Air New Zealand, is the happy, professional, very Kiwi, face of a the small, rather ignored, twin islands at the bottom of the Pacific. Small yet professional, recently revamped, and doing ultra-long-haul with style the airline has seen better days, and yet has recent put on a new brave face after some disasterous investments, and is determined to move forward with new inflight service and brands. It is also suffering badly from a militant workforce, who aren't keen on market forces. And yet it is the New Zealand flag carrier focusing on Australasia and the South Pacific, with services to Europe, North America and Asia.

It's larger than you'd expect, with a fleet of 99 aircraft, although many of these are smaller ones for the domestic routes. It flies to 26 international destinations in 14 countries across Asia, Europe, North America and Australia, and yet for many passengers, it can be an airline that they miss, or don't consider.

Air New Zealand has learnt from the big boys that it can no longer attempt to get away with it's old style full service, three classes on board, and all the trimmings. Now, domestic, it is just a low-cost carrier. Short haul over the Tasman it's facing up to a lot of tough competion (although not very well), and ultra long haul, it's realised that the days of offering business & first (in just 1970s seats) is long gone. Now there is economy, or premium economy, and Business that puts the old first to shame. As if that wasn't enough, Air New Zealand has now revamped economy again, with a novel design of seat that turns it into a bed, and Premium Economy that is almost the same as a business class seat. This really moves the airline into a whole new league.

Many of these moves have been welcomed, and yet the airline still manages to run some top-class lounges, and yet, still, has many passengers who try very hard to book on another airline. Partly this is the fault of the Frequent Flyer scheme, Airpoints, which really isn't all that good. Reviews and opinions are mixed about Air New Zealand Trans-Tasman, where economy really isn't all that good at all, with pretty dire food and entertainment: the Asian & Gulf airlines do this run much better. There is also the issue that passengers who book on the Kiwi run never do so by accident - after all, noone transits via Auckland on a whim, unless NZ is the destination - the airline still has has some way to go. ... read more.