To: Sydney Kingsford (The plane was continuing on to Kuala Lumpur afterwards but I hopped off in Sydney).
Visas and requirements: New Zealand passport holders can travel to Australia without the need for a visa. All Covid restrictions have been removed for entry to Australia, and New South Wales has no requirement for vaccine passes or mask-wearing.
Departure airport experience: It was my first time flying with AirAsia X and it was a mixed experience. I had tried to check in online, but the form had automatically filled in my date of birth – and miscalculated it by about five years.
While I was happy to lose half a decade from my age, I was concerned it would throw something off in the border security process, so I decided to check in at the airport instead. I arrived 10 minutes before check-in desks opened and there were already decent queues in both the Economy and Premium lines.
When check-in opened however, there were only two people behind the desks for the first 30 minutes and they seemed to be checking in five Premium passengers for every one Economy. The Economy queue was moving at a snail’s pace and people were starting to show signs of frustration. After a while, three more desk staff appeared, then things got moving quickly. The whole process took about 45 minutes for me.
Passport control and security were a breeze after that, with no queues whatsoever, despite it being 4pm mid-week, with many other flights departing at the same time.
I skipped the shops (all of which were open) and made my way to the Strata Lounge, which is available for Business and Premium customers of China Southern Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, Korean Air, China Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, China Eastern, Qatar Airways, LATAM and Fiji Airways. All other passengers can pay to use the lounge, with prices starting from $66 if you book online.
Once inside, the bar is open, the food is hot and plentiful, there are showers with Ashley & Co toiletries, Wi-Fi is free and there is plenty of space to relax or to work.
The Strata Lounge at Auckland Airport is available to all passengers, regardless of airline, from $66 if you book online. Photo / File
Seat: 27C – an aisle seat in the 3-3-3 configured Economy cabin of the Airbus A330-300. These seats are teeny – only 16.5 inches wide. I’m an average-sized woman and found it a real squeeze.
If you’re on the larger side, you could struggle to have a comfortable flight. There were plenty of spare seats around me, so after takeoff I moved to an empty row of three and felt much less cramped.
Crew: An even mix of male and female crew, all very helpful, efficient and friendly.
Food and drink: You don’t get anything for free on Air Asia, so make sure you either pre-book a meal or eat at the airport before you board (another reason Strata Lounge is a great option).
The menu selection included Malaysian dishes like Nasi Lemak, glutinous rice with chicken and dim sum, sandwiches, cup noodles and snacks. You can purchase hard liquor, beers and cocktails, soft drinks, teas/coffees etc, but no wines.
Entertainment: There were no personal TV screens and no in-flight entertainment service. I’d brought a book, loaded up my phone with downloaded TV shows, and charged up my laptop to do some work. The moral of travelling with AirAsia is be prepared.
Arrival airport experience: After months of stories about chaos at Sydney Airport, it was refreshing to find the arrivals hall peaceful and calm. Bags were delivered promptly, immigration was easy thanks to self-service kiosks and e-passport automatic gates, and there was a dedicated area outside the airport for ride-share service pick-ups.
The best bit: Enjoying some pre-flight bubbles at the Strata Lounge.
The worst bit: I tried to sneak through my luggage as cabin baggage so I didn’t have to worry about queuing at Sydney when I arrived, but the diligent check-in staff weighed it and made me check it in. Fair enough too, I was more than double the allowed weight. If anyone has any tips for packing light, please let me know.
Final verdict: If you prefer to use your hard-earned cash at your destination, rather than on your journey, AirAsia is a solid option. But remember you get what you pay for, and this is a no-frills service.
