Christopher Rowe

It’s not very often one feels better after a flight rather than before a flight (especially a 5 hour trip with a 3 hour time zone change), but that is exactly how I feel after our trip from Perth to New Zealand.

Air New Zealand’s Dreamliner was in every way a ‘dream’ experience. Entering the cabin was not unlike entering a night club; black lights illuminated the cabin area turning ordinary white surfaces into a purple-blue glow. The ceiling appeared higher than that of other Boeing jets I have previously been on, attributing to the illusion of more space. The entertainment consoles were slick and polished; high definition touch screen displays, capable of not only viewing from their wide range of TV and movie selections, but also order inflight snacks or receive interactive updates on the flight path.

Each seat also came with optional headphone jacks, USB connectivity and a 240 volt power point. Aviation has finally caught up to the 21st century, where even the window visor has been switched out for electronically-tinted glass.

As for the service, we felt as if we were in business class; as if in a fine dining restaurant, the food trollies came down the isle offering a selection of two fixed meals, a chicken option and a beef. Each meal accompanied with a fresh salad and desert. Following the food cart, hostesses began working down the isles individually, the first showcasing a bottle of red wine, the second with a bottle of white wine, and finally the third with sparkling white wine. If the food and drinks available didnt take your fancy, you could simply turn to your inflight system and request anything from a jacks n’ coke to a toasted sandwich.

Quite simply the best flight I have ever been on, I will definitely be looking out for more Dreamliner flights in the future.

Onwards to Hawaii!