I flew Air New Zealand's Boeing 787-9 business class from AKL to LA, using Virgin Atlantic points. I was expecting a better experience, but it wasn't.
The seats in Air New Zealand's business class are out of date. The seats all face the aisle and give no privacy.
This flight reminded me of how far business class seats have come and how old I am. These seats were great in the early 2000s when other airlines had more of a focus on long haul flights.
The seats don't have a lot of storage, it's easy to accidentally knock over things, many of the seat controls are poorly positioned, and you'll pull some muscles you didn't know you had.
The entertainment screen is 11′′ In flight entertainment screens in long haul business class aren't among the contexts in which that number might impress.
The ottoman on my seat came apart mid-flight and couldn't be snapped back in place.
I did not have wi-fi on my flight. There is no way to know in advance if you will be able to use the internet on Air New Zealand flights.
The product was a disappointment. Air New Zealand will be installing a new business class product by the year 2049. It will likely be a long time before all long haul planes feature those seats, and on top of that it is not very impressive looking.
Some elements of Air New Zealand's business class soft product are above average, while others are below average.
There was a basic kit but no pajamas.
The headphones were cheap and flimsy.
I think the meal service was okay. There was a nice selection of wines from New Zealand.
The smoked moki with fried capers, shaved fennel and orange salad, green olive salsa, and pine nuts was my starter. Air New Zealand has a delicious bread selection and this was the best dish of the meal.
The main course was the baked salmon with lemon couscous, green beans, and tomato red pepper sauce. The salmon was a bit above average, but nothing special.
There was a triple chocolate ice cream with caramel sauce.
I can't say if the service was friendly or not. At times the flight attendants were nice, but at other times they were arrogant, which may be a difference in how some Americans and New Zealand communicate.
There was a flight attendant who was making comments to me. I don't know if she was trying to be funny or if she was annoyed, but the constant references to it made me feel uncomfortable.
Air New Zealand is strange to me.
The airline is innovative. Air New Zealand is famous for its safety videos. Air New Zealand has introduced many innovative products over the years, from the Skycouch to the new Skynest, which is a concept we have never seen before.
The best business class product the airline has is herringbone seats, which were first introduced by Virgin Atlantic in 2003 It's disappointing to have a product that's been around for nearly two decades as your flagship business class. Air New Zealand's new business class doesn't seem to be revolutionary.
Air New Zealand doesn't feel like it has to invest a lot in its premium product. Air New Zealand isn't as competitive in most markets as it is in New York to London.
If I were to fly to New Zealand again, I would choose Air Canada, American Airlines, or United Airlines because they all have better hard products.
It's possible that Air New Zealand is doing all of us a favor by making it hard to get an award.
I don't need to fly the business class on Air New Zealand again for a while. The seats and no wi-fi are not what you would expect from a good airline. I would say that the experience was good, but not great.
It has to be one of the least memorable flights I have ever taken. I will go to New Zealand on another airline.
What was your Air New Zealand experience like?
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