United Airlines is using a Boeing 787 on the LA-Auckland route. Photo / Supplied
United Airline’s inaugural service from Auckland to LAX takes off, as the US carrier returns to the New Zealand route for the first time since the pandemic
Airline: United Airlines UA643
From: Auckland International Airport to Los Angeles International Airport
Visa and requirements: If you don’t already have a US visitor’s visa, you will need to apply online for an ESTA. These can take up to 72 hours to be processed, so make sure you do this in advance of your trip.
Departure airport experience: This was United’s inaugural flight from Auckland to Los Angeles and a big deal for both United and its New Zealand-based competitor. Premium check-in was queueless and with the addition of an express lane pass for security, it was without doubt the fastest I’d ever moved from car door to departure gate at Auckland International Airport.
Seat: The Business Class seat was magnificently private; a self-contained pod that turns into a lie-flat bed. My favourite touch was the frosted glass lamp just inside the entrance that gave it the feel of an intimate wood-panelled restaurant booth from the New York City restaurants of the Mad Men era. Other great design features include a cubby with a mirror inside the door at head height, for ease of checking yourself out.
Crew: The excellent flight attendant Sharon, now in her 56th year flying, couldn’t have been more apologetic about the unavailability of pyjamas, which are available only on flights over 14 hours. The absence of pyjamas was made up for by the quality of the service, which was warm and friendly and generally delightful. Anyone who trots out the old saw that United service isn’t a patch on Air New Zealand has never flown with Sharon.
Passengers: The flight was sparsely populated and everyone seemed relaxed, possibly due to the cupcakes at the gate.
Food and drink: The arrival champagne was fantastic, but more important than its taste was what it signified: that you are in a place where champagne arrives at the same time you do. Dinner was a marinated haloumi cheese followed by chicken with balsamic marinara sauce, parmesan and mozzarella. The chicken was massively thick and moist, with a good crunch to its tasty, cheesy crumb.
Entertainment: Television was the in-flight entertainment’s great strength, with its box sets particularly extensive and high quality. Audio was surprisingly weak, though, with just a not-especially-extensive selection of playlists from several eras and genres dating back to the 1980s, and a few podcasts. Wi-Fi was available for purchase.
Arrival airport experience: LAX has a bad reputation, so it was a shock to walk off the plane, join a queue of three people, clear immigration in seconds and walk straight out to the baggage carousel. From plane to airport exit in less than 30 minutes, it made Auckland Airport look like something out of the Dark Ages.
The best bit: Sitting down in that private cocoon after boarding, cosseted by luxury and the looming promise of a truly world-class sleep.
The worst bit: Not getting as much world-class sleep as I would have liked.
Final verdict: Air New Zealand has long dominated the AKL-LAX route, but that may be about to change. Competition is always good, especially when the competition’s this good.
Why drive when you can take a 228-guest discovery yacht?