For my journey back to Australia from New Zealand, I scored a great deal combining Air New Zealand and QANTAS flights. The first leg was a short Economy flight with Air New Zealand from Dunedin to Christchurch, followed by a Business Class flight on QANTAS to Sydney.
Full disclosure, this post contains affiliate links which help sustain this blog, support my travels, and offer valuable content. If you book through these links, I may receive a small bonus at no extra cost to you. Your support means the world to me. Thank you, Matty.
QANTAS uses Boeing 737s on this route—nothing too fancy compared to airlines like Emirates or my recent LATAM flight to New Zealand with lie-flat seats—but for the short hop across the ditch, it does the job just fine.
The Aircraft
The aircraft, a Boeing 737-838 registered VH-VZX, first flew on January 17, 2012, making it 13.5 years old at the time of this flight. With the average age of the QANTAS 737 fleet sitting around 17 years, this jet was slightly younger, showing a few signs of wear, but still holding up well. Unfortunately, this quick snap on my way to board was the only photo I managed to get of its exterior.
The Seat
The cabin features 12 Recaro recliner seats arranged in a 2-2 layout, offering a comfortable and functional design for short to medium haul journeys. Each seat includes a swing-out leg rest, separate footrest, a four way adjustable headrest, and a sturdy bi-fold tray table that neatly tucks away when not in use. Seated in 3F, a window seat, I was usually last to be served.
With a generous seat width of 18.7 inches, 37 inches of pitch, and 8 inches of recline, there’s ample room to relax and stretch out.
The Entertainment
Noise cancelling headphones were provided in the seat pocket. While they looked a little worn and well used, they still functioned reasonably well and did the job for this short flight.
QANTAS Business Class TV screens on the Boeing 737-800 are seatback touchscreens, typically around 10.6 inches in size. While not cutting edge (and starting to show their age) compared to international long haul aircraft, they offer a solid range of in-flight entertainment.
I was excited to see that season three of The White Lotus was available, but no matter what I tried, I couldn’t get it to stream to my phone. As the screen notes, you need to connect to Wi-Fi and open the QANTAS entertainment app to access Seasons 2 and 3.
Speaking of Wi-Fi, I couldn’t get that to work either… oh well. I settled in with a movie instead—Robbie Williams: Better Man—and ended up really enjoying it. A great choice in the end!
Food and Beverage
Upon boarding we are offered a glass of water or sparkling wine. I opt for the latter. It’s a refreshing drop, not too dry, I wrote down the name but have never been able to find it online since. If anyone know what it is please leave a message in the comments! What I have written is Duvoula la Voile, which is obviously wrong! LOL. EDIT: The champagne is Duval-Leroy!
Tonight’s Business Class dinner options included Chicken Caesar with a Mediterranean vegetable medley, Eggplant Cannelloni, or Butter Chicken. As you might have guessed, I opted for the Caesar as it sounded light, fresh, and satisfying. However, there was a lot going on on this tray which seemed to clash with each other… The meal was served with a glass of water and a glass of Devils Lair Margaret River Chardonnay 2023. This bottle retails for around AU$45-$50 and was a delicious wine!
Sadly, and yes, I know this falls under first world problems, but the meal was more of a miss than a hit. While the Mediterranean vegetable medley was well cooked, it was served stone cold, and the prosciutto felt out of place, clashing rather than complementing the vegetable medley.
Once again, first world problems, but the Caesar salad was also a bit of a letdown. It wasn’t icy, but it was served so uncomfortably cold and firm that it just wasn’t enjoyable. Edible, yes, but it felt more like a chore than a treat.
To finish off the meal, a simple cheese and cracker selection was offered which was a nice way to end the service. Interestingly, there was also a portion of butter included on the tray, which seemed a little out of place given there was no bread or roll provided. Perhaps it was a standard inclusion, or no bread was loaded, but it did leave me wondering about its intended purpose.
A Whittakers Hokey Pokey Crunch chocolate bar was also on the tray and I saved this for later along with another glass of the Devils Lair Margaret River Chardonnay 2023.
If you’re curious about the dinner options in Economy Class, the menu actually sounded quite appealing, even though I didn’t get a chance to see the dishes myself. The choices included beef casserole, chicken orzo pasta, and spinach and tomato pasta.
Service
The service on board was excellent. My only minor gripe was with my seat selection, being in 5F meant I was the last to be served, as the service began from 1A and moved left to right. That aside, the Business Class cabin crew member was cheerful, bubbly, and happily engaged in conversation. A real credit to QANTAS Airways.
Conclusion
Overall, this trans-Tasman journey was a comfortable and enjoyable experience. While the aircraft showed a bit of age and a few elements missed the mark, like the meal temperature and tech glitches, the excellent service, lounge access, and smooth flight made up for it. Flying Business Class on a short-haul sector like this added a touch of luxury to an otherwise routine trip, and it was well worth the small fare difference. I’d happily do it again.
Awesome things to do in New Zealand HERE!
Matty Somewhere 