Wednesday newsletters all the time characteristic a lodge or flight overview.
In summer time 2022, I loved an unimaginable vacation in French Polynesia (Tahiti, Moorea, and Bora Bora). Learn my journey stories right here:
At the moment: Air Tahiti Nui Boeing 787 Dreamliner Enterprise Class from Tahiti to Los Angeles
Final September, I flew with Air Tahi Nui from Charles De Gaulle Airport in Paris to Faa’a Worldwide Airport in Tahiti with a stopover in Los Angeles. That is my overview of the primary leg of my return flight with French Polynesia’s flag provider, a transpacific Enterprise Class journey onboard one of many provider’s Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners which took me from Tahiti to Los Angeles. The airline calls its Enterprise Class “Poerava” – a mixture of the Tahitian phrases poe and rava – which implies Black Pearl, a reference to Polynesian tradition. The airline has configured its lie flat Enterprise Class seats in a 2-2-2 structure; whereas not a leading edge onerous product, this configuration is sensible, on condition that most individuals touring to French Polynesia are {couples}. General, I completely loved my expertise with Air Tahiti Nui, particularly the nice tender product (e.g. meals) and the attentive service. With brilliant cabin colours, unique crew uniforms, Tahitian music, and the scent of the Tiare flower, Air Tahiti Nui additionally does a fantastic job of making a Polynesian onboard ambiance.
Have you ever ever flown with Air Tahiti Nui? If that’s the case, what was your expertise? Depart a remark.
- Journey: Papeete (PPT) to Los Angeles (LAX)
- Airline: Air Tahiti Nui
- Plane kind: Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner
- Plane registration quantity: F-OMUA (named Fakarava)
- On time departure: midnight (sure)
- On time arrival: 10:50 am (sure)
- Miles: 4110 miles (6610 km)
- Flight time: 7 hours and 35 minutes
- Seat: 1A
- Class: Enterprise Class
On this overview (extra data & photographs beneath my Youtube clip & slideshow):
- Air Tahiti Nui Lounge
- Enterprise Class cabin
- Enterprise Class seat (+ greatest & worst seats)
- Facilities & bedding
- Meals
- Leisure
- Onboard web
- Different inflight experiences
- My verdict (rating)
1. AIR TAHITI NUI LOUNGE
There’s just one lounge at Fa’a Worldwide Airport and it’s open to all passengers flying out of French Polynesia in Enterprise Class. Different passengers also can enter the lounge upon cost of a 6000 XPF (55 USD) price. Operated by Air Tahiti Nui, the lounge is positioned on the primary ground of the worldwide terminal and is accessed by urgent a hoop button after which the door is opened by a lounge attendant.
The lounge consists of 1, decently sized room, with loads of seats (though it may get crowded at peak hours). Most seat preparations are arrange for {couples} or journey events of 4, whereas there are additionally some high-top seats (a few of them have computer systems) in addition to some cubicles put in alongside a picket, semi-open divider. On the opposite facet of this divider are some extra seating areas, which really feel extra non-public and in addition supply extra snug chairs. General, the decor is trendy, with brilliant white furnishings and a few design parts in turquoise (the model shade of Air Tahiti Nui). Wrap-around home windows supply a pleasant view of the parked plane, the airport apron, and the runway.
A small and reasonably fundamental buffet is positioned on the facet of the lounge. The restricted choice consists of sweets, fruit, packaged snacks, chilly cuts, cheese, soup and a few sizzling snacks (e.g. mini pizzas). The drinks are additionally complimentary and embrace chilly drinks, juice, espresso, tea, beer, wine, and Champagne.
Amenities on the lounge embrace complimentary WiFi, newspapers, magazines and use of desktops.
2. BUSINESS CLASS CABIN
The Enterprise Class cabin onboard the Tahitian Dreamliner options 30 Rockwell Collins Diamond flatbed seats. These seats are configured in 5 rows on a six-abreast (2-2-2) association. Air Tahiti Nui select for a 2-2-2 structure within the premium cabin of its new Boeing 787s since most of the airline’s Enterprise Class vacationers are {couples} on their honeymoons or marriage ceremony anniversaries. Sadly, this additionally signifies that passengers seated in a window seat won’t have direct aisle entry, which may be reasonably uncomfortable when you’re not touring with a companion.
All seats face ahead, with the seats on the facet barely angled in direction of the home windows, away from the aisle. Paired seats are staggered by a few inches (cm); along with a small partition, this creates some privateness in case you’re seated subsequent to a stranger (though the seats and cabin are very open) and on the similar time permits sufficient interplay when you’re touring with a companion.
The Enterprise Class cabin contains a great, refreshing and unique design, impressed by the spectacular fantastic thing about the islands of Tahiti. The seat’s marine blue materials and tender picket finishes replicate French Polynesia’s pure parts and create a brilliant shade palette that evokes the white sand seashores and turquoise water of the Polynesian lagoons. A Tiare motif is printed within the leather-based headrests of every seat, subtly reinforcing the visible model picture of Air Tahiti Nui. The wall on the again of the cabin can also be adorned by a colourful portray of Polynesian girls, which seems to be like a reprint of a portray of Paul Gaugain, the well-known post-impressist artist who fell in love with French Polynesia.
The Tahitian Dreamliner’s Enterprise Class structure is identical one which you additionally discover on different airways, equivalent to KLM’s A330s, Qatar Airways’ A330s, and Ethiopian Airways B787s.
3. BUSINESS CLASS SEAT (+ BEST & WORST SEATS)
Air Tahiti Nui’s Enterprise Class seat is nice, though it doesn’t supply a lot privateness and the consolation of the flat-bed will largely depend upon the seat that you simply select (extra on that beneath). The tender cushioned seat has a pitch of 78 inches (195 cm), which is outlined because the house between one level on a seat and the identical level on the seat in entrance of it. The seat width is 21 inches (53 cm) – outlined because the house between the arm rests – which is snug however not among the many widest within the trade.
Every seat options its personal 16 inch HD touchscreen TV, which will also be managed by a handset nestled within the armrest. Under the TV monitor is a drawer (which is giant sufficient to retailer a laptop computer) and a footrest (which turns into a part of the flatbed as soon as the seat is totally reclined). The scale of this footrest is variable: the bulkhead seats in row 1 supply a a lot bigger ottoman as in comparison with the opposite Enterprise Class seats (so make sure that to decide on a seat within the first row when you can); additionally, the aisle seats have a bigger foot relaxation in comparison with window seats.
The middle armrest – which is shared between paired seats – contains a small shared desk (for drinks & snacks), a management panel for the seat positions, and a distant handset for the inflight leisure system. It additionally holds a reasonably sized fold-out tray desk. Subsequent to the seat, behind the headrest, is a small, considerably tough to achieve storage compartment with a magnetic adaptor for the headphones. Every seat can also be geared up with a typical common energy outlet and two USB ports.
The seat goes totally flat (180 levels recline), however your sleep consolation would possibly depend upon the seat you select: aside from the bulkhead seats in row 1 (which include giant ottomans), the footrests are reasonably slim and this may increasingly considerably hamper night time’s relaxation.
What are the greatest Enterprise Class seats
- All seats within the cabin are wonderful for these touring with a companion due to the 2-2-2 structure.
- The bulkhead seats in row 1 characteristic a a lot bigger footrest as in comparison with all different seats, so these are the seats you need to fly (and sleep) in, though proximity to the galley and toilet could trigger some mild noise disturbance occasionally.
What are the worst Enterprise Class seats
- The two-2-2 Enterprise Class structure doesn’t make the cabin very enticing for solo vacationers, since you’ll all the time find yourself sitting subsequent to a stranger. There’s a small display screen although between adjoining seats that are additionally staggered by a few inches, creating some additional ranges of privateness (albeit not sufficient).
- Window seats don’t supply direct aisle entry.
- The window seats within the 4th row are missing a window and are greatest averted.
Click on right here for a seat map of the Tahitian Dreamliner.
4. AMENITIES & BEDDING
Air Tahiti Nui gives the next facilities to its Enterprise Class passengers:
- A Poerava Enterprise consolation equipment, which comes within the type of a beige toiletry bag. It incorporates merchandise fabricated from recyclable supplies (cornstarch toothbrush, bamboo fiber sock, natural cotton masks) and a variety of beauty merchandise made in Polynesia (face and fingers cream fingers and a lip balm) from the model “Heiva”.
- A decently sized pillow (adorned with stunning Tahitian motifs)
- A cushty, heat and opulent blanket
- Air Tahiti Nui branded noise cancelling headphones, that are of fantastic high quality
5. MEALS
On this in a single day trans-Pacific flight, a lightweight chilly meal was supplied after takeoff and a breakfast previous to touchdown.
The sunshine chilly meal was served instantly after takeoff, with all programs supplied directly on one tray (for the reason that flight took off after midnight, this quick dinner service maximized the time onboard to relaxation). The next gadgets have been served:
- Important dish: tuna tataki, tomato tartar and eggplant caviar maki
- Dessert: white chocolate and lemon entremet
- A choice of wonderful cheese served with jelly of guava
All dishes tasted wonderful and the meals was properly introduced.
Ninety minutes previous to touchdown, whereas approaching the USA West Coast, a breakfast was supplied. I select French toast as a predominant dish, which was served with roasted pineapple & banana and a pistachio cream sauce.
6. ENTERTAINMENT
Every Enterprise Class seat is provided with an interactive touchscreen which provides superior HD decision. The inflight leisure options the most recent technology system from Panasonic, and provides an honest (albeit reasonably restricted) choice of leisure, with 16 films, 40 music albums, 15 video video games and several other devoted TV reveals & documentaries channel. A spotlight of the inflight leisure is Tiare TV, a singular channel dedicated to the islands of French Polynesia. Amongst others, Tiara TV contains a documentary about The Brando, one of many world’s most unique non-public island resorts and former house of the late actor Marlon Brando.
7. ONBOARD INTERNET
Air Tahiti Nui provides highspeed Wi-Fi on their 787s. Enterprise Class passengers get a voucher with 10MB of free knowledge (one per flight leg), which doesn’t precisely final a very long time. After these date are used, one of many following packages may be chosen:
- Bundle MAEVA (10 MB for $9 USD) – Ship and obtain emails with some small attachments
- Bundle IAORA (20 MB for $15 USD) – Ship and obtain emails, restricted web shopping, add and obtain just a few photographs
- Bundle FENUA (50 MB for $29 USD) – Ship and obtain emails, browse the web, add and obtain photographs
- Bundle NUI (200 MB for $49 USD) – Ship and obtain emails, browse the web, add and obtain photographs, stream audio content material
8. OTHER INFLIGHT EXPERIENCES
# CREW: The service on this flight was wonderful (and similar to the service I loved on my earlier flights with the airline). The cabin crew modified from modern metropolis uniforms to elegant and comfy Tahitian apparel shortly after take-off. The crew’s colourful clothes and shirts mirrored the allure, magnificence and heat which can be typical of the French Polynesian islands.
# LAVATORY: There are three bathrooms for the 30 Enterprise Class passengers. One is positioned behind the cockpit and two are positioned within the galley between the Enterprise and Premium Economic system Class cabin. Calming Tahitian music is performed contained in the bathrooms.
9. MY VERDICT
- Seat consolation (upright): 8/10
- Seat consolation (mattress place): 7/10
- Meals (high quality): 8/10
- Meals (amount): 8/10
- Inflight leisure : 8/10
- WiFi: 8/10 (however costly)
- Service: 9/10
- Cabin design: 8/10
- General expertise: excellent: 8/10
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