CHRISTCHURCH to QUEENSTOWN (CHC-ZQN) on NZ ATR 72-500

I have enough time for lunch in the lounge and catch up on emails etc.

There is a delay after boarding as Qantas cancelled their flight and moved passengers across. Once the paperwork is sorted we taxi off a little late. The first part of the flight is bumpy so there is a small delay before the drinks service starts.

Another little difference between NZ and QF is that on this shortish flight, NZ offers tea, coffee and water (and biscuit if not on a 737). While QF offers water and biscuit but claims the flight is too short to offer tea and coffee. Somehow, nearly a decade ago (is it really that long), NZ and Ansett offered full meals and free flowing bar on flights of this length.

I forgot to mention for the flight up from Dunedin that lollies are handed out on descent. Same for this flight.

While we get views of the Canterbury Plains and the lake country, the Southern Alps are hidden in cloud. The flightpath taken on descent through the mountains into Queenstown is straighter than normal (at least on all the 737 flights I have taken) and thus also much steeper. It really feels we are being flown down into a hole. Whereas the more usual flightpath zig-zags around or even circles around the basin like water going down the drain.