Karryon’s Dani Tuffield gets a taste of the high life onboard Air New Zealand. Check in with her as travels in style from Sydney to Houston via Auckland.
On the ground in Sydney
My flight to Auckland departs from Sydney Airport at 11.55am, a very respectable time for an international flight. Getting to the airport three hours prior to departure of an early morning flight is not fun. 9.00am, by contrast, is very civilised.
Check-in was simple as I had provided all of my details prior to my arrival and online check-in with Air New Zealand is very user-friendly. Clearly, that was the general consensus as the lines at the check-in counters were not long at all.
After the noise and fluorescence of check-in, the Air New Zealand Sydney International Lounge is an oasis of calm. Its mood lighting, beautiful finishes and a delicious array of food, coffee and New Zealand wine options almost make me wish I’d gotten to the airport earlier. I could even order my
barista made coffee straight from the Air NZ app on my way to the lounge, where it was ready for my
arrival!
The entrance of the lounge is near Gate 59, on the mezzanine level above the departure gates.
The flight was slightly delayed but that just gave me the opportunity to get some window shopping done at the amazing new luxury precinct at Sydney Airport. I also stocked up on one of my favourite travel tips: Elizabeth Arden 8 hour cream is a multi-purpose life saver!
On board NZ104
As you are boarding the 777-300 you are welcomed with the famous Air NZ hospitality, a friendly Kia ora and a wave. I was incredibly fortunate to have been upgraded to Business Premier and it exceeded my expectations in comfort, service and food and beverage options. It really is amazing how much you can eat when you are travelling!
The flight time is a short three hours so I just reclined (which you can even do during take off and landing in this seating configuration) and didn’t convert to a bed. There were three courses and a movie to get through after all! The entertainment options were extensive and I settled in with a nice pinot noir.
On the ground in Auckland
Transiting at Auckland Airport is a breeze. You do have to go back through customs as a transit passenger (top tip – don’t buy duty free alcohol in AU as it will be taken off you at this point!) but it is simple and pain-free. Auckland Airport is easy to navigate with good shopping, food and beverage options. The time on the ground is minimal but rest assured I managed to eat again!
If you are able to view the Air New Zealand Auckland International Lounge then I highly recommended it. It is large but still beautiful and vibe-y.
I really loved seeing all of the USA options on the departures board, it was so wonderful to see so many choices of destinations on offer. As well as my flight to Houston there was also Chicago, New York City, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Honolulu.
Once again the upgrade Gods were in my favour and clutching my much-coveted boarding pass I headed off to the gate with two colleagues that I had bumped into. Between us, we were covering Business Premier, Premium Economy and Economy Skycouch so it was going to be great to compare notes across the options.
Onboard NZ28
NZ28 to Houston departs Auckland at 7.40pm NZ time which I think is just perfect for a long-haul flight. Dinner and a movie and then goodnight. Once again the food, beverage and entertainment options were ample and yes, I ate a three-course meal again. Once they have finalised the dinner service, the flight attendants were on hand to help you convert your comfy seat into a full lie-flat bed with mattress cover and duvet. The thing I really like about this design is that the chair flips over on itself and you lie on a different, purpose-built mattress surface. It is so comfortable and I slept like a log.
I eventually moseyed on over to Premium Economy and Economy to get a review. I am happy to report that both colleagues were sound asleep and looking very comfortable. Once we disembarked from the flight, we debriefed. Everyone expressed their delight with the seat options, level of service, and food and beverage. A big tick in all classes.
On arrival
The flight arrives in at 4.25pm and getting through customs in Houston was really quick and easy. I was at my car hire desk in less than an hour of disembarking, luggage safely in hand. I really liked arriving in the late afternoon. This meant I could still go out and enjoy the evening and not want to be in bed by 7pm. It meant I slept well that night and it really helps with the jet-lag.
All 3 services (Business Premier/ Premium Economy and Economy Skycouch) are available on the 777-300 long haul flights.
The luggage allowance is a very generous 2 x 23 kg for flights to the USA (excluding New York). I was very pleased as I was carrying my weight in Tim Tams to distribute at a trade show!
The writer travelled as a guest of Air New Zealand.
All images courtesy of Air New Zealand.
