Departure airport experience: I arrived five minutes after check-in had opened and a generous queue had already formed. It moved relatively slowly, owing as much, it seemed, to the copious amounts of luggage brought by passengers (there were some notably towering trolleys) as it was the pace of the five desk clerks. When I eventually got to the front, with one check-in bag, the process took a couple of minutes.
Early afternoon on a Thursday, all the shops were open, the departure areas bustling, and passport and security a swift in-and-out.
Seat: An aisle in the Economy cabin.
Crew: Wearing vibrant prints and smiles, the crew was welcoming and accommodating, attentive to the logistics of being on an active aircraft as they were to passenger needs.
Passengers: This flight was heaving, the vibe best described as somewhere between relaxed and holiday chic — loved-up couples presumably on honeymoon, surfers seeking legendary swells (one person, who boarded with a board bag, was actually wearing a long-sleeved rash vest), loungewear-clad girl groups and those needing getaways. There was a regular stream of American accents, not surprising given that this flight was en route, via French Polynesia, to Los Angeles. No one was wearing masks.
Food and drink: Dinner, like most airline dinners, was a truly varied affair. I opted for the chicken curry with beans, which came with chocolate mousse pudding (hard to fault), cheese and crackers (a reliable menu choice) and a bread roll (slightly cold but still everything I wanted in a palm-sized baked good, really).
Entertainment: Bundled up in a provided turquoise blanket, this four-hour-and-45-minute flight went quickly, with a small edit of somewhat-new films, including Aubrey Plaza thriller Emily the Criminal, sci-fi meets CIA drama Tenet and fantasy sword movie King Arthur, to tide me through. A simple pair of headphones was provided, though they sometimes struggled to provide the auditory experience some of those films (read: fight scenes, high-tension build-up music) demanded of them.
Arrival airport experience: Tahiti’s international airport in Papeete is lively and warm (literally and generally), where, after walking in off the tarmac, a quartet of singers in lei garlands played the ukulele — a surprising but not unwelcome greeting at 8.45pm. Queues through immigration went quickly and my bag made its appearance shortly afterwards.
The best bit: Much of Air Tahiti Nui’s aesthetic is vivid turquoise, its music charming, and its overall feel representative of the fact that you are on your way to azure waters and sweet fruit — all of which is an affirming segue to your destination.
The worst bit: My supplied headphones weren’t the best quality, which meant remaining steadfast through the listening experience, with some film rewinding required.
Final verdict: An uncomplicated journey that’s soon over, and worth the trip to a veritable paradise.
