AirNZ 777 Premium Economy

[aspiringplatinumFF]

Hi All,

I'm booked on SYD-LAX via AKL on AirNZ - 777 PE

There doesn't seem to be too many flight reviews of this product so i'm hoping to get some insight into how the product actually is

How is the recline on this product? Is it possible to get a good rest?

How is the service on AirNZ?

Being a QF Gold member, I've also taken advantage of the United status match program - What benefits am I likely to receive in SYD/AKL/LAX from this? Lounge access I assume but is there priority security in LAX in particular?

Any other general insight would be great!

 

[AviationNZ]

Hi All,

I'm booked on SYD-LAX via AKL on AirNZ - 777 PE

There doesn't seem to be too many flight reviews of this product so i'm hoping to get some insight into how the product actually is

How is the recline on this product? Is it possible to get a good rest?

How is the service on AirNZ?

Being a QF Gold member, I've also taken advantage of the United status match program - What benefits am I likely to receive in SYD/AKL/LAX from this? Lounge access I assume but is there priority security in LAX in particular?

Any other general insight would be great!

IMHO, it’s the best PE seat in the sky. 9” recline and 42” pitch has plenty of room. I don’t normally sleep well unless I’m flat but have managed to get some reasonable sleep while flying on this product.

You get the same meals as business class albeit a smaller selection (for example J has two entrees to choose from where as PE has one, J has 3 desserts PE has 1, etc). So the standard of F&B is high.

You get noise cancelling headphones, amenity kit, your own separate crew and PE-only toilets too, and I find the Air NZ staff of high standard with a relaxed yet professional approach.

Re the gold status, yes, you’ll get lounge and priority check in at SYD, lounge in AKL and LAX. For your return journey I don’t believe there’s priority security at LAX but the last few times I’ve been there it hasn’t taken too long to get through.

 

[cosi]

Skytrax just gave them 3rd Best PE product.

www.traveller.com.au/worlds-best-airline-for-2019-named-at-annual-skytrax-awards-h1fhx4

 

[ontheaisle]

I've only flown PE on AirNZ, Cathay, and Qantas - and I'd rank them in that order.

I flew SYD-AKL 787 and AKL-LAX 777 and return over Christmas last year and found PE really comfortable (actually managed to get a solid 7 hours sleep). Food was really good and the IFE is great. Cabin crew were fab, as usual. I would take NZ over QF any day, even with the stopover. I prefer to get off the plane and walk around a bit before settling in for the long leg AKL-LAX.

From memory there was no priority security screening at LAX, but it doesn't take that long anyway (unlike immigration, which can be a cough shoot).

 

[deangelj]

Responding to this OP, I've only flown PE AirNZ SYD->AKL and PE SQ SYD-->Singapore. IMHO AirNZ PE is much better than SQ PE. As previously mentioned the AirNZ PE food is J quality whereas SQ is Y quality. Seat seems better in AirNZ as well.

 

[Mattg]

I have been very happy with Premium Economy on Air NZ. It's a large cabin (on the 777, at least) so the service is perhaps not as personable as Qantas. But still very good. The seats are comfortable and the catering (both the food and the NZ wine) is pretty good.

As a point of reference, here's a recent trans-Tasman breakfast menu:



And a lunch menu:



And this is what the lunch offering looks like:

 

[cosi]

looks very appealing.

Significantly superior to CX

 

[AviationNZ]

looks very appealing.

Significantly superior to CX

IMO, CX's premium economy is nothing more than economy plus. Rubbish food, rushed service, same crew/bathrooms as economy, etc

Air NZ, and a few others, on the other hand, have nailed the premium economy cabin experience.