QUEENSTOWN to AUCKLAND (ZQN-AKL) on NZ 737-300

Despite flying this route several times on Qantas this was the first time with Air NZ. All my Air NZ flights to/from Queenstown have been via Christchurch.

With the late arrival I have only a few minutes to enjoy the lounge (7 beers and 6 wines if you're interested - number of different ones, not my own consumption). A couple of computers, snacks, views, etc.

Since my last visit to Queenstown a month ago the 2 gate lounges have been combined in to one (slightly smaller than the combined sizes when they were separate) and the available seating cut to less than half. As the schedules often have 2 737s and an ATR flight all leaving around the same time, the new gate lounge is woefully inadequate in my view. Another reason to wait as long as possible before going through security.

Speaking of which, Queenstown airport is a bit of an anomaly for domestic airports. For NZ's regulations require jets (or more strictly aircraft over a certain number of seats which happens to coincide with jet/prop split) to have WTMDs and screening while props do not. At most airports either all aircraft are props, or they have separate gates with screening for the prop flights. At Queenstown there are limited number of gates and thus all flights get screened whether needed or not.

With the gate lounges being combined there are now 2 WTMDs available for use. Despite this, and despite having (at least) 6 security staff on duty, only 1 WTMD is being used today. A lot of people standing around doing not a lot

Anyway, with Qantas' flight being cancelled again lots of passengers transferred across and we have a full flight and another small delay for departure.

The sun shines brightly nearby Remarkable Ranges, shimmering silver thanks to the extensive mica and schist rock formations. We take off with a 270 degree pirouette around the peninsula before heading over the Southern Alps. With the cloud cover we only get glimpses of the Mount Cook region below and then not much at all until close to landing.

There is a moderate amount of turbulence but not too bad.