THE PLANE Airbus A340-300

THE LOYALTY SCHEME Club Tiare (no alliance membership)

UP THE BACK OR POINTY END? Economy class, seat 35A

TIME IN THE AIR 4 hours, 35 minutes

THE SEAT STUFF 32 inches pitch, 18 inches wide

BAGGAGE ALLOWANCE One item of checked baggage up to 23 kilograms in weight. One item of carry-on baggage up to 10kg, plus one personal item.

COMFORT FACTOR The plane's 2-4-2 layout is good news for those of us sitting on the outer edges of the cabin. My window seat offers ample leg room (by economy standards), enhanced by the fact that there is no one in the seat next to me, which allows me to stretch out over two seats. Pillows and blankets are provided. The interiors are bright and colourful, putting me in a Pacific island mood well before we reach Tahiti.

THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT Not the most extensive selection available in the sky, with six new-release movies, a few old favourites (the inclusion of the Mel Gibson/Anthony Hopkins classic The Bounty is a nice touch, given Tahiti's starring role in the film), and some TV shows, but it's easily enough entertainment given the flight time. Most impressive are the screens themselves — crisp, bright images as good as the latest tablet computers. The touch-screen technology is equally good — highly responsive and smooth, sparing passengers from getting poked in the back of the head as the person behind them tries repeatedly to make their selections. There's also a USB port for hooking up your own device. These screens aren't in every plane yet, but the airline plans to have finished upgrading their whole fleet with new interiors mid-2014.

THE SERVICE Passengers are welcomed with a flower and a warm smile. The crew are efficient and friendly — they actually look like they're happy to be on-board, which is not always the case on some airlines these days. Announcements are in French and English, and there's a certain charm to be referred to as "monsieur" by the flight attendants.

FEEDING TIME A shortcoming. Some airlines are going to great lengths to raise the standards of their inflight meals, but this feels a little like something from another era. I opt for the beef stew with mashed potato. It's palatable but not particularly enjoyable. Comes with a small salad and mini pavlova.

ONE MORE THING Air Tahiti Nui's Qantas code-share connections from Auckland to Australia work better for some cities than others — I faced a seven-hour layover in Auckland on my return journey to Melbourne.

THE VERDICT A pleasant flight in a newly refurbished aircraft. Service, comfort and entertainment all get a big tick, though the food could be improved.

FREQUENCY Air Tahiti Nui flies Auckland to Papeete twice a week, increasing to three during the northern summer based on demand. Australian connections to Auckland via Qantas codeshare. See airtahitinui.com.au.

Tested by Craig Platt, who travelled as a guest of Air Tahiti Nui and Tahiti Tourism.