Air New Zealand to welcome 2.8 million customers this summer
Air New Zealand Chief Operating Officer Alex Marren says during the same period last year, the airline carried just 1.1 million passengers, a clear indication that travel is rebounding.
"Over recent weeks, we've seen a strong increase in bookings and over the summer, we'll be operating at pre-Covid levels.
We know how important it is to get our customers to where they need to be safely, so we've strengthened our operations to ensure customers enjoy a seamless airport and inflight experience."
Over the last 10 months, Air New Zealand has hired more than 1,950 operational employees – around 1,200 cabin crew, 250 pilots, 400 airport employees and 30 engineers. By February 2023, the airline will have hired an additional 700 people.
"Over the summer peak, we're also adding a pool of casual employees across our airports to help customers on our busiest days. Where possible, we're offering our part-time employees a full-time role.
We're back to more robust performance compared to our winter months where we experienced high levels of Covid. In preparation for summer, we've added some additional flexibility around our flight schedule and increased crew standby levels."
Air New Zealand is welcoming two new domestic A321neos into the fleet adding 50 additional seats per flight, brought in charter airline Wamos Air to operate daily return Auckland – Perth services and is continuing to bring back Boeing 777s from long term storage.
We're going to be keeping the little ones entertained these holidays with a special Kia Ora Kids. The 36-page interactive magazine features a travel journal, Aotearoa's natural wonders and native wildlife, puzzles, and iconic Kiwi destinations. Plenty to keep them occupied!
With almost 3 million customers travelling on the Air New Zealand network this summer, the airline is gearing up for a busy few weeks.
Here are Air New Zealand's top travel tips for the summer:
- Be travel ready and check-in early. You can do this up to 24 hours before your flight by downloading the Air NZ app or online. You'll find your journey through check-in at the airport will be a little faster.
- Completing travel declarations is more important than ever so make sure you check travel requirements for the country you're travelling to.
- Pack within your limits and use our baggage calculator to save you from repacking your luggage at the airport or having to pay excess baggage fees. If you'd like to carry an additional bag, prepurchase this before your flight here (hint: it's cheaper than having to pay at the airport).
- Airports will be bustling in December and January, so we recommend you arrive at the airport three hours before your flight if travelling internationally, and a minimum of 60 minutes before your flight if travelling domestically to avoid any disruption.
- If you didn't already download the Air NZ app in step one, here's another reminder. If there are any changes to the status of your flight, having the app will make sure you receive any notifications.
The Air New Zealand whānau look forward to serving its customers this holiday season!
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Issued by Air New Zealand Communications.
Email: media@airnz.co.nz │Phone: +64 21 747 320│Twitter: @AirNZMedia
About Air New Zealand
Air New Zealand's story started in 1940, first taking to the skies between Auckland and Sydney on a flying boat - a Short S30. Known for its warm Kiwi hospitality, today, the airline has 98 operating aircraft ranging from Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners and Airbus A320s to ATRs and Q300s, offering customers comfort in the latest most efficient jets and turboprops. It's a modern fuel-efficient fleet with an average age of 6.7 years. Air New Zealand's global network of passenger and cargo services centres around New Zealand. Pre-Covid, the airline flew more than 17 million passengers every year, with 3,400 flights per week. Air New Zealand was recently named the World's Safest Airline by the Australian rating service AirlineRatings.com, highlighting the airline's laser-focus on safety. This year, Air New Zealand won Best Corporate Reputation in New Zealand – 8th year in a row.
Air New Zealand has a well-connected domestic business, connecting customers and cargo to 20 different regions around New Zealand. Internationally, the airline has direct flights to major cities across Australia, Asia, the Pacific Islands and the US, and through its strong relationships with alliance partners, offers customers more choice and convenience to connect further afield to hundreds of destinations. Air New Zealand has a particular focus on sustainability and its Sustainability Framework helps guide the airline's efforts in tackling some of New Zealand's and the world's most complex challenges. Airpoints, Air New Zealand's loyalty programme, is seen as the most valuable loyalty programme in New Zealand with 3.5 million members. It allows members to earn Airpoints Dollars™ and Status Points for VIP benefits in the air and on the ground. Air New Zealand aircraft are proudly identified by its distinct tail livery of the Mangōpare, the Māori symbol of the hammerhead shark which represents strength, tenacity, and resilience.
About Star Alliance
Air New Zealand is proud to be a member of Star Alliance. The Star Alliance network was established in 1997 as the first truly global airline alliance to offer worldwide reach, recognition and seamless service to the international traveller. Its acceptance by the market has been recognized by numerous awards, including the Air Transport World Market Leadership Award and Best Airline Alliance by both Business Traveller Magazine and Skytrax. The member airlines are: Aegean Airlines, Air Canada, Air China, Air India, Air New Zealand, ANA, Asiana Airlines, Austrian, Avianca, Brussels Airlines, Copa Airlines, Croatia Airlines, EGYPTAIR, Ethiopian Airlines, EVA Air, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, Scandinavian Airlines, Shenzhen Airlines, Singapore Airlines, South African Airways, SWISS, TAP Portugal, Turkish Airlines, THAI and United. Overall, the Star Alliance network currently offers more than 18,500 daily flights to 1,321 airports in 193 countries.