This year, Delta Air Lines began flights from Los Angeles to Auckland. Among the passengers on board were two individuals sporting MicroClimate Air helmets. Video / Grant Bradley / MicroClimate
Aviation writer Grant Bradley looks at some of his highlights of a year in the air. It’s been a bumpy one for flying, with weather problems causing a lost luggage crisis at the start of2023 and ongoing disruption through airports and in the air. And contacting airlines has been a nightmare for some of the millions who flew. Many airlines have enjoyed record or near-record profitability (good in the long term for passengers), and there’s been a lot else to like about flying in 2023.
It hasn’t landed here yet, but Air New Zealand’s announcement it had signed for Beta battery-powered planes is a big milestone in the shift to low-emissions flying. The small planes are being made in Vermont and one is due to arrive here in 2026. It will initially fly short routes, carrying only freight to trial the aircraft and the on-ground infrastructure, but it’s an important commitment by the airline.
Rebecca Vallance designed PJs for business-class passengers on the Sydney-Auckland-New York flights.
Best on-board product to come
The easy winner is Air New Zealand’s announcement it plans to launch free Wi-Fi on domestic planes from the end of next year. Assuming a trial on an A320 and ATR regional turbo prop is successful, Starlink Wi-Fi will be available on around 50 of the planes, and for many passengers will transform the flying experience. It will be a game-changer. With low lag time, the service is touted as being similar to what you’d get sitting in your lounge. It’s either going to be a big boost to the nation’s productivity - or drive up Netflix numbers. The airline’s Skynest sleeping pods for economy and premium economy passengers will be fitted in its longest-range Dreamliners and will, for a price, make those ultra-long flights more fun for those who choose to splash out.
A close call. United Airlines passenger Carl Brothers was on the 11,000km inaugural flight from San Franciso to Christchurch, and was on the ground for less than five hours before getting back on the plane - in economy - on his four-million-mile run. He’s a “million miler” chasing lifetime privileges on the airline, so the longer the route, the better. He had a great story. Less willing to share their story was the couple who arrived on Delta Air Lines’ inaugural flight into Auckland who were taking no chances regarding picking up bugs and were fully kitted out with MicroClimate Air masks - full-faced, “fully filtered super-masks” that seal around the neck and filter both incoming and outgoing air. The units sell for $480, and the publicity-shy couple, adroitly moved through Auckland Airport by a staffer, weren’t keen on talking about their reason for wearing the kits, which became popular during the pandemic.