April 5, 2017
Air New Zealand Auckland to Nadi 945a – 1245p Boeing 777-200 Business Premier Class
I generally like to employ public transit or inexpensive communal transport whenever feasible because the savings over taking a taxi are considerable and - on a long trip like this – it really pays to watch my budget. In Auckland a company called SkyBus provides transport between the city center and the airport for about $17.00 NZD. I remember when they used to do door-to-door service but alas, no more. Their drop off/pick-up point was about a ten block walk from my hotel. Due to the heavy rain last night, I took a taxi from there to the hotel. The idea of doing so again at 6:30 this morning and then waiting in the wind and rain for the bus held little appeal to me. The front desk clerk volunteered that he could get me a flat rate taxi to the airport for $45.00 NZD, allowing me to sleep in and depart the hotel an hour later. Book it, Danno! Sometimes convenience is worth the extra expense.
Air New Zealand has a special check in zone for its Business Premier passengers. It’s not a counter but rather a comfortable room staffed by a bevy of helpful ladies - one of whom greeted me warmly, processed my reservation and had me on my way through to security and immigration quickly and efficiently.
On my way to Air New Zealand’s lounge, I stopped by one of the many duty free stores to check out the price on a bottle of Jack Daniels. Oh My God! I can get this bottle for about $15.00 USD cheaper back home in Alaska! Okay, so we’re talking 1 liter versus 750 ml. but still… I held on to my wallet and decided to take my chances on a better price in Fiji.
As one would expect from an airline of Air New Zealand’s caliber, its International Business Class lounge at its home base in Auckland is very nice indeed for all the usual reasons – comfy seating, good selection of foods, a bar, showers, etc. I hadn’t had anything to eat yet, so I was thankful for the well-stocked breakfast buffet that included an impressive array of continental breakfast items as well as a hot buffet featuring scrambled eggs, sausage, beans and a couple other items I can’t recall at the moment, possibly because I limited myself to some fruit, muesli and a Danish in anticipation of the full luncheon service to be offered on the flight to Fiji.
Comfy seating in Air New Zealand’s Business Class lounge at Auckland
Food service area with buffet islands
Fruit & Muesli station
A nicely stocked but not very busy bar at 9:00am
Leaving the lounge a bit earlier than usual, I arrived at the gate with plenty of time to check out and admire the airplane doing the honors for our 1,340 mile flight north to Fiji this morning. Meet
ZK-OKB, an eleven and a half year old 777-219ER that looked very nice in the blue and white livery it had worn since its delivery to Air New Zealand back in August of 2005.
Air New Zealand’s 777-219ER
Back in 2013 Air New Zealand unveiled a new black and white livery. The rear fuselage and tail are painted black with a large stylized fern leaf sweeping up from behind the wings. The famous koru logo, introduced in 1973, remains on the tail. The connection with the country’s famous “All Blacks” national rugby team is obvious and indeed, ANZ has in fact painted two aircraft in an “All Black" livery as a tribute to the team.
Air New Zealand’s new livery on a 787-9
While the current black and white livery is indeed eye-catching, I cannot say I am a fan of it. Just my personal tastes here, but when I think of colors that represent New Zealand the country as a whole; blue, green and white come to mind. White for Aotearoa, the Maori name for New Zealand which translates to Land of the long white cloud. Blue for the Pacific Ocean that surrounds this island nation, and green for the country’s lush green rainforests that are home to the country’s iconic fern leaf logo. My favorite livery was the 1973 version that was introduced with the arrival of the DC-10s. Perhaps someday Air New Zealand might see fit to paint a retro-jet.
Onboard the 777, I settled in at seat 3A while sipping orange juice and perusing a copy of that morning’s New Zealand Herald. Though the Business Class seating configuration appears identical to that on the 787, for some reason this seat feels just a wee bit more spacious.
Seating aboard Air New Zealand’s 777-219ER
Following a short taxi out to Runway 5R, the captain put the coals to his pair of Rolls Royce Trent 892s and off we went, soaring into the mostly cloudy grey skies above Auckland, bound for the warm blue skies above Fiji.
Turning onto AKL’s Runway 05R
Two older gentlemen handled the service in the forward cabin this morning, and both could not have provided a more efficient and gracious service. Larry handled the duties on my side of the cabin and got things started with a delicious Bloody Mary. As for my luncheon order, let’s have a look at today’s menu:
LUNCHEON
Auckland to Nadi
TO BEGIN
Lemon Olive Oil Marinated Prawns
Presented with escabeche vegetable salad and saffron mayonnaise
~or~
Five Spiced Chicken with Yoghurt and Mango Dressing
Toasted coconut, grilled pineapple and radicchio salad
From The Bakery
Rosemary sourdough loaf, black and white sesame seed loaf, garlic bread and rye rolls
MAIN COURSES
Prosciutto Wrapped Chicken Thigh
With parmesan polenta, roasted pumpkin and steamed spinach with salsa rossa
Slow Cooked Beef Cheek in Stout
With potato and cream gratin, honey rosemary carrots and gherkin Dijon mustard mash
Hot Smoked Salmon Salad
With cos, edamame, green peas and nam prik num dressing
I started with a plate of Five Spiced Chicken with Yoghurt and Mango Dressing. This dish tasted every bit as good as it looked, especially with the addition of a couple pieces of warmed garlic bread and a glass of New Zealand Chardonnay.
Five Spiced Chicken with Yoghurt and Mango Dressing
Next up came the main course of Prosciutto Wrapped Chicken Thigh. Talk about a good looking presentation - check this dish out!
Five Spiced Chicken with Yoghurt and Mango Dressing
As you might expect, this chicken was delicious! Moist, tender, flavorful – all of the catch words typically used to describe a well cooked meal could be checked off here. Nicely done, Air New Zealand!
Dessert? Why not? Larry took a moment to describe the two choices, but here’s how they were presented per the menu:
TO FINISH
Gourmet dessert of fig and honey ice cream
With wild berry and pistachio meringue
Callebaut white chocolate mousse cake
With dark cherry and vanilla compote
Fine New Zealand cheese
Served with quince paste and cracker selection
We’d never see these kinds of choices on a three hour flight in the U.S. Last month I flew First Class between Chicago and Seattle aboard a well-regarded U.S. airline and we received no appetizer, no choice of main course and only a pre-wrapped lemon brownie for dessert. That flight was about 400 miles longer and one hour longer than this one.
Of course I’m dating myself here when I say I grew up in an era where the quality of the meal was once commensurate to the length of the flight – especially in First Class. Now that approximately 65% of all passengers sitting in First Class on domestic U.S. flights are there due to inexpensive or complimentary upgrades, the meal quality – or lack thereof – is reflective of the drop in income once generated in the First Class cabin. Most of us quite literally are getting what we paid for. Loyalty has nothing to do with it. Those who pay full fare on U.S. airlines just have to suffer the consequences of this new reality.
I get the sense that most flyers in the U.S. market don’t really care one way or the other about airline food anymore. Certainly, that might not be true for those of you at a site like FlyerTalk who take the time to look at or read these trip reports of which food pictures and/or descriptions have always been a major component. Amongst American flyers as a whole however, surveys would seem to indicate that inflight meal service rates pretty low. Mostly we’re happy taking our free or reduced rate upgrades at the expense of a nicer meal service. Quite possibly so would flyers down in this part of the world if they had that choice. As it is, unless you’re on an award ticket, complimentary upgrades to Business Class are few and far between down here.
Larry waited patiently while I considered the options… I had the fancy dessert yesterday, so let’s keep it simple and go with the ice cream today. The potentially smaller size of this dessert might also allow me to check out the cheese plate afterwards. Which I did along with a cup of coffee and Baileys. Deeeee – licious!
Fig and honey ice cream
Fine New Zealand cheese
Served with quince paste and cracker selection
After the last detritus of the meal had been cleared away, I took a stroll back to the lav located behind the Business Premier cabin. These lavs are shared with the folks in the Premium Economy cabin, which on this flight was only about 25% occupied. Like the 787, the seating configuration was 2-3-2 and – unlike the herringbone arrangement that faced away from the windows in Business Premier, here one could enjoy a comfortable seat right alongside a window. As such, I took a moment to sit down in an empty seat and check out the view.
The first thing I noticed was that this seat was every bit as comfortable – if not more comfortable – than my suite up in Business Premier. True, it doesn’t go flat but for a three hour day time flight such as this little run up to Fiji, I think it’s the superior accommodation. It definitely offers a better view. The Pacific’s a big vast body of water and to look out over it on a warm autumn afternoon was a very calming and indeed pacific moment.
Afternoon delight over the Pacific
I so enjoyed the view and the moment that I asked the flight attendants if they’d mind if I relocated to one of the many empty window seats for the remainder of the flight. They seemed a bit taken aback at first but when I explained the logic behind my request particularly with regard to enjoying the view, they all concurred and couldn’t have been more helpful in asking if I’d like to relocate any of my personal carry-on items as well. Not necessary, I replied. I’m in no hurry once we get to Nadi. I’ll just head back up front to retrieve them after we land.
Touchdown at Nadi International was nice and smooth. As we taxied into the gate I took particular notice of a 737-800 wearing the good looking livery of Fiji Airways. That’s an airplane I’d like to fly aboard someday – in Business Class aboard the early evening departure between Nadi and Honolulu. Stay tuned for that in a future trip report…
As for Fiji, it was great to be back! After clearing customs, I stopped by the duty free store where a liter of Jack Daniels was priced at just $28.00 USD. Yes, Sir! I’ll take one to go! Making my way over to the International check-in area, I shelled out $14.00 USD for a bus ticket for the 140 mile ride to Pacific Harbour. I’d be spending the next six days there at the Uprising Beach Resort.