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Shandelle Battersby flies aboard Air New Zealand’s NZ8039 from Auckland to Blenheim.
The plane: A nifty Air Nelson Bombardier Q300, in fairly good nick.
Class: First.
Price: Return flights were about $600.
Flight time: It was supposed to take an hour and a half but it was a glorious day and we shaved 12 minutes off the flight time. Views of the Marlborough Sounds and the patchwork fields and vines of rural Blenheim were pretty as a picture from on high. There were a few bumps as we descended into the valley to land.
My seat: 6A. Downwind, unfortunately, from some of the worst BO I’ve ever had to endure.
Fellow passengers: I would guess mostly locals.
How full: Three-quarters. There are only 50 seats on these little planes, in lots of two.
Entertainment: A ratty Kia Ora magazine and some downloaded Pod Save America podcasts. Check out these regular instalments by two of President Obama’s former speechwriters as they humorously dissect the goings-on in the current White House administration.
The service: One cabin crew member who was smiley and very nice.
Food and drink: A cuppa and a bikkie.
The toilets: One up front.
Luggage: The usual. The woman next to me had her large carry-on bag under her feet, which the cabin crew member didn’t seem worried about.
The airport experience: Birds in the regional part of the terminal in Auckland. Pet hate!
Would I fly this again? Yes, always a pleasure, as long as that smelly guy isn’t on board.
Sоurсе: nzherald.co.nz