Shandelle Battersby flies NZ8095 to the Central North Island.
The plane: A Bombardier Q300, with room for 50 passengers.
Class: There can be only one.
Price: $129 which I didn't think was too bad. I opted to fly (for the first time) because I was going after work and I have driven up and down the North Island so much that I just couldn't face it. As it turned out the flight was delayed an hour (no explanation given) so by the time I got to the airport and waited, I arrived at nearly the same time as if I'd driven.
Flight time: 30 minutes in the air, 50 minutes all together. This was the week of Tropical Cyclone Debbie's aftermath hitting New Zealand and there was a bit of weather about - we had a few bumps and drops.
My seat: 9A. I was sat next a chatty man wearing pink nail polish who continued to speak to me when I had headphones in, but that's okay.
Fellow passengers: Mostly leisure travellers, a few who'd obviously spent the flight delay in the bar at the airport.
How full: Almost completely.
Entertainment: The drunk people at the back.
The service: Great as always. Just one cabin crew member.
Food and drink: Water and a biscuit.
The toilets: One at the front of the plane.
Luggage: 7kg carry-on, but there were many people who were obviously flaunting the limit weight and size.
The airport experience: I like the shuttle that meets every plane that lands at Taupo, but $20 for a five-minute journey down the road is a bit steep.
Would I fly this again? No. I'll take the car. Sigh.