Flying from Auckland to Paris with Qatar Airways

A Qatar Airways 777-200 loading at Auckland Airport. Picture / Winston Aldworth

Jeremy Rees flies from Auckland to Paris with Qatar Airways.

The plane: A Qatar Airways Boeing 777.

Class: Business Class.

Price: From $6148.

Flight time: Auckland to Doha, 17 hours. Then Doha to Paris, seven hours. Plus return.

No delays, in fact we were ahead of schedule on all legs.

My seat: Fabulous. As a newcomer to Business Class, it was everything I wanted in a seat — but especially it had loads of leg room. I am just under 2m tall.

Fellow passengers: Unsure. They seemed very nice but I was far too busy enjoying every comfort I was granted to engage them in conversation. Did I mention it was first time in Business Class?

How full: Reasonably on three of the four legs, but Doha to Auckland was barely half full. This meant it felt like individual service. Bliss.

Entertainment: Good. I had done a lot of travelling so had seen many of the movies. I plumped for obscure Japanese murder noir movies and sports documentaries on Steve Waugh and Sugar Ray Leonard. Cricket, mystery and boxing; is there any better entertainment for 17-hour flights?

The service: Very, very good. Attentive, kind and, on one leg, almost individual. If I had one gripe, it was I was constantly asked whether there was anything they could do better. I couldn't think of anything.

Food and drink: Again, very good. I could tell you the champagne in Business Class (Lanson Black Label) is very, very good but that might be a bit hard on those elsewhere on the plane. Only hiccup was when I misunderstood the attendant and ordered a brioche for my main course. The confusion was sorted out by the addition of slow-cooked Middle Eastern lamb.

Luggage: 30kg. Some passengers seemed to need all 30kg after weekend shopping in Paris and returning to Doha. I don't know where the crew managed to stash all the shopping that came aboard.

The airport experience: Doha is modern, clean, efficient, easy to navigate and has good showers. Paris Charles de Gaulle terminal 2 is an odd relic of the days of funky 60s design and concrete. The Paris Air Qatar lounge is HUGE. The only other person there was an ex-British Army officer returning to Doha for work who believed most things had gone to hell in a handcart since Mrs Thatcher. Entertaining bloke.

The bottom line: Unsure if I can ever afford Business Class again but if you are going to do 17 hours in one leg you may as well do it in style.