For more than a year we have had a team gaining a better understanding of what customers want from Air New Zealand when flying to/from Australia and the Pacific Islands.
The key finding has been ‘Choice’ – they want to be able to choose how they fly.
Today Air New Zealand is pleased to launch our new Australia and Pacific Islands service/product offering for sales from 29 April 2010 ex Christchurch to Sydney then progressively introduced on other Australian and Pacific Island routes.
We have developed four new products for your customers to choose between and for you to sell to your customers and outline the benefits of these to them:
1. Seat only
2. Seat + Bag
3. The Works (plus a “Kids Works” option)
4. Works Deluxe
The table below outlines what you will receive under each product purchased:
Seat
- Seat
- 1 carry-on bag (7kg)
- Entertainment:TV, music, games
- Tea, coffee and water
Seat+Bag
- Seat
- 1 carry-on bag (7kg)
-1 checked bag (23kg)
-Entertainment:TV, music, games
-Tea, coffee and water
The Works
- Seat
- 1 carry-on bag (7kg)
- 1 checked bag (23kg)
- Seat Request
- Entertainment:TV, music, games and movies
- Tea, coffee and water
- A meal and drinks
Works Deluxe
- Seat
- 1 carry-on bag (7kg)
- 2 priority checked bags (23kg each)
- Premium check-in
- Seat request
- Lounge access
- Entertainment: TV, music, games and movies
- Tea, coffee and water
- A meal and drinks
- Neighbour-free guarantee
A Kids Works product will be available offering a kids meal, drink and activity pack.
The above options will be available on all A320 aircraft operating Tasman and Pacific Island routes.
On 767, 747 and 777 aircraft operating Tasman and Pacific Island routes, these options will be available however Business class replaces Works Deluxe.
Due to the above changes, our A320 aircraft will be re-configured to full economy class with 171 seats per aircraft – offering a 30-32” seat pitch.
These reconfigurations will be progressively made between October and December.
Please note Auckland-Perth v.v, Auckland-Tahiti v.v and Sydney-Rarotonga v.v services will not have these choices available – service is as per today.
Below outlines the timings for when this new product offering will be available for sales and travel. Fares and fare rules will be available mid April.
29 April Christchurch-Sydney on sale
18 August Travel from Christchurch-Sydney
Early September Sales on all other Aussie & Pacific Island markets
Late November Travel from all other markets
In addition to the above 4 product choices we will also be offering the following:
o In-flight bites menu – customers will be able to swipe their credit card from their seat via our in-flight entertainment system & order from the ‘in-flight bites menu’ – this will then be delivered to them by the crew.
o Pick & Mix – customers can choose a different product offering in each direction.
o Kid’s packs and meals are available when purchasing a Works fare.
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No warranty: where opinions are expressed in this material, they do not, and do not purport to, represent those of any entity
Press Release: Air New Zealand to transform its Tasman and Pacific Island Services
Quote:
Air New Zealand announced today a transformation of its trans-Tasman and Pacific Island services commencing later this year.
Air New Zealand Group General Manager Short Haul Airline Bruce Parton says Air New Zealand will be introducing a range of exciting developments, setting a new benchmark in terms of competitive pricing, choice and the airport experience.
“The Tasman is one of the most fiercely competitive airline markets in the world, with eight airlines competing for the 5.8 million passengers who fly between Australia and New Zealand each year,” says Mr Parton.
Air New Zealand has a market share of 2.1 million of these passengers and plans to maintain this.
Furthermore, the airline carries more than half a million passengers to and from the Pacific Islands annually.
“For more than a year, we have had a team gaining a better understanding of what customers want in these highly competitive markets and the innovative changes we are going to introduce are based on what they have been telling us,” says Mr Parton.
The trans-Tasman and Pacific Island transformation will include:
• Cutting the price of Air New Zealand’s lead-in fares.
• Reducing the airport waiting time by an average of 45 minutes when new kiosks and a streamlined check-in process are introduced.
• Introducing a new way in which airfares are sold to provide more choice than ever for customers.
• Standardisation of the Airbus A320 Tasman Pacific fleet to one class with 171 seats.
Mr Parton says Christchurch will be the first market to receive the new product offering, with fares on sale from 29 April for travel late-August, before it goes on sale network-wide in early September with travel rolling out from late-November
“Closer to launch time we will be revealing how much we will be slashing the cost of travel, but it would be fair to say the savings on lead-in fares would buy an extra night’s accommodation for a family of four on their holiday to the Gold Coast.”
Air New Zealand has the largest capacity share of any airline on the trans-Tasman market, with 280 flights per week and 72 Pacific Island flights each week.
“With our high frequency of flights across the Tasman and to the Pacific Islands, Air New Zealand is the airline of choice for the majority of both business and leisure travellers departing New Zealand,” says Mr Parton.
“Unfortunately, demand for business class seats out of Wellington and Christchurch has been diminishing to the point where just one of the eight seats is being sold on average per flight. This is predominantly due to companies and Government departments in these cities cutting back on spending and adopting a policy of economy class travel, which underpins the rationale for standardising the A320 fleet in one class configuration.
“Business class will still be available out of Auckland on wide body aircraft flights at prime times that meet the needs of corporate travellers and those Business Premier customers connecting with our long haul services.”
Air New Zealand was recently awarded the Air Transport World Airline of the Year Award, with the judging panel praising Air New Zealand’s innovation and agility to deliver effective customer solutions.
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No warranty: where opinions are expressed in this material, they do not, and do not purport to, represent those of any entity
Due to the success of our domestic check-in kiosks we are now pleased to announce a version of these will be available in New Zealand for passengers travelling to Australia only.
These kiosks will help streamline the check-in process and reduce the amount of time needed at the airport for customers to check in for their flights.
The kiosks will be progressively introduced from June for travel to Australia:. AKL international kiosk – operating from June 2010
WLG international kiosk – operating from June 2010
ZQN international kiosk – operating from July 2010
CHC international kiosk – operating from January 2011
These kiosks will be available for point to point Air New Zealand services plus customers who have interline connections within Australia.
The kiosks will read all passports with a machine readable zone (MRZ), this includes older ones with the machine readable zones.
Due to the introduction of kiosks mid year, the Tasman baggage allowance will be changing effective for travel from 26 May 2010, the change being from weight to piece system.. Further information will be provided in due course outlining additional bag costs and permitted weight per piece.
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No warranty: where opinions are expressed in this material, they do not, and do not purport to, represent those of any entity
Programs: QF (WP), NZ (S), TG ROP (Forgotten), OZ (Silver), AA (Cardboard), EK (Lowest of the Low)
Posts: 3,339
Wow a little surprised as the new fare structures seem to be a little contradictory to their "Nothing to Hide" marketing differentiation.
Removing Business Class was mooted for a few years from what I can remember but I think with the new A320s comming into service and the eventual transfer of the current A320 fleet to domestic I can see why.
Oh well there goes the cheap business class flights to get the status points.
eg - treatment of elites, space+, fare levels, dealing with those already ticketed (invol downgrades & change of service delivered), airbucks earning, kiosks in Australia for the return flights or is that a one-way benefit?, reduced opportunity to use elite u/grades, etc.
some questions. Lounge access is a big one too....wonder how the 'works deluxe' fares will price in regard to buisness class. Yes I agree, they may have to alter there pre-flight videos following these changes. The check-in kiosk sounds like a great idea though
Programs: AirNZ Gold Elite, Qantas Bronze, United Mileage Plus, Virgin Blue Velocity, Accor Advantage Plus,
Posts: 502
Yes, very sad to see J disappear on Trans Tasman. By far the majority of my travel would be WLG/AKL to MEL, and the ability to use my upgrades will become severely limited. I guess I will be restricted to AKL/MEL and MEL/AKL on the 777 for them. Also I always have carry on baggage only, but I certainly like to enjoy a meal and a grog, so I am not sure how flexible the fare structure will be to cope with that eg carry on + meal and grog and no checked baggage.
Programs: AirNZ Gold Elite, Qantas Bronze, United Mileage Plus, Virgin Blue Velocity, Accor Advantage Plus,
Posts: 502
Quote:
Originally Posted by WellingtonFF
Yes, very sad to see J disappear on Trans Tasman. By far the majority of my travel would be WLG/AKL to MEL, and the ability to use my upgrades will become severely limited. I guess I will be restricted to AKL/MEL and MEL/AKL on the 777 for them. Also I always have carry on baggage only, but I certainly like to enjoy a meal and a grog, so I am not sure how flexible the fare structure will be to cope with that eg carry on + meal and grog and no checked baggage.
OK I see an inflight bites menu - I hope this would include the grog
I just noticed movies are missing from the cheaper categories. Does this mean movies are blocked if you are on a cheap fare unless you pay by credit card to watch them? How would they do this? If it is done by seat then there are issues for any last minute seat swapping.
Business class will still be available out of Auckland on wide body aircraft flights at prime times that meet the needs of corporate travellers and those Business Premier customers connecting with our long haul services.”
From July if you are flying NZ5 then onwards to SYD on NZ104 it's a A320
Vice Versa if you want to catch NZ2 AKL LAX then it's NZ118 on an A320 (except weekends). Be interesting how that works. I would be mighty annoyed to have paid Business Class and end up on a A320 with 32" seat pitch.
