HAMILTON to WELLINGTON (HLZ-WLG) on Air New Zealand ATR 72-500 in economy class

I had printed my boarding pass out earlier but used the *G/Koru check in line to get the code for the lounge. Stop by at the stationery shop en route to pay the $5 departure fee (the dispensing machines required credit or NZ issued debit card). Since I was last at Hamilton airport the new lounge (now 10 months old) has opened upstairs. This is in the newer bach style. It is bigger than the old lounge downstairs, but with the extra walls and amenities inside somehow feels more crowded - almost claustrophobically so. There are a couple of computers and with a few minutes to kill before boarding I grab a beer and hop online to check my messages.

Boarding is called and we traipse downstairs. About half the lounge guests remain - they were on later flights. First the departure fee receipt is scanned - what an absurd waste of money as much of the fee collected must be spent on administration/collection fee (I presume the stationery shop doesn't do it for free) and staffing. Then a second pause at the gate to get my boarding pass scanned. It has stopped raining since I arrived, for which I'm glad as I'd only just dried out properly from the earlier walk across the tarmac.

The flight was about 90% full. No spare seat for me this time.

After takeoff the 2 cabin crew got busy. First run with the water pottles. Then another handing out the cups for hot drinks plus a basket with 2 or 3 different mini-biscuits (and sugar and milk). Then a few runs with hot drinks - coffee started from the front and tea from the rear. With a rear door to board I was sitting in the second to last row and thus had a long wait before I got my coffee. I had to then drink it quickly before they collected the rubbish as we descended. Another final run through with the boiled sweets.

Unfortunately no view en route other than a minute from take off and the final few minutes after we flew over the harbour to land to the south. We arrived on time. The landing was smooth considering nearly lost my carryon to the snatches of strong wind on disembarking. I hurried, as best I could, into the terminal. I must try to remember (and I should know better by now) that newspapers (or anything loose) in hand in Wellington when requiring a walk across the tarmac is not a good idea.