Air New Zealand has just picked up the best Premium Economy award from the 2018 Skytrax World Airline Awards.Also was ranked 17th in the 2018 Worlds Top 100 Airlines up from 19th last year.Well done to the Air NZ team - punching above your weight yet again!

Cathay will launch one of its longest non-stop services in December, a new thrice-weekly service to Christchurch. (Approx 12hrs - 9,500km)Looks like it will one of their new Airbus A350-900XWB aircraft departing Hong Kong on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.The service is still subject to ...

Very simple and practical reason the space seat did not make the 787... is they just don't fit. Where as they get 21 of the original Y+ seat configuration. Got to make the economics work.For what it's worth -  I personally love the space seat, but like the growing rumours I believe their day...

I have been Priority Black with Rydges for a few years now - it seems to make more of a difference when I stay at Rydges properties and I get the royal treatment a couple of NZ properties where they know me by name - I have not experienced the same level of service from the other brands in t...

My real name was taken so used something to best describe why I travel regularly 

If you are able why not try them both??  Air NZ has just opened and is impressive - the Singapore lounge is only a couple of years old... they tend to be more strict on entry to the Singapore Lounge but if you know the rules you should be fine.

Thanks TheRealBabushka - I missed this thread... The Chinese buyer angle is being reported by a number of media outlets including Bloomberg, AFR and The Herald Sun. 

The rumours are rife that Air NZ will soon sell down its 25.9% stake in Virgin Australia - one school of thought is the existing major shareholders (Singapore or Etihad) will take this up - another is that one of the major Chinese carriers will use this as a way to gain direct entry to the Austra...

If you join Koru you also (over time) have a pathway to Star Alliance Gold - this in my opinion is more useful than Virgin status outside Australia and NZ. 

Was at TBIT last month and the experience is a far cry from my previous travels through LAX - I agree with willvil there is heaps to do and see in the terminal itself - while there is no doubt that a lounge experiance has its benefits - the TBIT also has plenty to offer.

As Richard Brown says your only issue will be a late arrival of the EK flight - if everything is on time you have heaps of time to transit in Melbourne  - especially with hand luggage only - you may want to consider checking in online for the flights to cut this time out of your transit also.

The key is to check in at Adelaide all the way through to Tokyo - basically you are then the airlines problem and in my experaince they will do everything they can to get you and your family safely through the Brisbane airports to your connecting flight.

One stop to Europe will be very attractive to non *A travellers. Australia adds 3+ hours to your trip to to Europe... Especially with a premium carrier like EK. There may also be the novelty factor of the longest sector in the world. Interesting that they will be using 777-200LR equipme...

Bloomberg are reporting that Qatar Airways will soon fly direct from Qatar to Auckland and onto Chile as part of their expansion in the region. It would make sense that they would code-share with Qantas and possibly LAN - or will they go it alone??

While it may not be specially asked for it is always wise to travel with ID these days. Online and e-tickets mean it's very seldom asked for - but if the system goes down and they need to do a manual checkin you are most likely be asked for ID. I have also seen some spot checks too.