dailynewsnblog
With an early morning departure time, the family and I were up at 3:00 AM to make our way to Christchurch Airport (CHC) for a 6:30 AM flight. On Saturday, June 6, we were heading to 
Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport (SYD) on Air New Zealand flight NZ221 as a family of three, including one child, and booked in the airline’s Works’ fare.
Arriving at the airport, the Air New Zealand check-in area was busy with a flurry of passengers as there were three different trans-Tasman services scheduled this morning (the others being Brisbane Airport(BNE) and the Gold Coast (OOL)). Qantas and Jetstar also had services departing in the early hours to Sydney and Melbourne respectively.
Check-In
As I had previously checked online, we quickly were able to locate a kiosk to finalize the check-in process and print our bag tags. There was a slight queue for the bag drop, which took about 10-15 minutes to clear. Both of our bags were marginally overweight (23.8 and 23.9 kg when the allowance is 23kg or 50lbs), but the airline attendant allowed them to go through anyway.
During this time, I had minimal interaction with the check-in team, except for when they approved my overweight bags at self-check-in and bag drop. The atmosphere of this part of the airport was exciting, with many travelers preparing for their international flights that morning. The other area that had passengers queued was at Qantas and Jetstar for their respective international flights.
Departure Airport Experience
Heading upstairs, the crowds had started to fan out, and we were quickly through the international screening area, and there was no queue at all for aviation security. Traveling with a child, we were unable to pass through NZ customs e-gates and instead were seen by an attendant who was friendly and quick to talk about the recent rugby league game last night. Before we knew it, we were in the duty-free area, which you walk through to get to the departure lounge.
Keeping a child occupied while waiting for a flight can sometimes be a challenge, so we found a human-sized chess game to fill our time. The terminal itself was clean, and there was ample seating for the three Air New Zealand, Jetstar, and Qantas flights that were set to depart this morning.
Looking at the departure board, the rest of the day included the likes of 
Singapore Airlines, Fiji Airways, and 
Emirates. It even featured Air New Zealand’s newest international route between Christchurch and Rarotonga International Airport(RAR).
Boarding
Boarding commenced just before 6:00 AM for the 6:30 AM flight, and the aircraft was boarded in stages with premium customers first, followed by the rear half of the plane. We are booked in row nine, so we waited until the final moments before lining up at the gate. Boarding was easy, the announcements were clear, and the crew was friendly and attentive. As we made our way down the gangway, the crew on board the Airbus A320neo warmly welcomed us onto the aircraft.
We found our seats and got settled in. Our son was excited to be flying to Australia and was keen to get buckled in and take off. During the final boarding process, there was a marginal delay, meaning we only pushed back from the gate at 6:50 AM. 20 minutes behind schedule, however, once we were moving, the taxi was very quick, and we were in the air before 7:00 AM. Our approximate flight time that morning was just shy of three hours across the Tasman Sea.
The Seat
We were in row nine, and our well-presented seats were clean and featured a personal seatback touchscreen seatback entertainment. As we are booked on the airline’s Works fare, we were entitled to movies and a meal, while some other passengers on the seat-only fare got just the tea and coffee, and television shows, as part of their package. A complimentary set of earbuds was offered, and for the kids, a more appropriate pair of headphones.
Shortly after takeoff, the crew came through the aircraft to provide us with our arrival cards for Australia. These must be completed before arrival. A biosecurity video was also aired onboard to remind passengers what they can and cannot bring into Australia. The aircraft is configured in an all-economy class layout, with the various fare bundles being the main differentiators between passengers.
The seat pocket was clean and had the safety instructions, a sick bag, and room for small personal items. We stored our backpacks underneath the seat in front of us as the overhead lockers were somewhat full by the time we got on board.
IFE & Connectivity
There were plenty of films and television shows to pick from. I had mistakenly thought the seatback entertainment would connect via Bluetooth to my noise-cancelling headphones, which it did not, so I actually, for the majority of the flight, decided to listen to music from Spotify via my phone.
This flight had complimentary WiFi onboard, and passengers were served by four cabin crew members who were all friendly and attentive. These crews usually do an Australian return rotation operating Christchurch to Sydney and back or onwards to another NZ international airport.
In-Flight Service
The flight was enjoyable, and I was able to capture a beautiful sunrise over the Tasman Sea. The flight experienced no turbulence, so it was smooth sailing. An observation of the number of passengers onboard indicated that we were flying with roughly an 85% load. Visiting the facilities on board, they were clean and modestly sized.
The captain came on board for a brief message as we were approximately 20 minutes before arrival. Touchdown was estimated at 7:45 AM, and we were warned of a long taxi ride to our gate. The cabin crew was then instructed to prepare the cabin for landing. A prepare for landing message by the head flight attendant followed, ensuring the passengers knew of their expectations as we prepared for landing. The flight attendants were requested to take their seats for landing approximately 16 minutes before arrival.
Meals & Beverages
Around 45 mins into the flight, the in-flight meal service started. Today on the menu were two meal options: either a cheddar egg omelet, served with beans, bacon, and spinach. Additionally, it came with a small muffin and fruit bowl, juice and tea or coffee (or alcoholic beverages if you’re that way inclined in the morning). The other meal option was a chia breakfast bowl with overnight oats and berries.
The kids’ meal was a yogurt, muffin, and hot cakes with passion fruit compote. Additionally, a fruit bowl was also served. I opted for the omelette, which was delicious and hot. I also had an apple juice and a cup of tea. Leftover rubbish from meals was promptly collected before a second drinks service was offered approximately an hour later. This time I decided to go for a glass of sparkling wine to celebrate the beginning of our holiday.
Arrival Airport Experience
We commenced our descent approximately 30 mins before our estimated arrival time, and the cabin crew at this time were prompt to come through and collect any waste in the cabin. At this time, the infamous Air New Zealand lollies were also handed out to the passengers. These are perfect for helping pop those blocked ears. The aircraft touched down safely and smoothly at 7:43 AM local time.
As already mentioned, there was quite a taxi to the terminal, and we followed a Philippine Airlines aircraft along the taxiway to the terminal. We eventually arrived at a remote stand at 7:58 AM. Disembarkation was easy, and we were off the plane relatively quickly. Downstairs and onto a waiting bus at 8:05 AM to be transferred to the terminal. The bus ride lasted four minutes, and we passed aircraft including an 
American Airlines Boeing 777 and a Qantas Airbus A330, A380, Boeing 787, and 737.
In the arrivals area, some other long-haul and short-haul international services had recently arrived. After passing through immigration, we arrived at baggage claim and collected our bags by 8:23 AM. It was then time to proceed through customs, which was painless, and we exited without additional screening. We were officially out the door at 8:26 AM, and on the train at 8:41 AM.
Flight Review: Air New Zealand Dash 8 Q300 From New Plymouth To Christchurch
Mystery and intrigue await as the smallest aircraft in Air New Zealand’s fleet takes flight…
Flight Details
As we gradually descended above the skies above Australia’s largest city, Sydney, the views were fantastic with only a little to no cloud cover. We got a clear view of the Sydney Harbour, the Harbour Bridge, and the Opera House. We arrived at the country’s busiest airport from the north. For those unfamiliar with SYD, it operates to strict curfews, which limit operations at the airport, which limits flights between 11:00 PM and 6:00 AM. You can read more about why curfews are important here.
Air New Zealand is the largest operator of both domestic and international services from Christchurch in terms of the number of destinations served. Domestically, the carrier operates to Auckland, Dunedin, Hamilton, Hokitika, Invercargill, Napier, Nelson, New Plymouth, Palmerston North, Queenstown, Rotorua, Tauranga, and Wellington.
Meanwhile, international flights are operated year-round to Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney. Seasonal services are also added to Adelaide, the Gold Coast, Perth (from November), Rarotonga, Singapore (from October), and Tokyo (from November).
