Adventures in the Front of the Plane

We just celebrated our 10th anniversary with a trip to the Cook Islands.  For the long journey and special occasion, we used some of our airline miles to book — for the first time in our lives — seats in the front of the plane.

The challenge now?  Forgetting how business class feels…as we head on back to coach.

As I discussed in my recent post, US Airways Miles…and How Best to Use Them, sometimes using your airline miles makes good sense.  For example:  10 hour plane ride + milestone = good sense.

The irony is that when you use miles, scheduling becomes more of a crapshoot.  While we were able to score a direct Air New Zealand flight from L.A. to Rarotonga, Cook Islands, our epic journey home was Rarotonga → Auckland, New Zealand → (overnight in Auckland) → Sydney, Australia → L.A.

Hideous, right?  Think again, my friends.

In coach, this scenario would be the usual punishing series of aggravations, sure to leave you both feeling like cattle on a factory farm.

In Air New Zealand’s business class, taking 4 flights over a 38-hour stretch becomes a fun adventure.

Here’s why:

AIRPORT LOUNGES
We’d heard legends about these, and it turns out they’re real.

Air New Zealand’s lounges in L.A., Auckland and Sydney have gleaming buffets with, depending on the time of day, breakfast, lunch or dinner.  Ever seen an automated pancake-making machine?  Yeah, neither had we. But don’t you want one now?

In Sydney’s ANZ lounge, there’s a whole slew of Australian wines to choose from, and you can just help yourself.  After conducting a wine tasting (oh, like you wouldn’t), we found a great shiraz from the Barossa Valley…without ever leaving the airport.

There are HD travel videos on flat screen TVs.  You can choose from glossy magazines, a hemisphere’s worth of newspapers, and a library of coffee table books.  You can head off to a quiet area for a snooze, or even take a shower in a private bathroom.

Chances are, while you’re perched on a squooshy leather sofa, reading, stuffing your face, or simply availing yourself of free wi-fi, a nice stewardess from your flight will stop by to introduce herself and ask after your well-being.  Try not to stare at her in openmouthed disbelief — she’s just doing her job.

ONBOARD TOILETRIES
The bathroom products in first class are a marvel:  Face mists, skin cleansers and lotions, even hand soap that smells like a spring-fresh meadow.  We got up to use the toilet even when we didn’t really have to.

FIRST CLASS SEATS, THEMSELVES
You know how good it feels to find an open Brookstone massage chair in a mall the day before Christmas? Well, that’s a seat in business class for you.

You can actually tilt a business class seat all the way back, flat as a bed.  There’s thick padding in the cushions, and ergonomic buttons to control the footrest, pitch, and lumbar support.

(One note of caution: Best not to let the elderly British couple way across the aisle catch you playing with these buttons and laughing like kids on a playground see-saw.  Funny for them, embarrassing for you.)

The holy grail of couples’ travel seats, though, are found in what is known as business premier.  These cozy pods feature a padded footrest that doubles as a seat, so your traveling companion can join you at your generous table for conversation, canoodling…or even a four-course meal.

IN-FLIGHT CUISINE
In business class, you’re fed almost constantly. Kiwi from New Zealand.  Red snapper from Australia.  Artisanal breads and elegant wines with every course.  Foil-wrapped chocolates and a bowl of raw sugar cubes served with your coffee.  Rosemary potatoes and filet mignon that you can cut with an (actual) metal knife and fork.

Especially when you consider the postage-stamp size of the kitchens, the food in the front of the plane is pretty darn amazing.

Our favorite moment was shared across a linen-draped table, sharing a mango-passionfruit tart and a golden glass of sauternes.  To two people used to feeling a thrill if we get the whole can of soda from the aisle cart, sipping dessert wine at 10,000 feet felt positively depraved.

I haven’t even mentioned the wide aisles that allow your huge neighbor to rummage in his overhead bin without knocking you in the head; or the friendly stewards who ask about your trip and offer hot towels; or the individual entertainment centers that allow you to pick from a whole library of movies that haven’t yet hit cable (17 Again?  Too Fast, Too Furious?  Go ahead, you’re on vacation!).

Turns out taking all these airplanes was a brilliant way to prolong our celebration.

In retrospect, our first front-of-plane experience was a like taking a trip all in itself:  We’d heard a lot about it, always wanted to go, really enjoyed seeing how other people live…and who knows, may never go there again.

Related posts:
Flying ‘Round the Cooks: The Easy Version
Flying ‘Round the Cooks: The Not-So-Easy Version