An Air New Zealand 777. Photo / Getty Images
Sue Baxalle flies from Brisbane to Auckland on Air New Zealand.
Plane: An Air New Zealand 777, though flying on a Virgin ticket.
Price: Around $340 one-way.
On time: Departure was on time — 4.35pm — and the estimated flight time of 3hr, 10m was pretty close to the mark.
My seat: 22K, a window seat allowing me a reasonable view of the Aussie countryside as we left and on into the night over New Zealand. Auckland put on an excellent display of city lights as we approached.
Fellow passengers: Just the one beside me, a fellow Kiwi returning after two weeks working in Brisbane.
How full: The flight was full, but all were well-behaved.
Entertainment: The usual Air NZ offerings on the screen on the back of the seat in front — movies, television shows, music and games.
The service: Friendly and efficient, but nothing more than you would expect.
Food and drink: For those with Virgin's all-inclusive "Flexi" fares (which translates into "The Works" on Air NZ) a choice of spicy harissa chicken with roast kumara and beans or a lamb tagine. I opted for the chicken — but wondered if they'd forgotten the spices. A pinot noir (served in plastic tumbler, very classy — not) was my selection, followed by coffee later on.
The toilets: Remained undiscovered on this occasion.
Luggage: The allowance is 23kg in the hold and up to 7kg on board.
The airport experience: Having transferred from Cairns, there was no need for check-in, just to update my boarding pass, thus leaving me time to explore the duty-free and souvenir shops — not a wide variety but sufficient to use up my last Aussie coins on baubles for those at home needing presents.
Would I fly this again? Certainly — and I recommend the Flexi option, allowing a meal.
Princess Diana stayed there, and now so have I.