Well, I've just finished my first four flights so I thought I would share some observations, which are almost entirely positive, save for two big negatives! I flew (all in Y):
SYD-CHC (A320)
ZQN-CHC-WLG (B733)
AKL-SYD (B772)
SYD-CHC
Great set-up on the A320 - lovely leather seats, definitely the most comfortable economy seats I've ever experienced by far. Overhead IFE only, showing a film. Food OK. Check-in easy peasy.
Internal flights
Virtually no service (small tub of water) but that was OK as only 30 min flights. Took off from ZQN and the captain powered down after take off to let us get a little longer last look at Queenstown ^ . CHC-WLG was quite turbulent.
AKL-SYD
Now here comes the big negative and the big positive. Premium check-in was a mess. 45 mins I waited at AKL, simply unacceptable. It would have been quicker (only just) to check-in at economy. I gave the woman a piece of my mind, but it wasn't her fault and all of the desks were open. It's just that there's not enough of them and it takes longer than at a normal/sensible airport where passengers don't have to pay the farcical $25 fee nonsense.
Now on to the Boeing 777. Wow. NZ have done a seriously good job here - and this is now one of the best cabins in the sky in all classes I would say. The seat was comfortable (bulkhead 31C has loads of leg room as the wall is only in front of A and B seats). The IFE was amazing - the best system I've ever used by far. The choice was great and the screen size and clarity was the best I've ever experienced. Food was good again and the fold out tables were very well designed. Overall a very comfortable journey that flew by thanks to the IFE. The cabin crew was one of the friendliest I've come across, stopping to chat to all the passengers as well. ^
Anyway, that's it, just thought I'd let you know. The other big negative of course is the fact that for a GBP200 ticket (SYD-CHC/AKL-SYD) I got no miles whatsoever (G class)
. Anyway would gladly use NZ again in the future, although I think it unlikely because there is no way I'm going via LAX to get to NZ (although I would gladly use them if I flew to LAX from LHR) and I probably won't retain *G this year, so the QF option, even with their grim 767's and crappy food would appeal more trans-Tasman.
But overall a big ^ to Air NZ, they were much better than I had anticipated.