We pushed back just before the scheduled 10pm departure time and were off the plane at our destination just before 11pm. Photo / Mark Mitchell
The plane: Boeing 737-300. The long-serving workhorse of Air NZ's domestic fleet.
Class: Just the one - economy.
Price: $29 plus credit card surcharge.
On time? Early - we pushed back just before the scheduled 10pm departure time and were off the plane at our destination just before 11pm.
My seat: 12F, prime emergency exit row with ample leg room. Luck-of-the-draw allocation at automatic check-in, for which I didn't pay a fee.
Fellow passengers: Very much leisure, visiting friends and relatives market, not a suit in sight.
How full? Almost chokka. About half a dozen of 133 seats empty.
Entertainment Old school. There was a bumper Hobbit-themed in-flight magazine and a few screens that folded down from above the seats which showed the clever Hobbit-themed safety video. Air New Zealand's new safety video is at least watchable, unlike anything featuring Richard Simmons.
The service: Three attendants didn't have a lot to do. Some useful advice about the next day's Hobbit premiere when we landed.
Food and drink: As was explained, the airline wants to keep Nightrider fares down, so refreshments are limited to just a boiled sweet before landing.
The toilets: Fine.
Luggage: Hand luggage included in my fare, but 7kg weight limit strictly enforced.
Would I fly this again? At that price, absolutely.
Grant Bradley paid for his own ticket.
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