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To get from North America to French Polynesia on our pre-honeymoon journey, my associate Jessy and I flew from Los Angeles to Papeete in Air Tahiti Nui enterprise class. For many who aren’t acquainted, Air Tahiti Nui is the nationwide provider of French Polynesia.
Whereas Air Tahiti Nui isn’t a member of an airline alliance, the airline companions with American Airways AAdvantage and likewise grew to become accessible for redemptions with Alaska Mileage Plan as of June 2022.
Ever for the reason that product grew to become extra accessible to e book with factors, I’d been eager to present it a glance myself, and this Bora Bora journey was the right alternative.
Air Tahiti Nui Enterprise Class – Reserving
Securing a direct flight from North America to French Polynesia poses a singular problem, significantly when searching for premium cabin choices utilizing miles. Nonetheless, with cautious and superior planning, we had been capable of e book two seats in enterprise class efficiently.
In our case, we used 80,000 American Airways AAdvantage miles per particular person to safe enterprise class seats with Air Tahiti Nui for the journey from Los Angeles to Papeete. It’s additionally doable to e book this flight for 60,000 Alaska miles one-way.
Each American and Alaska’s pricing applies on this path to Los Angeles, in addition to the airline’s secondary US path to Seattle.
It’s price noting that award availability on this particular route will be fairly restricted. Nonetheless, I had diligently made the reservation practically a yr prematurely, permitting us to safe the specified seats for our journey.
Air Tahiti Nui Enterprise Class – Floor Expertise
Sadly, Air Tahiti Nui doesn’t take part in TSA Pre-Verify, which meant that we had been unable to make use of the expedited Pre-Verify line at LAX regardless that we held NEXUS playing cards. As an alternative, we joined the common queue for safety screening.
After this, we made our method to the Star Alliance Lounge Los Angeles, the place Air Tahiti Nui enterprise class passengers are granted entry.
Positioned on the sixth flooring of the airside concourse at Tom Bradley Worldwide Terminal, the lounge spans a powerful 18,000 sq. ft.
Throughout our go to, the lounge was bustling with exercise, regardless of its sprawling dimension – one thing I’ve discovered virtually each time I’ve visited this lounge.
It’s a pretty spot with a complicated and alluring environment, full with a heat, fire-lit setting. Moreover, there’s an out of doors terrace that affords panoramic views of the airfield and the distant Hollywood Hills.
Air Tahiti Nui Enterprise Class – Cabin
Air Tahiti Nui’s Poerava enterprise class cabin is obtainable on the state-of-the-art Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner plane, that includes 30 enterprise class seats unfold throughout 5 rows in a 2-2-2 configuration.
Whereas many airways have transitioned to a 1-2-1 configuration for his or her enterprise class, Air Tahiti Nui has opted to retain the 2-2-2 structure, largely catering to leisure travellers.
In spite of everything, most passengers sure for French Polynesia are travelling as a pair, which was true of just about each passenger in enterprise class on this specific flight.
For these travelling collectively, any pair of seats throughout Air Tahiti Nui’s enterprise class cabin shall be a beneficial selection, permitting you to speak along with your companion simply.
The seats down the center could have the additional benefit of providing direct aisle entry to each travellers, whereas the window seats would require one in every of you to step over the opposite to entry the aisle – though you’ll benefit from having fun with the window views.
When you occur to be travelling solo, I’d in all probability suggest selecting one of many center seats to ensure direct aisle entry with out having another person step over you.
Lastly, it’s price mentioning that the footwell on the bulkhead in Row 1 is barely wider than these in Rows 2–5, which is one thing to remember whereas deciding on your seat.
Jessy and I selected Seats 5L and 5K, situated within the final row on the right-hand window facet of the aircraft.
Air Tahiti Nui Enterprise Class – Seat
Air Tahiti Nui presents Rockwell Collins Diamond seats in enterprise class, that includes lie-flat seats. The brand new seats carry a few substantial improve by way of consolation and performance in comparison with Air Tahiti Nui’s earlier era of Airbus A340s.
The seat finishes in Poerava enterprise class have a clear aesthetic reflecting French Polynesia’s pure parts, exhibited by a tasteful mixture of darkish blue upholstery and gray leather-based, with picket touches.
Nonetheless, they’re not particulary groundbreaking and are a reasonably widespread seat kind that’s additionally discovered on, say, Air China enterprise class, Copa Airways 737 Max 9 enterprise class, and extra.
Taking a better have a look at the seat, you’ll discover a mounted 16-inch high-definition leisure display positioned in entrance of you. Between your and your seat mate’s leisure display, there are USB-A ports and coat racks.
Under the display, there’s some floor area the place you’ll be able to place gadgets through the flight.
The footwell, situated beneath, is comparatively tight, which is likely one of the few shortcomings of this enterprise class product.
A shared centre console is located close to the centre armrests, offering floor area to your drinks. The seat controls are conveniently situated right here, inside simple attain.
Nestled on the vertical floor of the console is the leisure controller, which will be simply withdrawn for handheld use. There’s a small pocket adjoining to the leisure controller, geared up with a bottle of water.
On the entrance vertical floor of the console, you’ll discover energy retailers, together with common retailers and USB ports, which permit for handy charging.
A small storage compartment is obtainable on the rear of the seat, offering room for private belongings. Moreover, the headphone jack is situated within the facet storage compartment.
You may also discover a restricted quantity of floor area on the outer armrests.
Lastly, the tray desk unfolds from the centre armrest at an angle and folds out into place.
Air Tahiti Nui Enterprise Class – Facilities
Previous to boarding, a pillow and blanket are positioned at every enterprise class seat, adorned with a beautiful Polynesian design.
Moreover, Air Tahiti Nui offered branded noise-cancelling headphones that includes the Tiare flower on the casing — a central image of the Air Tahiti Nui model.
To match their visible identification, Air Tahiti Nui presents a well-stocked beige and blue leather-based amenity package. Opening the package revealed a fastidiously curated collection of eco-friendly gadgets, together with a toothbrush and bamboo fibre socks.
Including a contact of allure, Air Tahiti Nui lately launched new beauty merchandise by Heiva, sourced from the native area, reminiscent of face and hand lotions, and lip balm.
Alongside these skincare gadgets, the package additionally included a pen, a lens wipe, and a hairbrush.
Previous to takeoff, we had been warmly supplied a selection of welcome drinks: glowing wine or tropical juice. I selected the glowing wine, whereas Jessy opted for the juice.
Shortly thereafter, the in-flight meals and beverage menu was offered to us.
As we ready for takeoff, I took notice of the truth that the in-flight bulletins had been primarily made in each French and English, with only some greetings in Tahitian.
Air Tahiti Nui Enterprise Class – Snack Service
Since this was a late-night departure that might carry us to Tahiti the very subsequent morning, the snack service was commenced very shortly after takeoff to permit passengers to maximise their relaxation.
The in-flight menu learn as follows:
Our mild snack for the night was a mushroom and parmesan quiche. I have to admit, I used to be a bit dissatisfied that this was the one snack possibility accessible; as somebody who doesn’t eat mushrooms, I ended up selecting across the mushrooms to nibble away on the quiche.
Accompanying the quiche was a contemporary roll and a facet salad.
Whereas the meals was passable, it didn’t actually stand out in any respect. Nonetheless, the crew’s service was commendably pleasant and sort, which considerably made up for the below-par snack service.
It’s price noting that there are daytime and in a single day companies on Air Tahiti Nui enterprise class from Los Angeles to Papeete. On this in a single day service, we’d just about be consuming, sleeping, and touchdown in Tahiti, with out a lot else to talk of relating to the in-flight service.
Air Tahiti Nui Enterprise Class – Mattress
After the snack service, I made a decision to go to the restroom. There are two restrooms on the plane, one situated in entrance of the cabin and one other on the rear.
The restrooms observe the usual design of the Boeing 787, full with a fold-out child altering station above the bathroom. Moreover, Air Tahiti Nui has added a pleasing contact by incorporating flower preparations and offering Heiva facilities within the restrooms.
Throughout this a part of the journey, I reclined my seat into lie-flat mode and managed to get a restful six hours of sleep. The seat was adequately vast, guaranteeing a cushty relaxation.
Nonetheless, it’s price noting that the footwell was very tight, and a few passengers might discover it uncomfortable, because it requires sleeping with their legs at a slight angle.
Air Tahiti Nui Enterprise Class – Breakfast
After waking up from my sleep, I used to be able to get pleasure from breakfast. I selected the omelette, whereas Jessy opted for the French toast.
The meals had been accompanied by sides of roasted potatoes, sausage, grilled veggies, and a serving of fruit and chia pudding.
Alas, just like the snack service from earlier, neither of the dishes left a long-lasting impression and may very well be described as common at finest. General, I can’t say I used to be wholly impressed by the catering onboard Air Tahiti Nui in any respect.
Air Tahiti Nui Enterprise Class – Leisure
Previous to touchdown, I made a decision to briefly discover the leisure choices. Air Tahiti Nui employs a Panasonic in-flight leisure system, which boasts glorious responsiveness and display high quality.
The leisure choice consists of quite a lot of motion pictures, TV reveals, and music, though it’s considerably restricted, that includes lower than 20 titles and TV reveals.
It’s price noting that onboard Wi-Fi service was accessible, nevertheless it got here at a comparatively excessive price in comparison with different airways.
Along with the excessive costs, Air Tahiti Nui’s Wi-Fi plans have restrictive information caps. Since this was an in a single day flight anyway, I selected to forgo Wi-Fi this time round.
Conclusion
Air Tahiti Nui Poerava enterprise class represents a pleasurable sufficient enterprise class product en path to a largely leisure-oriented vacation spot.
While the arduous and tender merchandise aren’t precisely cutting-edge, they don’t fall into the class of subpar choices both. Though the meals was a bit disappointing, the crew’s attentiveness and affability had been noteworthy, which all the time provides to the expertise.
With out tons of fine alternate options by way of redeeming factors for enterprise class en path to French Polynesia, I’d fortunately fly Air Tahiti Nui once more sooner or later if I’m headed all the way down to the South Pacific.
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