brenrox

GimmeLegRoom's question raises another with me. If AKL-RAR flights are captured under the new offering, what happens for the AKL-RAR leg of the flight continuing to LAX? Similarly for TBU & APW. All 3 destinations have flights continuing to LAX as well as O&D flights.[/QUOTE]

These flights (those with stop overs) aren't operated by A320 so they wouldn't be affected. It would be just 'buisness as normal' (excuse the pun). It would be just like the AKL-SYD flights, some operated by A320 which would change, others operated by 767 which wouldn't change.

Bruce Parton

The aircraft will one less row than Jetstar as you suggest
Part of the space is given up in the need to have additional galley space to provide the meal service
The rest goes to the customers in legroom
Forward of the wing the legroom is 33 inch in emergency exit then 30-32 inch
The front row is about 5 inches less than the old business class product
Bruce Parton GGM Shorthaul Air New Zealand

Bruce Parton

These flights (those with stop overs) aren't operated by A320 so they wouldn't be affected. It would be just 'buisness as normal' (excuse the pun). It would be just like the AKL-SYD flights, some operated by A320 which would change, others operated by 767 which wouldn't change.[/QUOTE]

Correct - 777 etc going via the islands will still have the same leg pitch as current
Bruce Parton GGM Shorthaul Air New Zealand

Bruce Parton

Ha I can assure you I am the real Bruce Parton
Normally Rob Fyfe would come on these and help to answer them but he is on a flight to Europe
We NEVER use dummy people for this -

These kind of blog forums are really good for us to put people right if our messaging has been incorrect or didnt get through and to get views from our frequent flyers

Kiwi Flyer

I was referring to service offering rather than seating. If I understand correctly service offering on Tasman flights (except Perth) will be the same (ie the new product) no matter the aircraft type (except for business class on 767, 777 & 747 aircraft). Does this also hold for all flights to RAR (except SYD-RAR), TBU & APW or will the longhaul continuation flights get a different offering than the shorthaul flights?

Bruce Parton

You guys are hard to please but also know at least as much as we do about flying on our planes so we take your views really seriously - given how much time you spend flying with us its OK to be demanding I reckon

There is a lot of dialog on the Space plus aspect - in effect it has been reduced in size. We originally had 32 seats that were in Space plus and they ranged from 32-34 inches - of those our high value customers were only using 3-4 - the rest were going to people who were not part of loyalty programs etc which felt wrong to us.

One of the reasons that we are doing an operational trial for CHC-SYD mid year and then reconfiguring the aircraft at the end of the year is so that we can make any adjustments before we reconfigure aircraft (expensive business)

zqsn5678

from what i can see on a320

the current C seat is 42'' / space+ is 35'' / standard economy seats are 30''

the new one will be : front row is going to be 37'' / how many rows for 33''?
i dont think 1 or 2 inch is good enough.

by the way are you able to tell us anything about the perks for the G and GE?

cheers

nzlilibet

Hi Bruce

I wonder if you realised that it would be a full-time job when you decided to come on to the forum? But, as you can see, it is really appreciated by all of us.

You mentioned that GE and G would be able to have the front seats with extra room. At present Koru members are also able to choose these seats. Will this continue?

I assume that the PE seating on the 777s (and the remaining 747s) will remain as space + will be available on these TT and PI flights for GE, G and (hopefully) Koru members to request?

Bruce Parton

Gotcha - service offering for all Tasman and Pacific flights will be the new product as announced - On wide body aircraft this new product will be for the economy section and then they will have the same product as they currently have in Premium and Business classes.

If you are currently booked economy on one of those flights then you would now book Works and get the identical service

Longhaul connections that are booked onwards on a A320 and are in economy will automatically pick up the Works product (ie identical product to current economy) Longhaul customers booked onto an A320 onwards will automatically get Works Deluxe - obviously onwards travellers booked business who connect to a wide body will still carry on in business class.
Most of our connections are in this latter category so will carry on with the wide body aircraft

Bruce Parton

Bruce Parton

Starting next week we are doing a series of meetings around the country that G/GE's will be invited to in order to talk about the new product, how it affects etc (you may have come to the ones in Nov last year we did on the Domestic changes)
This is a really good entree into that process for me to understand the issues.

I am not positive on the Koru question - I have fired it to some folks who will come back to me on that
Your assumption on the 777s etc is correct - all of that remains including process for requests etc
Those aircraft are used for the key business times which means we get a much greater usage of the various upgrade and free products for our high value customers

Bruce Parton

We have just been working through some of the 'perks ' issue

For WLG and CHC customers who now have no business class to use we have gone out with a few things
First a number of free vouchers to try the Works Deluxe product so we can see what they think
Second any time they fly next 12 months and book Works (using voucher or not ) we give them business class airpoints accrual
Have agreed to hold there status whether it is gold or gold elite for next three years so they dont get hit at a status level by this

Other aspects are still work in progress

The key for this is that the leisure end of the market is the largest (72%) and is fast growing both in NZ and Aust
We have to be able to compete there and its all about price - this product lets us do that without becoming a budget airline and not having free F&B etc for those who do want it as part of their ticket.
A family for instance may book mum and dad as works and a couple of kids as seat only to save the forty or fifty dollars each kid and just buy them buy on board let them watch TV programs.

MrSydney

Hi Bruce

I think I can speak on behalf other members of this Board in thanking you for taking the time to answer all our questions and pass on our/my appreciation to Rob. Your input and clarification on the many issues raised has helped us to have a better understanding of the new product, though in fairness it does not have a huge impact on me as I rarely fly/flew the A320.

Thanks again

cavemanzk

Thanks Bruce, for all your reply's its great having a airline that gets involved with its customers.

With the new 77Ws have 50 PE seats on them, Will they be sold as any product on the Tasman Flights?

I would be keen to see what the benefits are going to be for Koru Club members. Is there going to be any promotion to get Jade & Sliver members to join KC (hint wave the $250 joining fee). The $250 joining fee is a real killer for anyone that has to pay for it out of there own pocket, theirs a few others on here that are also put off joining for that reason.

All my travel is for leisure, if KC was a reasonable price. All of my Leisure would be with NZ for sure

anat0l

That's rather interesting concept. So you will be able to customise who gets what kind of product on a pax-by-pax basis within the same booking (e.g. if you make a booking for 2 adults and 2 children, you can customise that type of product for each one)?

If you can't do this then that would mean you need separate bookings for those travellers who need Seats only and others that want Works. This creates a minor logistical risk (due to different PNRs); I can't remember on the top of my head but would this also impact on credit card surcharges (for ex-AU bookings).


Oh and welcome Bruce (or Mr Parton) to FT! It is an honour to have you here.