While Air NZ passengers on a direct Auckland-to-New York flight get to sit back and enjoy the service and entertainment, there’s a lot going on ‘backstage’ for the crew. Grant Bradley takes a look at the secret workings of a long-haul flight to the Big Apple. At 39,000ft over the Pacific, Air New Zealand cabin deputy service manager Henner Battenhaussen explains why the airline’s longest flight is also the most sought after by crew.
The airline has acknowledged that with its dated product in its Business Premier cabin (soon to be completely overhauled), the crew do the extra “heavy lifting” to help justify the high cost of business-class tickets. “Everybody wants to do the New York route,” he says. “It’s such a fascinating city and while the flight is very long, it’s often less packed and more relaxed.
” Almost 100 of the 270 seats can be empty, especially on the return journey to Auckland because planes can face strong headwinds and have to cut weight to make the non-stop flight. READ MORE: 10 fantastic areas to stay in New York if you’re on a budget The ultra-long flights have other benefits. “We have lots of time on the aircraft to connect with the customers as well, whereas with the shorter flights sometimes it’s a real rush,” says Battenhaussen.
There are 10 cabin crew aboard NZ2 – the flight to New York – and while the Business Premier cabin is full, there are empty seats further back in the plane. For him, being a flight attendant is .
