NEW ZEALAND
REVIEW: AIR NEW ZEALAND BUSINESS PREMIER
With many airlines, the business-class seats are predominantly taken by business people. But on Air NZ there was a higher proportion of leisure travellers in the best seats than I’m used to – a higher proportion throughout the plane, in fact. And that showed on board in a variety of ways. The staff were more attentive before take-off in terms of ensuring you knew how everything works. I was asked if I had flown in one of these seats before and, after admitting it was my first Air NZ Business Premier experience, they ran me through everything I might need to know. Considering NZ is a once-in-a-lifetime
trip for many people, and the farthest they will ever fly, it’s likely a higher proportion of clients splash out on a flatbed and therefore a higher proportion are in that seat for the first time. Business-traveller-heavy airlines haven’t asked me this question, probably because their top seats are full of frequent front-end flyers. The cabin crew also showed a
lot of interest in my plans for NZ and offered all sorts of tips about where to go and what to see. The boss of the airline, Christopher
72 — aspire september 2014
Luxon, told me that the flight is very much part of the holiday for travellers to New Zealand. And as if to prove it, while I was in Auckland the airline announced a tie-up with New Zealand Winegrowers to promote the country as a wine-tourism destination, which means your clients will be able to try some of the best NZ wines while on board. Apparently, wine tourists spend 30% more than other tourists, so I can see why it’s a focus. The transition in LA is worth mentioning too. I got off, walked 50 yards, went to a lounge and read for an hour
and half and then got back on. It was incredibly smooth. And a fair few people got off in LA, so it is clearly a popular airline between LHW and LAX. In terms of the hardware, Air New
Zealand is among the most inventive in the sky. Its ‘cuddle couch’ – which turns three economy seats into a flatbed for two – is the first really impressive innovation in the sky I’ve seen in a while. The premium economy product is the best I’ve sat in and the Business Premier seat is a 22-inch-wide leather armchair that converts to a 6ft 6in flatbed complete with mattress, duvet and pillows. I tend not to eat in bed at home because I’m messy, so I like not having to do it on a plane, especially for a longer journey like this. The food fits in with the ‘welcome
to NZ’ theme, with a Kiwi chef behind a creative menu, and there’s a snack menu available throughout the flight. The touchscreen TV and range of entertainment is excellent. I realised I’d enjoyed the flight
and warmed to the staff because as I got on board to fly home, I was hoping to see the same crew. That has never happened before.
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