An Air Vanuatu 737-800. Photo / Supplied
Wynne Gray flew from Auckland to Port Vila in Vanuatu on Air Vanuatu NF51.
The plane: A fairly new Boeing 737-800.
Class: Economy. Very comfortable, enough room and plenty of overhead luggage space.
Price: I paid about $800 return in peak school holidays.
Flight time: We were delayed an hour because of the late arrival of the aircraft but made up time on the 3hr 15m flight.
My seat: 11F.
Fellow passengers: A mix of families, couples and locals returning home
How full: Fairly full flight on a Sunday evening with many cutting it fine to resume work the next morning.
Entertainment: Free Wi-Fi to download the film and music packages on smart phones, iPads or laptops and the Island Spirit in-flight magazine.
The service: A very cheerful and relaxed crew throughout the flight.
Food and drink: A neat salad to start then the beef curry hit the right note washed down with a glass of Australian red, all included in the price.
The toilets: At the rear of the plane apparently but didn't need them.
Luggage: Allowed check-in luggage of 30kg but nowhere near that with a wardrobe of T-shirts and shorts for the temps in the mid-20s. Carry-on 7kg allowed.
The airport experience: Auckland gets more streamlined with every visit and Bauerfield International in Vila was very relaxed. Passport stamped for a month's stay if necessary, luggage waiting, then transported to our villa.
The bottomline: Flights to and from this delightful getaway were smooth enough but both were delayed, you guess, because of issues at earlier stops.
The father of two said crew called him an 'idiot' then said he couldn't fly with them.