A Kiwi traveller has received an apology from Air New Zealand’s chief executive after her Skycouch seat was cancelled without notification and she had to be helped off a long-haul flight in a wheelchair with severely swollen legs.
Whanganui woman Barb Saunders and her husband were travelling from Los Angeles to Auckland on October 31 after a United States holiday when the incident occurred.
Saunders paid an extra $615 for an economy Skycouch seat to help manage health and circulation issues that cause swelling during long-haul flights.
Skycouch is an Air New Zealand economy-class seating option that converts a row of three seats into a flat, couch-like bed by raising the leg rests, giving passengers extra room to lie down.
A previous long-haul flight to Europe had left Saunders in intensive care, making her anxious about the 13-hour journey.
“I nearly didn’t go on the trip because I was worried about how I’d manage it,” she said.
“I had done research to see if there was a way that would work for me and I thought the Skycouch would be really good.”
The couple had a Skycouch on the Auckland-Los Angeles leg of the trip and called the experience “magnificent”.
However, the return journey began to unravel when Saunders’ legs began swelling during the 25-minute walk to the departure gate at LAX Airport.
After boarding, Saunders and her husband were directed to economy seats on opposite sides of the plane and she realised the Skycouch she had paid for was not available.
Saunders said she immediately alerted cabin crew, who explained the aircraft was a leased plane not fitted with Skycouch seating.
“I actually literally started shaking and got really upset,” she said.
Saunders said cabin crew were apologetic and later reseated the couple together in spare crew seats at the back of the plane.
They were given first choice of meals, complimentary drinks and extra blankets.
Despite those efforts, Saunders said the flight was physically difficult and left her with severe swelling and limited mobility.
Cabin crew arranged a wheelchair to assist her off the flight on arrival in Auckland.
After settling back home in Whanganui, Saunders contacted Air New Zealand to request a full refund for the Los Angeles-Auckland flight.
“No compensation really puts it right because you’re still in this terrible predicament,” Saunders said.
“Compensation doesn’t help if you’ve got a medical condition.”
Saunders later received an introductory email from Air New Zealand’s newly appointed chief executive Nikhil Ravishankar.
In the message, Ravishankar committed to “getting the basics right – the right aircraft, the right schedule, and a travel experience you can trust every time”.
Frustrated, Saunders said she guessed Ravishankar’s email address and sent him a message outlining what she described as her “ruined holiday” and feelings of “humiliation”.
Several weeks later, Saunders received a response via a customer engagement specialist on his behalf.
“Unfortunately, there are times that we may need to change aircraft due to ongoing maintenance requirements and operational reasons,” the email read.
“However, should those changes occur in advance, any impacted customers (ie Skycouch customers) should be notified of this change and have any paid seating that can’t be honoured for them refunded.
“I am sorry that this did not happen in your case.”
Saunders was refunded the $615 Skycouch fee and she and her husband were credited 100 Airpoints each as a “goodwill gesture”.
Air New Zealand said her case had been documented for internal review.
Saunders came forward after reading about another Air New Zealand passenger whose premium economy seat was downgraded minutes before boarding.