Originally Posted by
SqKiwi
Just fly United. You'll get the same experience.
The new seat is 10 years late. Other airlines are on the next generation already (from new SQ,QR,AA, DL), with the generation after that debuting next year - SQ, UA.
United and Air NZ may both have business, PE and economy but it's pretty easy to see they have their differences. Every airline can't be Qatar.
Originally Posted by
WLG Base
It appears you are the only one here who has been on the aircraft - on the ground.
David Flynn would have flown the inaugural. Presumably still editing an article.
Originally Posted by
drajknox
Possibly a fair point but NZ prices often don’t reflect product in comparison to multiple alternatives.
Even within airlines you can pay different J prices despite varying J products. Qantas at one point had 3 different J products. Qatar didn't change the price whether you flew Q suites or something else. They do offer a free change but they didn't change their pricing.
Originally Posted by
everywhere
United's Boeing 767-300ER fleet has an average age of approximately 28.7 years. No-one would have believed a suggestion 29 years ago that United would one day have a substantially better in-flight product (and based on recent experiences, better lounges, in-flight service and catering) than Air New Zealand. But here we are...
Air New Zealand does, of course, face significantly less direct competition on many of its international routes than United does, due to geographic isolation and fewer premium airlines overlapping with its long-haul network. This is driven by the bewildering approval by regulators of Air New Zealand's joint ventures on a number of longhaul non-stop routes to and from New Zealand.
I feel like this is a pretty superficial look at the issue. Although I'd say your typical flyer probably does look at a product and decide whether or not they want to pay for it without considering much else.
Air NZ doesn't have the financial backing of the middle eastern airlines, it doesn't have the geographical location of SQ allowing a hub model as NZ is an end destination, nor does NZ have the population of the US which allows several airlines to flourish.
I think the US carriers were against the middle eastern carriers pushing into the US because they wanted to protect their own turf did they not? Qantas has been trying to block Qatar from having further flights into Australia but Qatar out manoeuvred them. Yes I agree that Air NZ tend to partner rather than compete but could you imagine what would happen to Air NZ if every overseas carrier pushed into NZ? It would have huge impacts on us including our employment. Not just the superficial business class trimmings.
Air NZ did actually overhaul ALL cabins, not just business. I can only compare UA's PE to NZ PE and I would take NZ every day of the week over UA and I suspect the same would be true of economy.
I do fly other carriers as well but Air NZ is convenient, it's a familiar slice of home, and I've got a better chance of upgrades than I do if flying with Qantas or someone else which can actually make it a better option economically. I'm reasonably sure I know how to make economy work for me too. I'm really happy they've increased the number of premium seats and I'm excited to try the new business class offering.