Air New Zealand to resume international departures tomorrow, introduces more flexibility
- International passenger departures to resume at 12 noon tomorrow
- Domestic and regional network back up and running
- Update on customers affected
- More flexibility introduced on impacted flights
"It's great news from Auckland Airport that the terminal will be open for flying from 5am tomorrow, but it's unlikely we'll be ready to restart departures after assessments today show significant damage to ticketing, baggage and processing equipment. We have teams working around the clock behind the scenes to continue to get these systems back up and running as soon as possible," Air New Zealand Chief Operational Integrity and Safety Officer Captain David Morgan says.
Some international flights will arrive in Auckland from 7am, but all international passenger departures have been cancelled up until midday Sunday 29 January, with the airline working to reaccommodate customers.
"We know from midday that airport and airline operations will be back up and running, and we'll be restarting with around three flights an hour as we ease into it. For context, we usually operate around 13 baggage belts, but with the damage we could be down to as few as three. This is why we'll slowly ramp up services as we gain greater confidence that we can deliver these services.
Domestic network back up and running
Air New Zealand restarted flying its domestic and regional routes in and out of Auckland at midday today (Saturday).
"Other than a few delays shortly after restarting, our domestic operation is largely back to normal. Safety remains our top priority. We're working hard to clear the backlog of customers and reiterate that customers not needing to travel should utilise our flexibility policy"
Update on impact to services
The airline estimates it was forced to cancel around 240 flights (165 domestic and regional, and 78 international were cancelled up until midday tomorrow) as a result of the flooding, affecting thousands of customers.
"We understand that this has caused significant inconvenience and disappointment for our customers, and we apologise for the disruption. We're doing everything in our power to minimise the impact and get everyone to their destinations as quickly and safely as possible."
Greater flexibility for those impacted
Air New Zealand has introduced flexibility on all fare types for customers who hold tickets for travel to, from or through Auckland between Friday 27 January 2023 and Monday 30 January 2023 on an Air New Zealand flight.
Domestic customers are able to rebook in the same class of travel between Saturday 28 January 2023 and Monday 6 February 2023 without fare difference, penalty or service fees. International customers have until Monday 13 February. If travel is only available in a higher cabin, the fare differential will apply.
If customers no longer wish to travel, they can choose to cancel their flight and request a credit through Manage Booking.
Customers will have 12 months from the day the credit is processed to book a flight, and another 12 months to travel. For information about credits, please see our website.
Ends
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.