Photo / Christine Linsdell
Courtney Whitaker flies NZ5113 from Auckland to Palmerston North.
The plane: An Air New Zealand ATR 72-500.
Class: Economy.
Price: We wrangled Grabaseat fares for $59 each, one way. These flights work out to be really good value, when you compare them to a seven-hour drive time and petrol costs on top of that.
My seat: 8D, window view. For a small plane, there was a comfortable amount of legroom. Or maybe the 70-minute flight time wasn't quite enough to get uncomfortable.
On time: Errr, no. The Air NZ app alerted me to a 30-minute delay en route to the airport, which was fine and meant there was time to grab some lunch while we waited. We eventually arrived in Palmerston North at 2.45pm, instead of the original 2.10pm.
How full: About three-quarters full. Mostly an older demographic.
The toilets: Didn't visit.
Landing: Rough. I'm not sure whether our flight delay was because of the extreme winds in Palmerston North or other factors. Our landing consisted of a turbulent descent, followed by a double bounce on the runway and a sort of half-pirouette before sharp braking. The women seated behind me were rather shaken-up.
Food: Air New Zealand offers a coffee/tea/water service, along with a Cookie Time cookie.
Entertainment: None. Unless you count the always-engaging Kia Ora magazine and, of course, the emergency evacuation card in the seat pocket. We entertained ourselves by attempting a wine quiz in Kia Ora ... and got top marks, I might add.
The service: Friendly and helpful.
Luggage: We opted for carry-on, which was more than adequate for a weekend away.
Otherwise the allowance is 20kg checked.
Airport: Palmerston North Airport has had an upgrade since I last visited, although you won't get lost any time soon — there is still one boarding gate and one cafe — but the arrivals gate has benefited from a spruce up and looks modern and welcoming.
Final word: A quick and easy way to get across the country. The Air New Zealand app is an absolute must to stay informed with delays and updates about your flight; the paperless boarding passes by way of a barcode, scanned on your phone at the gate, is so easy.
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