Air New Zealand Limited (ASX: AIZ, NZX: AIR) is the national airline and flag carrier of New Zealand. Based in Auckland, New Zealand, the airline operates scheduled passenger flights to 27 domestic destinations and 26 international destinations in 14 countries across Asia, Europe, North America and Oceania, and is currently the only airline to circumnavigate the world. Air New Zealand is a member of the Star Alliance global airline alliance, having joined in 1999.
Air New Zealand's route network focuses on Australasia and the South Pacific, with long-haul services to Asia, Europe and North America. The airline's main hub is Auckland Airport, located near Mangere in the southern part of the Auckland urban area. Air New Zealand is headquartered in a building called "The Hub", located 20 km (12 mi) away from Auckland Airport, in central Auckland City.
Air New Zealand originated in 1940 as Tasman Empire Airways Limited (TEAL), a flying boat company operating trans-Tasman flights between New Zealand and Australia. TEAL became wholly owned by the New Zealand Government in 1965, whereupon it was renamed Air New Zealand. The airline was largely privatised in 1989, but returned to government ownership in 2001 after the failed tie up with Australian carrier Ansett Australia (when Ansett suffered financial issues and folded operations during that year). As of 2008, Air New Zealand carries 11.7 million passengers annually.
New Zealand's national airline operates a long-haul fleet consisting of Boeing 747, Boeing 767, Boeing 777 and Airbus A320 aircraft on international routes. The carrier also utilises a fleet of Airbus A320 and Boeing 737 airliners for short-haul operations. Air New Zealand's regional subsidiaries, Air Nelson, Eagle Airways, Mount Cook Airline, operate additional short-haul New Zealand domestic services. Air New Zealand was rated the eighth best airline in the world by Skytrax in 2009.
History
Main article: History of Air New ZealandAir New Zealand began as TEAL (Tasman Empire Airways Limited) in 1940, operating Short Empire flying boats on trans-Tasman routes. Following World War II, TEAL operated weekly flights from Auckland to Sydney, and added Wellington and Fiji to its routings. The New Zealand and Australian governments purchased 50% stakes in TEAL in 1953, and the airline ended flying boat operations in favor of propeller airliners by 1960. With the introduction of the DC-8 in 1965, TEAL became Air New Zealand—the New Zealand Government having purchased Australia's 50% stake in the carrier.
With the increased range of the DC-8s, its first jet aircraft, Air New Zealand began transpacific services to the United States and Asia, and added Los Angeles and Honolulu as destinations in 1965. The airline further acquired wide-body DC-10 airliners, the first of which arrived in 1973. In 1978, the domestic National Airways Corporation (NAC) and its subsidiary Safe Air were merged into Air New Zealand to form a single national airline, further expanding the carrier's operations. In 1981, Air New Zealand added the first Boeing 747 aircraft to its fleet.
In 1982, Air New Zealand initiated service to London, United Kingdom. 1985 saw the introduction of Boeing 767-200ER airliners, and in 1989 the airline was privatised with a sale to a consortium headed by Brierley Investments Ltd. (with remaining stakes held by Qantas, Japan Airlines, American Airlines, and the New Zealand Government). The New Zealand air transport market underwent deregulation in 1990, prompting Air New Zealand to acquire a 50% stake in Ansett Australia in 1995. From 1999 through 2000, Air New Zealand became embroiled in an ownership battle over Ansett with co-owner News Limited over a possible sale of the underperforming carrier to Singapore Airlines.
Merger with Ansett
Further information: Air New Zealand-Ansett Australia mergerIn 2000, Air New Zealand announced that it had chosen instead to acquire the entirety of Ansett Australia (increasing its 50% stake in the carrier to 100%) for $A680 million from News Corporation Ltd. Many believe this to have been a critical mistake, as Ansett's fleet, staffing levels and infrastructure far outweighed that of Air NZ. Subsequently, both carriers' profitability came under question, and foreign offers to purchase the Air New Zealand Group were considered. In September 2001, plagued by costs it could not possibly afford, the Air New Zealand / Ansett Group neared collapse. A failed attempt at purchasing Virgin Blue was the final straw, and on September 12, out of both time and cash, Air New Zealand placed Ansett Australia into voluntary administration, following which Ansett was forced to cease operations. Air New Zealand announced a $NZ1.425 billion operating loss..
Re-nationalised era
In October 2001, Air New Zealand was re-nationalised under a New Zealand Government NZ$885 million rescue plan (with the government taking a 76.5% stake), and subsequently received new leadership. This act was the only thing that spared Air New Zealand from also going into administration, without which it too would have joined its now bankrupt subsidiary, Ansett, and likely would have been grounded.
In 2002, Air New Zealand reconfigured its domestic operations under a low-cost airline business plan, and the New Zealand Government weighed (and later refused) a proposal from Qantas to purchase a one-fifth stake in the carrier. Air New Zealand returned to profitability in 2003, reporting a net profit of $NZ165.7 million for that year. The carrier saw increasing profits through 2004 and 2005. In 2004, the airline announced a comprehensive relaunch of its long-haul product, featuring the introduction of new seats in its business, premium economy, and economy class cabins. In 2005, Air New Zealand received the first of its newly-ordered Boeing 777-200ER wide-body aircraft, and the airline placed orders for the Boeing 787-9.
In 2009, the airline announced a massive drop in profits due to the global economic crisis and the high oil prices that affected the airline industry during 2008.
Brand and livery
Brand
On 27 March 2006, Air New Zealand embarked on a changeover to a new brand identity, involving a new Zambesi-designed uniform, new logo, new colour scheme and new look check-in counters and lounges. The new uniforms feature a colour palette mirroring the greenstone, teal, schist and slate hues of New Zealand, sea and sky (a Māori motif created by Derek Lardelli) fabric woven from merino wool, and curves inspired by the koru. A greenstone colour replaces the blue Pacific Wave colour, inspired by the colour of the pounamu, the prized gemstone found in New Zealand. The Air New Zealand Koru was woven through all Air New Zealand's signage and products.
Later in 2009 staff will be involved in testing fabrics and cuts of uniforms. "'It would be fair to say that the lessons from the development and introduction of the current uniform have been taken on board," said Mr. Fyfe after widespread public and staff criticism.
Livery history
The Air New Zealand Māori symbol is a koru. It is a stylised representation of a fern frond unfolding, and signifies new life, growth and renewal. The koru was used on the prows of the early Polynesian canoes that sailed the Pacific with its many islands.
The koru was first applied to the tail of Air New Zealand aircraft with the arrival of the DC-10 in 1973, and has remained ever since. The current aircraft livery was adopted in 1996. The koru also appears on the Air New Zealand house flag and flies at international airports such as Los Angeles Airport.
A redesigned logo was unveiled on 21 March 2006. The new logo has been introduced in all advertising, signage and stationery and on planes.
Special liveries
- In 1973, the first McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30s arrived with Christchurch 'NZZN' 1974 Commonwealth Games symbols on both sides of the forward fuselage beneath the cabin windows.
- In 1984, pictures of the Buckingham Palace horse guards with 'London, Here We Come' were placed on the side of the hump of the airline's new Boeing 747-200Bs when Air New Zealand was allowed to fly the Los Angeles - London leg of the trans Pacific route in its own name. Prior to this, British Airways had operated Air New Zealand's aircraft over the US in order to work around a "no pick up and continue" regulation. British Airways was exempt from this regulation.
- A special livery featuring an image of the All Blacks front row of Carl Hoeft, Anton Oliver and Kees Meeuws was used on the aircraft that took them to the 1
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