Air New Zealand Air Points - Lhr - Hkg - Akl

Not sure if I'm putting this in the right section so sorry if its wrong!!

We are travelling LHR-HKG-AKL on 21:05 flight. Could anybody tell me how soon into the flight they start to serve the 1st meal and also how soon after that they dim the cabin lights.

Thanks for your help.

Welcome to Flyertalk thehails :)

Are you in economy, premium economy or business? In economy the first meal service out of LHR starts about an hour or so into the flight (from the front of the cabin). Lights down an hour later? In business the meal service takes much longer, ditto for premium economy. Of course you can always skip a meal to sleep sooner.

Hi Kiwi Flyer thanks for the welcome and the quick response to my question. We are in economy.

We have two small children and it our first long haul flight so had a few questions about how everything works & what to expect.

If travelling all the way through to NZ it is probably best not to get too much sleep in the first flight (kids probably be excited anyway). If you can get some sleep in each flight (in total enough for 1 night) then will be easier dealing with jetlag on arrival.

Hi Kiwi Flyer thanks for the welcome and the quick response to my question. We are in economy.

We have two small children and it our first long haul flight so had a few questions about how everything works & what to expect.

How small / young are the children, if you have a baby, you have a shot at the bulkhead row, which has a bassinet / cot on the wall, may offer a little more leg room, and has the bonus of being first for a meal service, the front of the Y cabin is otherwise reserved for Elites, i.e. *G and S etc.

tht

p.s As per Kiwi Flyer, welcome to FT. :-)

Hi tht

Children are 8 and 5 so wont be needing cots etc. Both of them are used to travelling throughout Europe, and having to sit in a confined enviroment for long lengths of time but they have never done a long haul flight before.

I think they will be very excited so I guess I'll just have to wait and see if and when they will sleep!!

Thanks to both of you for your answers.

Hi tht

Children are 8 and 5 so wont be needing cots etc. Both of them are used to travelling throughout Europe, and having to sit in a confined enviroment for long lengths of time but they have never done a long haul flight before.

I think they will be very excited so I guess I'll just have to wait and see if and when they will sleep!!

Thanks to both of you for your answers.

The IFE on NZ (although a little slow to respond) will be great for them, and keep them happy for hours on end, you have movies, TV, games and music to choose from, and all on demand. Also NZ is a great place to visit, I came a few years ago and have not left since (well, apart from regular RTW trips to visit friends and family in the UK).

Also have you called to request seats yet, it may be worth doing to make sure you can all be seated together.

tht

The IFE on NZ (although a little slow to respond) will be great for them, and keep them happy for hours on end, you have movies, TV, games and music to choose from, and all on demand. Also NZ is a great place to visit, I came a few years ago and have not left since (well, apart from regular TRW trips to visit friends and family in the UK).

Also have you called to request seats yet, it may be worth doing to make sure you can all be seated together.

tht

We are very excited about going to NZ. Our friends moved to Wellington last August and just love it there.

We have requested seats. Requested 2 & 2 so both children can have window seats. The IFE sounds as if it should keep them both very happy.

This is a great site, everybody has been so helpful, it was recommended to me by somebody on the Tripadvisor site.

We are very excited about going to NZ. Our friends moved to Wellington last August and just love it there.

We have requested seats. Requested 2 & 2 so both children can have window seats. The IFE sounds as if it should keep them both very happy.

This is a great site, everybody has been so helpful, it was recommended to me by somebody on the Tripadvisor site.

While 2+2 may sound good in theory, you may want to consider the following.

2+2 = 2 windows, but also means that you will have 2 middle seats, and will not be in control of the 2 isle seats, in theory you could have 2 "sleepers" in the isle seats, i.e. you will have to disturb and wake them every time the kids want to go to the loo etc. It also means neither of you will get a rest. While a window is great (I took a few pictures of the Mountains between LHR-HKG) alot of flights they will ask you to put you window shades down in any case to allow PAX to sleep.

I would recommend the following, Get a 3 with a window, and the adjoining isle seat on the middle row. This would only give you one window seat (for the kids to share) but would mean that you control the whole row fro toilet breaks (meaning no need to disturb others) and mean that both you and your wife get a isle seat (which has most room). Another bonus is that while 1 of you will have both kids, the other will have a seat across the isle (you could take it in turns to "be on duty" and "have a rest / sleep".

Just my 2 cents worth but in summary:

Disadvantages are:

- Only 1 window seat. :td:

Advantages are:

- No disturbing other PAX. ^
- Only 1 middle seat (and none for you and your wife) ^
- One seat just that little bit further from the excited kids, allowing you to take it in turns to get some sleep. ^ ;)

How long is your trip and where are you planning to see?

tht

While 2+2 may sound good in theory, you may want to consider the following.

2+2 = 2 windows, but also means that you will have 2 middle seats, and will not be in control of the 2 isle seats, in theory you could have 2 "sleepers" in the isle seats, i.e. you will have to disturb and wake them every time the kids want to go to the loo etc. It also means neither of you will get a rest. While a window is great (I took a few pictures of the Mountains between LHR-HKG) alot of flights they will ask you to put you window shades down in any case to allow PAX to sleep.

I would recommend the following, Get a 3 with a window, and the adjoining isle seat on the middle row. This would only give you one window seat (for the kids to share) but would mean that you control the whole row fro toilet breaks (meaning no need to disturb others) and mean that both you and your wife get a isle seat (which has most room). Another bonus is that while 1 of you will have both kids, the other will have a seat across the isle (you could take it in turns to "be on duty" and "have a rest / sleep".

Just my 2 cents worth but in summary:

Disadvantages are:

- Only 1 window seat. :td:

Advantages are:

- No disturbing other PAX. ^
- Only 1 middle seat (and none for you and your wife) ^
- One seat just that little bit further from the excited kids, allowing you to take it in turns to get some sleep. ^ ;)

How long is your trip and where are you planning to see?

tht

Thanks for the above suggestion, hadn't considered doing it that way, will look into the possibility of changing the requested seats.

We are going for a month. Spliting the time between North Island, visiting friends in Wellington then South Island, then Hong Kong for 3 days on way home. Few things hoping to do are : Tranzcoastal & Tranzalpine train journeys, Jet Boat ride, Doubtful sounds crusie, Maori village tour when at Rotorua, 2 days Sea Kayaking & hiking on Queen Charlotte Track (boys time). There is so much to see just cant fit in all we want to do, so it means we will have to come back again ^ Any suggestions of things not to miss this time?

Thanks for the above suggestion, hadn't considered doing it that way, will look into the possibility of changing the requested seats.

We are going for a month. Splitting the time between North Island, visiting friends in Wellington then South Island, then Hong Kong for 3 days on way home. Few things hoping to do are : Tranzcoastal & Tranzalpine train journeys, Jet Boat ride, Doubtful sounds crusie, Maori village tour when at Rotorua, 2 days Sea Kayaking & hiking on Queen Charlotte Track (boys time). There is so much to see just cant fit in all we want to do, so it means we will have to come back again ^ Any suggestions of things not to miss this time?

I really enjoy the Bay of Islands, not made it that far yet but really want to get up to 90 mile beach at the top of the North Island.

Same old story but you never really enjoy what in your back yard, since moving here most of my travel has been overseas and not within NZ, in just over 2 years here I have only made it to the South Island for a 1 week tours of QT, Milford Sound and area.

Meanwhile I have been to Australia 3 or 4 times, Japan, Rarotonga, 4 trips to London and a couple to New York. Having said that I have Kiwi friends who have been to neither Wellington or the South Island.

tht