Tyson Beckett flies to Australia and back, to test out the new-look cabins on Air NZ’s retrofitted Dreamliner.
On a return journey from Auckland to Brisbane, Tyson Beckett experienced both Premium Economy and Business cabins onboard on a newly retrofitted Air New Zealand 787-9 Dreamliner, Here’s how they compare.
Visas and requirements: New Zealand citizens with a valid NZ passport don’t need to apply for a visa before entering Australia. Eligible visitors need only to complete an Incoming Passenger Card, and present a valid New Zealand passport to an immigration officer or at a SmartGate to be granted a Special Category visa (subclass 444) on arrival.
Departure airport experience: My premium flight experience starts in the dedicated check-in area Air New Zealand has at Auckland International Airport for frequent flyers, Koru members, and customers travelling in premium cabins. At 7am on a Monday the exclusive area was thrumming, but the check-in process was swift, with plenty of free self-service kiosks and staff members on hand to help if needed. From there, an exclusive lift bypasses the departures hall, whisking you straight up to a dedicated customs lane and into the security line. From there, you can make your way to the Koru lounge to await boarding.
Seat: For the outbound flight, I had a front row seat to all the mod-cons available on board ZK-NZH, the first in the airline’s fleet of 14 Dreamliners to undergo a world-first, nose-to-tail retrofit. In the Business Premier cabin, a 1-2-1 configuration means every seat is an aisle seat - the partition privacy screen meant my 2B “middle” seat felt like sitting solo, though those travelling with a companion will appreciate it lowers.
I’m 163cm tall and the 137cm-wide business class seats felt massive. The 2m-long seat reclined fully flat at the push of a button, pairing with a separate memory foam mattress, pillows and duvet to offer a supremely comfortable sleeping quarters I didn’t get to take full advantage of on my 3-and-a-half-hour flight to Brisbane. I made full use of the automated head and lumber rests to settle in while reading my book and watching a movie stretched out.
On my return leg, I was in Premium Economy seat 27F. This cabin has reverted from slanted pod seating to a linear 2-3-2 layout, but the roomy seats still feel luxe, offering a pitch of 104cm and a 20cm recline. The seats have wraparound side wings for privacy and a fixed outer shell, meaning you can recline without intruding on the person behind you. Double arm rests delineate personal space and the adjustable leg rest and foot-bar meant I could still kick my feet up. The larger seats afford generous work and storage space too, with roomy seatback pockets for your bits and bobs and large bi-fold tray table to work and dine on. There’s even a slot to stand your iPad or phone in.
Crew: On the first commercial outings for the zhushed-up plane, cabin crew did a stellar job of walking the line between jovial and professional. The captain and flight deck crew greeted us warmly, trialling the new Emilia Wickstead designed uniforms and chatted keenly about the designs (all positive feedback so far). Having the airline’s CEO Greg Foran onboard for the landmark flight didn’t distract from the airline’s characteristically attentive service.
Interactions with warm and thoughtful crew member Sapphire were a highlight on both legs of the journey. When my seatmate gave some constructive feedback about their meal, she acted quickly to calmly address their concerns, then gently and proactively inquired with others who might be in the same situation.
Passengers: The premium cabins were almost full on both legs, with a mix of media, aviation enthusiasts and commercial passengers. From what I observed, everyone received the same level of studious service.
Food and drink: The airline says its in-flight menu is “an expression of who we are and inspired by manaakitanga - the Māori tradition of hospitality”.
In Business Class, that started promptly, with a pre-take off glass of Laurent-Perrier La Cuvee Champagne, orange juice or water, followed by a pre-meal tropical smoothie just after wheels up.
For the breakfast service, I picked the herb and spinach omelette with slow-roasted capsicum caponata and chorizo sausage from the three “bigger breakfast” menu options. Before that warming plate was delivered, an expansive table was unfurled from the side of my pod, laid with a white linen table-cloth, proper plates and metal cutlery. I enjoyed two rounds of pre-breakfast in the form of a fresh fruit platter and pastries, and then a really delicious bowl of overnight oats with hazelnuts, black cherries, pears and puffed buckwheat. I’ve had the oats before - they taste just as good served in a carboard bowl in economy. Between that and multiple cups of coffee, I was full to bursting, but fresh fruit and refreshments can be ordered through the entertainment console at will.
Caponata must have been my culinary word du jour - because it was also a component in my choice of lunch, this time a hearty eggplant version that accompanied New Zealand lamb braised in red wine served over pleasingly al dente farro and walnuts. A Puhoi goat cheese and creme fraiche mousse with fennel, pea and radish was a fresh but decadent starter.
The drinks trolley offered a special-edition cocktail called “The Wickstead”, the on-brand violet-hued concoction, a tribute to uniform designer Emilia Wickstead, mixed Scapegrace Uncommon Gin, tonic water with blackcurrant and boysenberries.
Entertainment: An all-new inflight entertainment system with larger screens awaits in each seat onboard the refreshed Dreamliner.
In Business Class you get a truly impressive 24-inch HD 4K entertainment screen that can connect to your phone for easy remote navigation. The 15.3-inch high-resolution screen in Premium Economy is a good quality too, and not so large that you look over your shoulder when the content advisory displays at the start of your movie (blessed be those privacy screens).
High-quality noise-cancelling headphones are offered in both premium cabins and you have the option to connect your own bluetooth headphones as well.
The best bit: That lie-flat seat was a thing of glory. I never have trouble sleeping on planes but if you do, and have to get to your long-haul destination refreshed, it’ll change the game.
The worst bit: I find the consistent, low-frequency rumble of an airplane’s engine provides white noise that helps me focus and was looking forward to using a travel day to get some work done, but had difficulty connecting to the inflight wi-fi on both legs. My aisle mate was in the same position, and after crew couldn’t solve it for them I took it as a sign to watch a movie instead.
Final verdict: After we landed back in Auckland the plane went on to complete its first long-haul service to San Francisco. I would jump at the opportunity to fly Business on a flight of that length, but for transtasman, I think Premium Economy is a great option.
Judge for yourself though - all 14 Boeing 787-9s in Air New Zealand’s fleet are expected to be updated to the new cabin layout by the end of 2026.
Tyson Beckett flew courtesy of Air New Zealand.
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