Posts: 10
Threads: 3
Joined: Mar 2006
Hi all!
Haven't posted here lately because my husband and I have been pretty busy gettin ready for an out of state move coming up in 3 days! We still love Puna, and hope to come out for visits and retreats, and who knows? We will be living in San Francisco, making it way easier to pick up the ATA flights to Hilo out of Oakland. In SF one can just get on BART out to the Oakland Airport, and a few hours later be in Hilo! It's a challenge and expensive from NM. We got a low-key apartment management position in a very good area of the city, with free apartment and parking. My husband's family is in the area, plus we lived there for many years before we moved to New Mexico. I am very happy to finally move to where there is the Pacific Ocean. A dear friend of ours will be on the way to Hawaii the very same day that we leave here.
Aloha to everyone!
health-conscious visionary artist in transition
health-conscious visionary artist in transition
Posts: 2,402
Threads: 145
Joined: Apr 2005
Gosh going from Oakland to San Francisco airport is now a doable option. By the SF to Oakland airport would be somewhat of a challenge. You might check with BART but I think the closest BART connection to the Oakland airport is about 1 1/2 miles away. Perhaps a taxi from there to the Oakland airport would be doable, or a bus. Good luck!
mella l
mella l
Art and Science
bytheSEA
Posts: 254
Threads: 14
Joined: Feb 2006
SF to Oakland is, as stated, easy on BART. There is a shuttle bus from the Coliseum BART station to the Airport. ATA's evening flight is fine, getting in to Hilo around 10pm local time. Bring your own food, as there's only a snack pack available for sale on the plane.
If you book a car rental online, put the arrival time as 9:30pm. (Budget closes at 10pm, but I called the Hilo Airport station and was told they would wait for the plane, no worries!)
Posts: 179
Threads: 5
Joined: Aug 2006
BART runs an airport shuttle from the Coliseum station. Not cheap, no fun with lots of bags, but doable.
My problem with ATA is late night arrivals and early morning departures at Hilo.
Posts: 589
Threads: 20
Joined: May 2006
That ATA flight between ITO (Hilo) and OAK (Oakland Int'l) has been really great for me. I had to make two trips back to the Bay Area recently, and not having to make a stopover in HNL is REALLY nice.
I don't recall seeing the stations at OAK, but according to their website, there is one in front of each of the two terminals. This should be near where the various shuttle buses stop.
Les C
Posts: 248
Threads: 11
Joined: Jun 2006
Thanks for the heads up mikewj those little things mean alot when ur traveling with 4 kids.
so how much is that snack pack and whats in it?
Posts: 254
Threads: 14
Joined: Feb 2006
Snack pack is $2.95, credit card only, I guess ATA thinks the help might run off with cash!
Contains small packages of crackers, some cheese spread, cookies, etc. Usual junk food selection!
Posts: 613
Threads: 92
Joined: Jun 2005
congrats cara for moving back to the bay area....give me a ring if your up to visiting in sonoma area....
the bart shuttle is a regular route from the mac arthur street station....you can also go the super shuttle route - well an east bay version that comes from the city and other areas around the east bay, oakland seems so much easier to get in and out of compared to sfo in my opinion...haven't taken the ATA flight but it sounds like this route has become a good money maker for ATA....now if they could only offer those yummy hot cookies like those on hawaiian and united's first class that would be killer.
noel
Posts: 2,149
Threads: 90
Joined: Feb 2006
I would love to try the new ATA route to the mainland, but unfortunately they have scheduled their Hilo-Oakland flight so that you arrive in Oakland too late to make convenient connections to most points east. They do have a codeshare with Southwest to Chicago Midway and one to Albuquerque, but other than those two places, anything east of the Rockies would require waiting til the next morning. Too bad. If anyone has done more research on this, please post. Thanks.
Aloha,
Jerry
Edited by - JerryCarr on 08/07/2006 17:18:19
Posts: 40
Threads: 3
Joined: Mar 2006
Aloha,
Just recently took the ATA flight from OAK to Hilo and it was just great. True....no food so bring your own snack if you want but from OAK to ITO it's after dinner anyway so just sit back and enjoy the nonstop flight. The planes are small but comfortable leather seats and enough leg room to be comfortable, even in coach. When we arrived in Hilo, all the car rental shops were open although it's always a good idea to give them arrival time. Bring your headset and the movie is free but as mentioned before....they only take credit cards for drinks or anything else and you even have to pay for a pillow and blanket if you want one. This is a no frills flight but the price and arrival in 5 hrs to Hilo makes it well worth it. Also, on the flight back to OAK they showed 2 movies and with tailwinds we were back in 4 1/2 hrs. One word or warning....get to Hilo early for your morning flight! ATA doesn't mess around and starts boarding very early. If evryone's on the plane they even take off early.
We'll be doing it again next month!
Paula
PunaPaula
