An upgrade to business class for access to the cabin was accepted by the company after they purchased a round-trip fare in economy. Business class on this route was reserved for media and politicians at the time of booking. The remaining business class seats were released by the airline.
It takes seventeen hours to fly on an airplane. Is it better to take two flights broken up by a transfer on the ground and then take a 17 hour journey over?
It really depends on your personal preferences. The majority of Air New Zealand's customers think the answer is "yes", embracing a trend that the airline industry seems to have embraced for long international travel.
The airline launched its first nonstop service between New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport and New Zealand's AKL on Saturday.
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Market conditions and aircraft technology have previously limited the economic viability and simple mechanics of these ultra- long flights.
Air New Zealand's plans to start a route from Auckland to Newark in October 2020 have been put on hold due to the swine flu. A flagship nonstop service between the East Coast and the Oceania region that includes both Australia and New Zealand has been on other airlines' radar.
It's a race that Air New Zealand has won, with the New York flight coming at least three years before Qantas says it plans to launch nonstop flights from Australia to New York and London.
Two proof-of-concept flights were operated by Qantas in the year 2019. The flights were mostly empty, aside from a contingent of airline staff and media, and were criticized by some as being little more than a stunt, since there wasn't a plan to actually launch the flights.
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The flights were used to gather data for regulators. I was on the New York flight with two current staff members. It was a long flight, but Qantas tried several service strategies for the all-day flight.
The flight was immediately shifted to the time of the city it was going to. Passengers were encouraged to eat before the flight and only light snacks were served initially since it was 11 a.m. Passengers were encouraged to stay awake while dinner was not served. It was supposed to help with jet lag.
Dinner service was offered on Air New Zealand's first day from New York. Breakfast was served before the plane arrived in New Zealand.
One approach was better than the other. It's difficult to say if I feel any better or worse than I did on the Project Sunrise test flight, as I wrote this in my hotel on Monday afternoon after an hour-long nap and a shower. I'm a bit out of it but awake and focused as usual, and my editor will let me know if this article was littered with jet lag-related typos when I file it We will see how I feel over the next few days.
Air New Zealand's service is open for booking and can be booked through the carrier's website. There was a lot of hype surrounding the Project Sunrise flights in the New York market, but there wasn't a lot of fanfare. The flight has drawn interest across the industry for its status as yet another super-long flight, and because it gives flyers the chance to get the 8,800 mile flight across 16 time zones done in one shot rather than breaking it up with a connection and a longer overall travel time.
Air New Zealand's flagship route supports the tourism industry and offers a faster mode of travel for business travelers, ex-pats, and people on vacation.
Things at JFK were quieter for the first segment of the New York-bound flight than they were for the celebrations in New Zealand.
Air New Zealand is using the lounge at JFK. I was directed to the upper floor with other passengers after I scanned my boarding pass. The lounge is busy, serving all Star Alliance partners, and the Turkish lounge is closed. There was a good selection of hot and cold food, as well as soft drinks and wine.
Inaugural flights usually have loud, gaudy festivities at the gate before departure. Air New Zealand was in a weird position.
The return segment of the New York flight is the most well-known part of the airline. The flight from JFK to New York is called NZ1 and the flight from New York to JFK is called NZ 2.
$65 million a year is expected to be brought to New Zealand's economy by the new flight.
The U.S. market is important to New Zealand and a nonstop from New York is expected to increase the country's appeal. According to Tourism New Zealand, the U.S. was the third biggest tourism market for New Zealand, with 10% of all visitors and 13% of all visitor spend.
Big celebrations took place on the first departing flight bound for New York.
There was a sign in the lounge welcoming Air New Zealand passengers for the first time on the New York side.
Things at the gate in Terminal 1 were more routine than usual. The gate event at the airport Saturday night was not feasible, according to the airline's spokesman.
It was a stark contrast to the other inaugural flights, which tend to bemuse passengers who booked the flight without knowing there was something special about it.
Even if some of them didn't know they were on the first flight, it was clear that the route was new.
One passenger said before the flight that they were glad there was a direct.
There was a good crowd at the gate about an hour before the flight was supposed to leave. I boarded the plane early, chatted with a few flight attendants, and settled into my seat.
Pre-flight announcements were made before the plane boarded and we sat. And took a break. Our flight was having trouble getting a tug to push us back from the gate, so the captain came on and told us. All the international flights try to leave at the same time.
We left about an hour after.
Inaugural flights are strange because there are people like me on board. It's not a typical flight, with staff handing out souvenirs, executives greeting passengers and the usual photo ops from those trying to capture the experience.
The experience on board was celebratory with announcements from both the captain and cabin manager including a notice that there would be some photography on board and advising passengers to let a flight attendant know if they wanted to be included in any photos.
As passengers boarded and settled down in the business class cabin there was a friendly atmosphere.
Some of that was driven by the fact that there were a few people in the cabin.
The cabin layout in business class was to blame.
Privacy and personal space are the main trends in premium cabins today. Whether it's a new domestic first class product or the latest international business class, airlines are working with suppliers to build cabin products that offer, if not true privacy, at least the illusion of it.
Air New Zealand has a product in the works that fits this trend, but the current on-board product is completely different. The passengers sitting in a 1-1-1 configuration face the aisle at a 70 degree angle. You can chat with people sitting across from you on either side of the walls, even though there are walls between seats. I like the set-up when it's time to sleep, but it feels completely open when I'm sitting.
After boarding and even after takeoff, as those of us who knew each other chatted, other passengers joined in with opinions on the flight. It was a great experience. I hope the passengers didn't want to go to sleep given the atmosphere in the cabin.
It takes seventeen hours to fly on an airplane. There's plenty of time to enjoy the full on-board service and still have time to sleep, as opposed to those short overnight flights where you have to choose between eating dinner or sleeping.
The dinner service on this flight was one of the best I've had in business class, with a good selection of fresh produce and great flavors. I'm happy I had time to enjoy it.
Since we were going to New Zealand where the Lord of the Rings trilogy was filmed, I decided to watch the extended versions of the movies during the flight. If you can spot which scene is related to the dinner course, then you've found the right scene.
The first in-flight drink arrived about 40 minutes after take-off.
The bread service and the first course came around 30 minutes later. The tasting plate was with me.
The tuna was delicious.
30 minutes later, my main course arrived. The salad was the superfood salad. I decided to add chicken to my salad because the airline offers a variety of sides and meats with which passengers can personalize their entree.
The chicken was delicious and the salad was good.
The chocolate brownie ice cream was for dessert. The ice cream on the plane was ready to eat, even though it was completely frozen. I think the flight attendants made it softer in the meal service.
After take-off, my table setting was cleared for two hours and twenty minutes. After watching more of the Fellowship of the Ring, I asked a flight attendant to make up my bed about 40 minutes later, and 25 minutes later, after the last scene.
I brought two liters of water with me because I was thirsty, and I woke up a few times during turbulence, but I was well prepared. I slept for 7 hours. I'm not a great plane passenger, even in business class.
We were in the air for ten and a half hours. A flight attendant helped convert my bed into a chair and I asked for a cup of coffee and a sandwich. The two towers is the next movie in the trilogy.
I drank more coffee and watched more Lord of the Rings. I felt the strain of a long flight by the time we were in the air. I was tired despite the sleep, I had a headaches, and I was sweaty and gross. It can start to feel drained even on a lower cabin elevation plane.
I was happy to continue on for a few more hours and not have to fly those last thousand or so miles.
The pre-arrival service began after 14 hours. It started with a warm towel, which was definitely a good way to start.
They came by with trays of juice and took breakfast orders.
A bakery basket with coffee or tea was offered by the flight attendants. I finished The Two Towers and started Return of the King.
The pancakes arrived 30 minutes later. They could have used a sweeter touch, but they didn't.
We were in the air for fifteen hours and 35 minutes. It was time to pack up and prepare for the flight.
We touched down in New Zealand after 16 hours. I was prepared to leave the plane.
In business class, Air New Zealand usually offers a toothbrush, eye mask, ear plugs, and lip balm. There were two celebrations for this flight.
The airline collaborated with a New Zealand designer to create special edition leather bags.
The airline collaborated with American sneaker-maker Allbirds, which makes shoes out of wool from New Zealand, to give passengers a high-quality sleep mask made of merino wool. They were at every seat on the plane.
Business-class pajamas are a new product the airline is working to develop. The airline plans to put them in business class on all of its flights at some point in the future, but they are still in the testing phase, according to a spokesman.
The airline gave out New York themed luggage tags to everyone at check-in.
This flight was long even in business class. It's inescapable when you travel to the other side of the world. The question is if you want to power through or break the trip up with a few hours on the ground.
After the Project Sunrise test flight, I connected in Los Angeles in a coach.
I felt terrible after about 10 hours on the plane. The trip was over for me. We had a long way to go and I was settled in with my charging station. Even though I can't sleep well when I'm sitting upright, I was able to sleep for two or three minutes at a time.
We arrived in LA. It took two hours to get through customs and security, to find a new gate, and to buy a new bottle of water.
I felt worse when I got on the plane for my connecting flight than when I left. There was a stretch on the ground. It made me feel exhausted and sweaty. The next five or six hours from Los Angeles to New York felt worse than the first flight, and by the time I got to JFK, I felt like a broken man. I wish we could have just kept going.
I think it's better to just get it over with, even though this flight was shorter and in business class. I was going to leave the plane but it was already over. I didn't have to worry about stuff like that. I was able to go to my hotel, take a shower, and get ready for my day.
Regardless of cabin, moving around is crucial. It's important to shift position and walk around at least a few times during a flight in order to lower the risk of blood clot formation.
Not all of Air New Zealand's aircraft have in-flight internet yet. It is possible that you end up in the air for 17 hours without being able to communicate.
All of the passengers on this flight said that they preferred the single ultra-long-haul to the usual stops in Houston, San Francisco or Los Angeles.
Hilary O'Connor said that not having to connect is amazing. You sleep for 10 hours, wake up, and it doesn't feel like much longer than a Los Angeles flight.
She said that she would be able to fly on the nonstop if she changed her travel by a day or two.
Individual preference is what determines it all. Personally, I concur.
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