Media Releases 2013

Air New Zealand’s Premium Economy Class has taken top honours overnight at the prestigious 2013 Skytrax World Airline Awards, sweeping the board in all three Premium Economy categories.

Air New Zealand unveiled the first of its brand new fuel-efficient Airbus A320 aircraft at the Paris Air Show overnight.

Blenheim based aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul business, Safe Air, has entered into consultation with staff over a proposed restructure of the business.

Air New Zealand and Tourism New Zealand have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) valued at more than $20 million, in a one year partnership to undertake joint marketing activity promoting travel to New Zealand in selected international markets.

Air New Zealand has reaffirmed its commitment to domestic New Zealand with the announcement today that it will be increasing capacity between Wellington and Queenstown this winter ski season.

Air New Zealand has entered into an agreement to acquire a further 3% of the shares of Virgin Australia, taking its interest to 22.99%.

The new Terminal 2 set to open on June 4th, 2014.

Air New Zealand is inviting curious Londoners to put its Economy Skycouch to the test as the airline takes its revolutionary Economy seat on the road for the #CuddleClassTour. 

First Airline Alliance to Introduce Customised iPad App.

Air New Zealand has topped the Nunwood Customer Experience Excellence (CEE) Index in Australia which measures companies that excel in the eyes of their customers.

The first of Air New Zealand’s Boeing 787-9 aircraft to be constructed has achieved a major milestone this week with the arrival of the first major part of the new aircraft at Boeing’s Everett factory in Seattle three weeks ahead of schedule.

Air New Zealand staff have today welcomed the first customers into the airline’s brand new and considerably larger domestic Koru Lounge at Christchurch International Airport.

Air New Zealand passengers can look forward to a better ground experience at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), including a much improved transit process.

Air New Zealand and Virgin Australia announced today that they will become the first airlines to offer a direct service between Christchurch and the West Australian capital of Perth in over 20 years.

Air New Zealand has taken top honours at the 2013 Tourism for Tomorrow Awards, recognising sustainable tourism global best practice.

Air New Zealand and Pratt & Whitney will invest $20 million in new workshops and a logistics centre to support new generation aircraft at the jet engine overhaul facility at Christchurch Airport.

Air New Zealand has reasserted its price leadership for the second time in a week announcing a further 100,000 grabaseat fares will be offered across its domestic network this year.

Air New Zealand is slashing Night Rider™ fares between Auckland and Wellington to $9 each way over the busy Queen’s Birthday holiday weekend.

Air New Zealand has appointed Calum Laming to the newly created role of General Manager Customer Experience.

More than 1 million people have already viewed Air New Zealand’s latest onboard safety video the Bear Essentials of Safety online.

Air New Zealand has lifted its normalised earnings before taxation for the first half of the 2013 financial year by more than 300 percent. Normalised earnings before taxation were $139 million, up from $33 million in the previous corresponding period. Statutory net profit after taxation increased $62 million to $100 million.

Air New Zealand has been recognised as amongst the best in the world for getting passengers to their destinations on time.

Air New Zealand welcomes the Commerce Commission’s report on Wellington Airport today which has confirmed that WIAL earns excessive profit through an unreasonable charging regime.

Air New Zealand is now operating daily return services to Tokyo and Shanghai in response to strong growth in the Asian market. 

Air New Zealand has added globally acclaimed futurist, entrepreneur and social media authority Ross Dawson to the line-up at the first Social Media Breakfast of 2013 to share his digital innovation forecast.

Air New Zealand has been named in the top three airlines in the world from a safety perspective.