As someone who travels regularly to Europe from Australia, the airport I want to avoid is Heathrow unless I need to go to the UK. So I fly TG, LH, SQ, or SK to a Euro hub such as Frankfurt or Copenhagen, and earn lots of Air NZ points on non-Air NZ carriers. Fine with me as these hubs are so much better, but a disadvantage to Air NZ because I'm not in one of their planes.
Why the focus on Heathrow as the only entry point to Europe?
Why doesn't Air NZ start a Euro service to somewhere better than Heathrow? Don't New Zealander's go to other Euro destinations? I'm sure lots of Europeans would love to go to NZ, it's such a great place for a holiday. (e.g. I have some Dutch friends who regularly travel to the South Island for holidays)
I would jump at the opportunity to fly Air NZ to Europe, so long as it's not Heathrow!
Apologies if the topic has been raised before, but I'm scheduling my next trip to Germany, looking again at the SQ/TG plus LH flights (not a bad business price)