Cheap Air NZ fares cash in on rival's woes

Cartoon / Guy Body

Air New Zealand is offering cut-price flights to "distressed" Jetstar passengers seeking new flights after missing the budget airline's strict check-in deadline.

The announcement of the cheap fares comes two weeks after Jetstar's New Zealand launch and amid further problems that yesterday affected passengers travelling to and from Queenstown.

Jetstar's Queenstown flights were cancelled yesterday because the company's aircraft lack the navigational technology needed to land in limited visibility.

Air New Zealand flights were able to land but Jetstar passengers were offered bus services.

Air New Zealand domestic airline general manager John Whittaker said his company was offering $50 flights to Jetstar customers who were denied check-in or were "significantly disrupted" by the airline's timetables.

The fares are one-way and are subject to conditions which include flying on the day of delay, and for tickets purchased before June 23.

Mr Whittaker said the company introduced the cheap fares because staff wanted to help upset passengers.

"Our check-in staff have watched Jetstar customers get increasingly frustrated, especially those prevented from checking in."

Jetstar last night hit back at the cut-price tickets deal.

Executive manager commercial David Koczkar told the Herald: "We find it ironic that only after Jetstar's entry into the New Zealand market that Air New Zealand has decided to offer customers truly low fares - and not to their own customers but to ours.

"We thank Air New Zealand for finally supporting the concept of truly low-fare travel."

Jetstar's head of customer service, Mary-Lou Cann, said most New Zealanders were not used to the airline's check-in rules which specify that passengers must arrive 30 minutes before the flight.

She said passengers had to be at the boarding gate at least 25 minutes before the aircraft departed.

Air New Zealand passengers with no luggage can check themselves in at recently installed kiosks up to 10 minutes before departure.

Those with luggage can check in 20 minutes before departure.

Mr Whittaker said he believed Jetstar's tight deadlines were a result of cost-cutting.

"Those strict rules are a result of the way that they design their business but ... customers end up paying in other ways for what they're getting.

"To get to be a low-cost carrier, they do make their costs low at every turn."

Mr Whittaker would not be drawn on what he thought of the airline's beginnings.

But he said: "I have been surprised to hear them saying that they're happy with the launch because their customers don't seem to be."

Feedback on the topic to nzherald.co.nz ranges from those in support of Jetstar to others discussing bad experiences.

Jetstar spokeswoman Simone Pregellio defended the check-in deadlines, saying they were essential in keeping to flight schedules and "quite well documented" on the Jetstar website, itineraries, tickets, and in the reminder emails it sends passengers.

The company would not be doing anything more to educate passengers about its rules.

A Commerce Commission spokeswoman said three complaints about the airline were being assessed to see if they breached the Fair Trading Act.