Melbourne man angry after wallet goes missing on Air NZ business class flight

A retired businessman who treated himself to a business-class flight from Melbourne to Los Angeles via Auckland says $NZ1600 was stolen from his wallet.

Tim Noble, who lives in Melbourne, claims the money was stolen sometime overnight during the flight from Auckland to Los Angeles on October 26.

However, the airline - Air New Zealand - says they have investigated and found no evidence of a theft and have urged the man to lay a complaint with police.

Noble says he put his wallet in his sleeper suit during the overnight leg of the flight but when he went to change back into his clothes in the morning he noticed his wallet was missing.

When he returned, the seat had been converted into a flat bed which covered the footstool for the overnight journey and which Noble said made accessing under the footstool very difficult without bending down.

He hunted for his wallet and eventually found it tucked under the foot stool. His credit cards were still in the wallet but the wad of cash - $US1000 and $AUS200 - he had withdrawn for his six-week stay in LA was missing.

Noble notified the cabin crew about the missing money and claims he was told the purser was not going to file a police report, but would record it on his log.

Noble had gone to the bathrooms both times the bed was being converted.

He was certain the money was still in his wallet when he boarded the flight and said it was obvious without looking inside due to its weight.

Noble later complained to Air New Zealand, who he says responded in early December - more than a month later.

In an email sighted by the Herald, Air New Zealand said the security team found no evidence to suggest a staff member took money from his wallet and staff did not witness anyone interfering with his belongings.

Air New Zealand recommended Noble report the incident to police and said the airline would "support and fully co-operate with any further investigation into the matter".

Noble, however, felt the offer was "completely disingenuous" especially as a police report had not been filed at the time.

"No recompense, in any form, has been forthcoming. Disgusting."

In a statement to the Herald, an Air NZ spokesperson says they are aware of his complaint and take allegations of this nature "very seriously".

"Our security team has found no evidence to suggest any member of the Air New Zealand crew took money from Mr Noble's wallet, nor did any of our crew witness any passengers interfering with Mr Noble's belongings.

"We have encouraged Mr Noble to report this matter to police and to his travel insurance provider and will support and fully co-operate with any further investigation into the matter".