Tracey Bond flies from Auckland International Airport to Los Angeles on Air New Zealand flight number NZ6
The plane: Boeing 777-300W.
Check-in experience: There are now additional security checks in place at Auckland International Airport at the request of the US Government, so allow extra time to get to the gate. We were asked lots of questions about our intentions and our bags at bag drop, and again on the approach to the gate.
My seat: 51A, at the back of the plane; a row of two, these seats are roomy and handy for the loos and good for stretching out. The only downside is that the TV screens are at slight angles to the seats, so if you spend a marathon 11 or 12 hours watching movies, you may end up with a crick in your neck.
Price: Part of a multi-stop ticket which included LA and bought for approximately $2500 on sale six months out from our travel dates.
Flight time: 11hr, 25m, thanks to a speedy jet stream.
Food and drink: Dinner service was a choice of chicken curry or beef and potatoes. I had pre-ordered a vegetarian meal, which came as a coleslaw salad, dumplings and a sticky date pudding. Breakfast was eggs, baked beans and sausage or continental. Snacks and drinks were on hand throughout the flight from the galley (which was handily located just behind our seats). Entertainment: Plenty of new releases including Black Panther, Lady Bird and Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle.
Most of the flight was spent sleeping and bingewatching season three of Mr Robot. Toilets: There was a lot of turbulence and during my visit the floors were sticky, wet and didn’t smell great. Luggage: 23kg.
Service: No complaints, as always Air New Zealand’s service was friendly, efficient and helpful.
Nice surprise: Sleep — and how quickly the journey time passed.