Ryan Bridge: Where in the world is Nikhil Ravishankar?

You've got the feel a bit for the Air New Zealand boss.

If ever there was a poisoned chalice, he's drinking from it. He's glugging it back. Drowning in it.

They've suspended their guidance after the gas price went nuts. Doubled on Iran.

Mike's Minute: Air NZ has issues and the turnaround is a way off

There is no doubt that Air New Zealand has issues.

In a week of company reports, the vast majority contained good news. Air New Zealand was a glaring exception.

A national airline losing money in an industry that is booming doesn’t make sense.

Perspective with Heather du Plessis-Allan: Was David Seymour right about Air New Zealand going 'woke'?

So David Seymour’s right about Air New Zealand - but he’s also wrong about Air New Zealand.

Before we get to why, let me bring you up to speed on what’s happened with the airline today, because the news is not good.

Perspective with Heather du Plessis-Allan: Why is Air New Zealand chasing their customers away?

Let's talk about Air New Zealand.

Look, if I was Air New Zealand, I would feel pretty beaten up after the weekend's opinion pieces. Bruce Cotterill wrote a piece in one newspaper complaining that if Air New Zealand want to charge as much as they do, then they have to do the job better and be on time more often.

Bruce Cotterill: Air New Zealand must fix reliability before loyalty runs out

I’ve been putting off writing this column for a couple of years. I don’t like the idea of knocking a national icon. You don’t mess around with national icons. But at the same time, it’s getting hard to remain silent.

It all started a couple of years ago, in Rotorua. It was 4pm. I had been stuck in a boardroom in our former tourism capital for most of the day. I was then planning to travel to Christchurch for a business meeting over dinner. I had an all-day meeting there the following day. My travel plans required that I fly from Rotorua to Auckland before connecting with a flight to Christchurch.

Dr Oliver Hartwich: Health and safety on the rocks

Last week, at Wellington’s Koru Lounge, I discovered Air New Zealand’s latest contribution to aviation safety. My request was simple: a whisky, neat.

“We have to add at least one ice cube,” the bartender said, perfectly serious. “Otherwise, it is a shot. It is the new internal rule.”

Ryan Bridge: Air New Zealand isn't making me proud

Reading the Air New Zealand results was a bit disappointing - even more so was the commentary after.

Profit's down, demand is down, costs are on the march, capacity still buggered by engine problems.

Here's the real punch in the guts for our national carrier: they won't be back to full capacity for the best of two more years. Foran confirmed it last night.

Kerre Woodham: Why would the Government interfere in the aviation market?

We know airfares are expensive, right? Everybody, and I mean everybody, I know who's booked flights recently has made the comment that an overseas flight is cheaper than flying just about anywhere around New Zealand – especially to the provincial centres. Easter was huge in terms of airfares, but even on your normal everyday Wednesday morning, flying to Timaru, flying to Tauranga, it's going to set you back a fortune.

Mike Hosking: Air NZ need to sort their priorities

For the record, I am a fan of Air New Zealand.

Mainly because we own it, it's our national airline and, overall, it's been fantastically successful. If you're balanced there isn't a lot of reason to be as angry towards it as so many people are.

But on the same day the CEO came on this show to break the news they have engine troubles that will affect thousands over the next two years, he then attends a tourism summit and talks about supersonic and hypersonic travel.

Kate Hawkesby: Looks like Auckland Airport is improving

I come to you today with – fingers crossed – great news.  

I say fingers crossed because let’s hope it lasts, I don’t want to be accused of speaking too soon, but I’m hearing reports that Auckland airport is on the improve. For starters, it’s opened an express lane. Very heartened by the headline yesterday which read, “Auckland Airport trials screening Express Lane to cut down unacceptable wait times”. I mean is that not music to all of our ears?

Heather du Plessis-Allan: Air New Zealand are milking kiwis

Let's be brutal about what we all suspect is going on with Air NZ.

And that is that Air NZ managed to turn its business around yesterday and post a profit for the first time in three years. 

By milking kiwis. 

Not the rest of the world, just us. 

Kate Hawkesby: For all the people ‘hopping across the Tasman’ at the moment, I can tell you it’s not a hop

For all the people ‘hopping across the Tasman’ at the moment I can tell you one thing - it’s not a hop.  

It used to be a short haul quick trip - painless. But these days it seems to be less painless and more painful.

I’m not sure who’s more at fault - Auckland Airport or Air New Zealand, or both. Of the three times I’ve crossed the Tasman in the last month; I’ve been held up on the tarmac or delayed every time - twice without any communication at all.

Heather du Plessis-Allan: We should be pleased Air NZ is profitable

I'm gonna come to Air NZ’s defence.

As expected, the airline just reported a decent profit of $213 million dollars, which is a whopper when you consider the $725 million dollar loss this time last year. It means that business has just done a billion dollar a turn around.

They're already copping it from some for charging too much, and actually have been copping since analysts first started predicting this result two weeks ago.

There is no denying Air NZ has made this money off the back of charging a lot more than they used to. Domestic ticket prices are 15-20 percent higher than last year. 

Kate Hawkesby: Air NZ and Auckland Airport are not up to scratch

 

My brother travels a lot, both for work and to visit family – my nephew's studying in the US. So he’s made about three trips during the pandemic, done MIQ twice, and since MIQ was dropped he’s made about three more trips, he left again on another one yesterday. Given I’m not flying anywhere I always appreciate the update on his experiences. 

Yesterday, he sends me a text from the airport, he’s mad. Mad because all the stuff he’s moaned about on all his previous trips are still not fixed or addressed, in fact he reckons it’s the worst it’s ever been. How’s that possible? Given we keep hearing from Auckland airport that they’re stepping up their game, given we keep hearing from Air NZ that they’re looking to streamline services, given we keep hearing from the Government that they want to make it smoother for people to travel. Newsflash – it’s still not any of those things. 

Kate Hawkesby: If you were an overseas tourist, would you really come to NZ?

 

In another case of theory versus reality, Tourism Minister Stuart Nash is telling us we’re open as a country, but tourism groups and others will tell you – we’re not really.

The thing holding us up? The Covid testing regime our government insists on keeping in place. 

The problem with it is twofold.

Frank Newman: Lifeline for Air NZ as market crashes

For the second time in 20 years the government has bailed out Air New Zealand.

Last time was in 2002 when the government stumped up with $885 million - $300 million in interest bearing equity (preference shares) at 24 cents a share and $585 million in new shares at 27 cents. Interest was paid in new equity rather than cash. 

The effect was the Crown ended up with an 82% stake. The rescue followed the Company reporting a $1.425 billion loss after its ill-fated investment in Ansett Australia. It returned to profitability in 2003.