Air New Zealand isn’t about to return to London ‘any time soon’ as the national carrier grapples with what it calls a fuel crisis and battles its way back to profitability.
The on-again-off-gain return to London, where it last flew via Los Angeles six years ago, is now firmly on hold.
NZ’s chair, Dame Therese Walsh, told shareholders that the city remained on the radar though.
“We review our network regularly. London remains within that consideration set,” she said.
The carrier’s existing network and new Christchurch-Perth, Singapore, and Tokyo flights this summer are its current priority.
“Those services are our immediate focus, dealing with the fuel crisis is also our immediate focus. We’re not looking to operate London any time soon,’’ Walsh said.
Asked about possible non-stop services to India and Thailand, she said they too were in the ‘consideration set’ but any decision to fly somewhere new was influenced by the financial squeeze the airline faced.
Just as NZ was emerging from engine problems which had grounded large numbers of aircraft, it was hit by soaring fuel costs as a result of conflict in the Middle East.
While there was good inbound volumes, the Kiwi outbound and the domestic market remain soft.
. . . Troop Carrier?
The airline defended itself against claims by one shareholder who said that over the last 20 years the professionalism and grooming of crew had fallen behind large Asian airlines ‘which make travel a special experience rather than feeling I’m on a troop carrier’ with older planes.
Walsh cited surveys which show customer satisfaction was up 0.9 points this year to 84.5%. NZ’s on-time performance has also improved to 84%.
NZ’s Dreamliner refit will be completed by the end of the year, and the carrier will commence its Boeing 777-300s refurbishment in 2027.
The airline’s chief operations officer ground and inflight, Kate Boyer, also defended the airline’s crew who she said are some of the best ambassadors for New Zealand and deliver a uniquely Kiwi service.
