1 00:00:07,133 --> 00:00:10,453 Speaker 1: You're listening to the Saturday Morning with Jack Tamee podcast 2 00:00:10,613 --> 00:00:13,293 Speaker 1: from News Talks ab SO. 3 00:00:13,453 --> 00:00:16,373 Speaker 2: I started counting headlines about Air New Zealand two weeks 4 00:00:16,373 --> 00:00:19,173 Speaker 2: ago after my flight from Nelson to Auckland was delayed 5 00:00:19,173 --> 00:00:21,893 Speaker 2: by about an hour. Then last Saturday, my partner flight 6 00:00:21,893 --> 00:00:24,373 Speaker 2: from Napier to Auckland was delayed after a bird strike. 7 00:00:24,733 --> 00:00:28,453 Speaker 2: Neither delay were hugely consequential, just a little bit irritating, 8 00:00:28,893 --> 00:00:31,213 Speaker 2: but since then there've been a number of press articles 9 00:00:31,213 --> 00:00:34,493 Speaker 2: about issues with planes. On the thirtieth and November and Air 10 00:00:34,533 --> 00:00:36,533 Speaker 2: New Zealand planes sat on the tarmac in Hong Kong 11 00:00:36,573 --> 00:00:39,053 Speaker 2: for hours before being canned after a fuel fault and 12 00:00:39,093 --> 00:00:41,613 Speaker 2: then crew sickness. An Air New Zealand flight from Wellington 13 00:00:41,653 --> 00:00:43,773 Speaker 2: to Sydney was diverted to Auckland on the first of 14 00:00:43,813 --> 00:00:46,733 Speaker 2: December after engine problems, and a flight from Gisbon to 15 00:00:46,773 --> 00:00:50,893 Speaker 2: Auckland on December the second returned to Gisbon after engine problems. 16 00:00:51,693 --> 00:00:54,373 Speaker 2: The plan landed safely after shutting down an engine shortly 17 00:00:54,413 --> 00:00:59,013 Speaker 2: after departure. Investigations are underway for both engine issues. Anecdotally, 18 00:00:59,333 --> 00:01:02,493 Speaker 2: you don't have to search too hard to find someone 19 00:01:02,533 --> 00:01:05,093 Speaker 2: who'll share a story of a flight delayed or canceled, 20 00:01:05,413 --> 00:01:07,973 Speaker 2: often at the last minute. So it got me wondering 21 00:01:09,093 --> 00:01:13,013 Speaker 2: if we're experiencing more incidents, delays and cancellations than before 22 00:01:13,333 --> 00:01:17,093 Speaker 2: are we so, are we experiencing more or are we 23 00:01:17,253 --> 00:01:21,453 Speaker 2: just complaining more? Do we feel we can complain more 24 00:01:21,493 --> 00:01:24,813 Speaker 2: because quite often we're paying good money to fly around 25 00:01:24,853 --> 00:01:28,293 Speaker 2: our little country. Recent figures released by the Ministry of 26 00:01:28,293 --> 00:01:31,333 Speaker 2: Transport which compared Jetstar and Air New Zealand services on 27 00:01:31,373 --> 00:01:34,413 Speaker 2: the main trunk jet routes that they compete on, so 28 00:01:34,533 --> 00:01:37,173 Speaker 2: that in September this year, Air New Zealand recorded eighty 29 00:01:37,213 --> 00:01:41,253 Speaker 2: point eighty point four percent for on time departures that 30 00:01:41,373 --> 00:01:44,173 Speaker 2: was within fifteen minutes of schedule, and Jetstar was on 31 00:01:44,213 --> 00:01:48,173 Speaker 2: seventy eight percent. For on time arrivals, Air New Zealand 32 00:01:48,213 --> 00:01:51,853 Speaker 2: recorded eighty two point one percent, Jetstar eighty point six 33 00:01:52,613 --> 00:01:54,453 Speaker 2: But in January this year, Air New Zealand was sitting 34 00:01:54,493 --> 00:01:58,293 Speaker 2: at eighty eight percent. It dropped to seventy seven percent 35 00:01:58,333 --> 00:02:01,973 Speaker 2: in March this year, so reliability has fluctuated throughout the year. 36 00:02:02,773 --> 00:02:05,613 Speaker 2: Another interesting figure, Air New Zealand's cancelation rate was one 37 00:02:05,693 --> 00:02:08,693 Speaker 2: point four percent, sent more than twice Jet Stars, which 38 00:02:08,773 --> 00:02:11,573 Speaker 2: was zero point six percent, So yeah, the stats could 39 00:02:11,613 --> 00:02:15,293 Speaker 2: be better. We all accept airlines can't control weather. That 40 00:02:15,373 --> 00:02:18,133 Speaker 2: Air New Zealand has had other issues to grapple with 41 00:02:18,373 --> 00:02:21,013 Speaker 2: planes out of action due to high global demand for 42 00:02:21,093 --> 00:02:24,053 Speaker 2: engine maintenance. Meant that ten jets were out of service 43 00:02:24,093 --> 00:02:26,373 Speaker 2: in the first half of this financial year. It's not 44 00:02:26,453 --> 00:02:29,013 Speaker 2: expected that this will be sorted until twenty twenty six. 45 00:02:29,533 --> 00:02:31,373 Speaker 2: On top of this, the travel market has been a 46 00:02:31,413 --> 00:02:34,733 Speaker 2: mixed bag, leading the airline to announce this week o 47 00:02:34,733 --> 00:02:36,573 Speaker 2: Let's se I stopped counting the headlines. By this point 48 00:02:37,213 --> 00:02:40,133 Speaker 2: they will be running fewer flights on some domestic routes 49 00:02:40,173 --> 00:02:42,133 Speaker 2: in twenty twenty five. Who knows what this will do 50 00:02:42,173 --> 00:02:46,653 Speaker 2: to the prices. A one point four percent cancelation rate 51 00:02:46,733 --> 00:02:48,973 Speaker 2: is actually tiny in the overall scheme of things, but 52 00:02:49,013 --> 00:02:51,653 Speaker 2: when combined with all the other disruptions in the high prices, 53 00:02:52,053 --> 00:02:54,613 Speaker 2: Air New Zealand has its challenges cut out for them. 54 00:02:55,133 --> 00:02:58,453 Speaker 2: For so long, they have been a beloved New Zealand brand, 55 00:02:58,573 --> 00:03:01,373 Speaker 2: but since COVID it's been like pushing a dreamliner uphill. 56 00:03:02,133 --> 00:03:05,453 Speaker 2: Have you run out of patients? Yet? The Air New 57 00:03:05,533 --> 00:03:09,813 Speaker 2: Zealand service staff may be fabulous but as long as 58 00:03:09,853 --> 00:03:14,333 Speaker 2: the fleet and financials remains under pressure, it looks like 59 00:03:14,533 --> 00:03:18,373 Speaker 2: it'll be difficult to quiet those headlines for a while yet. 60 00:03:19,133 --> 00:03:22,253 Speaker 1: For more from Saturday Morning with Jack Tame, listen live 61 00:03:22,333 --> 00:03:25,173 Speaker 1: to News Talks ed B from nine am Saturday, or 62 00:03:25,213 --> 00:03:27,133 Speaker 1: follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.