I decided to split my time in New Zealand between the South and North Island. I enjoyed my time in Christchurch, though three nights were more than enough. Luckily, I had the chance to experience the countryside, which was amazing!
I bought a ticket on Air New Zealand from Christchurch to Auckland. The fare was relatively cheap — it cost me 83 NZD, roughly around 55 USD. It was a “basic economy” fare, but with my Star Alliance Gold status, I was entitled to an additional cabin bag and reserved seat in advance. What even better was the flight was operated by a Boeing Dreamliner. Since they didn’t sell business class seats, I was able to snag a premium economy seat for free, and those who are willing to pay extra get to select a business class seat.
In this series:
- Introduction: New Year 2020 In The South Pacific
- Turkish Airlines Business Class 777-300ER Los Angeles to Istanbul
- Turkish Airlines Business Class 777-300ER Istanbul to Manila
- Malaysia Airlines Business Class 737-800 Manila to Singapore via Kuala Lumpur
- Malaysia Airlines Golden Lounge Satellite Terminal – Kuala Lumpur Airport (KUL)
- Jewel Changi Airport
- Qantas International First Lounge – Singapore Changi (SIN)
- Qantas First Class A380 Singapore to Melbourne
- Qantas International First Lounge – Melbourne (MEL)
- Qantas Business Class 737-800 Melbourne to Christchurch
- Doubletree Chateau on the Park – Christchurch, New Zealand
- Christchurch Botanic Gardens and Tour Around the City
- Getting Lost in the Countryside: Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park
- Air New Zealand Domestic Lounge – Christchurch (CHC)
- Air New Zealand (Premium) Economy 787-9 Christchurch to Auckland
- My First Impression of Auckland, New Zealand
- Adina Apartment Hotel Auckland Britomart, New Zealand
- The North Island Must Do: Hobbiton and Rotorua
- Fiji Airways Business Class A350-900XWB Auckland to Nadi
- Hilton Fiji Beach Resort and Spa – Nadi, Fiji
- Fiji Airways Premier Lounge – Nadi (NAN)
- Fiji Airways Business Class A330-200 Nadi to Singapore
- Malaysia Airlines Business Class 737-800 Singapore to Kuala Lumpur
- Malindo Air Business Class 737-900 Kuala Lumpur to Kathmandu
- Shopping Spree in Thamel – Kathmandu, Nepal
- Cathay Dragon Business Class A330-300 Kathmandu to Hong Kong
- 16-Hour Delay on my American Airlines, with a Happy Ending
- Cathay Pacific First Class 777-300ER Hong Kong to Los Angeles
- Fin: Final Flights and My Closure with American Airlines – It was Good While It Lasted
As I mentioned in my previous post, the check-in agent wasn’t particularly friendly and knowledgeable about elite benefits. She persisted that I wouldn’t be allowed to bring two cabin bags without paying for a checked bag. Sometimes it puzzles me when a customer knows more about the airline policy than the airline staff themselves. She finally just shrugged her shoulders and stopped arguing.
Air New Zealand Premium Check-In
After visiting the impressive Air New Zealand Domestic Lounge, I headed downstairs and walked to the gate. Though boarded had not started so I had to wait for a couple more minutes.
Air New Zealand Flight NZ594 Boarding Gate
Flight Number: NZ594
Route: Christchurch (CHC) – Auckland (AKL)
Schedule: 11:30 – 12:55
Duration: 1h 25m
Aircraft Type: Boeing 787-9
Cabin: (Premium) Economy
Seat: 25A
Date: January 01, 2020
Moments later, boarding started. We boarded the aircraft through door 2L and were greeted by a friendly flight attendant.
Air New Zealand Flight NZ594 Boarding Through Door 2L
Waiting at my seat was a plush pillow, which was impressive, considering it was a relatively short domestic flight.
Air New Zealand 787-9 (Premium) Economy Cabin
Air New Zealand premium economy cabin has the typical 2-4-2 configuration with a decent seat recline and footrest.
Air New Zealand 787-9 (Premium) Economy Seats
Air New Zealand 787-9 (Premium) Economy Seats
Once boarding completed, the main door closed. We pushed back, taxied to the runway and started rolling down the runway in no time.
I wasn’t sure if its the weather or just the window, but when I looked outside, it seemed pretty hazy.
View After Take-Off
On this short flight, there wasn’t any meal service, except a cookie and water — there wasn’t even an option for sodas, tea or coffee.
Air New Zealand 787-9 (Premium) Economy Cookie and Water
The flight was pretty uneventful. Though for some reason, we cruised at a very high altitude — 41,000 feet!
Air New Zealand Flight NZ594 Cruising Altitude
Air New Zealand Flight NZ594 Flight Radar
Also, please note that Wi-Fi on this flight was free.
Air New Zealand 787-9 (Premium) Economy Free Wi-Fi
While still in the air, I also checked out the lavatory, which was pretty standard.
Air New Zealand 787-9 (Premium) Economy Lavatory
On the descent, I looked out of my window and noticed what appeared to Mount Taranaki — very cool!
View of Mount Taranaki
View of Mount Taranaki
We touched down 7 minutes ahead of schedule and parked at a remote stand. What I really love about parking at a remote stand is that you get to deplane using stairs — you get a close-up view of the plane! I guess that just my inner aviation geek. 😉
Arrival at Remote Stand
Arrival at Remote Stand
We then got on the bus and headed to the terminal.
Tarmac View in Auckland (AKL)
Tarmac View in Auckland (AKL)
Tarmac View in Auckland (AKL)
Tarmac View in Auckland (AKL)
Once you exited a small baggage claim, there was a kiosk where you can get a bus ticket to the city. I would highly recommend taking the SkyBus because it was pretty easy and straightforward. It only cost 35 NZD for round-trip fare, which took about 45 minutes to get to Auckland city center.
SkyBus to Auckland City
SkyBus to Auckland City
Conclusion
Air New Zealand domestic flight was a limited-service product, meaning it takes you where you need to be without providing full service. I think it was still an excellent option considering the fare wasn’t that expensive, and I still had access to the domestic lounge in Christchurch. The service was good, but nothing to brag about. All in all, it was a nice flight. I would fly with them again over the low-cost competitors.
For the record, the check in lady was correct. You were not entitled to an additional bag as your ticket was seat only. Keyword for this benefit is ‘additional’.
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I think services outside the US are generally and unsurprisingly good. And I also had similar experience on QF from MEL to CHC 🙂
https://firstofly.com/2020/02/25/qantas-business-class-737-800-melbourne-to-christchurch/
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I had a very pleasant experience upfront on an A320(?) SYD/AKL/SYD several years back.
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