Business-Class Service on the Scale of First Class on Air New Zealand

Air New Zealand has jettisoned its first class option, but offers a heavenly combination business-first class called Business Premier on its long-haul flights, including our favorite secret flight, the No Lag to London route between LAX and LHR. The seat, a 22-in wide leather armchair, comes with a separate ottoman footrest and coverts to a very generous 6-ft 6-inch bed, fully equipped with a memory-foam mattress top, your own cotton pillow, duvet, and a sleep sheet, of course. For ultimate comfort, you’ll be provided an amenity kit, which includes Clarins skincare products, socks, a toothbrush kit, and earplugs, among other things.

Meanwhile, the dining menu, designed by consultant chef Peter Gordon, the mastermind behind London’s The Providores and Tapa Room and his own restaurant in Auckland, features a combination of international and local produce to give you a unique Kiwi experience. Think seared salmon fillets with saffron risotto or a sage rolled chicken with white bean cassoulet, which you can enjoy over a glass or two of premium New Zealand wine. Plus, you can always help yourself to snacks and drinks at the self-service refreshment areas in the cabin or order a snack from your own video consul. When you return to your seat, you can enjoy on-demand entertainment on your personal screen or listen to a CD collection of the very best in music (or compile your own playlist of favorites!).

Air New Zealand’s entertainment system is truly on demand. In case you’ve missed a few good blockbusters, you can play catch up by watching them on flight. The airline even includes a few downloadable guides of its movie selection on its web site. You can find July guides here, just in case you don’t want to be surprised with the absolute awesomeness of movies like the Oscar-winning Argo, the inventive romantic comedy (500) Days of Summer, recent favorites like Wreck-it Ralph (good for your kids and the kid in you) and Gangster Squad, and all time favorites like Die Hard and Top Gun. The movie selection varies according to the flight you’ve booked, so in case you’re on route to China, Korea, or Japan, you can enjoy a Chinese spin on a classic like Dangerous Liaisons or a Japanese blockbuster like Strawberry Night. You can even watch a documentary or two or a few episodes of 30 Rock or Community.

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