Having been gold with Air New Zealand for about eight years, in Dec 2014 I made a decision to switch loyalty to Qantas, and just suck up the fact that when I wish to travel to the USA I (currently) have to travel via Australia.

It was the cumulation of many things:

- general decline in professionalism. I don't wan't want to be called "mate" by some sloppily dressed 20 year old flight attendant as I board business class. Nor do I want to have to suffer one after another banal, barely funny if you have an IQ >80 safety video. The original "bare essentials" one was clever; subsequent ones have been like an icepick in the head.

- decline in hard product, 10 abreast on the 777, a business class product that lacks width, storage space and privacy, decline in the food and beverage service

- No VLA in the fleet

- No business class on the A320

- Marketing disasters like "Rico"

- Progressive reduction in value of the loyalty program.

Qantas have provided me with what I need. Food is good even in economy, service is attentive and professional yet unobtrusive, and their loyalty scheme is generous compared to NZ's. You also get a decent 747 or A380 on long haul flights. It's a shame really, because for 30 years I had been passionately loyal to Air NZ, but one can only take so much.