USAir was on time and the ride rough enough to make sleeping a good choice, even if sleeping is rather a loose term for 'resting' at 35000 feet sitting upright in a non lumbar support, non footrest, non lie back chair with a restless adolescent chair kicker behind me. Our pilot was a Brit--and did his best to make up time and land us smoothly but had no control over the jetway which was not ours for twenty minutes.
Emerging into 65 degree sunshine we sauntered down to Air New Zealand Premier--to wait until it opened at half past one. Several of our business brethren chose to sit on the planters just behind the roped off line and were warned off by the head NZ agent but ignored her (nowhere else to sit!) until the check in staff showed up. We were given tix and sent up to the lounge (nearly first of the day) and had showers, a quick bite and headed back out. The showers were fine but the amenities were lacking (only what was in the dispensers) and the buffet offerings were meat and cheese and salad and fruit. We were fine with that as it was lunch, asked the very friendly French concierge to change our seats a bit further forward upstairs and headed over to the Encounter Bar for a jetsons margarita and a look out all of its windows.
Back to the terminal and a sampling at the bar (very, very nice Kiwi wines and French champagne), magazines, business center, a look to the buffet (meat, cheese, salad, fruit) and the lounge filled up. Predominantly Air France--there was also a VS flight and the earlier AKL NZ flight and the hours started to drag a bit. I looked forward to a good meal (at 9 pm it was still meat, cheese, salad, fruit) and a good sleep.
Escorted to plane and found seat upstairs--downstairs had virtually no one--donned VS ninja jams--had a glass of champagne. Dinner choices very, very limited (reminded me sadly of VS) and had an okay lamb dish that came off a tray very much like the same tray as PE just behind us. In fact, everything Business Premier had--was identical to what was on offer to PE pax. Their seats while no pod, looked more than comfortable as well...still went straight to sleep after dinner and woke to watch the stars for long and thoughtful span (good time for deep and life changing thinking flying through the night and over the planet under the southern cross) til the French couple across the way zapped on all their electronics--lights, music and voices--and I slapped on my headset and went back under the duvet.
Breakfast--eggs, toast and tepid tea and swooping down into AKL in still, chilly dark to disembark sleepily through immigration and customs (the beagle routed out my riding gear and his golf shofine es which were boiled, tagged and appropriately and quite rightly entered into the computer as environmental threats) sent through the scanners for the all clear, a hook up with our Scottie's car and a walk to watch the sunrise on Eden Park summit (a volcano).
All in all a fine flight--
pros: great crew and good steering on part of pilots as well as excellent amenities bag (lined wash bag with drawstring closure fully loaded with stuff including actual size pen)
cons: missed the excellent line of skin products liberally available in washrooms on and off plane as well as in amenity bag and lack of great food so admired and enjoyed in clubhouse and BP last flight.
Roadrunner
