Air New Zealand Air Points - Entertainment system messed up.

Hi all.

I just wanted to share my experience with NZ whilst I`m sitting in the Auckland lounge.

I travel with NZ every 7 months to Melbourne. Of course I was looking forward to this new entertainment system. But wouldn`t you know it. NZ1 on April 18th from LHR-AKL had problems with the IFE.
I looked at it as setback. Only 6 films were showing and there were no radio channels.
For this problem we got a voucher for NZD60.
Is this a rather cheap way of compensation?
I reckon so, but then again I watched 4 films and slept the most. So I really didn`t mind that much. Many pax were moaning and annoyed because of this. It seemed to happen all the time I was told by a cabin crew.

But regardless of that hick-up, the crew were at its best. They really did a fine job! Maybe it was because they had more time for us since there were only just over 150 pax on the plane from LHR-LAX and a wee bit more continuing to AKL.
I had at least 3 seats for myself all the way :)

NZ, your still my favourite. ^

I travel with NZ every 7 months to Melbourne. Of course I was looking forward to this new entertainment system. But wouldn`t you know it. NZ1 on April 18th from LHR-AKL had problems with the IFE.
I looked at it as setback. Only 6 films were showing and there were no radio channels.


I was on NZ 5 a couple of weeks back and the pilot delayed the departure from LAX for about 30 minutes to try to correct a problem with the entertainment system. They proceeded to take off not knowing if they could fix the problem, but fortunately were able to fix it shortly after take-off, and the system worked without a hitch for the entire flight. On NZ 6 from MEL to AKL a few days ago, the system also worked fine, as it did on NZ 8 into SFO. So perhaps NZ is working the bugs out of the system slowly but surely.

As an aside, I thought the meals, entertainment system and lie-flat beds in Business Premier on all of my 74R and 777 flights were outstanding (even on the shorter legs between CHC-MEL (A320) and MEL-AKL the service was great). In addition, the new/upgraded lounges in LAX and MEL were so far superior to any RCC lounges it was almost laughable, with the staff very courteous and attentive, not to mention the great wines and food selection available at all times of the day. I would go out of my way to fly NZ next time I fly to New Zealand or anywhere in Australia in which you cannot fly nonstop from SFO, and can't imagine any sane person who is traveling to New Zealand from the US who would fly UA from LAX or SFO to SYD and then connect from there over the Tasman (I read such a post a few months ago and thought it the time it was nuts and now know for sure it is). I might even decide to connect through AKL on the way to Sydney from SFO if I was in Business Premier.

Two lot's of NZ$30 isn't too bad for Pacific considering you still had 6 films - from which you could choose between. Compare that to the erstwhile mainscreen system on the 767s..

The one thing I don't figure is quite why they removed the lounge reception desks - does it really make anyone feel more welcome ?

Hi Tor,

Coincidentally, I was one of the crew on your flight. I'm glad you thought we did a decent job! I know the Rockwell Collins engineers were trying very hard to get the system working but were unable to.

The system is actually running at about 98.5% reliability which I believe is .5% above what R.C. promised, so most of the bugs have been ironed out by now. Six films to choose from is still a lot better than our old IFE! :o

The one thing I don't figure is quite why they removed the lounge reception desks - does it really make anyone feel more welcome ?
No. I almost laughed the first time I saw this in WLG Domestic.. It also just looks wrong in AKL Domestic - and I'm sure is very unusable too.

The guy in CHC Domestic seemed happy enough tapping away on his Dell laptop and standing there though.

No. I almost laughed the first time I saw this in WLG Domestic.. It also just looks wrong in AKL Domestic - and I'm sure is very unusable too.

The guy in CHC Domestic seemed happy enough tapping away on his Dell laptop and standing there though.Yes they don’t seem large enough do they ?

I actually think that it's more imposing at the AKL Domestic lounge – considering before the staffer would generally not fully stand up so you’d be looking down at them anyway.

Yes they don’t seem large enough do they ?

I actually think that it's more imposing at the AKL Domestic lounge – considering before the staffer would generally not fully stand up so you’d be looking down at them anyway.
No, they're tiny. I can't imagine how silly it looks at the AKL Int lounge, and how frustrating it will be.

It looks outright wrong in AKL. The lounge lady looked somewhat strange perched there looking down at me. Didn't feel quite right, and I didn't like it.

The one in WLG Dom just made me want to laugh, really...

Hi Tor,

Coincidentally, I was one of the crew on your flight. I'm glad you thought we did a decent job! I know the Rockwell Collins engineers were trying very hard to get the system working but were unable to.

The system is actually running at about 98.5% reliability which I believe is .5% above what R.C. promised, so most of the bugs have been ironed out by now. Six films to choose from is still a lot better than our old IFE! :o

Not sure how they measure reliability. On my recent flight to SFO it took about an hour to get the IFE going, and with the compulsory arrival video (unlike Singapore where you can choose whether or not to watch the destination video) meant we had no IFE available for 2 hours of the flight (and these would be the 2 hours most pax are awake). Not good, although still an improvement on the old IFE.

I would assume that one hour without IFE and one hour broadcasting required arrival information would not be regarded as an IFE failure.

Looking at my personal stats, I've crewed 46 sectors on refitted 747s or 777s, and experienced 2 IFE failures, so I'm batting at about a 4.3% failure rate at the moment. Not bad considering I was around during the initial troubleshooting stages.

That's what I'd expect too, but if you're sleeping most of the flight then you have very little time when can actually use the IFE.

That's what I'd expect too, but if you're sleeping most of the flight then you have very little time when can actually use the IFE.

Exactly, so from a passenger's point of view it certainly is a (partial) failure.

On a different note, an earlier poster mentioned the courteous and attentive staff in the new lounges in MEL and LAX. I don't know about MEL but they must have replaced not just the old lounge but also the staff in LAX as it was the one lounge where I consistently experienced the opposite of 'courteous and attentive'. It was so predictable it was almost laughable. Maybe it was just me, of course.

I always encountered surly staff at LAX lounge too :( so I don't think it's just you fliar

I always encountered surly staff at LAX lounge too :( so I don't think it's just you fliar

Courteous and attentive at LAX (well, at least compared to ANY RCC I've been in), and at MEL they were courteous and attentive, repeatedly offered me refills of wine and advised me when they had put out new food choices), and generally took a lot of pride in their new lounge. MEL was clearly the better of the two in terms of staff, but I didn't find anyone at LAX surly by any stretch. But that was my first time in either lounge, so maybe I was there on a good night for the LAX crew.

I would assume that one hour without IFE and one hour broadcasting required arrival information would not be regarded as an IFE failure.

Looking at my personal stats, I've crewed 46 sectors on refitted 747s or 777s, and experienced 2 IFE failures, so I'm batting at about a 4.3% failure rate at the moment. Not bad considering I was around during the initial troubleshooting stages.


The statistics we use for serviceability is IFE seat availability, if the AVOD fails, the system will automatically revert to BDV / BDA (Broadcast Digital Video / Audio). If a particular seat screen fails then that is a hard fault and lowers the availability. If the system is not active for an hour then that is not classed as a failure.
The system itself actually logs every single seat reset, stream breakup or component glitch.
This helps both Rockwell Collins and ANZ with service recovery. We offload the data in the UK and NZ, so for instance if crew report that "half the screens had to be reset" but the system has only recorded 5 seats reset then that data is used for the seat availability.
This also helps ANZ if a pax should write a complaint about a particular flight / seat. The airline can request the offloaded data and see if the seat was actually reset or not, and compare this to the IFE log book filled in by the crew. The airline can then issue a response with all the accurate information.

The system has improved greatly, and hopefully we will see more log book entries showing "nil resets!". See you in LHR soon!

And that is where stats breaks down. From pax perspective not having IFE for much of the time they're awake is a failure since they're not benefitting from the great new system.

On my flight it did not revert to some other non-avod setting. It was totally inoperable until after several system reboots got it working.

And that is where stats breaks down. From pax perspective not having IFE for much of the time they're awake is a failure since they're not benefitting from the great new system.

On my flight it did not revert to some other non-avod setting. It was totally inoperable until after several system reboots got it working.


I understand what you are saying, when the system was first fitted; Rockwell Collins provided a "fly along" engineer. This was for a fixed period as agreed with ANZ. After this time, the airline did not wish to take up this offer as they would have to pay for it.
We service the system on the ground wherever the aircraft fly to, and 99% of the time it will depart fully working - or pax will be made aware of the problem via ground staff.
I am not going to try and undermine the excellent crew at ANZ, but inflight faults or failures are not always the systems fault. <ready for the flak!>

I have some more flights on refitted a/c coming up so will be able to put your stats to the test! Of course I could just be unlucky.

Hi Tor,

Coincidentally, I was one of the crew on your flight. I'm glad you thought we did a decent job! I know the Rockwell Collins engineers were trying very hard to get the system working but were unable to.




Hi nz_crew.

I`ll be flying back on NZ6 all the way from Melbourne to London on Sunday April 30th. If you`re on that flight maybe we can have a chat.
(That is if the flight isn`t packed and your all busy and that)

See ya.....

Oops...I actually meant NZ2 from AKL-LHR :rolleyes:

And to add up my return.....

I had a hassle with the check-in guys at MEL. Since my ticket was issued before March, I know I was going with the piece concept of 32 kg x2 +1 because of my EBG. But oh no.... Well all ended well as somebody found out I was telling the truth. So 3 pieces all made it back to Norway.

For the first time I met one of these (handbaggage nazis) -that`s what they call them here in Norway.
Anyways, watch out because these guards are weighing your handluggage just as you go through the doors to the international gates at MEL. This guy was horrible. He got my frown that`s for sure.

NZ 6 and 2 went very well even though the flights were packed.

The entertainment system worked like a charm. I really enjoyed it.
Though something did happen. Everything just stopped and this message about some kind of (bad thing) was detected. Took some time but then it started again and running smoothly.

So good stuff to NZ once again.

Oh and thanks for giving me the whole can of coke :) Not just a cup full.

Until next time ;)