Air tahiti nui business class review năm 2024
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I'm on one of Air Tahiti Nui's "Tahitian Dreamliners", also known as a Boeing 787-9. Flying once a week between Sydney and Papeete, Tahiti, with a stopover in Auckland, the airline - which celebrated 25 years in 2023 - code-shares with Qantas so you'll fly with Qantas to Auckland and then Air Tahiti Nui to Papeete. Show CHECKING IN: I check in online with Qantas for both flights, and drop my bags at Sydney airport, not having to pick them up again until we arrive in Papeete. You are allowed 23 kilograms of check-in luggage, and carry-on is seven kilograms, though no one weighs my backpack. I have changed my seats online with no worries, and chosen aisle seats for both legs - 17C then 38D. THE FLIGHT: Boarding the Air Tahiti Nui flight in Auckland, I am greeted by flight attendant Marania, clad in a multi-coloured dress, and she hands me a fragrant tiare flower - Tahitian gardenia. Has there ever been a more colourful plane interior? Everything is aqua, green, pink and orange, including the welcome pack of accessories. Island chill with mandolin plays over the speakers. The cabin gets cold half way through the flight (I see someone wearing a puffer jacket and wish I'd brought mine). After leaving 25 minutes late we arrive in Papeete more or less on time. Moana Economy's 3-3-3 configuration. THE CLASS: I'm in Moana Economy and the configuration is 3-3-3. The 79-centimetre seat pitch is average for economy. There are 232 seats, each reclining 15 centimetres. I spy seven flight attendants and I have four toilets within easy distance. I like the blinds: you don't pull them down, but press a button and the window turns from clear to blue to block out the sun. An aqua fleece blanket is welcome in the cold cabin, as are the socks in the amenities pack. We also get a pillow. Please, can someone WD-40 the armrests? They squeak comically loudly. FOOD AND DRINKS: We are fed 35 minutes into the flight and there is a chicken or fish option. I opt for pan-seared monkfish, but wish I had ordered the chicken and mushroom stroganoff. Each meal comes with potato salad, cheese and crackers and chocolate mousse - plenty of food. The drinks menu offers Tahitian Hinano beer and French wines. The lights are dimmed after the meal so we can nap, which is handy because I'll be winding my watch forward three hours, even though we will arrive yesterday (Tahiti is 21 hours behind Sydney).
ENTERTAINMENT: A 30-centimetre touchscreen is on the newer side and there is a USB port to charge your devices. There could be more on the entertainment menu for people who don't speak French - 11 new releases in English but only two documentaries and no series. THE SERVICE: The flight attendants speak French, with a little English, and are polite and smiling. IN A NUTSHELL: The joyous colours and music, and comfortable seats, make this flight a delight. The entertainment leaves something to be desired but for a short flight, you should find a movie or two to watch, and you may even enjoy a snooze. SNAPSHOTFlight and route: Air Tahiti Nui, flight TN1422 (Sydney to Auckland), then TN102 (Auckland to Papeete, Tahiti). Frequency and duration: Three times a week, on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday, but days can change according to season. Three hours and 10 minutes, then four hours and 45 minutes. Class and price: Moana Economy, from $734 (one way) Explore more: au.airtahitinui.com The writer was a guest of Air Tahiti Nui and Tahiti Tourisme Daily Liberal journalist. I love telling people's stories. Get in touch at [email protected] We were connecting same day from American Airlines, and unfortunately our flight was delayed significantly. As a result, we sprinted to Tom Bradley International Terminal to make our flight (or so we thought at the time). As we were running towards TBIT I received a phone call, and when I picked up I found that it was the Air Tahiti Nui gate agent asking if we were going to make the flight. I’m impressed she reached out, and she said we didn’t have to rush now that they knew we’d make it. Kudos to her for being so proactive. Obviously we didn’t have time to use the lounge, though for what it’s worth Air Tahiti Nui uses the Los Angeles International Lounge, which I’ve reviewed before. While I’d consider TBIT as such to be one of the nicest terminals in the US, our flight was leaving from gate 140, which might as well be a different terminal altogether. There are a bunch of gates in this area, and at best it can be described as a bus depot, as all flights from this area depart from remote stands. This whole setup is just so poorly organized, because so many flights leave from this area around the same time, and there’s just no room to even move around, as the lines for the gate span the entire terminal area. Fortunately we arrived at our gate at 10:20PM, literally the same minute they started boarding (for what it’s worth, our boarding passes indicated that boarding was supposed to start at 9:55PM). We got on one of the buses, and about 15 minutes later were at the plane. For once the bus ride was actually sort of enjoyable, as we could catch our breath and stop sweating from our long run. Air Tahiti Nui 101 Los Angeles (LAX) – Papeete (PPT) Tuesday, December 4 Depart: 10:55PM Arrive: 5:05AM (+1 day) Duration: 8hr10min Aircraft: Boeing 787-9 Seat: 4B (Business Class) We boarded through the second set of doors, and turned left into the business class cabin of this brand new 787-9. Ah, you’ve gotta love the new plane smell! Air Tahiti Nui’s 787s have a total of 30 business class seats, spread across five rows in a 2-2-2 configuration (this takes up the entire space between doors one and two). Air Tahiti Nui chose B/E Aerospace Diamond seats in business class, which are fully flat seats that are at a slight angle to the aisle. They efficiently make use of space because they have footwells that are underneath the seats in front. If traveling alone many may prefer the center seats, since both passengers have direct aisle access. However, we instead opted for an aisle and window seat, 4A & 4B. I guess I didn’t put much thought into those seat assignments, because go figure row four is the one row with a missing window (so I’d recommend any row except for that). These seats aren’t exactly cutting edge, though Tahiti is mostly a leisure destination, so I suspect it’s quite intentional that they chose a configuration where you can sit next to a seatmate. This also isn’t a terribly efficient configuration — other airlines can fit the same number of reverse herringbone seats in this space. One thing is for sure — these seats represent a massive upgrade over Air Tahiti Nui’s old A340 business class, which featured angled seats. Anyway, I loved the seat finishes, and how nicely the bedding and other amenities complemented them. The one downside of these seats over other fully flat forward facing seats is that the footwell when in bed mode is fairly small, since you’re essentially putting your feet in a cubby underneath the seats in front. I don’t mind that too much since I sleep at an angle with my knees bent, but others may find that to be more bothersome. Each seat has a small storage compartment to the back of the seat and to the side, which is also where the headphone jack is located, as well as a bottle of water. Above the footwell there’s also a rack where you can place things during the flight, though just be aware those things can easily fall out. The seat controls were located on the center armrest between seats. The tray table folded out from the center armrest, and could be folded in half. Underneath the center console were power outlets, with both 110v and USB outlets. Also to the sides of the center console were the entertainment controllers. My one major complaint about the Air Tahiti Nui 787 is that they don’t have individual air nozzles at each seat, which is a feature I value. Already waiting at my seat upon boarding was a pillow and blanket. I liked the thickness of the pillow, and the blanket was massive. It was almost too big and warm, given the lack of air nozzles. Also waiting at my seat upon boarding was a very well stocked amenity kit. Then there were headphones, which were pretty decent quality. About 10 minutes after settling in we were offered pre-departure drinks. The only drinks on offer were champagne, which worked perfectly for us, though I did notice when they served others there were more choices on the tray. A few minutes after that we were presented with the menu and drink list for the flight. When boarding was complete, 20 of the 30 business class seats were taken. Then as is the case on many airlines, a few hugs and kisses were exchanged between the crew and either friends or family, and soon enough 24 seats were occupied. At 11:05PM the chief purser made her welcome aboard announcement, and informed us that our flight time was 7hr50min. The door closed five minutes after that, and then at 11:20PM we began our pushback. I’m not sure why our flight was delayed on departure, as there was no explanation. Around this time the safety video was screened, which I thought was pretty cool. We had a fairly long taxi (given that our remote stand was at the very west of the airport), and at 11:45PM we were cleared for takeoff on runway 24L. As we climbed out I decided to check out the entertainment selection. Air Tahiti Nui’s new system is very good in terms of responsiveness and screen quality. I first checked out the moving map for our flight to Papeete, which had us flying straight out over the Pacific. While the system as such was excellent, the movie and TV selection was extremely limited. There were only about a dozen movies, and a similar number of TV shows. I’m not sure if they just don’t intend to offer more anytime soon, or if this is because it’s a new plane and they haven’t increased the selection yet. The Air Tahiti Nui 787 also has Wi-Fi, which is a nice addition. However, they charge based on data, and it’s extremely expensive. The pricing is as follows:
Business class passengers receive 10MB of free Wi-Fi, though that will last you a few minutes at best. On the plus side, the Wi-Fi speeds were quite good (probably largely because no one was using it due to how expensive it is). Despite a smooth climb out, the seatbelt sign was only turned off about 20 minutes after takeoff. A few minutes after that the crew distributed vouchers for 10MB of free Wi-Fi. At this point the crew had already changed into more traditional Tahitian clothing, which they do during the meal services. A few minutes after that we were offered flowers. Then immigration cards were distributed. This is a late night flight and also a fairly short one, so the service on this flight was really quick. Just 30 minutes after takeoff tablecloths were distributed, along with warm towels, which were served on cute plates. At that point the meal service began. The menu read as follows: The drink list read as follows: The focus on these short flights seems to be on maximizing rest, so just over 30 minutes after takeoff I was presented the entire meal on one tray. There are no choices as far as the food goes, but rather everyone gets the same light meal. On the plus side, the meal was right up my alley, and I thought it was excellent. It included a nicoise salad with tuna, fresh fruit, a cheese plate, and creme brulee. I was also offered a selection of bread. I thought the meal was truly excellent, and hit the spot. To drink I had a glass of champagne and some water. Fewer than a dozen passengers even had anything to eat, and the entire meal was cleared less than an hour after takeoff. I’d say the crew was friendly but unremarkable. They went through the motions, and they were friendly enough, but nothing more. After dinner I decided to check out the lavatory. There’s a lavatory in front of and behind the cabin, and they’re the standard 787 ones. They did have some nice flowers, though. At that point I reclined my seat with about 6hr45min remaining to Papeete. Like I said, it’s not the most spacious seat in the world, but I managed to get really good sleep, much better than usual on a plane. I got over four hours of sleep, and woke up with about two hours remaining to Tahiti, as we were just over 1,000 miles away. The crew stayed in the galley almost the entire time and wasn’t proactive between meals (which I don’t mind, since “stomping” through the cabin can disturb rest), but when I pushed the call button they quickly responded. I ordered a cup of coffee. About 90 minutes before landing the crew turned on the cabin lights in order to start the breakfast service. First they let everyone wake up, and then about 80 minutes out they distributed warm towels. Then 75 minutes out the first course was served, which consisted of a selection of fresh fruit, as well as something from the breadbasket. 10 minutes later the crew asked which of the main courses we wanted. Ford ordered the omelet with sausage and potatoes, which was pretty standard. I ordered the chocolate chip pancakes (mainly so I could get a picture of both options). The pancakes were tasty but tiny. At this point the sun slowly began to rise, and we were treated to an absolutely gorgeous view. At around 5:10AM local time the captain made his first announcement, informing us that we’d be landing at 5:40AM, which was a bit behind schedule. At this point the crew came through the cabin to distribute candy and prepare the cabin for arrival. The seatbelt sign was turned on about 10 minutes before landing. Our first view of land was maybe five minutes before arrival. We flew in right over the main part of the city, which was bigger than I was expecting. We landed on runway 22 at 5:40AM, and after rolling to the end of the runway we had to turn around and backtaxi, as the taxiway is closer to the middle of the runway. We had a very short taxi to our arrival stand, where we parked at 5:45AM, next to an Air Tahiti Nui A340 (which will soon be leaving the fleet). The airport doesn’t have any gates, so they pulled up a set of stairs to the second door, which I was happy about, since it meant I could admire this beauty from the outside. What a stunning plane, and I love Air Tahiti Nui’s new livery! What I like about the airport is that even though they have remote stands, you don’t have to take a bus to the terminal. Rather there’s a walkway spanning the length of the terminal, so we could just walk to immigration. In the arrivals hall there was some live music, which is pretty awesome, especially when you consider it wasn’t even 6AM. We were through immigration in no time thanks to being among the first off the plane, and headed to the domestic terminal for our Air Tahiti flight to Bora Bora. Having flown Air Tahiti Nui’s old business class, I can say that their new business class experience represents a huge improvement. While I wouldn’t call their new business class cutting edge, it’s a solid product, especially given that they fly to a leisure destination with limited competition in most markets. Personally I appreciated the abbreviated meal service on this fairly short overnight flight, and found the food quality to be good. The service was friendly, though unmemorable. And I liked the amenities they had. I’d say their biggest room for improvement comes with their limited entertainment selection, and also their outrageous Wi-Fi pricing, which doesn’t seem to me like it would be maximizing revenue for them. What are the benefits of business class on Air Tahiti Nui?In business class, passengers enjoy a dedicated check-in area and priority baggage claim upon arrival. There is also a dedicated lounge with the highest level of comfort at each airport served by our airline. Onboard, enjoy an advanced entertainment system, Panasonic eX3. Does Air Tahiti have lie flat seats?The cabin is arranged in five rows in a six-abreast (2-2-2) configuration. Our business class seats offer 152 cm (60 inches) of space between each row and convert to a 180° (full flat) bed with a length of 198 cm (78 inches). Why is Air Tahiti so expensive?Air connections The disadvantage is the price of flights, because unfortunately Air Tahiti has a virtual monopoly (alongside private aircraft companies) on all the islands of French Polynesia and offers really prohibitive prices, especially when considering the very short duration of some flights. How do I upgrade to business class on Air Tahiti Nui?Eligible for an upgrade? For a chance to upgrade, choose either Premium or Business class and bid on Maeva Plusgrade up to 6 hours prior to flight departure. If you win the bid, the corresponding amount will be debited from your account and you will be notified by email up to 5 hours before departure. |
