December 2023
Flight Review: NZ103 AKL-SYD Business
Welcome to my flight reviews! I try and keep these short but useful.
The Smoothie Discovery
Today was a new low on trans-Tasman business class on Air New Zealand NZ103 from Auckland to Sydney in December 2023. I fully admit this is reaching a #JayWorldProblem, but given the fare is upwards of $1,000 NZD, I think it does warrant a blog post.
I have figured out the source of the breakfast smoothies and the cold-pressed pear and apple juice — they're actually just The Apple Press smoothies you find at Pak'nSave/Countdown, in the same bottles, but poured into glassware and served. Granted, The Apple Press is a decent brand, but no special fresh smoothies created for you on-board or loaded up especially for the flight like on most other airlines. You get 1/3 of the exact same $5.50 smoothie bottle you had for breakfast before catching your early morning flight. My friends almost didn't believe it, but I've got the photos!
The original PakNSave smoothie bottle
The smoothie poured into glassware and served
The Breakfast Service
While I do appreciate The Apple Press smoothies (they're from Hawke's Bay), I would have hoped Air NZ would go slightly above and beyond for premium cabins — e.g., offering a special smoothie, or a freshly made one to start the day.
The full breakfast service presentation
The actual breakfast service also leaves a lot to be desired. The execution is poor across the board:
Burnt toast — a staple of the service
- Burnt toast
- Average spreads
- Chilled and tasteless seasonal fruit
- A tasteless main of egg frittata
The tasteless egg frittata main course
The service timing was also inefficient. They cleared the first two courses and the main, meaning I was left sitting with a tablecloth for a considerable time when I'd have liked to get some work done.
Left with an empty tray and tablecloth for an extended period
The Bigger Picture
I won't go into detail about the seats, in-flight entertainment or much else. However, the cabin configuration and design is showing its age.
The aging business class cabin
To be honest, I don't think any of this will come as a surprise to frequent business class travellers trans-Tasman, but it just goes to highlight the extent of Air NZ's cost-cutting. I am seeing more and more of my travel move to other, far better airlines.
Final Thoughts
Given the high airfare for trans-Tasman business class, AirAsia X's lie-flat offering, or even Singapore Airlines' premium economy, appear to offer better value for money. Air New Zealand needs to seriously consider refreshing their product if they want to retain premium cabin passengers on this crucial route.