What to expect in Air New Zealand’s business class

I was lucky enough to turn left into Business Class when boarding Air New Zealand’s 777 to Shanghai and as we speak 6J and I are very happy together.

If you haven’t sat up the pointy end before, here’s what you’ll find…

The view from 6J

The two aisles have just one angle-parked seat on each side. Herringbone pattern they call it. Basically the exterior people all get their head at a window and their feet alongside the guy next to them. Not that you notice, because your entire seat-cum-bed is surrounded by a wall and it feels like just me on here.

The brown leather seat and padded seatbelt are the first signs of luxury – to my small mind anyway! That and the gift box wrapped in purple ribbon containing a pair of funky striped socks and an eye mask that has different things written on it. Mine says ‘are we there yet?’ It also comes with some teeny tubes of La Prairie moisturizer, eye cream and lip balm. Plus a pen, a toothbrush and those funny orange ear plugs that I never can get to stay in. Not that you need them, because next we get to the noise-cancelling headphones that are currently playing Adele’s album to me.

The king prawn starter with a cheeky wine and warm garlic bread

Business Class and Premium Economy both get the same food – but Business has the posh white table cloths and a bigger table from which to sup. Dinner was a choice of three options created by notable chefs.

I started with king prawns with fennel salad and lemon mayo, thanks to Rex Morgan of Wellington’s Boulcott Street Bistro. Then for the main I chose dukkah crusted lamb with eggplant, beans and lime courtesy of Geoff Scott from Vinnies restaurant in Auckland. Other choices were cranberry and cherry stuffed chicken leg with orange glaze and pumpkin and courgettes – again from Geoff. Or the golden fried snapper with garlic chilli plum sauce, kai lan, Sichuan eggplant and egg fried rice (we are on our way to China after all).

Then pud pud was 2 hearty scoops of icecream – triple chocolate and passionfruit and lemon curd. I declined the cheese board, popped a sleeper, slugged my red wine (I hope no doctors are reading this) and began the lie-flat bed procedure.

The lamb

Like a groupy I took photos of each of my plated courses at dinner and the breaky cereal, but as I had no room for the choice of hot cakes with apple and ginger compote or the cheddar chive scramble, you’ll just to have imagine that.

The crew are on hand to help convert your seat into a bed, but I’m a pro at these things now.

Here’s how to assemble your Air NZ Business Class Bed:

Get out of your seat and clear it of anything like cardys, books and tuck your telly back into its place. Push the bed button on your pod wall and your seat back will tip forward until it is completely face down and now the seat back has joined your little foot rest and become a mattress. Undo the plastic bag containing a thin padded sheet, duvet and pillow, put on the Are We There Yet mask, and it’s see ya later.

Of  course if you’re not ready for sleep, there are (hang on, just counting…) 54 movies on demand, plus umpteen TV shows and CDs and games for the really bored.

I quite happily slept for about 7 hours I’d say and woke to a smoothy drink of pineapple and orange then on came breakfast with hot croissants, cereal and fruit plus those hot choices that I simply had to decline.

Thanks Air New Zealand. Still the best business class product I’ve met.

Read my review of Air New Zealand’s Premium Economy class here >>>