SEAMLESS CONNECTIONS VIA AIR NEW ZEALAND

Some hits and misses.

Hopping on a couple of Air New Zealand flights effortlessly connects you from Singapore to most regions of New Zealand (via domestic flights). Its Business Premier seats — fitted in leather and able to unfold to a flatbed (with an additional memory foam mattress) upon request — are arranged in a herringbone-like fashion, with three aisles running down the cabin, ranging from 18 to 44 passenger capacity (depending on the aircraft model).

In September 2024, however, new cabins will be available for ultra-long haul routes, starting with Auckland to New York and Auckland to Chicago.

The food options are lean but sufficient to keep you full for the duration of the 10-hour flight. While the in-flight entertainment selection was enough to keep my attention during dinner, it didn’t keep me glued throughout the flight, and I struggled to find an appropriate storage space for my cables and phones, leaving me tucking them down beside me in my seat for most of the flight.

Be sure to request the Bliss Sleep Ritual set with sleepy tea, sleep balm, and a light snack (I received a tiny bowl of mixed nuts), as I did — although not without a curt attitude from a flight attendant who didn’t quite appreciate me asking for a set right after my flight mate ordered one too. “Well, you could’ve told me you wanted one earlier,” she responded with a huff before begrudgingly returning to the galley for mine.

Additionally, while I understand the novelty of the cabin arrangement, I missed being able to look out the plane window occasionally.

The return flight proved much more pleasant (in terms of service and seat comfort), with Air New Zealand’s Premier Economy seats offering 50 per cent more recline than their Economy counterparts — complete with leg rest and foot support. I could look out the window when I needed or wanted to — a muchneeded visual break on a long-haul flight.