ZK-OKU mini report
Nov 20, 2023, 12:15 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 1,498
ZK-OKU mini report
Flew NZ106 tonight on ZK-OKU in Business. I would have paid the extra to sit in Preferred, for nostalgia (I flew a bit of CX F back in the day) but my RU cleared at checkin only (despite a final load of 20!!) and all of them were taken by that point. The J cabin is in pretty good nick except for some peeling fabric on the sides which is a problem CX also has on their 77W fleet because the adhesive supplier can no longer provide compliant adhesive. No curtain is drawn between BP and BPP and I’d recommend going up to use the left hand toilet forward of door 1L as it’s larger and has a nicer sink (CX’s old F lav).
No Inflight Bites or ability to lock movies so in Economy seat and seat+bag pax get free drinks, a free snack packet (cookie and popcorn which is supposedly a “bit nicer than the ones you get on domestic”) and free movies.
From conversations I overheard of pax chatting with crew the seat was received very favourably compared to the NZ layout, with one pax even commenting that the product bones looked brand new (! despite now being over 10 years old).
The only other event of note from the short flight was arriving to a new layout at AKL biosecurity which I’ve posted about in the Oceania thread.
No Inflight Bites or ability to lock movies so in Economy seat and seat+bag pax get free drinks, a free snack packet (cookie and popcorn which is supposedly a “bit nicer than the ones you get on domestic”) and free movies.
From conversations I overheard of pax chatting with crew the seat was received very favourably compared to the NZ layout, with one pax even commenting that the product bones looked brand new (! despite now being over 10 years old).
The only other event of note from the short flight was arriving to a new layout at AKL biosecurity which I’ve posted about in the Oceania thread.
Nov 20, 2023, 1:18 am
#2
Join Date: Dec 2022
Posts: 389
The only other event of note from the short flight was arriving to a new layout at AKL biosecurity which I’ve posted about in the Oceania thread.
Nov 20, 2023, 1:39 am
#3
Join Date: Nov 2012
Programs: NZ GE, QF
Posts: 390
Flew NZ106 tonight on ZK-OKU in Business. I would have paid the extra to sit in Preferred, for nostalgia (I flew a bit of CX F back in the day) but my RU cleared at checkin only (despite a final load of 20!!) and all of them were taken by that point. The J cabin is in pretty good nick except for some peeling fabric on the sides which is a problem CX also has on their 77W fleet because the adhesive supplier can no longer provide compliant adhesive. No curtain is drawn between BP and BPP and I’d recommend going up to use the left hand toilet forward of door 1L as it’s larger and has a nicer sink (CX’s old F lav).
No Inflight Bites or ability to lock movies so in Economy seat and seat+bag pax get free drinks, a free snack packet (cookie and popcorn which is supposedly a “bit nicer than the ones you get on domestic”) and free movies.
From conversations I overheard of pax chatting with crew the seat was received very favourably compared to the NZ layout, with one pax even commenting that the product bones looked brand new (! despite now being over 10 years old).
The only other event of note from the short flight was arriving to a new layout at AKL biosecurity which I’ve posted about in the Oceania thread.
No Inflight Bites or ability to lock movies so in Economy seat and seat+bag pax get free drinks, a free snack packet (cookie and popcorn which is supposedly a “bit nicer than the ones you get on domestic”) and free movies.
From conversations I overheard of pax chatting with crew the seat was received very favourably compared to the NZ layout, with one pax even commenting that the product bones looked brand new (! despite now being over 10 years old).
The only other event of note from the short flight was arriving to a new layout at AKL biosecurity which I’ve posted about in the Oceania thread.
The video screen is OK, and quite big. All in all a great experience.
Nov 20, 2023, 9:46 am
#4
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: New Zealand (most of the time)
Programs: Air NZ Elite *G, Honors Gold, IHG Platinum Elite
Posts: 6,119
For many this is going to be their first introduction to a proper modern business class experience.
The fact this offering is arguably better than what Air NZ are going to introduce to their Dreamliner fleet from late 2024 - 2026 and still new offering the current BP up until 2028 on the 77W could ultimately drive customers elsewhere.
Word is there is a 2nd 77W that is about to be announced shortly.
The fact this offering is arguably better than what Air NZ are going to introduce to their Dreamliner fleet from late 2024 - 2026 and still new offering the current BP up until 2028 on the 77W could ultimately drive customers elsewhere.
Word is there is a 2nd 77W that is about to be announced shortly.
Nov 20, 2023, 2:52 pm
#6
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: San Francisco, CA
Programs: NZ *E
Posts: 346
For many this is going to be their first introduction to a proper modern business class experience.
The fact this offering is arguably better than what Air NZ are going to introduce to their Dreamliner fleet from late 2024 - 2026 and still new offering the current BP up until 2028 on the 77W could ultimately drive customers elsewhere.
Word is there is a 2nd 77W that is about to be announced shortly.
The fact this offering is arguably better than what Air NZ are going to introduce to their Dreamliner fleet from late 2024 - 2026 and still new offering the current BP up until 2028 on the 77W could ultimately drive customers elsewhere.
Word is there is a 2nd 77W that is about to be announced shortly.
I don’t understand the airlines strategy these days — all the changes they are making are flashy/inconsequential (eg uniforms, coffee cups), while brushing all the real problems under the rug (on hold times, seats).
Even the new BP catering was a flashy announcement that was ultimately a step backward.
Nov 24, 2023, 4:49 am
#8
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Frensham, Lincolnshire
Programs: RFC
Posts: 5,093
NZ is a fascinating case study in being a very slick image-focussed, quarterly cashflow-controlled business, that is also a very poorly managed business on every factor beyond image and cashflow.
Nov 24, 2023, 5:20 pm
#9
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: MEL CHC
Posts: 21,029
Airlines are more a long term business. Some folks book (~pay) months ahead. Not like selling baked beans/laundry powder in a USA retail operation.
Nov 26, 2023, 4:17 pm
#12
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Dunedin, New Zealand
Programs: NZ Silver, NZ Koru, Accor Silver
Posts: 127
I was unable to select Business Preferred seating online within T-48 hours. Phoned AirNZ and was told that the only way to select these seats was by payment ($150 for Trans-Tasman flights). Will be slumming it in 12A, but will make a point of using the front bathrooms!
Dec 15, 2023, 3:11 pm
#15
Join Date: Feb 2022
Posts: 12
Short report from the long haul, we sat in row 2: Masses of seats in normal business class inop(mostly bed function or IFE), seat 1D is also defective in first class. On the AKL-IAH flight, seat 1K remained unoccupied, although passengers asked for it at the gate (but did not want to pay). Otherwise pretty rocked down and only medium experience. Remote control not usable, only touch function of the screen available.Seats well sagged, but sleeping was good with mattress topper. The main problem with NZ28 is the constant delay in ground handling in AKL. We also took off almost 2 hours late because the security check in the aircraft before boarding took forever.