Pilotdude09 From Australia, joined May 2005, 1774 posts, RR: 4 Posted (7 years 10 months 1 week 4 days 8 hours ago) and read 2355 times:
Domestically:
Bad Service isnt the best you get given a bottle of water
Cheap fares
This is comming from other people i know who arent even aviation enthusiasts.
Is Air NZ turning into a shi**y low cost carrier domestically? last time i flew them domestically you got a something to eat even on a 45 min leg!! now its a bottle of water, okay cutting costs and all cant they even give out a pack of sammys? or a muffin or something?
International:
Their service is paramount and you get decent food and the F/A's are attentive.
I love Air NZ, but has its domestic serive taken a turn for the worst? everything wise. How does Qantas compare to Air NZ domestically?
Zkojh From China, joined Sep 2004, 1500 posts, RR: 1 Reply 1, posted (7 years 10 months 5 days 1 hour ago) and read 2299 times:
nz always took the gamble when they did away with meals on domistic services, tho they are very happy with the return they are getting back with loads, and will get a lot better now that they have dash 8 aircraft on the way, and you still get the tea and coffee too, lol
RoseFlyer From United States of America, joined Feb 2004, 8739 posts, RR: 52 Reply 2, posted (7 years 10 months 4 days 21 hours ago) and read 2295 times:
It always amazed me how NZ was able to do a full hot breakfast service on morning flights of just an hour. The flight attendants moved around like mad in order to get it done. In reality though, is there any reason for breakfast on the plane? New Zealand is a small country that does not need food service on domestic flights since flights tend to be under 90 minutes. I have flown AKL-CHC many times, and never felt like I needed the meal. I just kind of ate it because it was given to me. It would not be hard to eat before or after. Meals on airlines serve a purpose when you are flying at times when you normally would eat and are unable to eat a meal on the ground. People may come to expect meals as part of good service, but who wants to pay for a meal on a plane that costs twice as much and isn't as good? Discounted service is what the country needs since air service is important since the ground transportation infrastructure isn't there.
I don't fault Air New Zealand for doing away with excessive and expensive service. However if NZ follows the US airline model, you will soon no longer be receiving anything other than a drink on flights to Australia. I don't see Air New Zealand as expletive domestically, it is a business that does not waste resources in places that they are not needed. The old Air New Zealand faced serious financial difficulty, so it is obvious that business model didn't work. They may be lowering costs, but NZ is nothing like the European version of a low cost carrier that has insane rules and restrictions and makes you pay for something to drink on the plane.
If you have never designed an airplane part before, let the real designers do the work!
ZKSUJ From New Zealand, joined May 2004, 6937 posts, RR: 10 Reply 4, posted (7 years 10 months 4 days 15 hours ago) and read 2282 times:
Water, Tea/Coffee, and a cookie/chocolate. As mentioned before, no need for a meal, and I have heard QF only give a cookie or something on their WLG-AKL flights as well so QF may just be as 'bad'. NZ service and FA crew are still great on board domestic flights. All my experiences thus far with them have been great, always willing to do the extra bit.
NZ747 From New Zealand, joined Dec 2004, 958 posts, RR: 4 Reply 5, posted (7 years 10 months 4 days 2 hours ago) and read 2267 times:
If they added a meal, the ticket price would increase. Just buy something to eat at the airport cafe before you board. At least this way you get more variety. You pay for what you get.
ZKEOJ From New Zealand, joined Feb 2005, 924 posts, RR: 7 Reply 6, posted (7 years 10 months 3 days 22 hours ago) and read 2274 times:
I am not a Kiwi, and always loved NZ whenever I flew them. My experiences with QF domestivcally in OZ were poor, but QF domestic in NZ was good. NZ is always friendly, clean, efficient. Long haul the seat pitch in economy is larger than most (all?), which makes a huge difference if you are flying for 8+ hours. I don't care much about food service on short domestic flights, but must admit that if you have an early morning flight it would be nice to get a breakfast, since it is usually too early (for me) to eat at home, and once on the plane I really get hungry. But fares dropped, and I rather bring my own sammy, get tea/coffee on board, and keep paying less.
One more thing: Even without meal service, NZ is not even close to the no-frills airlines in Europe or North America. Interlining, route network, Star Alliance, checking baggage through - these are just a few keywords that make NZ different from no-frills. And by the way, Freedom Air is a NZ subsidiary, so they do have their own no-frills carrier - and my two flights DUD-BNE-DUD were really great - and that comes from a person who is not a fan of LCCs at all!
In short, I still think NZ is a great airline, and once refitting of the long haul fleet is completed by mid/end 06, they will be up to standard with many, and above most other airlines again...
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