American Airlines returns to our skies
On June 23 American Airlines broke the monopoly that Air New Zealand has had on the Auckland-Los Angeles route for four years.
Aircraft
Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, still with that new-plane smell.
Loyalty plan
AAdvantage
Time in the air
The captain predicted 12 hours 26 minutes, and on arrival was only five minutes out. Leaving Los Angeles at 10.40pm means most of this time is spent blissfully asleep.
Check-in
Effortless. I scanned my passport in a machine, out popped the boarding passes (I began the journey in Dallas), an attendant labelled my bags and spirited them away, and I didn’t see them again until they appeared among the first dozen on the carousel at Auckland.
Baggage allowance
For business class, two bags not exceeding 32kg each.
Down the back or at the pointy end
Delighted to be up the front in 3L.
Seat stuff
In economy (I peeped past the magic curtain), the configuration is 3:3:3, but up front the 28 dovetailed pods are 1:2:1, most unusually alternating between forward- and rear-facing. Those in the middle can be sociable, or raise the screen between the seats. I had lots of room to stow stuff, power and USB sockets for charging, a 16-inch touchscreen TV, touch-pad seat controls, two big electronically dimmable windows, and a foot-rest too far away to reach. Once seated, the personal space feels roomy and private. The seat belt is a threepoint, over-the-shoulder affair.
Comfort factor
The seat is on the firm side and reclined completely flat at bedtime. The bedding comprises an under-pad, soft duvet and pillow, and the space is plenty long and wide enough for big people: there was one on the other side of my pod wall, which wobbled a bit when he moved. The Dreamliner has higher humidity and a lower onboard altitude that make it a much less unnatural environment.
Feeding time
Described as ‘‘an international flagship menu’’ by the purser, the choice was steak, duck curry, grilled shrimp, eggplant lasagne, or a mezze plate. My shrimps were hot and juicy, but it’s hard to get excited about any dinner served at around midnight local time – especially to those of us who had already blunted our appetites in the airline’s Admirals Club lounge. Wines included two Kiwi varieties, and a very nice port.
That’s entertainment
An included amenity are very comfortable Bose noise-cancelling headphones, all the better for indulging in your choice from 250 movies (new-release to classic), 180 TV programmes/ series, audio, and games. There’s also onboard wifi if you’re willing to pay US$12 ($16.68) for two hours or US$19 for the flight.
Service
Slightly disappointing, from the welcoming Prosecco served in a plastic glass to distracted service from the cabin attendant, who wasn’t familiar with the wine menu, forgot to clear my table before bedtime, and never mentioned the existence of complimentary pyjamas. The purser making the announcements was careful to identify our destination as ‘‘Auckland, New Zealand’’ every time.
Verdict
The aim here seems to be comfort rather than the luxury you might find in this class on some other airlines, with everything necessary supplied but – headphones apart – not much in the way of thoughtful extra touches. That said, the generous baggage allowance (I brought back an unexpected guitar) and, especially, the personal space and truly lie-flat bed are the real benefits of business class, and AA delivers on all of these, with a departure time that allows for painless travel home from the States.
Frequency
Daily between Auckland and Los Angeles.