Air NZ brings back Covid-19 credit as illness surges, hitting passengers and crew

A domestic Air New Zealand flight leaves from Rotorua Airport. Photo / File

Air NZ has brought back its Covid-19 credit policy for passengers unable to travel because of sickness, citing the "increasing levels of illness in the community".

It says it has heard from "a large number of customers who are falling sick with Covid or other winter illnesses" who could not travel as a result.

The airline was seeing the rising level of illness reflected in its own workforce with increasing levels of employee sickness leading to flight cancellations.

Today was the first day Air NZ had its credit policy back with its chief customer and sales officer Leanne Geraghty saying there would be those among the 670,000 booked to travel in the next fortnight who would fall ill or need to care for others who were unwell.

"This change will give them the flexibility to change their plans, so they don't miss out on their holidays or being reunited with friends and whānau, and they can still get to where they want to be at a later time."

In a statement, Air NZ said those booked between now and July 31 could keep their fare as a credit for 12 months. The credit could be lodged online and the airline asked people only call if their flight was leaving in the next 48 hours.

Geraghty said the airline's call centre was under "enormous" pressure with illness and weather disruption.

Customers who booked through a travel agent or third-party online agent should contact them directly about making changes to their bookings or credit validity, she said.