I don't think given your reply you intend to actually talk about it rather just fight, so no, I won't.

I provide the pens free to any student of mine who needs one. Inevitably I have students who run out of ink during class, so a free pen is always available for them, courtesy of Air NZ's amenity kits.

I'm really liking the Ashley & Co amenity kit products!

BP and PE Amenity Kits in 2023
 

I don't like either of the BP or PE Amenity Kits provided by AirNZ on my recent AKL-YVR-AKL. I suppose the consumables might be useful on occasion, but I have found other carrier's amenity kit bags very handy for cables/chargers/plug etc.

The soft bag Amenity Kit AirNZ provided in BP in Dec/Jan (no pic sorry), has been replaced with (supposedly) sustainable ones, with the actual bag being quite inferior (IMHO) in terms of usefulness, and frankly seems just 'cheap and nasty'. The fold-over style opening and dome connectors are functionally poor. No eye shades seems a major oversight. And already the 'glue' in the interior base has failed.

I'd never flown PE long haul before last week, so I simply offer the pictures.

What do others think?

BP Amenity Kit April 2023

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...21bcc40128.png
Thin material, ineffective domes


https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...3ecab42f82.jpg
Just the basics...

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...b991b33905.jpg
base coming unstuck


PE Amenity Kit May 2023
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...5aa72e05d4.jpg
This is not a Macca's apple pie....



https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...e5eab56dad.jpg
Same as BP less the hand cream

I flew Air Astana a few times a couple of weeks ago. What a contrast to the rubbish on NZ. Samsonite (blue) zip up hard cases for men, Coccinella (pink) for ladies. The grey zip up NZ kits used to be fantastic. If they made it from wool….100% renewable and recyclable. Everything doesn’t need to be paper!

yea it's quite a disappointment, atleast with other airlines the "pouch" is nice that you actually keep it for other uses, this one sustainably just gets chucked.

I only remember using the toothbrush and toothpaste and that was it. I can't even remember if I used the lip balm. I didn't even take the NZ amenity kit off the aircraft. I suppose sustainability is the message here. I am not convinced this is overly cost saving.

Then again I haven't even looked at an amenity kit from one of my other flights nor did I take the pjs with me from another flight so these things are not a big deal to me (turns out I carry far too much cr*p with me on vacation).

No eye shades does look like an oversight. I would feel and eye shade would get more use than socks. Though would like them to bird back the all birds eye shade, as really liked how they sealed properly to keep the light out. Need to find something similar as don't seem to even able to buy them anymore.

Big change from the "new" kits they handed out the JFK inaugural.

Have never liked the cardboard pens as they seem to fall apart before you use all the ink from them.

Yes I like using them as cable bags.

BP Amenity Kit SIN-AKL Jan 2023

Seems this wasn't 'green' enough? Oh, there is an eye-shade next to the socks.

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...80331c6223.jpg

The procurement manager in charge of the IT, food ex AKL and hard product purse strings has clearly taken over amenity kits as well.

As cheap and ...... as possible

I noticed on my last flight (before the change to paper), that they had gotten rid of the mouthwash.

A paper amenity kit can be done nicely (as I had on Jetblue mint last week) when the contents are interesting (had things like deodorant wipes and even sunscreen for use after the trip) -- but doesn't look like the case here.

Sometimes the little things affect one’s assessment of value. When one pays higher prices than some of the competition one expects at least an impression of quality. When supplied with what is obviously inferior and cheap looking the customer who has paid more is often disproportionately more negative in their assessment. Will the environment be helped by a low level product that is not reused, will it help the company saving $10 on the margin on perhaps a $4-5k fare when the customer is then critical? Given the widespread criticism of the hard product you would think lowering standards on food and amenities would be the last thing one should be doing.

These sorts of kits mostly end up in landfill: the "nice" ones will be around for decades and doubtless aren't made of things that are good for the environment. I'm more focus on what is in the kit rather than the vessel. I still use some of my old CX business class bags (the canvas ones with rawhide ties), but they're the exception. Also I bring my own (Kathmandu) mask, just like I do my own noise-cancelling headphones and soft foam ear plugs, in order to maximise my ability to sleep.

I remember when they had some black ear plugs a few years ago that are so hard they were completely unusable and caused intense pain wearing them (the one flight I had none of my own in my bag).

It really makes me wonder how much effort is put into evaluating products vs somebody funding the cheapest black earplug manufacturer online and ordering a million pairs because black is the trendy new colour to have.