Got a short-haul flight for today, at least by Dreamliner standards. Brisbane, the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Queensland, understandably sees a great deal of traffic between it and Auckland. So much of it, in fact, that Air New Zealand has seen fit to deploy widebody aircraft on the route since the DC-10 days. Currently, Brisbane and Auckland are connected twice-daily by Air New Zealand with the 787-9 Dreamliner and the A321neo.
Server: Solo
Airline: Air New Zealand
Aircraft: Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner
Origin: Auckland Airport, Māngere, New Zealand (AKL)
Destination: Brisbane Airport, Brisbane, Australia (BNE)
Flight Number: NZ145
Route: NZAA-YBBN
Seat: 55A (Economy)
Time En Route: 3 Hours 20 Minutes
After a tasty breakfast, we’re heading back to Gate 6 to board another NZ 787 to head to Brisbane. We’re getting to try out the economy seats after crossing the Pacific in business class.
Starting our pushback from the International Terminal at AKL
Flaps have lowered to 15° for takeoff whipe we taxi after the flight crew has released the hydraulic pressure. Our economy class seat seems fairly good so far, although we still have that purplish-pink mood lighting to deal with. However, that’s starting to grow on us the more we spend time with it.
With a light load, the Dreamliner really gets airborne in a hurry. The seat we’re in today seems pretty comfy so far. Air New Zealand’s Dreamliners are thus an overlooked gem for transpacific travel, at least from both ends of the seating arrangement spectrum.
Leaving the shore of the North Island behind us as we climb directly to our cruising altitude of 38,000 feet
In cruise over the Tasman Sea, heading to Queensland. Service has been polite and friendly, characteristic of Air New Zealand. Lunch is miso chicken with rice and seasonal vegetables, which was served hot and with a smile from our wonderful cabin crew on this flight.
We’re encountering some bumpy air on our descent into Brisbane. One of the perks of being seated behind the wings of a 787 ot 747-8I in economy is that you can watch those swallow-like wingtips bounce around in turbulence.
The turbulence eventually abated, but we still had a bouncy landing in Brissie. Spoilers are up and we’re slowing down after 200 minutes of flying.
Taxiing to our gate across the field from the Qantas hangars. Looks like there’s an A330-300 outside of Qantas Hangar 2, probably undergoing maintenance for something.
Parked at Gate 80. It’s been lovely traveling with Air New Zealand aboard their 787-9, and we’ll try to grab a trip on them again sometime soon!