Business, With Pleasure

How Air New Zealand makes a difference in this aviation industry with its latest upgrades.

- Hannah Choo

IT'S ALWAYS A treat to fly business class. You pay to be greeted by name and to be handed that glass of Champagne as soon as you take your seat. God forbid, you can even ask for fresh orange juice to turn it into a mimosa. Who dares judge you? But more importantly, you pay for privacy and a good lie-down, just about the two cardinal things any frequent traveller could want.

In March, I had the luxury of flying from Singapore to Auckland on Air New Zealand's Business Premier. Everything was good, from service and food to the flat bed. Even the wi-fi (which is free across classes, by the way) was impressive; you can browse the Internet or send unsolicited photos to a special friend, if you want. However, on the flight, I also got to travel back in time. The first-generation herringbone seats-probably a big thing some 20 years ago-stood out, and not in a good way. Each seat faces the aisle, which means no privacy, and if you are lucky, you could be staring at a pair of feet from across, hopefully with socks on.

That said, Air New Zealand is finally ready for change, and what was supposed to be launched in 2022 is now ready to take off in 2024. As discovered at Hangar 22, the airline's unassuming R&D laboratory tucked away in downtown Auckland, Air New Zealand's new Boeing 787 Business Premier seats will be well worth the wait. For obvious reasons, a more conventional layout has been adopted, but designed with the personality of the country's native bird, the tui, a highly active bird that's known for its beautiful and complex song. Each Business Premier passenger will enjoy the comfort of their own space, to really cocoon and to nest.