1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:02,600 Speaker 1: Now, almost ten thousand Air New Zealand customers have had 2 00:00:02,600 --> 00:00:05,600 Speaker 1: their travel plans ruined by an upcoming strike action. So 3 00:00:05,680 --> 00:00:08,200 Speaker 1: forty four flights have been canceled for Thursday and Friday 4 00:00:08,200 --> 00:00:11,360 Speaker 1: because the cabin crew striking over paying conditions. Many of 5 00:00:11,400 --> 00:00:13,680 Speaker 1: the flights have been rebooked, but that may not be 6 00:00:13,800 --> 00:00:17,319 Speaker 1: enough for disrupted plans. Air New Zealand's Chief Customer and 7 00:00:17,360 --> 00:00:19,520 Speaker 1: Digital Officer, Jeremy O'Brien is with us on the side. 8 00:00:19,600 --> 00:00:21,920 Speaker 2: Jeremy, Yeah, get us new here. 9 00:00:22,000 --> 00:00:24,200 Speaker 1: How are you and very well? Thank you? How many 10 00:00:24,239 --> 00:00:26,920 Speaker 1: of the affected flyers have had have been rebooked and 11 00:00:26,920 --> 00:00:28,000 Speaker 1: completely accommodated. 12 00:00:29,080 --> 00:00:33,080 Speaker 2: Yeah, so we've actually provided recommodation options for all of 13 00:00:33,120 --> 00:00:37,000 Speaker 2: the impacted customers on the flight two to three days 14 00:00:37,040 --> 00:00:39,839 Speaker 2: either side of the strike days. Now, for not every 15 00:00:39,880 --> 00:00:42,600 Speaker 2: customer that's going to be suitable, and for those customers 16 00:00:42,680 --> 00:00:45,760 Speaker 2: they are entitled to and should request either a credit 17 00:00:45,800 --> 00:00:48,640 Speaker 2: to fly data or a refund. But we have been 18 00:00:48,680 --> 00:00:51,960 Speaker 2: able to provide reaccommodation options to all customers. 19 00:00:52,040 --> 00:00:54,840 Speaker 1: Yeah, and customers are also Jeremy, correct me if I'm wrong, 20 00:00:54,880 --> 00:00:57,360 Speaker 1: but I understand they're also able to if they need 21 00:00:57,400 --> 00:01:00,440 Speaker 1: to claim things like accommodation from you guys, or any 22 00:01:00,520 --> 00:01:04,039 Speaker 1: kind of costs associated with disruptive travel. Yeah. 23 00:01:04,080 --> 00:01:07,440 Speaker 2: Correct, So this is a controllable disruption. So the main 24 00:01:07,480 --> 00:01:10,800 Speaker 2: thing for us is to make sure that customers are 25 00:01:11,240 --> 00:01:14,000 Speaker 2: the impactmed minimized as much as possible. So if you 26 00:01:14,080 --> 00:01:18,560 Speaker 2: do need to change plans and you do incurre reasonable 27 00:01:18,560 --> 00:01:24,400 Speaker 2: cost bet for transport accommodation meals, then absolutely a customer 28 00:01:24,480 --> 00:01:26,680 Speaker 2: should look to have those reaburst as well. 29 00:01:26,880 --> 00:01:29,600 Speaker 1: Okay, are most people being decent about it? 30 00:01:31,040 --> 00:01:33,880 Speaker 2: Yeah? Look, I mean I think most people are very reasonable, 31 00:01:34,600 --> 00:01:38,360 Speaker 2: and the reality is in most instances, people want to 32 00:01:38,400 --> 00:01:41,679 Speaker 2: get to where they're going to. In some circumstances there 33 00:01:41,720 --> 00:01:44,119 Speaker 2: will be time bound things that mean that the new 34 00:01:44,120 --> 00:01:48,640 Speaker 2: flight times aren't convenient, and therefore we absolutely again say 35 00:01:48,640 --> 00:01:51,200 Speaker 2: to customers, please do apply for a credit or a 36 00:01:51,240 --> 00:01:52,920 Speaker 2: refunder and we will process that for you. 37 00:01:53,080 --> 00:01:54,360 Speaker 1: Right. Let me just get this right. So is it 38 00:01:54,520 --> 00:01:57,200 Speaker 1: all your international flights on Thursday and Friday? 39 00:01:58,440 --> 00:02:01,480 Speaker 2: Yeah? So it's our wide body crew and our wide 40 00:02:01,520 --> 00:02:05,480 Speaker 2: body aircraft fly our long haul international flights so into 41 00:02:05,560 --> 00:02:09,720 Speaker 2: Asia and North America. What we have done is we 42 00:02:10,000 --> 00:02:12,920 Speaker 2: have limited the impact on our Tasman and Pacific island 43 00:02:12,960 --> 00:02:15,480 Speaker 2: flying because we're able to put on and narrow body 44 00:02:15,520 --> 00:02:19,079 Speaker 2: aircraft are the smaller jets on those flights. And then 45 00:02:19,200 --> 00:02:24,320 Speaker 2: for those long haul flights, we have provided alternative options 46 00:02:24,320 --> 00:02:28,240 Speaker 2: both on in New Zealand two to three days before 47 00:02:28,320 --> 00:02:31,360 Speaker 2: or after, but also alternatives are crossis Star Alliance and 48 00:02:31,400 --> 00:02:34,480 Speaker 2: other partner airlines as well. So we've exhausted every single 49 00:02:34,520 --> 00:02:37,840 Speaker 2: way in which we can reaccommodate our passengers as close 50 00:02:37,880 --> 00:02:39,560 Speaker 2: as possible to their original triple blake. 51 00:02:39,919 --> 00:02:41,880 Speaker 1: Right, So, no one's going to be complaining about the 52 00:02:41,919 --> 00:02:45,079 Speaker 1: international Cora clubs being too busy on Thursday and Friday, 53 00:02:45,120 --> 00:02:45,760 Speaker 1: are they. 54 00:02:47,400 --> 00:02:49,920 Speaker 2: Well, there'll be no there'll be no None of ours 55 00:02:50,080 --> 00:02:51,680 Speaker 2: long haul flights will be going out that day, so 56 00:02:51,720 --> 00:02:53,320 Speaker 2: they will be a little bit quiet, that's sure. 57 00:02:54,360 --> 00:02:57,480 Speaker 1: Hey, Jeremy, what's going on? Somebody said to me, it's 58 00:02:57,520 --> 00:03:01,600 Speaker 1: been noted that the flight turning up. I don't know 59 00:03:01,600 --> 00:03:03,720 Speaker 1: if you can speak about this domestically, but apparently the 60 00:03:03,720 --> 00:03:05,679 Speaker 1: domestic flights are running a little bit more to time 61 00:03:05,720 --> 00:03:07,160 Speaker 1: this year. Are you guys making an effort? 62 00:03:09,320 --> 00:03:11,400 Speaker 2: Look, I mean it's a real focus for us. We're 63 00:03:11,520 --> 00:03:14,920 Speaker 2: very aware that the first and foremost of the best 64 00:03:14,919 --> 00:03:17,880 Speaker 2: thing we can do is run our network on time 65 00:03:17,960 --> 00:03:20,280 Speaker 2: and to schedule, and so there's been a huge amount 66 00:03:20,320 --> 00:03:22,320 Speaker 2: of hard work going on in the background in order 67 00:03:22,320 --> 00:03:24,720 Speaker 2: for us to do that. We can continue to improve, 68 00:03:24,760 --> 00:03:26,400 Speaker 2: but it is a real focus for the business. 69 00:03:26,440 --> 00:03:28,000 Speaker 1: Good stuff, Jeremy, it's always good to talk to you. 70 00:03:28,000 --> 00:03:30,200 Speaker 1: Thank you, mate, Jeremy O'Brien, who is in New Zealand 71 00:03:30,280 --> 00:03:33,320 Speaker 1: Chief Customer and Digital Office. That for more from Heather 72 00:03:33,400 --> 00:03:36,440 Speaker 1: Duplessy Allen Drive. Listen live to news Talks. It'd be 73 00:03:36,560 --> 00:03:40,400 Speaker 1: from four pm weekdays, or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.