Air New Zealand

✅ Trip Verified | Auckland to Perth. Booked and paid for a modern Business Class experience on a Boeing 787. Received a below standard seat on an old, ex-SQ Boeing 777. Seats were actually painful to sit in. Understand that NZ has grounded many of the Boeing 787s due to engine issues, but I paid for a premium product, and received a way sub-par product. So where is my partial refund?

Not Verified | Christchurch to Napier via Wellington. Not one to complain generally, I feel I must write of my unfortunate experience 10 December 2018. I was ticketed to fly on NZ5326 which left 20-30 mins late. On disembarking I proceeded to the gate for my connection, arriving as the tape was being put across and told that I had to rebook. At the ticket desk I was abruptly told that i had to pay $100, no explanation given. I was understandingly unhappy. The Supervisor took my ticket away for a good 10-15 minutes, Still no explanation. Finally after waiting for another 20 or so minutes, I received a ticket for my connecting flight 3.5 hours later. Throughout this ordeal, at no stage were the staff professional,helpful or friendly. I almost felt I was in a foreign country. It was a very traumatic experience. Whatever happened to "Customer Service"

✅ Trip Verified | Auckland to Christchurch. Better service with a low-cost airline. Don't believe the hype. Second delay in as many flights. If a low-cost airline can keep to schedule why not the national carrier. If you want to be on time and have a little extra in your pocket look elsewhere.

✅ Trip Verified | Auckland to Houston. Seat 2K is a window seat on the right side of the cabin. It is row two of the nine rows in Business Class on version 2 of ANZ’s 787-9. Three seats abreast herringbone configuration. The crew walks past this seat, over and over, delivering food and drinks to the seven rows of business class passengers behind it, as do passengers on their way to the business-class galley and restrooms. On my outbound flight to Auckland I sat in the last row of business class. It was a better, quieter, more private experience. Overhead storage for seat 2K, like all other window seats, is consumed by bedding. The first three rows of the center section have zero overhead storage (though the bedding can be stored behind those seats), so the passengers in the center seats must use the storage space that would have otherwise been available to passengers in the window seats. The fellow from the center seat had already filled the half of the bin that was not filled with bedding. Space is limited to begin with, and there is no usable underseat space. I pulled my mattress and pillow out of the overhead storage bin so that the fellow in the center seat and I could both stow our carry-ons. When the FA told me I couldn't put the mattress in the sizable, yawning cavity behind my seat, I told him he should try to find a space for it. So he took it away into the nether regions of the forward galley. As I sit here, my shoes are under the ottoman and there's a pillow and blanket on the floor where my feet are supposed to be. There's no armrest for my right arm. Crew is really nice in dealing with my, er, "concern" about the lack of storage space. Probably as exasperated about it as I. They are as pleasant, tactful, and as helpful as they can be. Really delightful people, dealing with what seem to be poor design features. They served champagne before departure, and that was nice. There's a little fold-out shelf behind my right arm and shoulder, but I don't know that it has any practical use. It is also lit, for some reason known only to Boeing and, presumably, ANZ. It's certainly not a place to put an empty champagne glass. The ANZ headphones are not good. I'd advise travelers to bring their own headphones. There's a jack to plug them into so that you can listen to the inflight entertainment, and both a USB charging port and a 110v outlet for your own devices. As I found on my previous long-haul ANZ flight on the same aircraft type, there appears to be a heat source under the seat. After a short time lying in the bed it becomes sweltering hot. I found the bed itself, under the mattress, to be warm. Very uncomfortable when used as a bed. The plane has large windows but they are behind you, so looking out of them requires turning your head more than 90 degrees. The view out the window would be better than the view of the feet and unclad legs of the person across the aisle, who's wearing shorts and went to bed shortly after takeoff, before dinner. Food is delicious and plentiful. Snacks are available any time. Overall, ANZ’s service is excellent, both on the ground and on the plane. The crew was marvelous. The aircraft is new and modern. But the seat layout and design, the lack of storage space both in the overhead and around the seat, and the temperature of the bed leaves much to be desired. As a result, I’m not sure the additional cost of a business-class ticket is worth the money.

✅ Trip Verified | Sydney to Auckland. My experience started with a relaxing time in the Lounge. Departure was well managed, prioritising Star Alliance and high tier Frequent Flyer Status. Cabin Crew were lovely and attentive, with a smile. Now onto the less positive, I believe that if an airline portray itself as a full service airlines, it needs to act accordingly. Economy fares should always include checked baggage and meals on international flights, otherwise do not mislead customers and start acting like a LCC. Lastly, IFE should always be available not based on fares purchase.

Not Verified | Flight was delayed due to weather. We missed our connecting international flight meaning we have to pay for another ticket home. We booked our AirNZ flight giving us 4 hours leeway in case of any problems. On board the cabin crew attendant said it was our fault for not leaving enough time! Really unhelpful and they made no attempt to offer us any assistance or guidance once we landed. Also the inflight snack was a choice of a biscuit! Yes 1 biscuit or some corn chips! Abysmal for a scheduled 2 hr flight. Will never fly with them again.

✅ Trip Verified | Auckland to Melbourne. Received a terrible experience with the Air NZ team in Melbourne!! The short version of the story is I paid for an upgrade to premium, and the Air NZ Melbourne team promised to have the upgrade applied, through a comedy of errors, there was a delay in applying the upgrade. By the time they attempted to apply the upgrade all premium and business seats were taken. When I challenged the Air NZ team on how this happened, they openly lied to me to cover themselves. To make matters worse, it has been hard work to get my money back and as compensation for my bad experience they have given me 100 points! Lift your game Air New Zealand.

✅ Trip Verified | Brisbane to Rarotonga in business class. Check in agent at Brisbane Airport was aloof, flippant really. The check in agent communicated with short grunts essentially. However, the rest of the Air New Zealand business class experience was fantastic. The Koru Lounge at Brisbane Airport was great with a good view and was ambient. Our flights on each of the segments were in clean aircraft with beaut flight attendants. The food offerings were plentiful along with drinks. The business class seats were excellent. We had an ex Singapore Airlines 777-200 from Rarotonga to Auckland. The old Singapore Airlines business class was still comfortable for this 4 hour flight. The Air New Zealand premium business check in agents at Auckland International were just fantastic. I purchased inflight internet on the Auckland to Brisbane segment. It cost 27 Airpoints dollars (or $30 credit card). We felt that as business class passengers, surely Air New Zealand could have added this as complimentary. The internet connectivity between Auckland and Brisbane was faultless. The awarding of status credits bares inconsistencies. I do not understand how Brisbane to Auckland, then Auckland to Rarotonga are credited status credits as individual segments, but then Rarotonga to Auckland then Auckland to Brisbane is credited as one whole segment? We chose Air New Zealand to fly from Brisbane to Rarotonga return because it's the most decent business class offering of all the airlines on this route. However, in striving to achieve status, as we maintain with Qantas, the ad hoc awarding of status credits is left to be desired. However, we would recommend Air New Zealand business class flights. The flights themselves we cannot fault.

✅ Trip Verified | Perth to Dunedin via Auckland. Terrible experience. Starting from poor value for money. 3 hrs between connection and almost missed the next flight due to ultimate sluggish experience at Auckland airport. 2 hrs in one lane. Self transfer of luggage, really are you for real. Had to run (with luggage on trolley and a bub) towards domestic air from international airport for the next flight as the transfer bus was every 15 min and there was minimal time to next flight and the staff blamed me at domestic airport for coming late. The list goes on. Never again on Air NZ thats for sure.

Not Verified | Auckland to Sydney. Terrible mix up with my wife's passport; surname changed well before flight and airpoints card updated with Air New Zealand assuring us the fare was altered. On the day still under maiden - caused huge delay and worry. Flown with these guys for years and their standards have plummeted in the last 18 months - avoid if you can.