Realwomen.co.nz

... with that!!!!!
Here is my experience last week on Air NZ new seating service to Tasman/Pacific. Flew out of Rotorua to Sydney. Booked works deluxe as business class is no more. The week b4 we flew out I recvd an email from Air NZ that they had opened up the wing seats as they give extra leg room. I phoned the 0800 number to confirm and changes us to that seating. We boarded the plane ( no priority boarding as staff were unaware that deluxe option offers this. Just before the plane was about to take off, we were ordered out of our seats and told to sit elsewhere. I calmly explained that these seats were available tous as works deluxe and I was told I was wrong. The irish gentleman steward was quite obnoxious about it too. So we were put up the front, with seats that are smaller ( armrests cannot be moved ) and the flight was bloody miserable.
The flight back we were allowed those same seats over the wing but it was 80mins into the flight b4 we even got a headset!!!!! Our baggage was notpriority baggage as we paid for either.

I wrote to Glen Sowry when we got back to NZ with a reply finally today saying because I needed an extension belt, we could not sit over the wing and he wanted to know how we were allowed to sit in those seats on the return flight. I have had much delight in emailling him that I did NOT need the seat belt extension and why hasn't he covered the other problems as well. No reply as yet.
I also pointed out that I am a dairy farmer and I would get my doctor to send a health certificate if he reqd one. Because I am of a large build does not mean I am unfit!!!!
Needless to say I have had no response but that is it with travelling internationally with this cut price airline and rude staff.
CAN ANYone suggest another airline please where they don't treat you like a moron??

There was a time, when as a very regular long haul traveller with Air NZ , I would not have uttered or heard, a single word against our national Airline. But unfortunately, times do change, and so has Air NZ. After a very poor experience with them earlier this year, Auckland to Narita, Tokyo, I vowed, never again !. The second stage of my journey to London, was with another Airline, and was just as long, but three times more comfortable and with faultless service from very pleasant and friendly staff.
I asked myself, 'why would anyone want to travel with Air NZ in comparison?"
On the homeward journey, I did the first sector with the other airline, and again a great experience, but I had no option but to take the second leg home which was from San Franscisco to Auckland with Air NZ again. I would have changed it if I could, and was not looking forward to the flight one little bit. However, I have to be fair, and say that the homeward experience with them was fine, the crew were great. You wouldn't have thought it was the same Airline . Was I just unlucky on the way out, or was I very lucky on the home ? I don't know really, but I do know that no passenger should ever have to ask that question. Passengers should not be at the mercy of 'the luck of the draw." All flights and all crews should be consistently bloody fantastic on whatever day or route you are flying.
Good for you you for taking your compaints further. I did also, but like you have done, I found that the response I got from higher up the scale , was just as unimpressive as the response I got from the flight supervisor whom I had already expressed my disappoint me too, while enroute. Arrogance does not go down well, with fare paying passengers who have genuine complaints, and reasonable expectations that they will get what they have paid for. Our national carrier has to teach it's staff to remember that there is plenty of opposition out there. People do have lots of choices now, and there are other airlines who are consistently excellent. There are other airlines who also beat them with cheaper fares as well. They cannot hope to keep their passengers loyal, if they give inferior service, dish up inferior food, are rude and arrogant, and charge higher prices .

I would not exactly call Air NZ a cut price airline. They often have higher faires as Katy has said.
What puzzles me is what made Glen Sowry think you needed an extension belt when you did not need one?
Unless you requested one , how would he or any of the staff know the size of anyone requesting a certain seat ?
I have never travelled anything but cattle class, but on a flight from Auckland to Sydney I wonder why anyone would bother paying a higher fare or priority for any part of such a short journey. And I thought that priority boarding was usually given to First Class, then those with disabilities or young children. After that it is usually done in sections, row by row . And what is the actual advantage of priority boarding on a short flight ? Some things I don't get but then I am not a seasoned traveller.

Glen Sowry was told by the certain cabin member that I complained about that I reqd one!!
We do fly business as it is usually more comfortable and also the perks of priority boarding and luggage plus use of lounges when waiting for boarding and if the plane is delayed you can have a shower. It is a pleasant environment, plus refreshments are always at hand. Air NZ does not have a first class option.
I suffer from Rheumatoid Arthritis so what is a short flight for some is not for others.

That was one of the differences that I noticed between the two airlines I used. I needed an extension to my Air NZ belt, but that did not worry me. I asked for one as soon as I discovered I could not get it done up , and I got it . On the other airline which was Virgin Atlantic I did not need to ask for an extension. The belts were a little longer to begin with. I was certainly surprised to find that I needed an extension on Air NZ. Requiring an extension belt is something that I have only experienced before on Japan Airlines, and I think it was Evergreen - one of the Asian ones anyway. I have not ever required one on Singapore Airlines. Now, there is one that is hard to beat for service and comfort.
I would rate them among the best in the world.

I must confess I have not travelled recently but am due to fly in March with Air NZ, this doesn't look promising. I did fly from Sydney to Auckland with pacific blue virgin, that was really unpleasant, as I had never flown with them before. It was just a giant sardine can and there was no room at all. My Hubby is not a big man and he found it really a tight squeeze and very claustraphobic and he flies a lot with work. It wasn't a really long flight but it was certainly long enough in those conditions. When I flew from the UK to NZ 20 years ago, I flew out with Air NZ and they were great back then, as Katy says, times have changed and the attitude has changed. If the response you get from emailing, is no response then what does that say? They simply don't care and seems to me to be finding excuses and passing the buck. I'm a reluctant flyer anyway and becoming more and more so if the flight I am going to be on is just unpleasant.

An anxious time for those who have got family trying to get home from Europe for Christmas. Especially from UK. I hope none of you have been affected ? My boss's son was supposed to be leaving London yesterday, but flights are all grounded. Shame

And although it is very frustrating for travelers, ...the planes don't fly because of the danger in doing so.

So many crashes of full planes, ..no survivors...over the years,...because of wings icing up, that can turn the plane over.

In these cases, Terra Firma, is the best place.