After arriving in San Francisco from New Orleans, I followed the well-placed signs to the departure gate or, more specifically, the bar next to it where I and two Australian travellers spent the waiting time the Downunder way. Boarding appeared to get increasingly complicated with those needing assistance, priority members, and premium economy all called up at different times.
Seat: 27E: the middle of three seats in the middle of the premium economy section. Air New Zealand has just retrofitted its 787-9dreamliners, refurbishing the cabins and upgrading its seats. My seat was wide with double armrests between me and my neighbours and handy space between the seatbacks for phone/book storage.
Crew: A young-ish crew regularly prowled the cabin offering food and drinks and seemed to have a happy rapport, working together and swapping trays during the meal service.
Passengers: I was sat between an Aucklander who has been visiting the US for business and another traveller who kept his headphones on and quiet the whole flight.
Mealtime aboard NZ7 Dreamliner flight from San Francisco to Auckland. Photo / Helen van Berkel
Food and drink: For dinner, I chose the slow-cooked lamb based on what I heard the crew offering other passengers “chicken or lamb”. The Alaskan cod linguine ran out quickly, but I hadn’t known it was available, so I wasn’t perturbed. The appetiser was prosciutto with marinated artichokes and olives and the dessert, a dulce de leche cheesecake. Wine, beer and spirits were also available, along with alcohol-free choices. Breakfast was creamy scrambled eggs with fresh fruit and yogurt.
Entertainment:
The wide selection of movies included Batman, Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter as well as The White Lotus and series five of the Handmaid’s Tale. So I got my White Lotus fix before adjusting my seat for sleep. The supplied headphones were the comfy can type rather than the poke-in-the-ear type.
Arrival airport experience:
The New Orleans hot sauce and gumbo mixes I was bringing home had to be declared but Customs is quick and I was barely delayed. The shuttle people were understaffed so it took at least half a dozen frustrated phone calls to find out where they were. This wasn’t helped by airport staff sending me to the Uber pick-up area rather than shuttle pick-up.
The Air New Zealand Boeing 787-9s have been retrofitted with all-new cabin interiors. Photo / Michael Craig
The best bit:
The flight was a joy from seating to before departure to queuing to disembarking. The newly retrofitted plane was clean and spacious, we had no major turbulence, the food was good and arrived speedily; the passengers quiet and well-behaved.
The worst bit:
The premium economy Dreamliner seats can recline within a shell, so no one else is affected when you put your seat back. I found, though, that I kept sliding down the seat and the footrest wasn’t quite long enough to cradle my feet, so the pressure was uncomfortably on my calves. The pillow slightly mitigated that, but it wasn’t my best night’s sleep.
Final verdict:
There’s something special about being one of the first to ride on a newly renovated plane.
New Zealand Herald flew courtesy of Air New Zealand.