April 11, 2017
Air New Zealand Nadi to Auckland 200p – 505p Boeing 777-300 Business Class

When I was dropped off at Nadi International Airport, I couldn’t help but flash back to the last time I flew out of here. It was 1988 and I was booked in Economy Class aboard an Air Pacific 747 bound for Auckland. The line at check-in was like something out of a Stephen King movie. Worse, local Fijians were actively encouraging friends and acquaintances to cut into line. The counter staff did nothing to dissuade this activity. Then the computers went down. I vowed never to fly Air Pacific again, which I did not though it was not particularly difficult to follow through on since I live in Alaska and hadn’t been back to Fiji until now.

In the 29 years since, Air Pacific has become Fiji Airways and – given the changing nature and expectations of modern day air travel – has had to improve its overall product. How much improvement remains to be seen but as I mentioned earlier, I would be willing to risk a one way Business Class award for a seat aboard Air Pacific’s 7:30pm departure between Nadi and Honolulu. I have a real weakness for sunset departures around the Pacific islands and I can already see myself comfortably reclined in Seat 2A, gazing out on a beautiful Pacific evening while sipping a tasty tropical cocktail and munching macadamia nuts... What’s that? Some canapés with my drink? Yes, please!

Hey! Wake up! It’s time to check in!

Oh, right! Stepping into the now air-conditioned International Departures terminal, I made my way over to the Air New Zealand counters. Thankfully, my circumstances are markedly different from my last experience here 29 years ago. Today I’m flying in Business Premier aboard Air New Zealand. There was only one person ahead of me at the Business Class counter and they were just finishing up.

Ten minutes later I was through security and immigration and on my way to Air New Zealand’s Business Class lounge. An elevator took me down one level from the central gate lounge and opened into a sparse utilitarian hallway. To my left was what appeared to be storage and custodial rooms while to my right was a sign indicating the lounges were down the hall. Rather an inauspicious entrance if I do say so.

Right next door to Air New Zealand’s lounge was Fiji Airways’ Tabua Club Lounge. A sign indicated it was a temporary facility. Another sign indicated that the lounge was accessible to Priority Pass cardholders. Hmm… it was only 11:45am. With a 2:00pm departure, I had more than enough time to visit both lounges. Why not start with the Tabua Club?

A receptionist welcomed me into a medium sized room crowded with standard lounge chairs arranged in four long rows. Along a side wall were groups of four chairs. A few low tables and plants broke up the monotony. Toward the rear of the lounge was the food and beverage area. By U.S. airline lounge standards, I thought it was reasonably well stocked with a nice selection of sandwiches, wraps, mini-quiches and a salad station. A good looking display refrigerator held a variety of bottled waters, juices and beers. Unfortunately, the bottles weren’t cold to the touch, suggesting that they’d been loaded into the refrigerator on an hour or so earlier. To the left of the fridge was a collection of spirits including Jack Daniels. I was tempted, but having just polished off an entire liter over the preceding seven days, I instead grabbed a cup of coffee and a mini-quiche.



Fiji Airways’ Temporary Tabua Club Lounge


Tabua Club food offerings


As one who thrives on natural light, I found the Tabua Club and its sterile overhead lighting to be a bit gloomy. I spent the next fifteen minutes perusing that morning’s Fiji Sun newspaper before deciding it was time to relocate to Air New Zealand’s lounge where hopefully the ambiance might be a bit more cheerful.

And so it was, but not by much. Again, there were no windows but the overall facility was indeed brighter and more varied with more intimate seating areas, a much larger food and beverage area, three different “rooms” including a dedicated “Quiet Area” and its opposite - a children’s play area.



Air New Zealand’s Business Class Lounge at Nadi


Air New Zealand’s Business Class Lounge food offerings


Air New Zealand’s Business Class Lounge food offerings


Boarding was called at 1:30pm – only a half hour before departure. It was a beautiful sunny day and our 777-200 positively gleamed in the hot mid-day sun. I paused to take a couple of photographs before boarding the aircraft.



Air New Zealand’s 777-200 at Nadi


The iconic Koru – flying over Oceania since 1973


At my seat, I kicked off my shoes and gratefully accepted a nicely chilled Mimosa from the flight attendant. Menus had already been placed at each seat so as I savored the ice cold effervescence of the Mimosa, I opened the menu to consider my meal options on the two hour and fifty minute flight down to Auckland.



Mimosa welcome on Air New Zealand



LUNCHEON
Nadi to Auckland

TO BEGIN

Seared Venison with Kumara Salad
Pickled red onion and hickory mayonnaise
~or~
Salmon Gravlax with Cucumber and Quinoa Salad
Horseradish and crème fraiche dressing

From The Bakery
Rosemary sourdough loaf, black and white sesame seed loaf, garlic bread and rye rolls


MAIN COURSES

Chinese Style Black Vinegar Prawns
With spicy bamboo shoots, pak choy rice, broccolini and black mushrooms

Slow Roasted Pork Belly
With caramelized red cabbage, mustard seed mash, sage and onion relish with apple cider jus

Sweet Paprika Chicken Salad
With toasted corn, kumara, cos lettuce and avocado chipotle mayonnaise


TO FINISH

Gourmet Affagato Ice Cream
Topped with chocolate sauce and chocolate crumbs

Kaffir Lime and Coconut Panna Cotta
Served with mango and gogi berry and macadamia praline

Fine New Zealand Cheese
served with quince paste and cracker selection



Our take off roll was a mere 29 seconds and as we climbed away from Fiji I couldn’t help but reflect on what a pleasant and relaxing week I’d just had. Though I doubt my next trip down here will be quite as convoluted and exciting a routing as this one has been, I’m sure I’ll find a way to make it comfortable and entertaining. I am already considering a return via Australia later this fall. We’ll see…

A glass of crisp Chardonnay started off the meal service. My flight attendant Fiona informed me that the venison appetizer had been replaced with Lemon Olive Oil Marinated Prawns. This sounded just fine to me as I had already tried the salmon on my flight from Sydney to Auckland. In fact, the entire menu was exactly the same as that SYD-AKL flight. No problem there, however. I remember thinking that if I hadn’t ordered the pork belly dish on that flight, I would like to have tried the Chinese Style Black Vinegar Prawns. Now was my chance.



Chardonnay and Almonds
A great start to any flight


Lemon Olive Oil Marinated Prawns


Chinese Style Black Vinegar Prawns


Everything was delicious! The prawns were plump and juicy, made all that more delectable with the addition of the saffron mayonnaise. I could have easily enjoyed three or four more dishes of just those prawns for lunch. I made due however with the black vinegar prawns which were served in an appetizing sauce that didn’t taste very vinegary but was plenty flavorful. Fiona was nicely attentive throughout the meal, making multiple passes with the bread basket while seeing that my wine glass was well topped off. Unfortunately I never did get the name of that wine but having recently read that New Zealand wines now outsell Australian wines in the U.S. – who knows? – maybe I’ll stumble across it again someday.

Now then – how about dessert? Sigh… Oh, all right. I’ll try out a dish of that Affagato Ice Cream – with all the toppings, please. And yes, I think I will have a bit of cheese – if only for another glass of that tasty port.



Gourmet Affagato Ice Cream topped with chocolate sauce and chocolate crumbs


Fine New Zealand Cheese and Port


As with my previous flight up to Nadi, I asked the flight attendants if I might relocate back to Premium Economy for the remainder of the flight down to Auckland. There were plenty of open seats back there and those seats were really comfortable. Additionally, the seat pitch was a generous 40”. Not only that, but I later discovered that the meal service in Premium Economy is essentially the same as it is in Business Premier with the main difference being that there is only one appetizer offered and one less main meal selection. Honestly, for a day time flight regardless of length, this cabin is the way to go!

Unfortunately, Auckland was still ensconced in various shades of grey storm clouds. Rain pelted the aircraft was we descended over Manukau Heads and Big Bay enroute to an early arrival at Auckland International. Thankfully we parked this time at a terminal gate – right next door in fact to the gate where my Air China 787-9 was also just arriving.



Air China’s 787-9 at the gate in Auckland


As I made my way off the aircraft, I thanked the crew and particularly Fiona for a job well done. Although Air New Zealand no longer offers a First Class product onboard its aircraft, in every other regard its operation is totally First Class. I definitely look forward to flying with the koru many more times.

Well done, Air New Zealand!