Flight Check: Auckland to Nadi on Fiji Airways

In Nadi, a customs officer let us jump the queue because our 2-year-old was howling. Now that's service.

Scott Kara flies FJ410 from New Zealand to Fiji.

The Route: Auckland to Nadi.

The plane: Airbus A330-200. A brand new plane bought by newly rebranded Fiji Airways (formerly Air Pacific).

Class: Sadly, economy, because those business class seats sure look big, beautiful, and bloody inviting as I make a sharp right-hand turn towards cattle class.

Price: Prices vary but generally from $480-$860 return.

On time: More like Fiji time, which meant it was a little late leaving but we arrived ahead of schedule.

My seat: 16D with the rest of the family - my wife, and a 2-year-old and 5-year-old - in the same row.

Fellow passengers: Some Fijians heading back home, happy holidaymakers and a tense mob whose flight the previous day was cancelled.

How full: Sold out. Which may have a little something to do with the passengers who couldn't fly the day before.

Entertainment: The kids watched Happy Feet 2, which meant my wife and I got a little bit of reading in over a drink (spicy tomato juice for her, two wines for me). Bliss.

The service: Friendly and smiley, but a little pedestrian.

Food and drink: I had the chicken roll. The roll was good, but the chicken a mushy travesty.

The toilets: The plane may be big but, as usual, the toilets are typically tiny. Bet the business class loos are bigger.

Luggage: Because we were heading away on holiday we were laden with duty free, laptop, a giant nappy bag and a backpack. But no problems.

The airport experience: In Nadi, a customs officer let us jump the queue because our 2-year-old was howling. Now that's service.

Would I fly this again: Absolutely, although next time I'd have the tuna wrap instead of the chicken roll.