Air New Zealand Air Points - NZ results presentation 29 Feb 08

Link (http://www.airnz.co.nz/aboutus/investorcentre/annualreport/halfyear/2008interim/default.htm)

A few items that may be of interest to FTers, many of which have previously been reported in the news thread.

Product/services

Concierge starts May 2008.
Premium zone with significantly more leg room for "half of the aircraft" in 733 from May 2008.
New check-in and bag drop for domestic from 2008.
SMS boarding pass for domestic from 2008.
New longhaul business class 2010.

Airpoints

"... our regular travellers will benefit from significant changes [in 2008] to our Airpoints frequent flyer programme." listed under Domestic Experience Upgrade.
[perhaps all domestic fares earn airbucks?]

(Some) elites and high fares get premium zone seating on domestic.

Also - We are currently working on two multi-million dollar upgrades to our Auckland International lounge and heathrow Terminal Star lounge.


However if they could do us a favour, and actually make some specific announcements.

Some of us are trying to plan here.

Exactly which Elites and which fares will get Premium zone seating? Will this only be NZ elites?

What exactly will be the changes to the Airpoints programme?

Exactly which Elites and which fares will get Premium zone seating? Will this only be NZ elites?

Perhaps that depends on the flight? Peak hour business flights between Auckland and Wellington - only NZ*E and fully flexi can confirm premium seating, off peak weekday *G NZ*S Koru fully flexi, off peak weekends ??

At last.............AKL lounge is long ovedue for a serious makeover.

I won't hold my breath about LHR......though, anything is an improvement on that dump RCC at T3.

That's for when the great LHR terminal switcheroo happens later this year (following BA mostly moving to T5).

Perhaps that depends on the flight? Peak hour business flights between Auckland and Wellington - only NZ*E and fully flexi can confirm premium seating, off peak weekday *G NZ*S Koru fully flexi, off peak weekends ??I would suspect that more than half the plane on those peak flights would be flying on Y B or M fares or be NZ*E.

Logically [ie in order to make money] they would sell it, and any left over seats would be complimentary 'upgrades' based on status [NZ*E, NZ*G, XX*G, NZ*S, XX*S] - which means Middle seats or aisle seats halfway down the plane. And also the Y2D fare buyer may not get a premium seat, but the HFLEXI buyer may despite some $140 premium being paid.

And what about those that have bought tickets on flights from May which somehow don't qualify for Premium seating?

I would suspect that more than half the plane on those peak flights would be flying on Y B or M fares or be NZ*E.

I suspect you're right. Back when I used to do a regular commute most pax were the same every week, and at baggage claim it was a case of spot the handful of bags without an elite tag.

New longhaul business class 2010.

Does this mean they will be replacing the current Business Premier in 2010?

Kudos to NZ for forward thinking, planning and trying to stay ahead of the pack, but will it be necessary. They have an excellent product now.

Could it be that Y+ will become closer to the old business class?

I assume they want to keep ahead of the competition to maintain high yields. By 2010 a number of other airlines will have similar seats to NZ's current business premiere.

The new a/c on order due for delivery is I'm sure not coincidental timing.

SMS boarding pass will be cool, and hopefully the all-fares-earn-airpoints speculation is true.

Do you think NZ would ever reintroduce first class?

It may be that the 789s are being introduced in 2010.

The 7am club does get rather cozy doesn't it.

I think the new Business Premier is to coincide with the introduction of the 77W and for Air New Zealand to stay competitive in the marketplace, especially in the South Pacific.

But the growing demand for the Premium Economy seats, I think Air New Zealand should expand the 777-200ER's Premium Economy section from a mere 2 rows to maybe more like 4 or 5 rows, but in that they should offer 2-4-2 seating instead of the 3-3-3 seating like the Standard Economy. According to you, it would make the Premium Pacific Economy less intimate than it is now.