Review of Air New Zealand flight Wellington Auckland in Economy

Airline Air New Zealand
Flight NZ426
Class Economy
Seat 14D
Aircraft Airbus A320
Flight time 01:10
Take-off 17 Jan 16, 11:00
Arrival at 17 Jan 16, 12:10
NZ   #16 out of 95 Airlines A minimum of 10 flight-reports within the past two years is required to appear in the rankings. 93 reviews
LTQLGW
By 2062
Published on 7th February 2016
Hi,
In my first report http://flight-report.com/fr/report-13145.html, I mentioned I would not report this NZ flight, but when sorting my thousand pictures I discovered I had enough matter to make a FR. This domestic NZ flight is part of the itinerary described in FR http://flight-report.com/fr/report-13145.html and was one of the legs of our trip back from the south of South Island to the north of North Island.
After a few days in Wellington, sort of a small San francisco nestling in a deep bay, very windy, we head on to Auckland. We chose NZ as there is actually no much choice and it's a way to implement our Miles and More account.

So we called Uber and got to the airport very quickly, driven by an indian or pakistani driver, as this is the case most of the time in NZ; sunday morning, nobody on the road, so the trip was quick and cheap.

In front of the terminal, it's sunny and …chilly though we are in the middle of summer.
photo IMG_1177

Not many people on that sunday morning
photo IMG_1179 - Copie

We are kindly requested to use self check-in; actually there is a lot of staff around and they come immediately to help when a passenger shows the slightest hesitation; well, we manage to get our BP and bagage tags; these are very sticky things and it's very difficult to get rid of it when it sticks to your fingers, but we manage to use them properly and this is it; a member of staff shows how to put our bags on the belt and here they go.
photo IMG_1178


Yes indeed this is the land of the Hobbit, and other funny creatures, and you can't forget it, not a chance!
photo IMG_1184


So it will be NZ426 to Auckland, but I can't show you the BP , I lost it!
photo IMG_1183


On the way to the gate let's take some pictures, shall we?

Many small planes with propellers used on small local lines; this one with former livery
B1900D, I presume.
photo IMG_1185


The new NZ livery, I love it! No my pictures aren't bad, airport windows were just dirty!
photo IMG_1196 - Copie
Our aircraft today


In the meantime, we've reached our gate, number 16; security controls are at each gate, security staff goes from gate to gate depending on schedules.
photo IMG_1186

Going on…
photo IMG_1197 - Copie

But, I must inspect the plumbing, and I have to get downstairs, and there at the end of a corridor on your right (depending which way u come from) there they are; am I a male? yes; lets' go! Well the inside is more attractive than the outside.

photo IMG_1187

Back to the upper level, gate is now open, security gets as a breeze

And now our little story: on NZ domestic flights, front cabin passengers board by a jetway and rear cabin passengers have to get out down on the tarmac and enter the plane by an outside staircase thru the rear door; thus I can hear your question: where does front cabin finish and where does rear cabin start? Ah ah, we travelled from Christchurch to Wellington on row 14, and could board by jetway and front door as this was for pax until row 15; on this flight from Wellington to Auckland, we sat on the same row 14, and had to board thru rear door as jetway and front door was for pax till row 13 only; though it was same type of aircraft and full plane on both flights; there is some kind of mystery about it, don't u think?

So we get down onto the tarmac and I think "oh great, I'm gonna be able to take lots of pictures"
photo IMG_1199 - Copie

But once on the tarmac a guys runs to me and says "no photos"; YES SIR!
Anyway I manage to take that one; I love that (not the sandals of the guy in front of me, I speak of the livery)
photo IMG_1206

Sitting on comfortable black leather seats;
photo IMG_0611

Pitch is OK for such a flight , am 5'11"
photo IMG_0612

Kia Ora on board magazine; I don't like uniforms of the airline, but it's only my opinion.
photo IMG_0613

Let's get some fresh air
photo IMG_0614

The screen will show the security instructions presented by NZ sports champions, and then commercial advertisements all thru the flight
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Service is limited but a wide choice of hot or cold drinks and a biscuit. I think I had finished my cup before I took the picture.
photo IMG_0616

Rest of the flight was just normal; from my seat no possibility to take pictures, so you will get a nice bonus hereunder.

And we land on time at Auckland; hundreds of meters on corridor, so british with their wall to wall cover.
photo IMG_1211

Onwards to the bagage claim area
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Some spotting on the way
photo IMG_1212


Belts are easy to find, but are in a dark small room with low ceiling, a bit dreary.
photo IMG_1214

Looking for exit sign,
photo IMG_1215

but…I must inspect the plumbing once more; and this is sort of a disaster, whereas everywhere we've been in NZ public restrooms are so clean, (the one advertised as "Super Loo" in Taupo are the nicest I ever saw in the world), these one were very dirty; I show you the only "acceptable" vision.
photo IMG_1216

Sorry folks to finish on that bad aspect of things, but forget about it and enjoy the bonus:

Wellington bay seen from our home
photo DSC_0007

Lavish homes nestle on the hills
photo DSC_0012

Didn't I tell u it looks like San Francisco?
photo DSC_0016

View from another hill
photo DSC_0029

If a friend of yours visits Wellington, no doubt he will send you this postcard
photo DSC_0032

And if he doesn't choose a card of the cable-car, it will be Parliament
photo DSC_0115

Ferns
photo DSC_0111

I like these high ferns; we can understand why they have been chosen to decorate the new national flag,
they are everywhere in NZ
photo DSC_0056

A lush jungle
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Endangered species, Takahe birds have no wings.
photo DSC_0085

Last pic of Wellington, do u like this blue "wedding cake"?
photo DSC_0116

Auckland
modern city
photo DSC_0119

…and tradition
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so British (even the sky)
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a city which definitely looks towards the sea
photo DSC_0147

so much that cruiseship come and give a kiss to downtown Auckland
photo DSC_0141

In NZ there are also lots of small towns; not very attractive as far as
buildings are concerned; most of them look like western US little towns;
Coromandel is a nice one, very well kept.
photo DSC_0193

Coromandel Peninsula, don't u think these rolling hills look so british?
photo DSC_0183

luxurious flora
photo DSC_0209

Coromandel Peninsula
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Again
photo DSC_0303

Flora is much poorer in Tongariro national Park close to the volcanoes
photo DSC_1032

But having a bath on Christmas day in pools of natural hot water (36° to 41°)
is a real pleasure
photo DSC_1020

Did I say volcanoes?
photo DSC_1107

Thanks to its perfect cone shape, Mont Ngauruhoe was used as a model in motion pictures.
You can't see it from this side but there is some smoke and steam coming out of its slopes all the time.
photo DSC_1112


Mt Ruapehu, highest mountain on North Island and the most active volcanoe of NZ
photo DSC_1117


Not Yellowstone but very beautiful and interesting place (Rotorua)
photo DSC_1079


That's all folks, and now onwards to South Island but this is another story
photo DSC_1152

PS: if u missed a chapter, please go to http://flight-report.com/fr/report-13154.html (so far it is in french only)
and/or http://flight-report.com/fr/report-13147.html (in english)
See more

Verdict

Air New Zealand

6.9/10
Cabin9.0
Cabin crew8.5
Entertainment/wifi5.0
Meal/catering5.0

Wellington - WLG

8.2/10
Efficiency10.0
Access8.0
Services5.0
Cleanliness10.0

Auckland - AKL

4.2/10
Efficiency5.0
Access4.0
Services4.0
Cleanliness4.0

Conclusion

a short flight, good service except boarding procedure; no M&M miles in spite of a full fare paid; a bit of a shame the bagage hall and restrooms in AKL; but security, reliability, and punctuality are the main expectations on such a trip.

Information on the route Wellington (WLG) Auckland (AKL)

Les contributeurs de Flight-Report ont posté 4 avis concernant 2 compagnies sur la ligne Wellington (WLG) → Auckland (AKL).


Useful

La compagnie qui obtient la meilleure moyenne est Air New Zealand avec 7.8/10.

La durée moyenne des vols est de 1 heures et 6 minutes.

  More information

8 Comments

If you liked this review or if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to post a comment below !
  • Comment 156965 by
    sacha787 150 Comments
    Excellent Flight Report!!!

    I was in Australia last month, and I regret not to have been also to NZ!!
    • Comment 334194 by
      LTQLGW AUTHOR 165 Comments
      hi
      thanks for comment
      I spent a month in NZ after one week in New Caledonia and before one week in Melbourne and some days in Sydney, NZ was great, variety of landscapes, a mix of european landscapes and local flora; both islands are great. There will be pictures of South Island in my next FR coming soon.
  • Comment 157123 by
    marathon GOLD 10112 Comments
    So WLG tarmac staff are as photo-unfriendly as their colleagues in Paris ? NZ is going down one step in attractivity :(
    At least, the terminal is plane-spotter friendly.
    I hate being doused by commercial on IFEs. Another (less serious) demerit.
    Thanks for sharing !
  • Comment 157152 by
    KévinDC TEAM SILVER 6668 Comments
    Thanks for sharing! I was in AKL 2 days before you as I left New Zealand to head back to the US--so it's nice to see a report in New Zealand. It brings be back :-)

    Wellington, sort of a small San francisco nestling in a deep bay, very windy,
    - Not just Wellington...seems like everywhere I was in NZ, mostly the South Island, was incredibly windy

    The new NZ livery, I love it!
    - Me too! Especially the All Blacks livery

    Seems like your experience was very similar to my flight a few days before on the same type of aircraft--good service and comfortable seats for a domestic flight.

    Great bonus pics--Wellington really does remind me of San Francisco, albeit much smaller.

    Coromandel Peninsula, don't u think these rolling hills look so british?
    - I went to the set of Hobbiton also on the North Island and the rolling hills and countryside looked very British there as well--it's no surprise they decided to choose this area for The Shire

    Nice pics of Tongariro! I didn't make it there, unfortunately--next time!

    • Comment 334382 by
      LTQLGW AUTHOR 165 Comments
      Hello, thanks for that rich comment

      Yes NZ as a whole is very windy, but Wellington is supposed to be even more with over 300 days of gale a year; in Taupo we had some very windy days as well and so was Christchurch; in Queenstown it was so windy that there were big waves on the lake just like sea; amazing

      Oh yes the All Black livery is fantastic

      Yes WGN is much smaller than SF of course but much similiraty

      There are rolling hills in many places, I drove all the way down from Paihia to Taupo, then to Wellington and we could enjoy this sort of english landscapes at several places

      We spent 6 days in Taupo so could go to Tangarito Nat Park several times; first day was half cloudy half clear with peaks getting almost clear late afternoon, but somes days like Boxing day weather was very clear and blue sky.

      Beautiful country isn't it !!!
  • Comment 157160 by
    NGO85 SILVER 1963 Comments
    Thanks for sharing this FR!

    It's interesting that they had you walk underneath the jetbridge to get to the rear stairs. Seeing the bowels of the aiport is always interesting, probably why they don't want the pictures. I've never had a no photo on the tarmac yet, but I normally don't try and be as brazen as Marathon and start walking around away from the masses heading onto the plane.

    I look the wood ceilings in the lobby of WLG, the giant eagles.... not so much.

    Looks like a very comfortable short domestic hop that looks comparable to Japanese standards.

    Fantastic bonus of Wellington. Looks less cloudy than SF :)
    • Comment 334381 by
      LTQLGW AUTHOR 165 Comments
      Hi
      Thanks for comment
      In NZ airports you will see everywhere charatcters and figures from the Hobbit land, they do much about ir; I don't like it
      Wellington can be very cloudy, I can assure u, there were clear days when I took pictures, but the last two days we could not see the house across the street!! Las day at the airport I thought there was a fire somewhere as some sort of smoke was spreading over the runway and then I understood it was just a thick cloud of mist ,it was ver weirds really with a very sharp difference between clear zones and misty ones, and then there came a gust and it turned clear again; interesting these local weather phenomena.

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