Air New Zealand Boeing 747-200 First Class

 

First Class Rolls-Royce 747B

Cabin Layout and Seating

Meals, special privileges and facilities

In the 1980s it was common for international airlines to promote their premium products through leaflets highlighting why their premium classes were especially desirable. This was produced by Air New Zealand to highlight the first class product on its Boeing 747-200s, and from a 2023 perspective shows a mix of how far technology has come, but also how soft product has changed so much.

The Air New Zealand 747 First Class was located in the nose cabin, and the front of that cabin (which had a wardrobe, was decorated in a New Zealand forest scene. This was also the location of the pull down movie screen used for projecting films (as it was still a decade or so before personal video players would become available). 16 seats in the cabin is a density that was reduced to 12 around the year 2000 and today in a 747 nose, Lufthansa only has 8 seats in First Class, because First Class is now a much more spacious hard product than in the 1980s.  Simply having pairs of seats side by side would be unacceptable in First Class in 2023 due to lack of privacy, but what is also notable is First Class seats were recliners with footrests, they did not lie flat. Almost all international airlines of any repute in 2023 have Business Class seats that convert into fully lie-flat beds for long-haul flights, but in 1982 First Class would typically be a wide recliner, albeit with sheepskin seat coverings (which has long disappeared no doubt due to wear and tear and resulting cost).

Air New Zealand highlighted that its First Class seats were made by Recaro from "West Germany" as it was then, and being highly ergonomic. No doubt highly regarded at the time, this wouldn't be seen as a competitive Business Class seat today.

However, the soft product compares much more favourably. The trolley depicting bottles of champagne (Lanson and Moet), with elaborately decorated trays of food to be dished out at the seat (with cake to be sliced, alongside cheeses and fruit, on the lower level of the trolley), harks to a time when airline food in First Class was meant to be special and akin to being in a fine restaurant.  Noting wines from New Zealand, Australia and France, a sample menu gives a clear indication of how special Air New Zealand thought First Class should be with a choice of cold Hors d'Oeuvres, a seafood course and a main of beef fillet or chicken, with options of vegetables or salad. 

Finally a list of the "special privileges" of First Class (and let's compare it to first or business class of today, noting Air New Zealand dropped First Class in 2005.

• Preflight seat selection (this is available in all classes, although some seats are reserved for priority frequent flyers)
• First Class Check-in Counter (standard to have first class counters, distinct from business class which itself is distinct from economy class check-in - Air NZ in Auckland has a dedicated premium check-in area, available to business class and Air NZ/Star Alliance Gold and better frequent flyers and Koru Club members)
• Special luggage labels with priority (class based bag tags and priority tags are available in first and business class, priority luggage service is very much airport dependent!)
• Use of lounges at New Zealand departure ports and en route as available (First and Business Class passengers generally have this). Noting the lounge is to "relax with a drink" and meet the "Chief Purser" - the latter is not so common in long-haul international lounges. Finally note the chance to meet fellow First and Pacific (Business) Class passengers, which tends to be not what happens in lounges nowadays, because they are so much bigger, less exclusive and intensely used.
• Personal recognition by cabin staff (this is expected in first class, and often achieved in business class)
• Cold/hot towel service when boarding and in flight (expected in first, business and premium economy)
• Selection of reading and writing material (increasingly disappearing, certainly rare to see writing materials)
• Superior quality headsets for audio/movie entertainment (expected in first and business, with noise cancelling technology, albeit entertainment always includes on-demand video screens)
• First choice of duty free merchandise (duty free is no longer sold on Air New Zealand and is increasingly uncommon among international airlines more generally)
• Complimentary In-Flight Bag (amenity kits are expected in first and business class)

Bear in mind business class (Pacific Class as it was branded) at the time, had only just been introduced by Air New Zealand, and that product consisted of economy class seats with blocked middle seats, sheepskin seat covers, and more seat pitch. Essentially inferior to modern day premium economy. 

Few would hark back to the age of First Class in terms of seating comfort, but there is some sense that the food and beverage service was on a level that simply isn't seen today on most airlines.