Air New Zealand Passenger Reviews and Air New Zealand Customer Trip reports

NZ8 from AKL to SFO last month in Business Premier. The ground crew could have been a little friendlier at Premium Check-in, and the check-in lounge seemed a bit chaotic with sizeable queues and no concierge/agent present to help passengers get in line. The flight crew were attentive and offered personal service. The seat was a little narrow for Business Class, but the lie-flat feature is certainly one of the best I have seen. Overall, a great flight. Felt reasonably healthy and humane straight after the flight.

My wife and I travel overseas once each year. Due to today's security requirements we are required to spend up to three hours pre flight time at the airport. As my wife and I are pensioners in our seventies we find long haul air travel very tiring so to minimize the hassle of flying we decided to join the Koru Club, Seniors Membership level. Considering we use the lounges twice per year the fee of $350 plus is overspend but acceptable to us. Our flight from LA to Auckland this year started with a refusal to allow my guest, my wife, to enter the lounge on the excuse it was school holidays and they couldn't allow guests to enter due to over crowding. I could see empty seats in the lounge but your employee still wouldn't allow my wife to enter. Some two hours later we were allowed in. I am disappointed in this lounge ruling, it upset both my wife and I as we have enjoyed this little but expensive luxury for a few years now and have never been refused entry in to your Lounges before. Travel for passengers of our age is tiring and demanding in many ways but this experience has left us considering either we terminate our lounge membership and using a more convenient carrier such as Qantas.

MEL-WLG-CHC-ZQN-CHC-MEL. Impressed with Air NZ lounges in both Melbourne and NZ. Inflight service aboard A320 on short hop across Tasman more than sufficient. AVOD offering very good for this sector, and service from FA's top notch and genuine, particularly acknowledgement of travelling companion who is Gold with SIA. Couldn't fault them and enjoyed the genuine service!

I fly to Wellington every two years with Air New Zealand. Staff are very friendly and polite. The only "downside" to Air New Zealand is that the flight entertainment is very "cheap" meaning that whenever I use it, it somehow always just either stops working or completely shuts off (flight attendants are very willing to fix it). Besides that the seats are very comfortable and the food and service is fantastic!

HKG-AKL-HKG in Economy class. Overall impression: service is a bit slow and too relaxed. Check-in counters close more than an hour before the flight. The airline requires the passengers to be at the gate 50 minutes before departure. I guess it's because they personnel cannot handle it in less time. Inflight entertainment controllers were a bit stiff on both flights. On the return leg the system crashed suddenly just before the take-off and I was asked to change sits in order to view safety features demonstration. Other aspects of services were quite standard.

DUD-AKL, AKL-SYD Business Premier 777 from AKL-SYD. Check-in staff at Dunedin were friendly and checked me all the way to Sydney. Dunedin lounge was good for a small airport and had good offerings. Flight from DUD-AKL was on a older 737, aircraft was clean and tidy and on-board services was excellent for a domestic flight. Auckland lounge was big and comfortable but food offerings were average. Business premier from AKL- SYD was excellent along with the service. Food and wine were also excellent. AVOD system excellent and seat comfort excellent. Business premier highly recommended.

SYD-CHC Works on an A320. Check-in quick and friendly, Sydney Koru lounge was great with an excellent choice of food and drinks. No dedicated boarding for golds or equivalent. Aircraft in good condition. Cabin crew were un-friendly and just wanted to get the job done. Service was very poor. AVOD system was good. Still feel Air New Zealand need to decide if they are low cost across the tasman or full service. This flight was very poor in service terms, domestic services were better than this Tasman flight.

Auckland - Shanghai. NZ289. 777-200. Due to being on crutches I was assisted by ground staff to get from the lounge to the aircraft. The flight staff were friendly and polite. Food was quite a let down for Business service and well below the quality of food I have experienced on other flights on a Business fare. On a good note though the fully flat bed provides and exceptional sleep and that is a very important factor when selecting a Business fare. On arrival in Shanghai we had a stand off position and had to be bussed to the terminal. It was very good of the staff here to organise assistance for getting me from the aircraft to immigration and baggage.

Brisbane - Auckland, NZ136, 777-300. Premium economy space seating. Seats very comfortable and would book these seats in future for the extra leg room. Food and service very good on this leg of trip. The staff were excellent on this flight. Due to a torn achilles tendon I was on crutches and in a moon boot. I received priority boarding and assistance to board. On arrival in Auckland I was escorted in a wheelchair from the gate to Airline lounge and back to my next connecting flight to Shanghai.

This is for an LAX to Heathrow flight non stop. The seat spacing in coach is frankly abusive. When the person in front of you reclines the seat you are literally pinned in. The seat back in front of you is less than eight inches from your face and anyone over 5'8" will have their knees literally crushed by the seat and the weight of the person on your knees. This is insufferable for any amount of time no less for a 10 hour plus flight.

My wife and I have flown Air NZ a number of times in the last couple of years have found their service, staff and planes exceptional. Our latest trip from Auckland to Rarotonga and then Rarotonga to Sydney, Australia was excellent. My wife is a bad flyer at the best of times, and with our flight from Auckland to Rarotonga on the 21/06/12 we were seated apart which had my wife a little unnerved. A conversation with an Air New Zealand staff member had our seating reorganised so that we were able to be seated together. Hats off to Air New Zealand. They are so far far in front of our national carrier it's not funny.

We flew NZ1 from LHR-LAX on the 2nd June onboard the B777-300. From boarding to disembarking, the staff were friendly, attentive and could not be faulted. All food and drinks whilst onboard were excellent and of restaurant standard. The IFE had an impressive selection of TV box sets, movies, music and games. The seat was comfortable and with the separate mattress and 2 pillows, gave us excellent sleep. I will make NZ my choice of carrier when flying this route in the future.

Flight: In last month. Flew economy AKL to LAX then IAD (Wash Dulles) to Honolulu via LAX then Honolulu to AKL. So we were on a variety of aircraft partnered with Air NZ. My first gripe was the 777-300 flight from AKL to LAX with the 3-4-3 seat configuration. I'm 172cm tall and felt really squashed in my aisle seat. The guy in the window seat didn't even bother to get up for the whole flight. The aisles (and seats) are definitely on the narrow side and even though my arms and legs obediently stayed by my side I still got banged about by passing passengers and crew. My tray dug into my knees with no warning when passenger in front reclined. It was a long tiring flight with delays in LAX to Houston - we had a 36 hour day! The two airbus flights (AirNZ partners) across USA to Honolulu were squashed - we were split up and had middle seats on both flights another excruciating mid air 12hrs. Then on the 777-200 AKL flight we actually got to sit next to each other, much more comfortable than the 777-300 but our meals were incomplete and we felt a nuisance for pointing it out to the crew. No USB socket on this plane and to top it off in the whole plane my TV/Media screen was broken. After whining about it to every crew member for 2 hours, the nice senior cabin crew person came and sorted it out and agreed it was broken.

Flight: In last 2-3 months. NZ6 Auckland-Los Angeles. Air New Zealand's "new" Boeing 777-300 with horrible 3-4-3 seating (old 777-200 had 3-3-3 seating) in Economy Class and extremely narrow aisles, very short uncomfortable space saver seats - no space to breath or move - and even worse "old and wide" flight attendants constantly bumping into passengers shoulders. 3rd world standard catering makes the whole experience even worse. Seats were not clean. Bread crumbs and other leftovers on floor. Greasy LCD screen. Recommendation: Skip the food service it's not even worth trying. Economy travelers - bring your own delicacies. I know Air New Zealand is already selling non service tickets on the 9-10hr. Auckland-Hawaii flight. Be aware to bring your own entertainment and food supplies or they rip you off on the flight.

Flight: In last month. I flew from LAX to ACKL on June 1st on the ANZ B777 ER and I must say that it was my best flying experience. The seats in Economy class were really comfortable. The head rests were amazing with the attachable pillow. I've never slept so well during a flight and I fly every year from the Pacific area to Paris via Japan. Compared to the Air France B777, the ANZ economy class felt like business class! I also want to emphasize that the cleanliness in the toilets was perfect throughout the whole flight. The IFE was wonderful.

Flew economy AKL to LHR return and I fly long haul regularly. Air NZ is always our top choice based on past experiences with them and others ie Singapore, Cathay (don't do it, regardless of cost), emirates etc. Air NZ performed yet again, v.good leg room, really friendly service, average food and entertainment could do with more variety.

Flew premium economy space seats from London to LAX return. Excellent service on the Boeing 777-300 ER. Really love the space seat, you get so much space and the design is comfortable. Food and drinks were lovely, menus distributed amenity kits and selection of snacks available mid flight, also loved the selection of drinks, so much choice and many things that you don't normally find in premium economy on other carriers i.e. desert wine and champagne. Staff were helpful and pleasant. Cannot fault this product, feels more like business class than premium economy. The last time I went from London to LAX I flew virgin and I'm kicking myself that I didn't book and New Zealand then.

Vancouver to Brisbane on B777-200ER via Auckland. There was nothing bad about this flight but neither was there anything outstanding. Service was efficient and prompt but delivered without the usual Air NZ staff enthusiasm. Seat/bed comfort, food and entertainment were all good but given a choice I would prefer the B777-300 service out of LAX in the future.

AKL-LAX in new 777-300. The new premium economy is definitely not as comfortable as the old seats. How a beanbag is supposed to replace a footrest is beyond me. On the plus side, the cabin is very pretty. Staff fabulous and the food excellent!

Tokyo Narita-Auckland 13 June 2012. Old 767-300 but new seats and new entertainment system. However movie selection rather limited and of rather bad quality. Service was very attentive but what motivated me to write this review is the food. Really excellent food, some of the best I've ever had on a plane - tender beef steak with mashed potatoes for dinner and poached eggs for breakfast, with good Kiwi wines etc.

Flew WLG-AKL on one of NZ's new A320's. The A320's are quite flashy with purple mood lighting. Seat comfort was good and a small snack was offered which was appreciated for this leg. Crew were good apart from one rather glum looking FA. Overall, nice flight!

EDI-LHR-AKL-LHR-EDI on Boeing 777-300ER in Business Premier. Kia Ora - Air New Zealand, what a great safety video - kept me entertained and my eyes on the screen. Sceptical before travelling due to the fact their Business configuration is herringbone, which I despise from travelling Virgin Atlantic in Upper Class. The overall experience certainly made up for that! Personally welcomed by the onboard CSD was a nice touch. Comfortable flat bed seat and great entertainment! One of the only airlines to offer it 'gate to gate'. Great attentive staff and food/drink! The lounges were also great - bmi lounge at Edinburgh was very spacious and comfortable with complimentary food as was the Star Alliance lounge at Heathrow - although it was extremely busy! ANZ lounge at Auckland had a special kiwi spirit. A warm welcome by my flight's onboard concierge for questions about an hour/two hours before the flight was a special touch no other airline has! The only fault is the duration of the journey.

LHR-LAX return as part of overall flight LHR-PPT (Tahiti). Onboard clean and new. Staff smartly dressed and all very friendly. Hostess serving drinks found we were on our honeymoon and went and got champagne and glass flutes from business class. We checked in early at LHR with no queue. Were offered Skycouch for £169 which seemed a good deal, even though we are not large people it was too cramped to both lie across the 3 seats. Would work fine if on your own but assume it would be a lot more. It was good to not have someone sat net to you but wouldn't bother next time - better to try for Prem Economy. Food was very tasty. My wife pre-booked vegetarian and that got lost after our seat move at check-in but we got it in the end. White wine selection was good. IFE screen was large and I loved the fact you could order snacks, drinks etc via your IFE and get it delivered straight to your seat. We were given a detailed printout of how to navigate LAX and where to drop transit luggage. On our return flight from LAX I was in the aisle and found little space for my arm which kept getting bumped by the air crew as not much space.

Business Premier AKL-LAX-LHR Check-in a breeze with the Air NZ exclusive priority check-in zone, exclusive and plenty of staff, then a swift ride in a lift to priority immigration and security, which all was easy. AKL lounge gets a bit crowded and noisy, but not too hard to get a seat, with adequate free wifi. Food was ok, although has been downgraded in recent years. Boarding a little chaotic, with big queues for economy snaking through gate area making access to the priority queue a bit of an effort. Dinner and breakfast service on both legs was excellent, with a well prepared dinner and excellent quality wines and desserts. The new 777-300ERs upgraded seats are more comfortable than the older ones, and given both flights are overnight, all that matters is sitting to have meals then sleeping. Had good sleeps on both legs, cabin quiet and crew very responsive. New IFE system miles ahead of system on older 777s and 747s, with far more choice. At LAX chose to go through immigration, customs and security to get lounge access, only because no other major flights were in the terminal. All in all, superb flights, with good hard product, catering and service. Only minor quibble was crew seemed rushed with some meal services, so that minor things got passed over.

Sydney to Honolulu on B767-300 with a stop in Auckland. While this aircraft is acceptable for a 3 hour trans-tasman flight Air NZ should seriously reconsider it's use on a 9 hour leg from Auckland to Honolulu. I know they have been hampered by the delays in the delivery of the 787 but the 767 does not provide a great hard product. Seat pitch is ok, recline limited, and the seat is very narrow. Air NZ's best asset is their staff. Without exception they are always friendly and personable. Catering on AKL to HON leg was poor, way below what we have come to expect from this airline. This is our preferred carrier, unfortunately on this aircraft, on a medium to long haul flight, you have first rate crew propping up a second rate product.

AKL-SFO, LAX-AKL. Outward flight delayed, but arrived at SFO on time. Staff well-presented and very nice. Outward seat wasn't spectacular, but being by the window I had a few extra precious inches of foot-room which helped. Inward flight was far better on NZ1. After United, the check-in staff were a pleasure to deal with and went out of their way to get me an aisle seat. Food on both flights was delicious, and there were plenty of refreshments - all included in the ticket price. Definitely my preferred carrier.

Booked Business Class from LAX-AKL. The 777-300ER is an outstanding airplane, and the business premier cabin was superior to most product offerings. The bed was outstanding along with the IFE - the best I had experienced in a long time. Flight staff were friendly and very professional beginning with a personal greeting in the lounge at LAX. I highly recommend Air NZ.

Returned 2 days ago after overnight from San Francisco. After experiencing United and US Airways over the past 3 weeks it was a great relief to get on Air NZ again. Top class service from attractive, well-turned-out staff. Good meals which we did not have to pay for, plus good wine. Air NZ load passengers from back to front of the plane so much quicker than the other airlines we used which went from front to back and caused major delays as passengers blocked aisles to load their cabin bags which in most cases were huge! We were lucky with our seats at the back of the plane, so had more leg room than usual.

Los Angeles-Auckland on Boeing 777-300 in economy. I felt very claustrophobic in my seat, I think it is because the seat design doesn't allow you to look out. The square seats block any view out of your seat position. The seats seem to be narrower so that you are touching elbows with the next passenger. There is very little space for your legs. I am only 5ft 4" tall and I found the space very cramped. What made it worse was that the design of the seat pocket in front of you had some sort of spring arrangement. On this very new plane mine was already broken and digging into my knees. The staff were nice and food was good. I have enjoyed previous flights with Air New Zealand and my flight over was good. That was a Boeing 747-400 and I had no problems with the seating on that.

Economy LHR-LAX: Went online to select seats to find only 10-15 available seats and only 4 aisle seats left. Selected row 55. Got to the airport early to check-in and was told as I had an ESTA already I could use the Premium check-in! There was a delay boarding because of a fault with IFE. They never managed to fix the fault but at least they forewarned us and laid on as many magazines and papers as they could. Onboard, a nice big TV screen and USB power for my iPad. Unfortunately it goes downhill from here. The seat feels much narrower than I'm used to in a B777 and the power supply for the IFE invades the footwell, the support struts for the seat in front sit in the middle of the footwell for the seat beside my seat so your legs get angled. I'm used to the 3-3-3 configuration that BA fly. ANZ use 3-4-3 and it's cramped. No choices with the meals because they'd run out - edible but certainly not what I would have chosen. Service was variable. Because of ANZ seat layout every time anyone passed me they'd knock my arm or shoulder so getting sleep was impossible. Economy LAX-LHR: Check in was slow but staff friendly. This flight was busier. The crew and aircraft were the same as the outbound leg although IFE was working this time. Before departure I was called to the gate to change my seat. I'd been moved from D to G to allow a party of 3 to sit together. The same issues regarding seat comfort (or lack of) and being knocked every time someone passed were evident again. This time however I did have a choice of meals, in fact I had both of the meals as one of them was spilt down my arm as the trolley was being pushed past. The stewardess was extremely apologetic. I got very little sleep on this flight. All in all I thought ANZ could do a lot better, they have some very good staff but that seating layout is appalling. They were very poor value for money, the standard didn't live up to the price I paid for the ticket.

Auckland-Napier. Checked in after an international flight and was directed somewhat reluctantly to a self service machine. This actually turned out to be a breeze and even allowed me to change to an earlier flight. Was called to the plane 15 minutes prior to departure and we took off on time. Seat was comfortable for a 45 minute flight and trolley bag just fitted under the seat. Water, Coffee, Tea and a biscuit were served, along with a boiled sweet on landing. Luggage retrieval was swift. All in all a very efficient and simple service.

AKL-LAX and SFO-AKL. We purchased Skycouch thinking we would benefit on the 12 hour flight to LAX. Sadly we are not 1.5 metres tall and weigh 50kg - total waste of money for the average Kiwi to use to any degree. Advantage was an unoccupied seat we could use at will. Upgraded ourselves to Premier Economy for homeward flight, a much wiser choice, plenty of leg room, top class food and beverage service, top class service all round.

BNE-AKL-CHC-ZQN-WLG-AKL-BNE. Had chosen 'The Works' booking option which provides meal. Crew giving out meals had no idea who had what meal option. Bypassed 3 other passengers then myself who had paid for meal in their ticket. Flight attendants were unhappy and behaved in this way. All other flights were brilliant. Flights departed on time, aircraft clean. Baggage collection was immediate. Upgraded to business using Airpoints dollars for AKL-BNE sector. Inflight service fantastic and personal.

LHR-LAX. Our fourth/fifth time with this airline. No delays at check-in, good service and food, with free snacks and drinks available overnight during 10-11 hour flight. Seat depth good, and we are both taller than average. Free pre-meal drinks and wine with main meal, with refills as required. Water supplied regularly during flight. Cost of flights can be above average, but we look out for sales when the prices are very competitive, for our visits to family in California. Recently we have also paid the extra 40% charge for a skycouch seat, so we have all 3 seats to use, and can build up a 'flat bed' for better sleeping. Would always recommend.

CSD came to speak with all Business passengers, something I missed on my way out with BA even in First! They then came and made the bed for you, all without any fuss. Very professional, warm and genuine crew! I was fed 3 meals on this leg from HKG to LHR - lunch, tea and dinner, all delicious as well! The seat was very nice in itself, but with the memory foam mattress, the bed was comfortable, and as far as I could see, everyone slept well. Last but not least, I think NZ was the only airline which hired someone to pull out all the priority bags for Business passengers with a real priority.

WLG-AKL-PUD. Excellent flight to Shanghai with seamless connection through Auckland. Food, entertainment, and service all excellent. Only issue was they couldn't check me right through to Paris as I was bumped off the KLM flight in Shanghai on Air France, but as I was on a KLM ticket, that wasn't Air NZ's fault. First time flying Air NZ long-haul and would definitely do so again.

I flew from Auckland to Brisbane yesterday and thought the service offered was great, the food was tasty and hot and the inflight entertainment was fantastic. I enjoyed the inflight emergency instructions.

LHR-LAX on 777-300ER aircraft. I am 1.82m and I found the new premium economy seat had enough room to stretch out and was very comfortable. The window seat in the first 4 rows has the most space. I would avoid the bulkhead seat (looked a little cramped). I tested the centre seats since the flight was not busy, these seats didn't seem to have the same legroom and I felt a bit exposed to the aisle. The boarding procedure was very smooth. We were called along with business class passengers, given a glass of Champagne just after take off. Food service was excellent served on plates with metal cutlery. Onboard staff provided a superb service in our cabin and were happy to chat and introduce themselves to each passenger. The only downside was the order from your seat option was only available for 2 hours during the middle of the flight. Terminal 2 in LAX used by Air New Zealand is very drab. The International Terminal is very nice, but, only used by the likes of BA, Qantas and Singapore Airlines. Overall If I travel to LA again I shall be flying premium on Air New Zealand.

LAX-LHR return in Business Class. An enjoyable flight experience. Comfortable seat made into a comfortable flat bed. The audio/visual was excellent. The restrooms were very clean. Airline staff were friendly, helpful, and professional. I would have given Air New Zealand a 10, but I am a picky eater and I just didn't like the food they served. Highly recommend Air New Zealand and would fly them again.

LHR via HKG-AKL on 777-200 with a 3x3x3 configuration. Had an aisle seat with reasonable space although 32" pitch is not ideal when someone reclines their seat. Crew and food good and enjoyed their safety video. Return via LAX on 777-300. Having a 3x4x3 meant one is bumped more often in an aisle seat although 33" pitch did compensate. The transfer at LAX was better than expected as passengers were held in a transfer lounge with our own immigration officers. Flying economy is never a pleasure but ANZ did make it more endurable.

Flight from Auckland to Christchurch was excellent, plenty of leg room, in fact plenty of room all round. Staff were excellent and inflight food and beverage very good. Would most certainly recommend to friends, such a shame that the long haul flight was so dire.

Recently travelled economy from Heathrow to Auckland. The cabin crew were excellent, however the comfort was a nightmare. Our seating was next to the toilets, consequently no peace all night. Despite having a blanket I was very cold. The space allocation was very claustrophobic, the distance between the back of my seat and the seat in front was the length of my arm (I am only 5ft), there was no way you could stand upright in your seat area. The menus on out going and return flight were the same. Chicken sausage for breakfast! I will be hard pressed to travel this airline again.

SYD-CHC Works Deluxe on an A320. Check-in was quick and hassle free, lounge in Sydney was good and there was a great selection of both cold and hot food. Cabin crew were friendly and helpful. Service was very good. AVOD system excellent and seat comfort good for short flight over the tasman.

NZ from Heathrow via HKG. Excellent service throughout. Very helpful, efficient and friendly service from staff. Seats very comfortable, with space to stretch out, which helped to alleviate jet lag at destination. Looking forward to flying again on my return flight to London.

Air New Zealand had gone downhill greatly since they introduced their new fares. If you choose their cheapest fares, you are choosing less service, more rudeness and an unpleasant experience at check-in. Multiple flight cancellations and re-bookings occurred with my trip, including one that they neglected to inform me of. I received a poorly worded brief apology after I complained, and no attempt to make my experience any more comfortable. Staffing was inadequate at check-in, inflight service adequate.

Auckland to Honolulu 767-300. No waiting to check-in at Auckland. Economy seats are average with little leg room which gets worse once the person in front reclines their seat. Your TV screen is then only inches from your face. Meal selection ran out when it got to the last 10 rows. Curry chicken and rice. Told next meal service would start our end which was useless as everyone got the same thing, a warm ham sandwich, fruit etc. FA's a mix of ages and gender. Several appeared that they didn't want to be there whilst others were friendly. Toilets clean.

Melbourne to Auckland 777-300. Exit row seats with non moveable centre arm rest. Snug fit but the extra leg room was good. Window seat has no window. Check-in at Melbourne was as slow as ever with only 3 check-in counters open. On board the food was tasty but just only lukewarm. FA's appeared rushed but friendly enough. Didn't bother with the AVOD.

LAX to RAR on B767. Upgraded to business class to celebrate special anniversary. I thought business class passengers would board first. Not so, total pandemonium at the gate as gate attendants lost control of boarding. Once onboard the interior looked old and worn and dingy - needs a good scrubbing. Air NZ touts a large wine selection, but selection onboard was very limited. Flight attendant asked what we wanted but then said it’s not available, as well as our next 3 selections. Food portions were disappointingly small, entertainment system barely worked. Though my headset was changed twice, still heard constant crackling and only 1/3 of the channels worked. Flight attendants were indifferent and spent most of their time hiding in the galley.

Flew Premium Economy between LHR-HKG in the past and loved their service. I got to fly them again recently and hated the new seats. They looked fabulous but didn't recline like the old seats and couldn't sleep. The back of the seat in front of yours is near to your face so I had less personal space than I was used to and felt claustrophobic throughout the flight. I couldn't fault the sterling service from the ground and cabin staff, inflight entertainment, etc. Just those seats! Until they re-configure their seats soon, I won't be flying premium economy with them for a while.

 
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