Air New Zealand quietly increases luggage prices, pet fees

Air New Zealand surprised passengers with an excess baggage fee review of 30 per cent, last week. Photo / Glenn Jeffrey

Air New Zealand has increased baggage fees across all flights and hiked other ancillary charges, including the cost of flying on domestic and international services.

The new fee structures were shared with travel agents last week, taking effect on Thursday, May 23. Overweight luggage fees doubled, without warning.

The cost of prepaid luggage, not already included in fares, increased from 28 per cent to $45 on domestic routes, 25 per cent to $95 for ‘short haul’ international flights and 33 per cent to $160 for long-haul routes.

In a statement to the Herald Air New Zealand’s chief of customer Leanne Geraghty said the carrier was “experiencing a high-cost environment, which means we’re having to adjust pricing across several areas”.

In April, Air New Zealand told the Herald that its domestic fares would be increasing to reflect a rise of more than 30 per cent to their cost base. These were claimed to reflect the higher cost of providing air services and all prices would be under review.

The airline says changes were in line with fee increases introduced by other carriers in the region. In April Qantas warned passengers costs of domestic excess baggage would be increasing by a third to $140 per checked item.

While the airline’s chief executive Greg Foran had warned that ancillary fees, including pet transport, were being reviewd there was no hard timeline.

Air New Zealand gave little warning to travellers packing for flights this weekend.

Excess luggage fees at the airport were also increased by around a third (28 to 33 per cent) for domestic, short haul and long-haul routes, now costing $60, $115 and $195 per cent respectively.

However, it was overweight luggage that suffered the highest penalties under the new fee structure. Overweight luggage items were doubled across all routes, to $40 per item on domestic routes, $80 on short-haul and $120 for long-haul.

Pets’ transport fees on domestic flights were also increased from $75 for small animals under 25kg and $100 for animals over that. There will now be a flat $120 pet transport fee for domestic flights, whether you’re flying with a chihuahua or a doberman - to Invercargill or Kaitaia.

Geraghty said much of the ancillary fee review was to bring prices in line with costs and simplify the fare structure.

“The cost to us to carry them is the same regardless of their size and weight, so we have decided to simplify our pet pricing and charge one flat rate of $120 for domestic travel.”

Pet fees had not been reviewed in the past 10 years, claims the airline and were due a review.

The last time Air New Zealand reviewed baggage pricing and costs was 2021.