Flying from Auckland to Shanghai with Air New Zealand

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Jane Jurgens flies aboard Air NZ's NZ289 from Auckland to Shanghai.

Plane: 787-9 Dreamliner

Class: Economy

Seat: 50A, a window seat in an exit row.

Price: One-way Economy fares start from $539.

Check in: With an 11.59pm departure, check in was easy via the self serve kiosks. I was processed through security quickly and made my way to the Strata Lounge (where the old Air New Zealand lounge used to be) which I accessed as a Priority Pass member. You can also pay to access the lounge.

It was a big improvement on the old Emperor lounge for Priority pass users with a terrific array of food and beverage choice. Twice the size of the old lounge, it services a number of carriers which are not part of the Star Alliance or Oneworld.

Boarding: The flight was full and boarding took some time but we departed on time.

On board: Due to the late night flight I opted to skip the meal service and tried to get some shuteye, but there was a chicken with mashed potato dish offered along with beef and rice. Two hours before landing we were served breakfast. I chose the scrambled eggs which was standard economy fare, with the yoghurt the best part of the breakfast.

Despite purchasing an exit row seat with no seat in front of me and extra leg room I struggled to sleep and spent most of the flight dozing and reading a little. For the first time for a while on a long haul flight I didn't watch any movies, due in part to the late night nature of the flight, as I struggled to keep my eyes focused on the screen.

The cabin crew, which are Shanghai-based on the flights to China, were fairly unobtrusive but courteous when called upon.

Flight time: Scheduled to be 12 hr 30m, but we landed more than an hour early at 6.10am local time.

Comfort: The Dreamliner is a great aircraft, bigger windows, better air quality on board, more humid than the 777 but cool enough and doesn't leave you with dry skin.

Fellow passengers: Most were Chinese, the couple next to me were returning home after visiting relatives in Christchurch for 10 days.

Verdict: Air New Zealand's 787-9 is a great aircraft, modern, clean and the international Economy product is as good as any out there.