Thanks for the info. I had presumed that, once at the gate in LAX, I could put the seat back and iPod through the stop. Grrr. However, the routing suits me very well and I'll think about the Biz lounge but probably not worth the hassle. I don't want to layover, much better to get there and relax at destination.
It will be PE or Biz, depending on the small matter of money! However, I also have to think of my travelling companion and how much she can afford to pay. From all that I have seen, the NZ 'PE' is certainly top of it's class.
The next ponder for me is, returning BA Biz from Sydney which means two singles, or flipping back to Auckland for the return! In which case, I would certainly try the HKG route and consider the layover as I would like to see the place again some 17 years on.