Flying from Los Angeles to Auckland aboard Air New Zealand

The Impossible Burger, served to Business Premier customers travelling on Air New Zealand's LA-to-Auckland route until October. Photo / Supplied

Jamie Morton flies aboard Air New Zealand's NZ5 from Los Angeles to Auckland.

The plane: Air New Zealand Boeing 777 — a smooth-riding and immaculately kept aircraft.

The seat: 10J, in Business Premier.

Price: One-way fares from LA to Auckland in Business Premier start from $7262.

Flight time: A total flying time of 12hr 45m.

Food and drink: The mains notably included Silicon Valley's plant-based Impossible Burger, which I loved, along with wood-roasted chicken breast or seared cod. Passengers got quite the surprise when it was announced the plant-based wonder had just been added to the menu. The burger seemed a great option as one last taste of America on the flight home. There was a great selection of premium New Zealand wines, along with beers, spirits, champagne and non-alcoholic options. I went for a pre-meal whiskey and cola, which did the trick after a long day's transiting. The starter was roasted cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, date and ginger puree, green beans and sunflower seeds.

Entertainment: A nice mix of new release movies (Red Sparrow, Game Night, Paddington 2) along with plenty of box-set options for TV. I whiled away the flight with episode-after-episode of Rick and Morty and McMafia.

Service: Extremely friendly and helpful cabin crew. It's part of the Business Premier experience, but it's still a nice touch to have the attendants shake your hand and call you by your name when it's time to disembark.

Toilets: Clean and generally unoccupied.

Airport experience: A long walk across the terminal and a shuttle bus to the plane weren't highlights but the Star Alliance Lounge's shower suites and noodle bar, along with an unexpectedly hassle-free trip through LAX customs and security kept me happy.

Would I take this flight again? In a heartbeat. Knowing how comfortable the cabin's lie-down beds are will make my next Economy Class flight that much tougher.