Flight check: Houston to Auckland with Air New Zealand and Joseph Parker

George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, Texas. Photo / Getty Images

Miriyana Alexander flies from Houston to Auckland with Air New Zealand

The plane: 777-200

Class: Premium economy.

Seat: 24E.

Flight time: 14 hours.

Airport experience: It's always lovely when you're halfway round the world and you spot someone you know. In this case, it was my Herald colleague Pat McKendry on his way home from covering the Joseph Parker Shawndell Winters fight. I looked up again, and there was Parker and his entourage - what followed was a flurry of come over, say hi. We congratulated Parker on his win and chatted to his lovely parents. It was so sweet. It was so New Zealand.

Joesph Parker and Shawndell Winters during their bout on the Matchroom Boxing USA card at the Ford Center at the Star in Frisco. Photo / Ed Mulholland, Matchroom Boxing USA

Entertainment: I'd missed most of the Oscar-winning movies so made my way through JoJo Rabbit, Parasite and The Joker. All superb. Taika's a god. Needed some light relief after that, so next up was one of my son's favourites, Shaun the Sheep: Farmageddon. Cheery and clever.

Service: Excellent. And even when a middle-of-the-night hot chocolate was slightly delayed, a message popped up on the screen to say it was on its way.

Food and drink: Great food, plenty of nice Kiwi wine. A tasty chicken-and-rice dish for dinner, and berry pancakes for breakfast. And my first good coffee after a week in the States.

Bottom line: Premium Economy rocks. So much space that even when the seat in front of you is reclined, you don't feel hemmed in.