is slightly shorter than going via Los Angeles or Singapore.
Yea but then you can’t get as many connecting passengers. French Bee’s Paris-San Francisco-Tahiti route brings plenty of Paris to Tahiti passengers, but also fills the plane with Paris-SFO pax on the first flight and then replaces those empty seats with SFO-Tahiti pax on the second flight
Another awesome Flight report Patrick.
I heard of this Airline as it flies to Singapore too...
I almost chose the Singapore flight, but it didn’t time out as well for my return back home
@@PatrickSheaAviation A Proper planning for next flights connection is so important, this may affect your next arrival destination
funny name AirCalin - in French 'calin' means hug or cuddle and those seats look like someone is hugging you
I thought the same thing about "câlin." I'm sure the name isn't coincidental.
The airline's original name is Air Calédonie International hence why the "Calin", whoever thought about it from the marketing department deserves a legit calin besides the bonus.
I Like The Livery.Great Trip Report
Thanks! I agree
Hi Patrick, in the comparison towards the end, I suppose you meant $650 for the two stop in economy not biz?
It was a mixed cabin but still a helluva deal
@@PatrickSheaAviation Yupz
Fair price, decent quality = win win 🥇
Totally!
I like your descriptions. I'm always curious as to how much was paid for the fair ($$$ or points/miles). Thanks for sharing the info + video!
Thanks! Thats the main reason I started including that in the description
How many hours did you sleep on the plane on a red eye flight to Tokyo Narita? Hope your sleep is good and comfortable on a red eye flight, even though their is no air vent.
I got some great sleep. Had to wake myself up to enjoy more of the flight!
I see.
When is Aircalin Airlines going to fly to LAX / SFO ?
I wish! Although it sounds like they’re planning Asian expansion instead of America
Well if the do in the future ? I would fly them to Australia instead of Fiji Airways.
I love how you try out the more obscure routes, Patrick. I have 2 ideas regarding LOT and two intercontinental flights from 2 smaller Polish cities: Wroclaw-Seoul and Rzeszow-Newark
Those are some fun routes! LOT has been on my list for a while
$630...... Yeah, I am sold.
Will you try and go on a nonstop SYD -> JFK or LHR inaugural once those start?
That’s my goal!
After watching this, I must say I wish I've been living there
How was the island did you have fun
I wasn’t there too long, but it was fun. Still prefer Tahiti over New Caledonia personally though
So I try booking on their website in March for a Mel-Nou and the only flights shown are via BNE, yet if I try book Syd-Nou, the only flight showing is via Mel. Is there a specific reason the clearly available Mel flight doesn’t come up direct?
That’s weird. I had trouble with getting a nonstop from Brisbane and ended up connecting in Sydney
Great flight report on Air Calin 🍸 I lived in Nouméa for 2 years, back then it was Qantas and UTA (you’re way too young to know them 😂😎) between Australia and New Cal, it’s great to see their own airline doing well. Not sure if it’s still the same but a flight from Nouméa to Paris was classed as a “domestic flight” 😂 Safe travels 🥂
Yes NOU and PPT to CDG or ORY are domestic as well as those which hop via Guadeloupe or Martinique FDF PTP. In fact Air Tahiti Nui Flight 64 (TN64/THT64) was the world's longest domestic flight ever. It was created due to restrictions imposed by the United States over international flights in a context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The flight, operated by Air Tahiti Nui, was between Papeete in French Polynesia and Paris in metropolitan France, traversing a distance of 15,715 kilometres (9,765 mi; 8,485 nmi) and taking 16 hours, 26 minutes.[1] It was a domestic flight as French Polynesia forms an integral part of the French Republic. (source wikipedia)
I like your reviews but as I said before the lack of j class center line bins which ac just started adding on airbus a330 aircraft is highly problematic when j class is full my opinion is the more bins the better
J class pax are always carrying excessive carry ons even with 2 and 3 free bags the worst offender bag is giant nap-sacks and sports equipment bags the spacious look comes at a price delays and bin wars on aircraft
Yea I agree. I get that in practicality, there are drawbacks, but it does look better at least 🤷♂️
Aircalin representin’!
9.800
Love the videos, I'm very new to the channel but something I just had to ask, how comes you don't ask for people to subscribe?
I hadn’t really ever thought of including anything like that. Figured if they like the content and want to subscribe, they will
15:23 Papeete in Tahiti is not their only domestic destination, you mentioned it seconds earlier Wallis (WLS) is also a French territory.
I didn't see many Japanese faces on this video, the odd departure time is meant to allow mainland bound passengers to have a short-ish layover before continuing onto Paris on the AF flight out of NRT. The SB/AF connection through NRT is the quickest way to get to the mainland from NC.
I flew Paris to Noumea back when AF was still serving NC with a 744, good old times. Great review as usual and what a great deal you got!
Good point. Forgot about Wallis being a French territory. I will say that there was a low Japanese population on this flight. Seemed like over half the passengers were connecting with Air France back to Paris from there
now who would dare bully you on your pronunciation (hehe) cool factoid: « calin » means "hug" in French so AirHug ; ) that's actually quite a decent looking airport for the market it serves - the airport design outside is intriguing - i wonder if the additional semi-dome rib is there for practical reasons (wind barrier?) the lumpia type food ha! dig the flipper food reference. cute cabin design except for the frankenstein-ish literature-footwell action. you prolly heard a lot of French spoken in your flight eh - and what a choice spot to film the illuminated engine! whoa bonus on the wi-fi for that biz ticket ($630??) wow nice that you inserted the economy experience from Sydney! that lunch box service quietly screams class, how can you not be enamored by AirCalin? and OMG another great shot of Fuji! (daytime this time) dude!
That’s a fun translation of their name, ha!
Clickbait. If you live in Australia, New Zealand or any of the Pacific Nations of course you’ve heard of Air Calin.
Yea well to the rest of the world it’s unheard of 🤷♂️
@@PatrickSheaAviation Not really.
New Caledonia has some Algerian origin people that have been sent there by French government, cuz they were both colonized 💔, say hi to them 👋🏻❤
Interesting! Never knew that
Massive stain on your seat. Nasty.
I’m the first here. Ur the best plz pin
hot legs Patrick! great vid
Doesn't he?!
Jealous 😂