Air NZ “most successful airline in the world”: CEO
Air New Zealand’s CEO, Christopher Luxon, has put it out there and claimed his airline is the best in the world, and told Travel Weekly recently all the reasons the carrier is killing it globally.
“We’ve done things very differently from other airlines over the past 15 years,” Luxon told TW at the annual TRENZ exhibition in Auckland, which just announced it will be heading to Dunedin in 2018.
“We’ve worked really hard to put the customer at the heart of everything that we do and we take that really seriously, and we’ve worked really hard to be successful commercially and make sure that what we do works well for us.
“But importantly, we’re also the number one that place that Kiwis want to work and you wouldn’t say that of many airlines in countries around the world; that the national carrier is the place people are desperate to work.
Asked if he’s concerned about competitors, Luxon told Travel Weekly he’s really not.
“We’ve been competitive for a long time so we’re used to being a small airline in a global sense,” Luxon said.
“But we are really good through the lenses by which we look at our business to know that we can compete with anyone in the world.
“We compete with the big, state-funded Chinese carriers, we compete with Qantas Group that’s four times bigger than Air New Zealand, we compete with American carriers coming in, Middle Eastern carriers coming in.
“So we don’t make excuses – we want to compete in the marketplace and we’ve got awesome people and great innovation that’s enabled us to do incredibly well.
“By any stretch of the imagination, this probably has to be the most successful airline in the world in terms of our relative commercial performance, our customer satisfaction scores and our cultural scores.”
Talking about carbon emissions, Luxon agreed that carbon offsetting is the best strategy for airlines to follow.
“We want to be carbon neutral from 2020, and so for that to happen we’ve been working really hard on modernising our fleet,” Luxon told TW.
“We have a fleet age of about seven years, with an average age of six years, which means it’s a modern, fuel-efficient, technologically advanced fleet. And it’s the best aircraft we can buy today.
“All of those new aircraft we’re buying are being 20-24 per cent more fuel efficient.
“We then have moved all of our company car fleet to electric vehicles, we’re increasingly moving more of our ground handling equipment at airports to electric, and we’re looking for all those options so we can reduce the carbon in many parts of our business.
“We’ve also looked at alternative buyer fuels and that’s really tricky because there’s nowhere in the world that’s been able to scale up with bio-fuels in a meaningful way.
“But the reality is even with all of those efforts we’re still left in a place where we create greenhouse gas emissions.
“We don’t just want to buy cheap carbon credits in Eastern Europe, we actually want to spend money in the economy and make sure that it strengthens New Zealand,” he added.
Luxon stressed this comes in the form of taking degraded land that’s owned by Maori tribes or local city councils and replanting them with native forests or manuka honey, or regenerating them with economic benefits like an eco-zipline or eradicating pests.
“Those are the conversations we’re in with the government and that’s why I came out in favour of the 100 per cent ETS scheme for domestic New Zealand because I think that’s just the right thing to do,” Luxon said.
And while he was coy about where the airline wants to go next, Luxon did tell Travel Weekly the carrier is always looking to grow.
“Every quarter we look at all the potential markets that we see across the world, and we review them every quarter, and ask how they’re changing and how they’re evolving. And that’s what forms the basis of us then deciding to go somewhere,” Luxon said.
Email the Travel Weekly team at traveldesk@travelweekly.com.au
-
Latest comments
Latest News
South African Airways ups capacity between Perth and Johannesburg amid sustained demand
Lekker! You WA travellers are now even closer to beef jerky and safaris thanks to South African Airways.
WATCH: Norwegian Cruise Lines unveils plans for brand new Norwegian Luna in Sydney
NCL celebrated the launch of Luna with a full moon inspired event and we were on the scene with our cameras to share it.
Hawkins Limited scores NZ$800m construction contract to oversee build of Auckland Airport’s new domestic terminal
Half a century between domestic terminal construction, and we thought our layover was long.
Footy fans panic as cancelled flights leave matchday plans in doubt, while Qantas & Jetstar reveal AFL Grand Final plans
Airlines are scrambling to avoid getting between footy fans and their team and/or their beer and meat pie tonight.
PROFILE: Leanne Geraghty, chief customer and sales officer, Air New Zealand
Nothing like punching above your weight in a competitive field. No, we are not talking rugby.
Quark Expeditions offers three exclusive itineraries to see the Northern Lights
We also thought this picture was a UFO sighting at first, but rest assured it's not.
Silversea announces new Venetian Society Reunion voyage for 2025
Silver Spirit sounds like the name of an older woman I met at a yoga retreat in Bali one time.
Storm Boris leads to worst flooding in 20 years in Europe
Weather does not discriminate, but some insurers do. It's always good to check the fine print, too.
Brisbane chooses Amadeus for an exceptional airport experience
Not sure about you but I can't read the word Amadeus without Mozart playing automatically in my head.
The 3 biggest trends shaping travel in 2024
It is important to keep your finger on the pulse when it comes to knowing what's going on in travel.
Non-stop travel options as Indians takes flight to Australia
It's a bit of a carrot and stick approach, but in this case the 'lathi' is a bit too hefty. See you in Jaipur for GX!
Qantas soon to open enhanced Broome Regional Lounge
Why is it that the stock images before something has been built always look like something from Paranormal Activity?
Bookings now open for Nyaal Banyul Geelong Convention and Event Centre
With all these conference centres popping up, Sydney and Melbourne will be getting very scared indeed.
Australian Cruise Association confirms Board of Management with Port Authority boss as chair
Was this photo before or after the Board meeting, that is what we want to know.
Veriu Group’s Punthill Sunshine ready to welcome its first guests
When we lived down the road from Sunshine, liveability was not in the lexicon. Glad it is on the rise now though.
Fiji Airways collaborates on feasibility study for SAF made from sugarcane
This sounds like a sweet deal for all of the Pacific islands if they can get it off the ground.
Business Events Victoria encourages applications for regional business events funding
Business Events Victoria is encouraging conference and event organisers to apply and make the most of all regional Victoria has to offer. The funding is part of the Regional Business Events Program, which is being delivered by Business Events Victoria in partnership with Melbourne Convention Bureau. The program supports national and international businesses to host […]
Club Med offers savings on its Japan ski resorts
If skiing in Japan has long been on your vision board then now is the time to move!
Travel Portland returns to ANZ with trade program
When it comes to visitors, us Aussies are definitely the most wanted. It isn't like we can do weekend stays...
Cameron Daddo heads to Vietnam on new golf tour with Luxury Escapes
Pairing Daddo with O'Hern seems like a perfect match for a Pro-Am. Topical reference, this is not.
Azamara Cruises returns to ANZ for a hot summer of voyages
If you are looking for the suite life on a smaller ship cruising locally this summer, this is probably it.
SITA study reveals technology is the key to unlocking the passenger experience of the future
Are you on board with the digital revolution? Perhaps that's a loaded question, because no one really has a choice.
Alaska Airlines completes multi-billion dollar acquisition of Hawaiian Airlines as carriers join forces
You swap the beanie and gloves for a pair of boardshorts, or vice-versa, but we know which order we'd be doing it!
Emirates announces winners of ultimate sports fan incentive
With the cost of flights to sporting events on the up, this really is a prize worth winning.
Australian Tourism and Hospitality Skills Symposium set for Brisbane in November
First up, the Government needs to open the gates to more OS students with work visas so they can work in hospitality.
WTTC announces final line-up for 24th Global Summit in Perth
We wonder who will be running the travel world when all the leaders are in Perth next month. See you there?
REVIEW: Pullman Adelaide is a classy stay just minutes from the action
We're getting better and better at sampling buffet breakfasts, and the Pullman Adelaide might just be top of the class!
Women In Travel: Why we still need female-only networking with Flight Centre’s Katrina Ryan
You have less than two weeks to enter this year's awards. And it's free! What are you waiting for!?
Bali’s hospitality sector agree technology, community and cooperation are key to future
We presume that no delegate from Australia, sporting a Bintang singlet, was present at this event.
NZ watchdog to sue Jetstar for misleading consumers
If you're feeling short on cash it might be time to check if you are entitled to compensation (said in advert voice).
African Wildlife Safaris set to celebrate 40th anniversary with specials
Having been around for 40 years, we expect they have the lion's share of Australians travelling to Africa.
Collette launches Encompass Campaign, a new and enhanced tools for travel agents
Great - Collette University - just as along as we don't have to add another degree to understand it.
Macao tourism campaign enters second phase
The key takeaway here is that there is a quiz and you can win some fabulous prizes!
Global CLIA president and CEO Kelly Craighead steps down
Maybe now that she has time on her hands, Kelly can jump on a cruise and relax.
IndiGo and Amadeus enter strategic NDC partnership
There are more partnerships in the airline industry these days than there are on Married At First Sight.
APT donates more than $100,000 to the Vietnam’s Blue Dragon charity
If a short walk was all it took to raise $100k, then our office needs to lift its game.
I am quite serious when I wonder if (in the long term) that was a loss? 883m (compared to the 1bn bailout of the BNZ which is now owned by NAB) I wonder how much money the NZ government receives as investment returns on that capital?
just lucky the NZ govt bailed them out when they went completely broke in 2001 !!!!