Tejas Lamb

flies aboard Air New Zealand flight NZ5067 from Auckland to Nelson

The plane: An ATR 72-600, the newer version of the Aerospatiale 72 Aircraft. Worth noting: Air Nelson and Mt Cook Airline, both subsidiaries of Air New Zealand, will soon be no more. Their fleets and staff will be fully merged with the national carrier. For travellers, there won’t be any difference in service. Class: Tthere’s only one!

Price: $220 return.

Flight time: We were 63 minutes, from wheels up to wheels down.

My seat: 3D, on the window. The aircraft boards and disembarks from the rear so we were almost last to board and leave.

Passengers: There were a lot of families with some kids. At one point there were three babies screaming at the same time — perhaps it’s contagious — but I coped.

How full: Completely full.

Entertainment: The latest issue of Aviation magazine worked just fine along with the views.

The service: The two attendants did their job, handing out water along with tea or coffee if you wanted. The CookieTime biscuit is also a staple that Air New Zealand offers on all domestic flights. Food: None, except for the biscuit. Luggage: You could take one 23kg bag per person which is very generous for small regional flights like these.

Airport experience: Auckland Airport was fine. You did not need to go through security for regional flights. Nelson Airport had a brand new terminal which was slick and modern. It was a pleasant surprise to see the new building. Would I fly this again: Most definitely. It is a very quick way to fly to the sunshine capital of New Zealand.