Part 4 – AKL to NRT – (Air NZ NZ99 – Business Class)
Did a quick tour of the lounge to get details for this report, then about 8:10, picked up my bags to head for the plane. Just as I was heading out, they made a call saying that there was a problem with the plane “Engineering Requirements” and we now had a new departure time of 10am (instead of the scheduled 8:30am). So much for all the stress of making the plane in time.
So here is now a detailed description of the Air New Zealand lounge in Auckland.
There is a separate First Class area that only First Class Passengers can get into. It is very much a mini version of the main lounge. Apart from the reduced number of people in there, there is no real reason to use it.
In the main lounge there are 2 x Internet terminals – that were both being used every time I looked. 4 x Work desks that are very private and 4 x phone booths. Lots of showers and the toilet are was very clean. No wireless Internet in lounge, but it was available somewhere as my card was picking up and dropping a network constantly.
It is a large lounge, with lots of doors leading to different areas. Just as you think you have seen it all, you go through another open door and there is another set of seating. The lounge has very good views of the tarmac and even down into the shops. Most of the seats in one area were facing the TVs – tuned to the Olympics. You could tell the nationality of the audience, depending on the gold medal that was won and the cheers that came from different areas of the crowd. There is even a separate TV room – but those chairs didn’t look as comfortable.
There were lots of breakfast food available – similar to what was available in Christchurch but this time the bar was open.
And English Muffins which I didn’t see available down south were available. I had come into the lounge to have a can of L&P (if you don’t know what it is, I am not going to explain, but it is only available in NZ and as an expat, nice to have when I can get it. I always have that and Green Onion chips when I go back to NZ.) But as I now had 2 hours to wait, after finishing my L&P I had a small bottle of Lindaur sparkling wine and had Breakfast #2 for the day.
Checking the monitors to see if there was any update on the flight it was listed as closed. I went back to the front desk to question this (and didn’t list the revised departure time) and they said that to ignore the monitors as they are automated.
The lounge started to fill up as a lot of Japanese from the delayed flight arrived. While it wasn’t impossible to find a seat if did become difficult. Shortly after the flight to Singapore was called and this emptied out a lot of people.
One thing that was good to see was the In-Flight Service Director for the Air NZ flight to Hong Kong came around, calling for passengers to say hello. I have seen this happen on other flights, but during my time there, this was the only ISD that I saw. It would have been nice for our ISD to come around and keep us updated.
For those that are interested, the spirits and liquors were added to the bar at around 8:55am. Before that only drinks from the fridge had been available (beer, white & sparkling wine).
At 9:20 we were given an update. Estimated 11am departure with a 10:40 boarding.
At 9:40 announcement was 10:30 leaving with 10am boarding.
At 10:12 we were called for boarding. Doors closed at 10:38 with a 10:54 take off – just over 2 hours behind schedule.
Other flight background – there were 383 passengers (out of 392 seats on the jumbo.) As we got on the plane the captain came on, apologised for the delay and explained the problem in general terms. Didn’t say what part had failed, but just that they replace whole units and have to fully test items. The ISD came around and apologised in person and hopped it didn’t affect our schedules too much. I said it did, which he didn’t answer.
On the flights that operate with the 747 but they don’t offer a first class service, Air NZ seats business class passengers in the front cabin. You can’t select these seats, (according to the other threads) they pick people with status to sit here. The service and food is the same as the rest of the business class passengers (business class amenity kit, napkins all have business class on them), but you have two Flight Attendance for 12 passengers, 2 toilets for the cabin, lots of room to walk around and big seats. I had a look at the passenger list and of the 9 passengers in the cabin (3 free seats). There were
3 x NZ*E (NZ Gold Elite)
1 x NZ*G and Partner (same last name and no status)
1 x NH*G and Partner (same last name and no status)
1 x SK*G
And one hand written name with no status reference. I think she was a friend of the ISD as he looked after her, different from the rest of the passengers.
The welcome champagne was Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin Yellow Label. Again, throughout the flight we were never given wine lists. So I can’t tell you what other wine was available. We were also given our amenity kit and breakfast menu.
Upon pushback we went to the very end of the runway and seemed to use the entire length for a full take off run. When we did take off it seemed to continue very fast. I don’t get to sit in the nose of a Jumbo very often, but it just seemed we were going very very fast, then I lost access to reference points. I fly often, but this take off speed to me seemed faster than normal. No one else was concerned, so I sat back into my seat to enjoy the flight.
Shortly after take off, I needed to go to the toilet and while there, a FA came around and dropped off the arrival documents for Japan. On my way back, I noticed the others had the forms and nothing was left on my seat, so talking to a different FA, asked for a form. She went away, another FA came back and gave me a form. Then the guy in the seat next to me looked confused, as he had a different form from me. I called the original FA back and said that we both had different forms. She started to say that he would be here soon, I explained he had been back while she was in the Galley. We then got it cleared up that we needed both forms sent away for the other FA and soon everyone had all the forms we needed.
I was seated in 1J and must say this and 1B would have to be the worst seats in the first class cabin. Luckily no-one was seated in 1B, otherwise we would have almost been closer than I was to the person in 1K. Due to the curve of the plane, the gap is only just wide enough for the trolley. From my flight in 1st class in March, when seated in 2A, having a window seat isn’t an issue as even when everyone is fully reclined, there is still enough room to get past. So would have to say, best seat in First would have to be along the windows. Other problem with seats in row one is no where to put your shoes. Rows 2 & 3 can put them under the seat in front. Seats 1A & 1K can put them along the window. But as I was 1J, if I had put my shoes along the front wall the FAs would have tripped over them while trying to serve 1K, as they came around and served from the front and not over me.
I have to apologise here as I left the menus on board the plane so won’t be able to give you a full description of the meals. From what I do remember, there was a Japanese option available for both meals.
For my third breakfast of the day, I had the cereal, fruit yogurt, omelette, toast and a hot chocolate. Just after it was served we hit turbulence. It started a few small bumps and the crew joked that we were in the most comfy seats – wouldn’t like to be at the back of the plane. Then the bumps got a little stronger. Actually, this would have made a good ride at a Six Flags amusement park. Before I had any of the drink, about two inches of it had been sloshed over the side into the saucer, tray, omelette – but luckily not me. ISD came on and said – “Cabin crew be seated NOW!” We just had to hold on, as eating was impossible. You could try and get the toast into your mouth, but you were very likely to miss and the jam would have made you look like a clown. (Do you know how silly you look when you bite down thinking food is in your mouth when it is actually by your ear?) And even if you could have got food to stay on your fork, you were more likely to hit your eye than your mouth as a target – as the bump hits at a critical moment. Wouldn't have liked to have been at the back of the plane!
Later, the crew came around and got me a new hot chocolate. The rest of the meal service went okay and I settled down to watch the movies. One thing I do remember from the menu was a nice little comment saying snacks are available at any time during the flight. Half way through the flight, as more people started asking for drinks, they came around offering tea / coffee / sandwiches and cakes. The sandwiches were pre-made club sandwiches cut into strips. Everyone got offered one strip. You can’t choose the type of sandwiches – you have them or you don’t. The cakes were varied (chocolate, tarts etc) and about an inch cubed in size.
About half an hour later, still hungry I asked for some more snacks I was told that we had eaten all available. Hunting through the carts, there was one sandwich option left, or a couple of cakes. We were lucky as they hadn’t loaded any for the other cabins in business class and they had to go around and explain to everyone that no other food was available. Later during the second meal service, a heard a FA come in from the other cabins looking for any left over options as they had run out.
Just before the time that afternoon tea came out, I asked Chrissy the FA looking after us, if there were any of the personal video players that are available for First Class. She said no. When there is no first class service, they strip all first class items off the plane. So instead I asked her for a glass of champagne. They had left the bottle in an ice bucket on the island in first class, but there were no glasses. She picked up the bottle felt it and said, how about I open up a fresh one. Which she did.
When I was given a glass, my new friend in 1J also asked for a glass. A few minutes later, Chrissy came back with the bottle and offered a top up. This kept happening until we said no.
The in-flight entertainment on Air NZ jumbos for first and business is the same. Small screen in-seat videos that run two cycles and keep repeating. Normally in first as said above you can also have personal video players which offer more movie choices.
The movie choices offered were:
Cycle 1
13 going on 30
Hidalgo
Hellboy
Gifted
Love me if you dare (French with English subtitles)
Memento
Laugh Lounge 1 (Comedies)
Main screen movie (same as first 3 selections)
Airshow
Cycle 2
13 going on 30
Hidalgo
Hellboy
The Return
Intermission
Meet the Parents
Showcase (Show of the month)
Airshow
Later in the flight, I was talking to Glen the other FA and he must have noticed that no-one was watching a video. So he told me to pick a movie from the magazine and if they have it, he will play it on channel 9. So I picked The Day After Tomorrow. After it started, he also came around told everyone that it was playing and took a drinks order. So I moved on the B&Cs. Another couple of those and just before the movie finished the second meal service started.
This was a full dinner service – but again, I must apologise as I can’t do justice to the selections as I forgot the menu card.
Starters was – GO-ON GUESS – Shrimp with salad. I flicked the fish and had the salad with a nice dressing which was okay. Had a nice glass of Red Wine. Main course was a steak. It was okay, but not the best steak in the sky – that honour goes to Singapore Airlines. Normal selection of bread / olive oils. Can’t remember what dessert was, but it came with a dessert wine (which I had) that was different from the flight from Melbourne to Christchurch. Without a wine list, I didn’t keep track of what was served. I didn’t have the cheese on offer – but the port was nice.
As the mains came out and the wine was topped up, the bumps started again. I drained my wine glass to make sure nothing was spilled – wouldn’t want red wine spilled on my clothes
. But it was only mild turbulence and dinner service continues.
After dinner was cleared, Chrissy came out and said, the bottle of Champagne needed to be finished would myself and 1J like to try (Bottle is 3/4 full)? As she is holding two glasses in her hand. So under pressure I say okay – but not too fast.
Descent is started, cabin starts getting cleaned up, Chrissy come back and tops up our glasses a couple of times. ISD comes around and says goodbye. Apologies once more for the late arrival. Chrissy comes back and tops up our glasses. Can you see why I forgot the menus?
After landing a couple of hours late, we had made no time up during the flight, we taxi to the satellite of Terminal 2. If felt like we were driving to Tokyo it took so long. You have to take a small train ride from the satellite to the main building for passport control. I was one of the first off the plane, and walked smartly from the train to the line for passport control.
Remember when I said there were 383 passengers on board the plane. Well no more than about 30 of them lined up in the queue for foreigners. The rest all went into the nationals queue. It took about 40 minutes to get through passport control. Bags were going around the carousel. So picked them up, got through customs quickly and headed downstairs for the Narita Express. At this time of night trains were every half an hour and I had 10 minutes to get a ticket and catch the train. I got in line, opened up my wallet, to pull out my corporate Amex and IT WASN’T THERE.
I jumped out of line and did a frantic search looking for it. The last time I could remember using it was in Melbourne on Friday getting a taxi. I hoped and hoped that it had just fallen out of my wallet, so now very worried got back in line to get a ticket and pay with one of the other credit cards that was still in my wallet. Due to the leaving the line, I missed this train and had to wait for the next one.
Needless to say – it wasn’t a happy train ride into Tokyo while wondering what to do about the card and I was 3 weeks from heading home.
Does anyone what to know a description of the Strings Hotel in Shinagawa? It’s not a chain hotel so unless staying in Shinagawa you are not likely to ever come near it. And it prices itself as a business hotel, so unless someone else is paying, you wouldn’t stay there for leisure.