Air New Zealand is focused on getting back to basics, and doing that well, with plans to launch ‘some exciting stuff’ that the trade can get behind, says NZ’s chief commercial officer Scott Wilkinson, as he looks to update agents on NZ’s plans and where the trade distribution fits in.
Wilkinson, who started in the role in Oct, says he’s been initially focused on the new structure—but stresses that most of his airline career success has been driven by ‘working really closely’ with the trade. “So I really understand the unique role that [agents] play, and I want to uphold that …”
Impressed by NZ’s trade support offering, and the focus on the trade, Wilkinson says NZ wants to be easy to deal with. The carrier has responded to trade feedback around regional air fare pricing to make it easier to sell NZ, he says, adding that he values direct feedback from the trade. “They’re the ones that are the closest to the customer and understand what’s happening, so I spend a lot of time making sure that I understand…”
. . . Full Fleet Late Jun
Wilkinson is excited about the next phase for NZ. “By the end of Jun we’ll have 100% of our 787s back flying; it’ll be the first time in 10 years, I think, that we won’t have any aircraft on the ground, so that’s huge for us.”
. . . Changes
And on NZ’s pending structural changes, Wilkinson says there will be emphasis on the way NZ supports the trade and its sales organisation moving forward.
“…today we’ve got a domestic and short-haul business. Tomorrow we’re going to have a regional business because that’s a core focus and a massive transformation opportunity for us and it needs a lot of focus.”
The new regional flight operation is headed up by Ian Walker. Lucy Hall, currently in charge of domestic and short-haul, will move to run the New Zealand domestic trunk route and short-haul. David Meaclem, who currently heads up NZ’s revenue management will also be responsible for the long-haul routes under the NZ rejig.
The trio is charged with balancing customer, operational and financial performances, ‘so they’re P&L owners of that business’, he adds.
While more details of the carrier’s restructure, effective 01 Jul (and expected to trim NZ’s staff by about 15%) are under wraps, Wilkinson says there will be a new head of global acquisitions (or sales), with a view of enabling NZ to have a consistent approach globally.
Marketing will also sit under this new portfolio.
On the trade front Wilkinson says the level of trade resource ‘is pretty similar’ in the new structure, as he reiterates the importance of the trade distribution.
