Fly Air New Zealand economy to Taipei, Taiwan, on the 787 Dreamliner. Photo / Grant Bradley
Cherie Howie flies economy from Auckland to Taipei, Taiwan, on board an Air New Zealand 787 Dreamliner
AIRLINE: Air New Zealand, in economy class on Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner
FROM: Auckland International Airport
TO: Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport
VISAS AND REQUIREMENTS: No visa or Covid-19 documentation is needed for New Zealand passport holders, and you can stick around for up to 90 days without a visa.
DEPARTURE AIRPORT EXPERIENCE: Check-in is smooth and quick. I asked for a seat with no neighbour (hey, don’t ask, don’t get) but was told the flight was full. Tried again at the departure gate and presto, success!
All airside shops and eateries were open, but most people were parked around the big screen for the Saturday-morning England v Argentina Rugby World Cup bronze final.
Our flight was delayed about an hour, but there was plenty of room in the departure lounge to stretch out.
SEAT: As above, I was fortunate to get an economy seat with not only no immediate neighbour, but with no one else in my row.
I like the way they manipulate the lighting on the Dreamliner so it’s easier to adjust to the changing time zones, and that the seats are shaped to give good lumbar support.
Pitch is 31-32 inches but width is a narrow 17.2 inches — that’s less than the 17.5 inches you get on the Bombadier Q300s, which do short regional hops around New Zealand. I wouldn’t like to be on a full, long-haul flight in Dreamliner economy — it’s a special kind of cruelty not being able to relax both your arms for 12 to 16 hours.
CREW: Super-friendly and helpful. No complaints here.
PASSENGERS: Despite what I’d earlier been told, the flight was 40 passengers below capacity. Almost all on board were of Asian ethnicity, and included many young families. About one in five was wearing a face mask.
FOOD AND DRINK: Not a culinary feast for the ages. Apart from the mains — beef pasta for lunch and honey mustard chicken with mash and peas for dinner — the two meals were almost identical, including the mango mousse dessert.
Vidal and Leftfield pinot noirs hit the spot, but the wooden cutlery had the same sensory effect as fingernails down a blackboard for me. Because it supports sustainability, I’ll allow it.
ENTERTAINMENT: The in-flight entertainment was limited compared with some carriers, but adequate. New movie releases included Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, Fast X and Elemental, with limited episodes of TV shows such as Succession and The Last of Us.
Seatback entertainment (headphones provided) also included music, podcasts, games, meditation and audiobooks, the latter limited to kids’ stories.
A basic flight map kept track of our progress. Free Wi-Fi was promised, but wasn’t working.
ARRIVAL AIRPORT EXPERIENCE: Our 11.5-hour flight arrived almost on schedule, at 5.45pm, despite the late departure. Immigration and baggage collection were straightforward and painless.
The arrivals hall was clean and utilitarian, with excellent onward transportation including the airport MRT’s 38-minute train service to Taipei Main Station.
THE BEST BIT: Getting a row of seats to myself. Who needs business class?
THE WORST BIT: The wooden cutlery. Tempted to bring my own reusable camping set next time.
FINAL VERDICT: When you get three seats for one body, what else matters?!
Cherie Howie is an Auckland-based reporter who joined the Herald in 2011. She has been a journalist for more than 20 years and specialises in general news and features.
'There’s a whole lot of people out there who you can help and talk to.'