Air New Zealand offers a behind the scenes look at 2024

An Air New Zealand Airbus A320-271N plane, registration ZK-NHB, arriving from Queenstown as flight ZK-NHB and taxiing to the international terminal of Sydney Kingsford-Smith Airport.   She is passing information signs about the main runway (red and white) and taxiways (yellow and black).  This image was taken from Shep's Mound, Mascot at sunset on 25 August 2023.
Edited by Travel Weekly


Air New Zealand has unveiled a look at its year in review that welcomed a staggering 16.2 million passengers in 2024, operating a remarkable 171,605 flights across its extensive network.

“We’d like to thank everyone who travelled with us in 2024, and extend a special acknowledgement to our incredible team of Air New Zealanders for their dedication and hard work,” Air New Zealand CEO Greg Foran said.

“Their professionalism and grit kept the airline moving, even while navigating significant challenges such as ongoing engine availability issues.

“Despite these hurdles, we achieved significant milestones, including sending our first Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner up to Singapore for a state-of-the-art interior retrofit. We can’t wait to welcome our customers into these new cabins in 2025,” says Foran.

2024 in review 

  • Safety video sensations: The airline’s latest safety video, featuring Kiwi basketball star Steven Adams, became an internet sensation, racking up over 30 million views globally.
  • Airpoints boom: The Airpoints loyalty program soared, welcoming 414,000 new members. The Huski Beer Cooler emerged as the most popular item from the Airpoints Store, proving that Kiwis know how to enjoy a cold one.
  • Travel Trends: Auckland to Sydney remained the most popular short-haul route, while long-haul travellers favoured the sunny shores of Singapore. Bali continued its reign as a holiday hotspot, with Air New Zealand expanding its service to year-round flights.
  • Customer Connections: The introduction of Live Chat provided a new avenue for customer support, with over 265,000 engagements.

Behind the scenes:

  • Air New Zealand’s engineering team worked tirelessly, logging 1.2 million maintenance hours and completing 92 engine changes to keep the planes flying smoothly.
  • The airline transported a massive 130.9 million kilograms of cargo, including fresh produce, meat, and seafood.
  • Air New Zealand welcomed a diverse array of animal passengers, from 9148 dogs and 4369 cats to more exotic creatures like kiwi, penguins, and even two Tasmanian devils!
  • Window seats were the top choice across all aircrab types. Seat 2A was the most coveted, except on ATR-72 aircrab used on domestic services, where 16A was the favourite due to rear boarding.
  • Customers spent an average of 106 minutes relaxing in Air New Zealand lounges before international flights. Mango chilli margaritas and espresso martinis were the most popular pre-departure cocktails.

Eating

  • Crew members served 5.7 million meals and delighted passengers with 3.8 million cookies and 17.5 million lollies, including a festive new candy flavoured treat.
  • Customers enjoyed an average of 106 minutes of relaxation in Air New Zealand lounges, savouring mango chilli margaritas and espresso martinis before their flights.

2025 outlook

As Air New Zealand prepares to celebrate its 85th birthday in April, CEO Foran emphasised the airline’s commitment to connecting New Zealand to the world. “We’re excited to build on our legacy and achieve even greater milestones in the years to come,” he concluded.

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