Air New Zealand reports that staff are working nonstop to reduce disruptions from cabin crew strikes scheduled for Thursday and Friday.
Flight attendants on Air New Zealand’s wide-body long-haul aircraft will walk off the job amid stalled pay and conditions negotiations.
Air New Zealand confirms 46 flights were cancelled before the strikes, with teams rebooking and assisting nearly 9,500 affected customers.
“We are very sorry for the disruption to some customers’ travel plans. Customers have been contacted directly with rebooking options and may also choose a refund or to hold the value of their ticket as credit for travel at a later date,” Air NZ chief customer and digital officer, Jeremy O’Brien, said.
Air NZ said it adjusted flight schedules and deployed alternative aircraft to safeguard most Tasman and Pacific routes from cancellations.
“We have done everything possible to minimise the impact, and our teams have been working around the clock to reaccommodate customers whose flights are affected,” O’Brien added.
Meanwhile, E tū union national secretary Rachel Mackintosh called the strike “a last resort” for members fed up after nearly 10 months of failed negotiations.
“The crew are – from a passenger point of view – the people who make Air New Zealand such a great airline, who keep people safe, manage crises and are first responders,” Mackintosh said.
“Pretty much every member of the travelling public will have seen flight crew manage difficult situations, calm people down who are anxious travellers, manage conflicts, and keep everybody healthy and safe.”
“That’s really important work, and the crew are so professional that they make it look easy, but it’s actually complex and responsible work.”
She noted that despite allowances for long hours and time away, flight attendants’ low base pay leaves many struggling with rent or loans.
“That pay level has an effect on people’s lives including that they can’t get bank loans or mortgages because that’s their only guaranteed income.”
Air New Zealand said it offered base salary hikes of 4.14% to 6.41% and scheduled further pay talks for later this month. For Air NZ chief people officer Nikki Dines, the base pay alone doesn’t tell the full story.
“Cabin crew have a unique remuneration structure where base pay is a guaranteed income, regardless of the hours they work.”
“In addition to base salary, cabin crew receive other payments and allowances linked to duties undertaken, which significantly increases their total remuneration.”
Salaries have “absolutely” matched inflation, she insisted.
Air New Zealand aims for crew to receive a steady guaranteed salary every pay period while shifting more total pay into base salary, Dines explained.
“This approach has not always aligned with crew or union preferences to retain and lift significant variable elements to remuneration.”
She emphasised that investing in aircraft and infrastructure is vital to maintain the company’s safety, competitiveness, and financial sustainability.
“It is not a choice between investing in aircraft or investing in crew. Both are necessary.”
“Modern aircraft and facilities enable us to operate efficiently and generate the revenue that funds wages, training and career opportunities.”