Old IFE software on this aircraft, and not yet functional so no gate-to-gate if you wanted it.


Nearby seat and table release controls.


NZ J amenity kit contents (shot taken after the flight).

The cabin wasn't completely full, but that said there were only a couple of spare seats. Most of the pax in the J cabin appeared to be Chinese, with not many non-Chinese around. Myself, I do have a Chinese background, but seeing as I speak my "mother tongue" extremely ill I consider myself a phoney at the best of times around other Chinese. The cabin crew were also predominantly Chinese, save for the chief purser, who was clearly a New Zealander. I later learned that all of the Chinese cabin crew were recruited from Shanghai.

Pre-flight drinks were being distributed; I opted for the safe choice of an orange juice. No reason to punt a guess on the Champagne, if it even was Champagne, and besides I could use some restraint this morning.


Pre-flight drink of orange juice, served on the cocktail table which is just nearby one's left shoulder (if you are in an A seat).

Boarding was completed, so the front door was closed and the NZ safety video was screened. Or rather, the mishmash of several of NZ's safety videos was screened. Basically, the safety video was a moving collage of cuts between NZ's famed safety videos, including Nothing to Hide, the All Blacks special edition and the edition featuring Richard Simmons (*shudder*). Just as it was this morning, our taxi to the runway took absolute ages, so thankfully there were no other impediments when we were lined up and cleared for take off.


The ugly side of Kia Ora that you don't normally see.

The crew were up and into gear as soon as the seat belt sign turned off, making arrangements for the lunch service. One crew member started going around to each passenger to ask for pre-lunch drinks. NZ have an arrangement to the wines where you don't actually get a list of wines available. You do get a wine guide, which lists all of the wines that NZ may have on a given flight, but in order to obtain today's selection, you need to ask the FA. Fortunately, Sauvignon Blanc, my choice and a common and stable choice in New Zealand, was available. My wine was served with a small appetiser of a few nuts and a few other things on the side.


Pre-lunch wine with appetiser.

The starter of duck breast was delivered soon afterwards, along with a selection of bakery. Despite there being a few greens on the starter course, NZ do not provide a separate side salad. The duck was alright - a little tough and the flavour was quite subtle (perhaps almost taken over by the five spice). The combination with the sweet mango salsa probably didn't help by further masking the delicate duck flavour rather than accentuating it.


Starter of five spice duck with small salad and mango cranberry salsa, along with bakery selection and optional olive oil (no balsamic, though).

I decided to lay off the alcohol and opted to continue drinking with a New Zealand iconic L&P.


A New Zealand iconic soft drink: L&P.

Main course orders were taken in advance rather than being offered on-the-go. Seems like they might have had enough for all to have a first choice, but then again I did sit near the front of the cabin on the A side to beat that game slightly (given I had no status on NZ, the Gold Elites on board should've easily trumped me there). I selected the chicken breast, which sounded the most interesting of the three choices. Can't say much about the presentation, but to be really fair I had just come off a First Class flight. It tasted quite nice, though the butter was a bit of a questionable addition as well as having a very subtle horseradish element.


Main course of thyme roasted chicken breast stuffed with bacon mousseline, served with herb roasted pumpkin, broccoli and horseradish butter.

After main course, in a switch to the previous flights I had been on, the dessert was served first, followed by the cheese course. It was hard to select between the two desserts, but I settled on the pleasant ice cream choice.


Mango and strawberry ice cream with wafer. Elementary selection, perhaps, but it was very nice ice cream.