NZKiwiman
My wife and I are doing a similar flight in April. ChCh to Auckland to Tokyo return on AirNZ. We have been told and it's on the booking confirmation that we will be on the Dreamliner ( 787 ). I rather hope that does not change. We have just returned from Bali going up there Virgin in a 737-800 both legs, but returned Jetstar on the Dreamliner to Melbourne then on a 320 to ChCh. The 787 Drreamliner was a big step up to travel on even though the seat spacing and width did not seem any different than the other two planes.Comfort for the five hour leg was ok and nothing to complain about. The four of us went cattle class both ways. The 787 seemed to be a lot quieter and I think the extra size of the cabin over the other two planes helped with the overall comfort.The cabin pressure is lower too I believe, adding to the comfort level. Overall on both airlines we could not fault the service or the condition of the planes. Both had friendly ground and cabin staff. The four flights left on time and arrived before time and our luggage got there as well ! I have no problem travelling with well known budget airlines as from experience AirNZ can cancel or delays flights just as much.
After doing quite a number of overseas trips in the last 25 years we have always traveled economy as once children came along it was the only financially viable way to travel. This next trip to Japan we have paid the extra to try out P.Economy for several reasons. My wife will only be away for a week and has to be back at work next day so she should get better comfort on the overnight trip back. I have been let of the leash so I am staying on for another month to tour around.The best price I could get was $2800 return economy and $3200 P.Economy, hence why the upgrade in travel comfort. No ankle biters on this trip either, wipee !
My observations with a variety of airlines is that in economy they all now try and cram in as many seats as possible with the narrow- ist seat width and leg room they can get away with. May be Emirates could be an exception having flown Sydney to London on a 380. So if the cost of flying is of a concern I think you just have to get your mind into " ok,let's get on this plane and get there mode " and put up with it the best you can. No economy seat is the lap of luxury! I quite liked the old fixed clam type seat on Cathy Pacific but other people have said it's the pits so what I like may not suit everybody so hard to recommend one over the other.
The agent could have given us smoking hot prices going Singapore Airlines but there was a long wait in Ghangi until the flight to Tokyo, so that was not a goer.
On the Bali trip, Virgin had wifi entertainment but it was bring your own device. No USB charging ports though. Cellphone went flat but tablet held out. Had to download app to both in airport first, for it to work. Jetstar had seat screen and USB port on 787 but you had to buy what you watched, but nothing on the 320. Going through the menus on the Jetstar screen it was super fast and the picture good quality.My daughter watched a paid for video and the system was one of the best aircraft systems that I have used.
Long flights, Good noise cancelling headphones will help to keep you sane. Have fun planning your trip. Iv'e spent ages getting our's together.
