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History
(including Tasman Empire Airways Limited/Air New Zealand 1939-1978, New Zealand National Airways Corporation 1947-1978, and Air New Zealand 1978-on)
Issued July 2014
1939
Pa g e 1
During the months before the New Zealand, United Kingdom and Australian Governments reached agreement on the constitution of the new company, the Union Steam Ship Company accepted initial responsibility for the three Short S.30 Empire class flying boats which Union Airways had ordered for the Tasman service, and in August 1939, the incorporation of Tasman Empire Airways Limited (TEAL) - later to become Air New Zealand - was sufficiently advanced for ZK-AMA "Aotearoa" to fly to New Zealand.
1940
April 26: TEAL registered in Wellington as a limited liability company. Original holdings
were: New Zealand Government 20%, Union Airways 19%, BOAC 38% and Qantas 23%. Chairman of Directors - Colonel N S Falla; Deputy Chairman - A E Rudder. The board reported to the Tasman Air Commission, which itself reported to the New Zealand, Australian and British Governments.
April 30: Inaugural Auckland-Sydney flight ZK-AMA "Aotearoa", then weekly. First service
commanded by Captain J W Burgess with 10 passengers.
May 2: First return flight.
August: TEAL increased the frequency of its Auckland-Sydney service to three times a fortnight. Connection was made at Auckland with Pan American Airways' San Francisco-Auckland flying-boat service.
1941
March 31: TEAL's first annual report revealed that 130 trans-Tasman flights had been
completed, 174,200 miles flown and 1461 passengers carried. That first year realised a profit, prior to taxation and dividend, of £3l,479 ($62,958).
1942
During the year to March 3l, 1942, TEAL undertook several special charter and reconnaissance flights to New Caledonia, Fiji, Tonga, Samoa and Hawaii to assist the war effort.
1944
By 1944, TEAL was operating three return flights a week across the Tasman.
June: The 1,000th crossing of the Tasman.
1946
July 17: TEAL took delivery of the first of its Tasman-class flying-boats, ZK-AMB
"Tasman". Delivery flight commanded by BOAC Senior Captain D. Travers from London to Sydney, and TEAL Senior Captain A V Jury from Sydney to Auckland.
December 16: First TEAL information and sales office opened in Auckland at Mechanics Bay.
During 1946-47 summer season TEAL was operating seven return flights a week across the Tasman.
Pa g e 2
1947
April 1: New Zealand National Airways Corporation begins licensed operations serving Kaitaia, Kaikohe, Whangarei, Auckland, Tauranga, Gisborne, Napier, New Plymouth, Palmerston North, Wellington, Blenheim, Nelson, Christchurch, Dunedin, Invercargill, Westport, Greymouth and Hokitika.
NAC also begins Pacific services to Norfolk Island, Fiji, Tonga, Samoa and the Cook Islands.
NAC offices opened at Hamilton and Rotorua during the year.
September: NAC services from Wellington are transferred from Rongotai to Paraparaumu,
and at Auckland from Mangere to Whenuapai.
October: ZK-AMI, a PBY5A Catalina, was used by TEAL for flight training and, later, ZK- AMP joined her. These training flights extended into 1948-49.
November: TEAL Information and sales office at Mechanics Bay shifted to Airways House,
later to become the airline's new head office.
New NAC offices opened at Auckland, Wellington and Gisborne.
NAC engineering workshops started at Harewood, Whenuapai, Gisborne and Nelson.
1948
February 23: Tasman-class flying-boats were grounded because of engine-cooling trouble.
They remained out of service until June 17, 1948, and were then subject to certain restrictions in passenger-carrying capacity. Meantime, schedules were maintained by DC4s chartered from TAA.
April: NAC services to Rotorua commenced.
1949
NAC appointed general agent for BCPA, TCA and TAA.
May 26: TEAL's Solent flying-boat flagship, ZK-AML "Aotearoa II" christened by H.R.H.
Princess Elizabeth at Belfast.
September 29: Delivery of the first Solent, ZK-AMM "Ararangi", commanded by Captains C. Griffiths and F. Kilgour.
November 14: First Mark IV Solent Auckland-Sydney service, Captains A. Jury and T. Brewer.
December 7: During its delivery flight ZK-AML "Aotearoa II", commanded by Captains I.
Patterson and F. Whillans, crossed the Tasman in a record 5 hours 37 minutes.
December 19: Last Sandringham service, ZK-AME "New Zealand", Sydney Auckland, Captains P. Le Couteur and L. Parry. The Sandringhams were sold to Australia.
1950
Pa g e 3
January 9: TEAL Information and sales office opened in Wellington.
May: TEAL Cargo office opened in Airways House, the first international cargo depot in
New Zealand.
June 6: TEAL took over the weekly Auckland-Suva service from NAC. A Suva-Labasa- Suva service was also operated by TEAL.
October 3: First Wellington-Sydney service, by ZK-AMM "Ararangi", commanded by
Captains C. Griffiths and T. Brewer. Initially twice-weekly, these increased to four return trips weekly.
December 1: First Auckland-Chatham Islands service, via Wellington, commanded by Captain
C. Le Couteur. This service was operated quarterly.
December 18: Harewood Aerodrome, Christchurch, dedicated as an international airport.
1951
June: TEAL information and sales office opened in Christchurch.
June 28: First Christchurch-Melbourne service with DC4 Skymaster landplane chartered from Qantas.
September: TEAL Information and sales office opened in Suva.
100 flights achieved on NAC's Pacific services.
December 11: Last Suva-Labasa-Suva service.
December 27: First TEAL Auckland-Papeete (Tahiti) service via Suva (Fiji) and Aitutaki (Cook
Islands), monthly.
1952
May: Cumberbatch Trophy awarded to TEAL by the Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators for its "outstanding contribution towards maintenance of safety in the air" for 1951.
May 26: Auckland-Papeete service (known as the Coral Route) increased to fortnightly.
June: First de Havilland 114-1B Heron aircraft joins NAC fleet.
October 14: Apia (Samoa) included as stopover between Suva and Aitutaki en route to
Papeete.
All NAC Pacific services terminated, except for Norfolk Island.
1953
March Douglas DC-3s replace Dominie aircraft on the Westport-Hokitika service.
Heron flights begin to Blenheim and Nelson from Rongotai.
Pa g e 4
August 1: Suva-Apia service extended to three each month, Suva-Papeete one each fortnight and Auckland-Suva five each four weeks. A service to Tonga was also started (on August 12) as an extension of the normal monthly Auckland-Suva flight.
October: Re-organisation of transpacific services carried out by BCPA (British
Commonwealth Pacific Airlines). The British Government decided to withdraw from participation in BCPA. Qantas was awarded the transpacific service from Sydney to San Francisco and Vancouver. BCPA was liquidated and arrangements were made for three of its DC6 Douglas aircraft to be transferred to TEAL for trans-Tasman and Hibiscus (Auckland-Nadi) services.
Following this reorganisation, the New Zealand and Australian Governments became the only shareholders in TEAL, each with a 50% interest (see December 1, 1954).
December: Royal flight carrying Queen Elizabeth II from Suva to Lautoka and return, then to
Tonga. Captain J R McGrane commanded the Solent flying boat. First flight on commercial airliner by Royal Family.
1954
January: Queen Elizabeth II travels from Rotorua to Gisborne on board NAC Heron ZK-
BEQ (first registered as ZK-BBO but changed for royal tour).
April 7: Last TEAL Wellington-Chatham Islands service, by ZK-AMM, "Ararangi", commanded by Captains C Le Couteur and M Wallace.
May 14: First DC6 Sydney-Auckland service by ZK-BGA, "Aotearoa III", commanded by
Captains J Knowling and A Rayment of BCPA, landed at Whenuapai Airport.
May 15: First Auckland-Nadi service operated by DC6.
June 4: First DC6 charter through Sydney-Cairns-Guam-Iwakuni-Tokyo and return.
June 25 : Last Solent Wellington-Sydney service, by ZK-AML "Aotearoa II", commanded by Captains C Le Couteur and N Clarke.
June 27: Last Solent Sydney-Auckland service by ZK-AML "Aotearoa II", commanded by
Captains J Shephard and B Whyte.
June 29: First DC6 Sydney-Christchurch-Melbourne service, by ZK-BGA "Aotearoa III", commanded by Captains J Bonnington (BCPA) and J Mulholland. Schedule was twice-weekly Christchurch-Sydney and weekly Christchurch-Melbourne.
June: Four Solents now withdrawn and only one left in service. ZK-AMO "Aranui"
retained for use on Coral Route.
July: TEAL operated 17 DC6 charter flights through Sydney-Darwin- Manila-Iwakuni- Tokyo and return, between July and October. ZK-BGB and ZK-BGA made five flights each. ZK-BGC made seven.
November: Newly opened Wanganui Airport joins domestic network.
Pa g e 5
December 1: TEAL share register records the transfer of Qantas and BOAC shareholding to Australian Government which gave Australian Government 50% and New Zealand Government 50%.
1955
September: NAC's Norfolk Island service terminated.
October 28: TEAL made its 10,000th Tasman crossing. It was an Auckland flight by ZK-BGC
"Arahina", commanded by Captain C Griffiths.
November: Norfolk Island-Auckland service taken over from NAC and operated fortnightly by Qantas DC4 under charter to TEAL.
December: NAC Sunday flights commence.
1956
February 15: First TEAL representation in Nadi.
April: NAC's Invercargill office opened. Dominie services replaced by DC-3.
May 24: ZK-BGC (DC-6) departed for Hong Kong to undergo wingskin modifications to
increase the capacity payload by 2000 lbs. All three modified by September 26.
October: NAC Nelson office opens.
November: TEAL carried more than 4,000 passengers to the Olympic Games in Melbourne. To achieve this the company chartered 10 Qantas Super Constellation flights and several DC4s from Sabena, TAA and Qantas.
1957
February: Auckland-Melbourne service introduced as experiment and re-introduced in
October as a regular operation.
April: Christchurch-Timaru domestic service begins.
August: First TEAL representation in Melbourne.
Rongotai Airfield closed. Heron aircraft withdrawn from service.
December: First 50,000 tonnes of freight/mail carried by NAC since 1947.
1958
January: First NAC Vickers Viscount 807, ZK-BRD City of Wellington, arrives.
July: TEAL's head office moved from Mechanics Bay to Airways House, Customs Street, Auckland.
September 19: First TEAL representation in Hamilton.
October 17: First TEAL representation in Dunedin.
Pa g e 6
December: First Melbourne-Auckland-Nadi service by Qantas Super Constellation under charter to TEAL.
1959
January: New NAC New Plymouth office opened.
January 12: First TEAL representation in Palmerston North.
July: NAC Wellington services transferred from Paraparaumu to new Rongotai
airport.
July 4: Auckland-Brisbane weekly service operated as an experiment for three months. This became an annual winter operation.
October 24: Official opening of Wellington Airport.
November 19: TEAL took delivery of the first of its jet-prop Electras, ZK-TEA "Aotearoa".
Delivery flight by Lockheed crew from Burbank to Nadi and TEAL Captains J R McGrane, D G Keesing and P Le Couteur from Nadi to Auckland.
December 1: Inaugural Electra Auckland-Sydney service, commanded by Captain J R
McGrane.
December 7: Inaugural Electra Auckland-Melbourne service.
1960
January 5: Inaugural Electra Auckland-Nadi service.
January 25: First Electra Christchurch-Sydney and Christchurch-Melbourne services.
February 22: Official opening of Christchurch International Airport.
July 11: TEAL Information and sales office opened in Sydney.
July 26: Inaugural Electra Wellington to Sydney service, resuming an air link first established by flying-boats almost 10 years before.
September: Five million domestic passengers carried by NAC since 1947.
September 15: Return of last Solent, ZK-AMO "Aranui", to Auckland after a final farewell flight
over the 4600-mile Coral Route. Commanded by veteran flying-boat Captain J S (Joe) Shephard. "Aranui" was presented to the Museum of Transport and Technology at Auckland.
October 22: First DC6 service into Faa'a Airport, Tahiti. Between September 15 and this
date TEAL had operated DC6s into Bora Bora.
December: First Fokker F27 Friendship, ZK-BXA, arrives in Wellington.
1961
January: First TEAL representation in Tahiti at Papeete.
March: Friendship services to Blenheim and Nelson commence.
Pa g e 7
March 15: Last DC6 flight across the Tasman.
March 21: Last DC6 Nadi-Auckland service. DC6s now withdrawn.
March 24: Inaugural Electra service into Faa'a Airport, Tahiti, commanded by Captain F Kilgour.
April 11: Brackley Memorial Trophy presented to flying-boat Captain Joe Shephard by
H.R.H. the Duke of Edinburgh, at Guildhall, London, for outstanding achievements during 20 years operating flying-boats.
April 19: Government announced DC6s to be retained in New Zealand for use by RNZAF
as troop transports.
April 28: New Zealand Minister of Civil Aviation, Mr McAlpine, announced that New Zealand had agreed to purchase Australia's half share in TEAL for $1,622,800, the par value of Australia's interest, making New Zealand the sole owner of the airline. The sale was retrospective to April 1, 1961, Australia agreeing to take progressive payments over a four-year period to March 31, 1965. The two governments decided that from October 1, 1961, Qantas would receive trans- Tasman rights (refer entry October 3, 1961).
April 30: TEAL's 21st anniversary. Anniversary cakes were cut aboard all seven flights
airborne that day.
May: Friendship services to Wanganui and Palmerston North commence.
May 6: Reintroduction of Electra Auckland-Brisbane service. This winter service now extended to a six-month season.
May 10: Minister of Civil Aviation, Mr McAlpine, unveiled memorial and sundial at
Mission Bay, Auckland, erected by TEAL to commemorate the company's 21st anniversary and to mark the site of New Zealand's first flying school founded in 1915 by the Walsh Brothers.
May 12: DC6s officially taken over by RNZAF.
June 7: TEAL information and sales office opened in Melbourne.
July 25: The bilateral air services agreement between the Australian and New Zealand
Governments, sequel to the sale of Australia's shares, was signed in Wellington (refer entries April 28 and October 3).
Final meeting of TEAL's outgoing joint Australian-New Zealand board.
First meeting of new all-New Zealand board: Sir Leonard Isitt, KBE (Chairman), Messrs G N Roberts, CBE, A F Gilkison, A R Guthrey and G A Nicholls.
August 30: Government announced Mr G N Roberts' appointment as deputy-chairman,
replacing Sir Hudson Fysh of the retired Australian board.
September 16: Inaugural Electra Auckland-American Samoa service, the first since the flying- boat service was discontinued on February 15, 1960.
Pa g e 8
October 3: Effective date of new scheduling arrangement between TEAL and Qantas arising from inter-governmental negotiations and new ownership arrangements for TEAL (refer entries April 28 and July 25, 1961).
1962
January: Trans-Tasman flight frequencies reach a record 33 return services weekly.
March: 100,000 tonnes of freight/mail carried on domestic network.
May: NAC Dunedin services moved from Taieri to Momona.
August 24: First TEAL representation in North America, at Los Angeles.
September 6: Record crossing of the Tasman by a jet-prop Electra in 2 hours 52 minutes.
November: Whakatane joins NAC network.
December: Viscounts begin operating to Dunedin.
1963
January: TEAL Information and sales office opened in Tahiti, in Papeete.
March 31: Sir Leonard Isitt, chairman, retired after 16 years on the TEAL board.
July 3: DC-3, ZK-AYZ, crashes in Kaimai Ranges with loss of 23 passengers and crew.
September 23: Contract signed with the Douglas Aircraft Company for the purchase of three DC8 series 52 jets.
October 5: Inaugural Electra Wellington-Melbourne service.
November 3: Inaugural Electra Wellington-Brisbane service.
November: Rotorua airfield reopened with DC-3 service.
December: Friendship services begin to Napier.
1964
February 10: Last service into Tahiti (until November 1967), commanded by Captain C J Le Couteur, who flew on first proving and commercial survey flights into Tahiti in 1951-52.
March 17: First Electra Auckland-Noumea service, weekly.
June: DC-3 service commences to Whangarei.
July: Friendship services to Gisborne start.
November 16: TEAL information and sales office opened in Dunedin.
December: Information and sales office opened in Nadi.
Pa g e 9
1965
February 14: TEAL's first DC8 ZK-NZA maiden flight at Long Beach, California.
March 27: Electra ZK-TEC severely damaged during training exercise at Whenuapai Airport, Auckland. No casualties.
April: First Friendship services to Hamilton.
April 1: TEAL changed its name to Air New Zealand.
April 15: Lockheed Electra purchased from Qantas.
April 23: First Air New Zealand representation in Apia.
May: Friendship services to Invercargill start.
May 25: Air New Zealand information and sales office opened in Brisbane.
June 26-27: Air New Zealand moves most of its engineering facilities from its Mechanics Bay workshops to the company's new jet base at Mangere, South Auckland.
July 2: Air New Zealand information and sales office opened in Apia.
July 20: Official opening of Air New Zealand's jet base at Mangere by the Minister of
Civil Aviation, Mr McAlpine.
Arrival of first DC8 ZK-NZA after a 6510-mile, nonstop flight from Long Beach to Auckland. The flight took 13 hours 32 minutes with an average speed of 530 mph against head winds averaging 40 mph.
October 3: Inaugural DC8 Christchurch-Sydney service.
November: Auckland NAC services transferred from Whenuapai to Mangere.
November 10: Air New Zealand's first company representation in Hawaii.
November 24: First commercial services through new Auckland International Airport. An
Electra from Nadi was the first international arrival. A DC8 flew out to Sydney.
December 6: First Air New Zealand representation in Canberra.
December 10: Noncommercial proving flight Auckland-Los Angeles, preceding a twice-weekly service. Guests included mezzo-soprano, Kiri Te Kanawa.
December 14: Inaugural DC8 Auckland-Los Angeles service, via Nadi and Honolulu.
1966
January 29: Official opening of new Auckland International Airport at Mangere with three-day
pageant.
February 1: First Air New Zealand representation in Adelaide and Singapore.
March: Taupo and Oamaru join the NAC network.
Pa g e 10
March 3: First DC8 Auckland-Hong Kong commercial service.
April 4: First DC8 Auckland-Brisbane service.
April 6: Inaugural DC8 Auckland-Singapore service.
May: Ten millionth passenger carried on NAC's domestic network.
May 9: First Air New Zealand representation in San Francisco. June:
Friendship services to Rotorua begin.
June 1: First Air New Zealand representation on East Coast of USA, in New York.
July 4: DC8 ZK-NZB crashed in training accident at Auckland. Two crew members killed - Captain Don McLachlan and flight engineer Gordon Tonkin.
July 22: North American services re-routed to fly Auckland-Honolulu direct then to Los
Angeles, and evening instead of morning departures.
September 6: Another Air New Zealand information and sales office opened in Auckland at Queen Street.
September 14: Official opening of Air New Zealand House, Christchurch.
Air New Zealand information and sales office opened in Los Angeles.
October 1: First Air New Zealand representation in the United Kingdom at London.
November: NAC New Plymouth services transferred from Bell Block to Browns Road
airfield. Friendship services to New Plymouth start.
December 7: First Air New Zealand representation in Pago Pago.
1967
February 15: First Air New Zealand representation in Thailand at Bangkok.
March: Air New Zealand information and sales offices opened in San Francisco and Palmerston North.
April: Opening of Air New Zealand House, King Street, Sydney.
May 10: Air New Zealand office opened in London.
May 21: First company representation in Japan at Tokyo.
June 5: Air New Zealand office opened in Pago Pago.
June 30: Air New Zealand office opened in Lautoka.
October: First Air New Zealand representation in Chicago.
Air New Zealand purchased 20% shareholding in Polynesian Airlines Limited.
Pa g e 11
November 5: Air New Zealand resumed weekly services to Tahiti, 16 years after first Tahiti service. Air rights had have been terminated in February 1964. The Auckland- Tahiti sector became the first leg of a new way to Los Angeles. (The DC8 flew the 2544-mile flight between Auckland and Tahiti in less than five hours compared with more than 20 hours flying time and 50 hours total elapsed time for the old flying-boat service.)
Air New Zealand's unduplicated route mileage now 42,659 statute miles.
1968
May: New Zealand Government approved construction of a $NZ6 million international
airport at Rarotonga, Cook Islands.
July 15: First Air New Zealand representation in Europe at Frankfurt.
July 31: Cook Islands Airways Limited formed with all shares held by Air New Zealand.
September-October: First three Boeing 737-200 aircraft arrive.
September 11: On the 40th anniversary of Kingsford Smith's epic trans-Tasman flight, an Air New Zealand DC8 carried "Smithy's" radio operator Mr T H McWilliams as a passenger on an Auckland-Sydney service. Pilot of the DC8 was Captain R McWilliams, son of the VIP passenger. Farewelling the aircraft in Auckland was Air New Zealand staff member, Mr G N Wells, who helped prepare Smith's aircraft for the Australia-New Zealand flight. The DC8 left Auckland from almost the same spot where Smithy touched down at the old Mangere Aerodrome, now Auckland International Airport.
October: Friendship services to Whangarei and Whakatane start.
December 13: Site development work started for the construction of Air New Zealand House,
Auckland (owned by the AMP Society).
1969
February 1: First Air New Zealand representation in Canada (Toronto).
March: Air New Zealand information and sales office opened in Hamilton.
October: NAC Sydney sales office opened.
November: First Air New Zealand representation in Washington.
1970
February: NAC Viscount services to Invercargill begin and NAC's North American sales office opened in Los Angeles.
February: First Air New Zealand representation in Rome.
April: Air New Zealand celebrated 30th anniversary of commercial services.
May: NAC's head office moved into new NAC building at The Terrace, Wellington.
June: NAC DC-3 services to the West Coast terminated.
Pa g e 12
July 1: First DC8 Auckland-Melbourne service.
July 4: First DC8 Christchurch-Melbourne service.
August: Last DC-3 withdrawn from Northland service. Kaikohe removed from NAC network.
August 20: First DC8 Auckland-Nadi-Honolulu service, becoming the fourth flight per week
to the USA.
September: First Air New Zealand representation in Houston (Texas), Seattle (Washington) and Noumea (New Caledonia).
September 15: Air New Zealand signed contract with McDonnell Douglas Corporation for the
purchase of three DC10 series 30 aircraft.
October 1: Unduplicated route mileage lifted from 42,659 to 49,283 through establishment of routes between Nadi and Honolulu, and Nadi and Rarotonga.
November: Delivery of fifth DC8 aircraft, ZK-NZE on lease from United Airlines (entered
service December 14).
1971
January: $NZ6 million building development programme started for Air New Zealand at Mangere.
February: First Air New Zealand representation in Rotorua.
March 18: First Air New Zealand representation in Cook Islands at Rarotonga.
April 1: New Auckland-Los Angeles service via Honolulu became fourth frequency per
week to Los Angeles and fifth weekly frequency to the USA.
May: Opening of Air New Zealand's new air cargo terminal building at Mangere.
July 9: DC8 fleet increased to five through the purchase of ZK-NZF, the aircraft leased from United Airlines in November 1970.
August: Rotorua-Christchurch direct services begin.
October 21: DC8 fleet increased to six through the purchase of ZK-NZG, a second aircraft
from United Airlines.
November: Auckland-Nadi-Honolulu service extended to Los Angeles, becoming fifth frequency.
1972
January: Golden Age and Student Standby fares introduced on domestic flights.
January 31: Sixth Auckland-Los Angeles service began (via Papeete).
April: First Air New Zealand representation in Vancouver.
Pa g e 13
May 30: Last Electra service into Wellington.
June: Last two Electra aircraft sold to US interests.
June 1: First DC8 Wellington-Sydney service.
June 2: First DC8 Wellington-Melbourne service.
June 4: First DC8 Wellington-Brisbane service.
July: First Air New Zealand representation in Miami.
August: NAC acquires 100% shareholding in Safe Air Limited.
September 5: Air New Zealand presented with Government Export Award by Minister of Overseas Trade, Mr Talboys.
Seventh Auckland-Los Angeles service (via Honolulu).
November: Air New Zealand Head Office staff begin moving into new city office premises in
Air New Zealand House, Auckland.
1973
January 1: For services to aviation, the Air New Zealand chairman received a knighthood in New Year Honours, to become Sir Geoffrey Roberts.
January 27: Arrival of first DC10 in Auckland, commanded by chief pilot Captain P.F. Le
Couteur.
February 3: First DC10 Auckland-Sydney service.
February 7: First DC10 Auckland-Nadi service, weekly.
April 1: ANZAM computerised reservations system started operating in Auckland. ANZAM is linked into QANTAM computer in Sydney.
April 2: First DC10 Auckland-Los Angeles services, three times a week.
April 3: Official opening of Air New Zealand House by the Prime Minister, Mr Kirk.
April 30: First Air New Zealand representation in Napier.
May: First of six DC8s converted to new livery, all DC8 fleet conversion finished
during 1973.
June: 300,000 tonnes of domestic freight/mail carried by NAC since 1947.
June 18: First Air New Zealand representation in Invercargill.
July : NAC carried its 20 millionth passenger.
September 1: Air New Zealand established own direct sales and computerised reservations in eastern states of Australia and western half of USA (except Hawaii).
Pa g e 14
September 15: Arrival of second DC10 in Auckland, commanded by chief pilot Captain P F Le Couteur.
October 1: Air New Zealand's general manager and chief executive, Mr C J Keppel,
appointed by Government to the board of directors.
October 28: Fourth DC10 Auckland-Los Angeles service, via Papeete.
October 30: First DC10 Auckland-Singapore service.
October 31: First DC10 Christchurch-Sydney service.
November 3: First DC10 Auckland-Melbourne service.
November 12-15: IATA 20th annual general meeting held in Auckland. Sir Geoffrey Roberts, chairman of Air New Zealand's board of directors, took office as president.
December 2: First DC8 Auckland-Rarotonga service, weekly.
December 4: Inaugural DC8 Coral Route service from Auckland to Tahiti via Nadi (Fiji), Pago
Pago (American Samoa), Rarotonga (Cook Islands). Note: From December 1951 to September 1960, TEAL flew a Coral Route service by flying-boat which took in the same island territories. The service was withdrawn when flying-boats gave way to landplanes with the building of airports in Fiji and Tahiti.
1974
January: NAC begins selling its Viscount aircraft which have been superseded by Boeing
737 jets.
British Airways and Air New Zealand finalised an aircraft interchange agreement. An Auckland-Los Angeles Air New Zealand service connected with a Los Angeles-London British Airways flight with Air New Zealand-owned DC10 aircraft operating both services.
January 30: H.R.H. Queen Elizabeth II officially opened Rarotonga International Airport. Her
Majesty, accompanied by Princess Anne and Captain Mark Phillips, then travelled on an Air New Zealand DC8 from Rarotonga to Christchurch to close the Commonwealth Games.
March 16: Inaugural DC10 Singapore-Sydney-Auckland service.
April 1: All Air New Zealand's daily services to North America now operated by DC10
aircraft.
April 4: First DC8 Christchurch-Wellington-Nadi service.
April 6: First DC8 Nadi-Wellington-Christchurch service.
April 13: Inaugural DC10 Auckland-Melbourne service.
April 17: Inaugural DC10 Christchurch-Sydney service.
April 23: Inaugural DC10 Auckland-Singapore service.
April 24: Inaugural DCl0 Sydney-Christchurch service.
Pa g e 15
May: All DC8 services to Samoa now operating Auckland-Pago Pago direct. Services previously operated through Nadi.
December: Last commercial flight by an NAC DC-3.
1975
January 21: An Air New Zealand DC10 made its first fully automatic landing at Auckland
International Airport.
April: Direct Christchurch-Brisbane services start.
April 25: Eighth DC10 New Zealand-Los Angeles service from Christchurch via Auckland, Nadi and Honolulu. The first Air New Zealand link for the South Island with North America.
June 1: Last flight of Qantas DC4 under charter to Air New Zealand on Auckland-Norfolk
Island service.
June 4: First flight of National Airways Corporation Fokker F27-500 series Friendship under charter to Air New Zealand on Auckland-Norfolk Island service.
June 6: Twenty-fifth anniversary of Air New Zealand services between New Zealand and
Fiji.
October 3: Twenty-fifth anniversary of Air New Zealand services between Wellington and Sydney.
November 3: Air New Zealand's computer reservations system named TERRIER.
November 8: First DC10 Auckland-Noumea service.
December l4: Tenth anniversary of Air New Zealand services between Auckland and Los
Angeles.
1976
March 25: DC8 aircraft (ZK-NZF) sold to McDonnell Douglas for lease to Cyprus Airways, reducing the fleet to five.
April 3: First DC10 direct service from Auckland to Singapore.
April 4: First DC10 service from Auckland to Hong Kong, via Sydney. First DC10 service
from Auckland to Brisbane.
May: NAC carried 400,000th tonne of freight/mail.
May 5: First DC8 Wellington-Pago Pago service, via Auckland.
June 29: Twenty-fifth anniversary of Air New Zealand services between Christchurch and Melbourne.
August: Courier Pak small parcel domestic consignment service introduced.
September 29: Air New Zealand introduced a new Nina Ricci uniform for women.
Pa g e 16
November 1: Air New Zealand's Australian region office in Sydney moved from Qantas House, Hunter Street, to United Dominion House, Pitt Street.
December 18: First DC10 Christchurch-Brisbane service.
1977
February 15: Air New Zealand operated first day-trip to Antarctica. The DC10 flight was
commanded by Captain Ian Gemmell, with 235 passengers on board.
March 31: First Air New Zealand representation in Manchester.
May 28: Official opening of The Rarotongan tourist hotel in the Cook Islands, jointly owned by the Tourist Hotel Corporation, the Cook Islands Government and Air New Zealand.
July 4: Air New Zealand began handling its own traffic and cargo functions at Los
Angeles.
July 7: Official opening of new Air New Zealand office in Tahiti.
December 15-16: Air New Zealand's switches overnight to a new international terminal building at Auckland Airport.
December 19: Government announces proposal to merge Air New Zealand and the National
Airways Corporation.
1978
January 6: Air New Zealand purchased its first refrigerated LD9 cargo container.
February 2: Mr C.W. Mace appointed chairman and Mr C.J. Keppel deputy chairman of Air New Zealand in the first move towards merger with the National Airways Corporation.
February 13: Members announced of new Air New Zealand board.
February 27: First Boeing 737 Auckland-Faleolo, Western Samoa service.
March: 30 millionth domestic passenger carried by NAC; 485,000 tonnes of freight/mail
carried since 1947.
March 2: Announcement of executive staff for the new Air New Zealand.
April 1: Air New Zealand and New Zealand National Airways Corporation merged to form the new limited liability company Air New Zealand.
At the time of merger, the new Air New Zealand fleet comprised: McDonnell Douglas DC10-30: ZK-NZL; ZK-NZM; ZK-NZN; ZK-NZP; ZK-NZQ; ZK-NZR; ZK-NZS; ZK-NZT. McDonnell Douglas DC8-52: ZK-NZC; ZK-NZD: ZK-NZE. Boeing 737-200: ZK-NAC; ZK-NAD; ZK-NAE; ZK-NAJ; ZK-NAK; ZK-NAL; ZK- NAM; ZK-NAP. Fokker F27-100: ZK-BXA; ZK-BXB; ZK-BXC; ZK-BXD; ZK-BXE; ZK-BXF; ZK- BXG; ZK-BXH; ZK-BXI; ZK-NAA; ZK-NAB; ZK-NAF; ZK-NAH.
Pa g e 17
Fokker F27-500: ZK-NAN; ZK-NAO; ZK-NFA; ZK-NFB.
April 2: First DC10 Auckland-Hong Kong nonstop service, twice weekly, replacing the twice-weekly DC10 Auckland-Sydney-Hong Kong service.
April 26: Under altered terms of Air New Zealand/British Airways interchange agreement,
Air New Zealand DC10s will make five return trips a week London-Miami and three London-Montreal through the peak northern season until September 30.
August l4: First joint domestic and international sales office opened in Wellington.
August 29: In final year of operation as separate companies, Air New Zealand recorded a
net profit of $NZ5.5 million and NAC's net profit was $NZ2.9 million.
September 17: First DC10 Auckland-Rarotonga-Honolulu-Los Angeles service. Now a total of 10 DC10 services a week to North America.
October 16: Arrival of ninth Boeing 737, ZK-NAR, in Auckland, commanded by Captain S G
Abernethy.
December 7: Auckland-Apia B737 service increased to twice weekly.
December l4: Air New Zealand's DC10 lease to British Airways extended from March 31, 1979 until October 31, 1980.
1979
February 17: Fokker F27-500 series Friendship, ZK-NFC, crashed in Manukau Harbour on
approach to Auckland International Airport. Two flight crew and two ground engineers were on board returning from Gisborne on a ferry flight. Two died: Captain Tony Circuitt and ground engineer John Forbes.
March 9: Boeing 737s introduced on some Auckland-Nadi services.
April 1: DC10s introduced on Auckland-Christchurch and Christchurch-Auckland
services.
DC10, ZK-NZS, leased to National Airlines for a seven-month period.
May 8: Boeing 737 equipped with a galley to serve hot meals on Apia and Fiji services.
June 7: All DC10s worldwide grounded following United States Federal Aviation Administration withdrawal of DC10 type certification.
June 13: Pan Am 747 chartered to operate six round trips between Los Angeles and
Auckland between June 17 and 29 to accommodate backlog of 1000 passengers affected by DC10 grounding. Flying Tigers DC8-63 freighter chartered to carry cargo backlog.
June 22: DC10 services to Australia, the Orient and the Pacific resumed.
July 1: All company activity in the Samoas transferred from Pago Pago, American
Samoa to Apia, Western Samoa.
Pa g e 18
July 4: 20th anniversary of first Auckland-Brisbane service which began as experimental weekly service in 1959. Now six services a week from New Zealand.
July 14: FAA DC10 grounding order lifted allowing flights to the USA to resume.
July 18: Air New Zealand recorded consolidated profit of $NZ8,036,468 after first year of
merger.
July 27: Plans announced for extension to international cargo terminal at Auckland Base. New building of 38,000 sq.ft scheduled for completion July 1980.
September 18: New flight kitchen opened at Auckland Base, covering 28,000 sq. ft. It is capable
of producing over one million meals a year, and is the largest and most modern flight kitchen in the southern hemisphere.
November 21: Former NAC head office at The Terrace, Wellington, sold to National Mutual Life
Association.
November 28: DC10, ZK-NZP, crashed on Mount Erebus in Antarctica while on a sightseeing flight. All 257 people on board died, including 24 crew and staff.
1980
February 22: F27-100 series, ZK-BXB, handed over to RNZAF after conversion at
Christchurch Base.
April 21: Announcement of intent to purchase five Boeing 747-200B series aircraft.
CARINA Reservations system linked to New Zealand travel agents through MAARS (Multi Access Automated Reservations System).
April 26: The 40th anniversary of registration of Tasman Empire Airways Ltd being
registered in Wellington.
April 28: Government decided Rolls-Royce RB211 engines would be purchased to power Boeing 747 fleet.
April 30: 40th anniversary of first international service (AKL-SYD-AKL)
June 12: Contract signed with Boeing Commercial Airplane Company for five Boeing 747-
200s at an estimated cost of $NZ335 million.
July 4: Arrival of 10th Boeing 737, ZK-NAS.
July 7: Royal Commission of Inquiry into DC10 disaster on Mount Erebus began its formal hearing before Mr Justice Mahon.
July 8: B737 charter agreement signed with Air Pacific from August 25 until October 3l,
1981. Air New Zealand will provide technical crew and Air Pacific the cabin staff.
July 12: North American headquarters moved to Equitable Airport Center, Los Angeles Airport.
August 1: First DC8 service from Auckland to Tokyo via Nadi.
Pa g e 19
August 4: Inaugural DC8 transpacific freighter service (aircraft chartered from US-based cargo airline, Flying Tigers).
August 27: 1979/80 annual report recorded loss on trading operations of $15.4 million. This
was attributable mainly to increased costs and the grounding of all DC10 aircraft early in the financial year.
September 1: Mount Cook Group reservations now processed by Air New Zealand CARINA
system.
October 3: 30th anniversary of trans-Tasman services out of Wellington.
October 24: Disposal of five F27-100 series to Australian Aircraft Sales announced.
November 25: Bilateral agreement with USA signed in Wellington gives Air New Zealand the opportunity to fly to additional US destinations and points beyond.
December 3: Decision to begin DC10 services to Japan from April 3, 1981.
1981
January 8: Twice-weekly service to Tonga began with B737 commanded by Captain Gary
Forster.
February 3: DC8 ZK-NZD leaves for the McDonnell Douglas factory in Tulsa, Oklahoma, for three months conversion to pure freighter.
February 16: Air New Zealand, the Development Finance Corporation and the Sheraton
Group sign an agreement for joint participation in construction of a new hotel. The 450 room Sheraton-Auckland opened May 1983.
March 26: DC10, ZK-NZN, sold to US finance house to be leased to Western Airlines. ZK-
NZN is the first DC10 from a foreign operator to be sold back to the United States.
March 27: First DC10 service to Tokyo - one week earlier than planned.
April 6: Arrival of another new F27-500 series, ZK-NFH.
Introduction of weekly B737 service to Noumea replacing weekly DC10.
April 10: Air New Zealand office in Noumea, New Caledonia (opened September 1970) is
closed and Agence de Voyages Jean Brock appointed as general sales agent.
April 27: Prime Minister Mr Muldoon released full report of Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Mount Erebus tragedy. The report exonerated the Captain and First Officers of the flight, and laid the blame on administrative functions within the company's flight operations division.
May 4: Mr M R Davis retires as chief executive of Air New Zealand.
May 21: Air New Zealand files statement of claim in High Court seeking review of certain
allegations and findings made by Mr Justice Mahon in his report on the Erebus Commission of Inquiry.
Pa g e 20
May 27: Acceptance ceremony for first B747, ZK-NZV "Aotea", at Boeing plant, Everett, Seattle.
May 29: ZK-NZV arrives at Auckland International Airport under the command of Captain
Barney Wyatt.
June 10: Second B747, ZK-NZW "Tainui", commanded by Captain Lindsay Caudwell, arrives at Auckland International Airport after nonstop, 6214 nautical mile, 14 hours 39 minute flight from Seattle.
June 11: First commercial flight by B747, ZK-NZV "Aotea", Auckland-Sydney.
June 12: First commercial Auckland-Melbourne B747 flight.
June l4: First commercial Auckland-Brisbane B747 flight.
June 15: First commercial Christchurch-Sydney B747 flight.
June 20 : First commercial Auckland-Singapore B747 flight.
June 22: Third B747, ZK-NZX "Takitimu", commanded by Captain Barney Wyatt, arrives at Auckland International Airport.
July 11: First commercial Auckland-Honolulu-Los Angeles B747 flight.
July 15: First B747 flight to Nadi en route to Los Angeles.
September 1: Company announces net loss of $30.8 million in 1980-81 financial year.
October 8: DC8-54 freighter enters service.
October 13: Air New Zealand DC8, commanded by Captain Fred Douglas, carried H.M the
Queen and H.R.H. the Duke of Edinburgh from Adelaide to Christchurch to begin their tour of New Zealand.
October 20: H.M. the Queen and H.R.H. the Duke of Edinburgh leave Auckland bound for
Perth on board DC8 under the command of Captain Fred Douglas.
October 25: First B747 flight to Tahiti en route to Los Angeles.
November 27: CARINA reservations system is linked to Australian travel agents through T.I.A.S. (Travel Industry Automated System).
December 3: New Auckland-Perth DC10 service begins.
December 15: Captain Keith Walsh commands the final flight by a DC8 passenger aircraft from
Melbourne to Wellington bringing to an end Air New Zealand's international services through Wellington Airport.
December 22: 21st anniversary of Fokker F27 Friendship joining NAC/Air New Zealand fleet.
Court of Appeal decision on Royal Commission of Inquiry on Erebus disaster announced. Court of Appeal determines that Commission's findings of misconduct in the presentation of evidence at the Inquiry by company employees exceeded its terms of reference and violated natural justice. Order of costs against the company is squashed.
Pa g e 21
1982
May 3: Commissioning of Rediffusion B747 simulator and simulator complex.
June 9: DC10, ZK-NZT, departs for Santiago on lease to Lan Chile.
June 28: DC10, ZK-NZS, departs for Santiago on lease to Lan Chile.
July 17: DC10, ZK-NZM, leaves Auckland for delivery to its new owner, American Airlines.
August 21: B747s replace DC10s on the Auckland-Nadi-Tokyo route.
August 25/26: Air New Zealand commences twice weekly (Wed/Sat) B747 service to United
Kingdom - Auckland-Papeete-Los Angeles-London and return.
September 15: Annual Report announces record $90 million operating loss.
October 4: Formal air services agreement signed in London between New Zealand and Britain replaces Memorandum of Understanding.
October 20: Air New Zealand enters into a 12 months agreement to operate Auckland-
Norfolk Island-Auckland services on behalf of Qantas with F27 aircraft.
October 21: DC10, ZK-NZL, leaves Auckland to be delivered to new owner, American Airlines.
October 27: Last domestic DC10 service (NZ228, Christchurch-Auckland).
October 30: Southbound Tokyo B747 service extended to Christchurch. Now operates
Narita-Nadi-Auckland-Christchurch.
November 1: Auckland-Nadi B737 services increase from two to three each week.
November 2: Last commercial DC10 flight arrives Auckland from Hong Kong. All international services now operated by B747/B737/F27/DC8-F equipment.
November 3: Air New Zealand commences once-weekly Auckland-Port Moresby-Hong Kong
B747 service in association with Cathay Pacific and Air Niugini.
November 5: Once-weekly B747 service Auckland-Rarotonga-Auckland starts.
December 6: ZK-NQC B737 Quick Change, a new passenger/freighter aircraft, arrives Christchurch from Seattle. This tenth B737 can change roles in one hour.
December 18: ZK-NQC B737 Quick Change enters commercial service.
December 19: Sixth DC10 (ZK-NZR) is sold and delivered to Paris. The new owner is Air
Mozambique.
1983
January 8: Start of weekly Christchurch-Hobart-Christchurch B737 service.
Pa g e 22
July 18: Air New Zealand offers "Thrifty Fares" with reductions of 43% on selected evening flights between Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.
July 25: Introduction of unified reservations system which retains the name CARINA.
Prior to this, domestic and international reservations operations had separate computer facilities.
August 3: Operating loss for the 1982/83 financial year reported at $32.5 million. Through
sale of four DCl0 aircraft company returned overall net profit of $33.6 million.
October 20: Privy Council upholds Court of Appeal decision on findings of Royal Commission on the Erebus disaster and holds there was no probative evidence to support Commission's finding of misconduct in the presentation of evidence by company employees.
November 6: Air New Zealand operates nonstop B747 service between Auckland and Tokyo
during summer season.
CARINA Reservations System linked up with the TRAVICOM multi access agents reservation system in the United Kingdom.
November 29: A first for New Zealand tourism: the 500,000th visitor in one year arrives.
December 5: "Thrifty Fares" introduced on provincial routes.
Air New Zealand increases its shareholding in The Mount Cook Group to 30%.
1984
January 27: Floods close Invercargill airport. Limited operations begin on February 16 with
Friendship aircraft operating daylight schedules, and B737 flights resume on February 21.
April 1: First nonstop B747 flight from Auckland to Los Angeles as part of weekly one-
stop service to London. Journey time northbound of 24 hours is fastest from New Zealand to United Kingdom. This brings the number of B747 services to Los Angeles to 10 a week.
Major domestic scheduling changes increase Auckland-Christchurch weekday B737 services to six daily. B737 flights between Wellington-Dunedin increased to two daily each weekday.
August 17: Record net earnings for the 1983/84 year reported with a $102.5 million net
profit. Operating profit of $79 million against previous year loss of $32.5 million.
August 21: International departures from Wellington resumed with one weekly Boeing 737 service Wellington-Auckland-Tonga-Apia; and one weekly Boeing 737 service Wellington-Auckland-Nadi-Rarotonga-Papeete.
September 23: Boeing 737s replace Fokker F27s on Auckland-Norfolk Island services.
November 4: Reintroduction of nonstop Boeing 747 services Auckland-Tokyo until March 31.
December 1: New Zealand domestic airways dues paid to Government rise by 75% costing
Air New Zealand additional $20 million per annum.
Pa g e 23
December 16: Last flight by the DC8 Freighter to the United States due to new United States noise regulations.
1985
January 30: Air Niugini withdraws from tripartite agreement after sale of B707, and
Auckland-Port Moresby-Hong Kong services stop (refer December 4, 1986).
July 9: Annual revenue exceeds $1 billion for the first time. A record net profit of $133.6 million with operating profit at $153.6 million - nearly double the previous year.
July 18: Air New Zealand is given approval to purchase 77% share of the Mount Cook
Group Ltd.
September 10: The first new Boeing 767-200 ER, ZK-NBA "Aotearoa", arrives in Wellington via Nadi. The flight between Everett Field in Seattle and Nadi was the longest flight by a General Electric powered Boeing 767. The aircraft has 18 Pacific Class and 202 economy class seats.
September 18: Air New Zealand announces decision to sell eight aircraft. These include two
DC10-30s, leased to Lan Chile since 1982, plus six Boeing 737-200s to be replaced by six new B737-200 Advanced models in early 1986.
September 30: First Boeing 767 Wellington-Sydney service.
October: Air New Zealand secured an additional 47% equity interest in The Mount Cook
Group to raise its shareholding to 77%.
October 2: First Boeing 767 Wellington-Melbourne service.
October 6: First Boeing 767 Wellington-Brisbane service.
October 29: Inaugural weekly Boeing 747 service Christchurch-Nadi-Honolulu-Los Angeles.
First Boeing 767 Christchurch-Melbourne service.
November Boeing 737 leased for six months from Welsh airline International Airways to meet seasonal domestic demands.
Air New Zealand purchases a 50% share in Melbourne-based Jetset Travel group of companies.
November 2: First Boeing 767 Christchurch-Sydney service.
Second Boeing 747 service between Auckland and Tokyo now on year round schedule.
November 3: First Boeing 747 service Auckland-Vancouver via Honolulu.
November 4: Boeing 737s replace Fokker F27 Friendships on most domestic services into
Palmerston North.
December 11: Air New Zealand operates first ever Boeing 747 flight into Faleolo Airport, Western Samoa, to celebrate the opening of the extended runway at Apia.
Pa g e 24
December 14/15: Air New Zealand operates the first freighter (the DC8F) into Faleolo Airport, Apia.
1986
January 21: The first of the six new Boeing 737-200 Advanced aircraft (ZK-NAT) makes its
delivery flight with Captains Brian Dunn and Mike Leefe in command. The aircraft flew from Boeing Field, Seattle-San Francisco-Honolulu-Apia- Christchurch.
January 3l: The first commercial flight of ZK-NAT Christchurch-Dunedin- Christchurch-
Wellington-Hamilton-Wellington-Christchurch.
February/March: As the remaining five 737-200 Advanced twinjets are delivered (three in February and two in March), six older 7375 (ZK-NAC, ZK-NAD, ZK-NAE, ZK- NAJ, ZK-NAK and ZK-NAM) depart to buyers in the United States.
March 6: The second Boeing 767-200 ER, ZK-NBB "Arahina", arrives in Auckland from
the United States. Its first commercial flight is on March 15.
March 30: Auckland-Perth services increase to two a week, using Boeing 767 aircraft.
April 1: First Boeing 767 Auckland-Nadi-Rarotonga-Papeete service, replacing the B737.
April 3: First Boeing 767 Auckland-Rarotonga service replacing the B747.
Air New Zealand increases its B747 services to London to three per week.
June 21/29: Special Boeing 747 flight to Fukuoka, Japan sister city to Auckland, to celebrate
Japan Week.
July 1: New Zealand Government allows up to 50% foreign ownership of domestic airlines in New Zealand.
Air New Zealand's revenue increased to $1.354 billion for the 1985/86 financial year. Net profit is increased to $186 million, $53 million up on the previous year.
October 1: Goods & Services Tax of 10% introduced by New Zealand Government,
replaces the Domestic Travel Tax of 6%.
November 24: Air New Zealand Boeing 767 operates special charter Christchurch-Canberra for Papal entourage.
December 4: Air New Zealand and Cathay Pacific introduce bipartite weekly service between
Auckland and Hong Kong.
December 9: Air New Zealand opens fully equipped Koru Club lounges for domestic air travellers.
December 11: Air New Zealand and Australian Airlines sign wide-ranging commercial
agreement to form a marketing alliance.
Pa g e 25
1987
March 29: Air New Zealand DC8 freighter takes line honours and is third on handicap in the Singapore-Christchurch Air Race to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Christchurch airport.
April 2: The DC8 freighter schedule is suspended.
April 3: Boeing 767 replace 737s on the nonstop service between Auckland and Apia.
May 19: Attempted hijacking of Air New Zealand Boeing 747 at Nadi airport by staff
member of local ground handling company five days after Fiji's first military coup. Three flight crew of TE24 (Tokyo-Nadi/Auckland) held hostage for six hours before the incident was resolved.
Services through Nadi suspended.
June 23: Air New Zealand introduces the third nonstop service Auckland-Los Angeles.
July 20: New look domestic operation launched offering three separate classes:
Seven Boeing 737s are configured in Pacific and Economy classes, and three Boeing 737s in City Saver class.
August: The Company achieved its highest ever profit before tax of $210.5 million for the
1986/87 year.
October 7: Australian Government confirms ongoing policy of prohibiting foreign carriers from flying domestic routes and restricts foreign ownership of domestic airlines to 15%.
October 26: Boeing 747 services to Tokyo increase to three a week.
Fourth weekly nonstop service to Los Angeles introduced.
October 28: Inaugural Auckland-Dallas/Forth Worth service calls enroute at Papeete and
terminates in London. The return southbound service stops at Los Angeles and Papeete southbound.
October 30: Inaugural Auckland-Frankfurt service via Honolulu and Los Angeles. The return
southbound service continues on to Sydney.
October 31: Four weekly Boeing 767 services Auckland-Singapore replace two weekly Boeing 747 flights.
November 1: Boeing 767 leased from Norwegian airline Braathens for 11 months to meet
increased traffic.
November 7: Boeing 737 services to Norfolk Island increased to three a week.
December 5: Christchurch-Hobart services using Boeing 737s are increased to twice weekly until March 26.
December 20: Air New Zealand resumes some services to Nadi.
Pa g e 26
1988
February 22: The New Zealand Government allows an Australian airline (Ansett) to buy 100% control of a New Zealand domestic airline.
June: Air New Zealand's turnover is recorded in the Annual Report to have increased
from $1.530 billion to $1.552 billion. The company achieved a net profit after tax of $70.4 million.
Aug 8: Air New Zealand leases a B737-200 (ZK-NAZ) from Royal Brunei Airways
bringing the number of B737s in the fleet to 11.
September 16: Air New Zealand takes a 50% shareholding in the regional carriers Eagle Aviation Ltd (Eagle Air) and Air Nelson Ltd (Air Nelson).
September 29: Boeing 767-200ER ZK-NBE leased from International Lease Finance
Corporation, bringing the fleet to five.
October 3: Smoking banned on all domestic flights.
October 31: Eagle Air and Air Nelson replace Air New Zealand on some provincial services.
November 1: Air New Zealand increases Auckland-Narita services to three B747s a week plus one via Nadi.
November 6: Christchurch-Hobart B737 service increased to two a week during summer.
December 5: Air New Zealand's $8.3 million departure terminal at Auckland International
airport is officially opened.
December 16 Auckland-Perth service from two to three B767s a week.
December 17: Weekly Auckland-Cairns service introduced using B767s.
December 20: NZ Government announces the sale of 100% of Air New Zealand to a consortium headed by Brierley Investments Ltd. Brierley will take 65% with 30% to be on-sold to the N.Z. public, staff and institutional investors. Qantas 19.9%, Japan Airlines 7.5%, American Airlines 7.5% and a New Zealand Government "Kiwi" share make up the balance. This share has special powers to ensure that the majority shareholding is held by New Zealanders.
1989
March 8: Air New Zealand launch Club Pacific, a worldwide club for passengers replacing
the Frequent Traveller Club.
March 22: Last flight to Dallas/Fort Worth.
March 30: Inaugural weekly B767 Auckland-Nadi-Honolulu service. This brings the number of longhaul Pacific frequencies up to 11 per week.
April 2: Inaugural weekly Christchurch service using a B767. Auckland-Perth returns to
2 per week.
April 17: Air New Zealand's sale to the Brierley-led consortium completed with the formal handing over of cheques to the Government for $660 million.
Pa g e 27
July: Air New Zealand announces its annual revenue boosted to a record $1.7 billion.
September 1: Air New Zealand cargo division re-launched as First Distribution Network.
DC-8 freighter ZK-NZD sold to a United States buyer for NZ8.3 million.
September 8: Air New Zealand share offer document invited applications for 84 million shares in the company, including 14 million allocated to management and staff. The offer closed October 6.
October: Arrival of first 747-400 delayed until December 16, due to manufacturer's
production problems.
October 29: Under a joint service agreement between Air New Zealand and Qantas, 10 weekly Tasman flights will be code-shared - six to be operated by Qantas aircraft and crew, and four by Air New Zealand aircraft and crew.
October 30: Twice daily B737-200 Auckland-Napier-Christchurch service begins.
November 26: Auckland-Hong Kong services are increased to two p.w. This increases the
number of joint services with Cathay Pacific to three p.w.
November 29: Weekly B747-200 service Christchurch-Auckland-Narita-Christchurch becomes the first joint service with Japan Airlines, and operates under dual flight numbers.
December 1: 20th annual `Operation Santa' flight by Air New Zealand, taking handicapped
and disadvantaged children for special one-hour Christmas flight around New Zealand.
December 2: Two Boeing 767-200s leased from China Airways for five years. Auckland
Engineering base convert aircraft for extended range operations capability. ZK- NBH arrived in December and ZK-NBF arrived in January 1990.
December 7: B767-200ERs replace B747-200s on the twice-weekly Auckland-Nadi-Honolulu-
Los Angeles service.
December 16: Air New Zealand's first B747-400 arrived at Auckland from Seattle. The following day it flew from Christchurch to Hong Kong, on lease to Cathay Pacific.
December 21: Air New Zealand and Qantas start a joint nonstop weekly service to Adelaide.
Air New Zealand will use a B767-200 with Qantas buying seats.
1990
February 11: Inaugural weekly Auckland-Singapore-Kuala Lumpur service using a B767- 200ER.
February 12: New First Class lounge at Auckland International airport opens, seating up to
165 guests.
March 28: Auckland-Cairns B767 services increased to two per week.
Pa g e 28
April 1: Air New Zealand and British Airways sign a commercial alliance effectively giving both airlines daily round-the-world services. `Streamline' connections offers flights from the UK to NZ and vice versa on either airline via the east or west, changing to the other carriers flights at Singapore, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur or Los Angeles.
April 9: Withdrawal of some Friendship services with Air Nelson using a 19-seat
Metroliner III to fly twice-daily Wellington-Wanganui-Auckland and a daily Wellington-Wanganui. Eagle Air fly three daily service Auckland-Whakatane and twice-daily Auckland-Taupo using a 19-seat Bandeirante.
April 11: B737-200 ZK-NAR sold for $19.5 million. The aircraft, which entered service
with Air New Zealand in 1978 is retained on a short-term lease.
April 30: 50th anniversary of Air New Zealand. The first commercial flight was made by a TEAL S.30 Empire Class flying-boat on April 30, 1940 from Auckland to Sydney with 10 passengers, taking 10 hours to cross the Tasman.
June: The Air New Zealand Group announces an NZ$100.95 million consolidated after
tax profit for the year ended March 31, 1990.
August 2: Air New Zealand announces that the now uneconomic Fokker F27 Friendship provincial fleet is to be withdrawn.
Air Nelson and Eagle Air then move to introduce smaller aircraft offering greater frequency than the Friendships on most routes.
September 21: For the eighth year running, Air New Zealand is voted the "Best Carrier to the
Pacific" by UK based magazine, Executive Travel.
September 22: Inaugural Air New Zealand service to Denpasar, Bali. The B767-200 service continues on to Singapore, and calls back at Bali on return flight to Auckland.
October 28: The familiar TE flight designator, used since international services began by
TEAL 50 years ago, is switched to NZ designator, as used for Air New Zealand domestic services, in order to identify airline more closely with its country and improve selling opportunities overseas.
October 30: Inaugural service to Bangkok, Thailand. The twice-weekly B767-200 services to
Bangkok operate via Singapore.
Alliance between Air New Zealand and Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS) to promote each other as a preferred onward carrier with connecting points at Los Angeles, Singapore, Bangkok and Tokyo.
November 2: Air New Zealand's second B747-400 arrives at Auckland on delivery flight from
Boeing factory in Seattle. First B747-400 commercial service on November 6, Auckland-Sydney return.
December: Alliances announced with Qantas and Canadian Airlines to become effective
April 1, 1991. Major impact will be rationalisation of longhaul Pacific and trans- Tasman flights.
December 2: Last Fokker F27 Friendship flight, New Plymouth-Auckland.
Pa g e 29
1991
January: New organisational structure implemented with the company split into six functional business units. The international airline defined as the core business of the company, and the domestic airline as a separate operator on trunk routes within New Zealand. Other separate business units have been created for cargo, catering, engineering and information services.
February: Air New Zealand's unaudited result for the first six months of the financial year to
31 December 1991 is an operating profit of $65.6 million, producing a consolidated profit (after nil tax) of $56.1 million.
February 11: First commercial flight of Boeing 747-400, ZK-NBS, previously on lease to
Cathay Pacific.
February 28: Boeing 747-200, ZK-NZZ leased to Malaysian Airline System for 20-month charter.
April 1: Air New Zealand's new alliances come into effect with Qantas, Canadian
Airlines and American Airlines.
With Qantas, the agreement increases number of code-shared flights across the Tasman to some 80% of all services operated by both carriers on the route. Air New Zealand also becomes the carrier from Melbourne and Auckland for longhaul services to the US with Qantas purchasing seats on Air New Zealand aircraft and code-sharing. Under a similar arrangement Air New Zealand can sell daily services from Sydney to Los Angeles on Qantas-operated code- shared flights.
With Canadian, the alliance provides for an interchange of each airlines passengers and cargo at Honolulu on five code-shared flights a week between Toronto and Vancouver and New Zealand.
Alliance with American Airlines sees that carrier purchase passenger and cargo capacity on code-shared services using Air New Zealand aircraft to and from Honolulu.
April 18: Air New Zealand acquires 100% interest in the Mount Cook Group.
April 26: Jim Scott, Chief Executive Officer of Air New Zealand announces his
resignation. Deputy CEO Jim McCrea is appointed Acting CEO.
May 21: Air New Zealand domestic airline operations move under the banner of Air New Zealand National, and regional carriers Eagle Air and Air Nelson use the name Air New Zealand Link.
June 1: The international airline begins Boeing 747 scheduled services to Nagoya in
south west Japan. Air New Zealand, in conjunction with Japan Airlines, operates three flights each week (Saturday, Sunday and Monday)
June 15: Air New Zealand's first Boeing 767-300ER, ZK-NCE arrives in New Zealand.
July: Air New Zealand makes a one-for-two rights issue at $1.00 per share. The $140
million issue closed fully subscribed in August.
Pa g e 30
August 3: New direct service commences from Taiwan. Air New Zealand began with a once-weekly service, and five months later, growing demand requires addition of second weekly Boeing 767 service.
August 19: Mr James McCrea appointed Chief Executive of Air New Zealand Ltd.
August 26: The airline's Christchurch Engineering base wins export award at the New
Zealand Trade and Development Boards Export Awards.
September: After changing its balance date from March 31 to June 30, Air New Zealand announces a consolidated net profit of $5.5 million for the 15 month period to June 30, 1991.
September 15: 175 handicapped children fly from New Zealand to California as part of
"Operation Disneyland", organised by Koru Care, and supported by Air New Zealand.
October 29: A second weekly direct service between New Zealand and Germany is
established by Air New Zealand. The Auckland-Frankfurt Boeing 747 services operate on Tuesdays and Fridays.
November 15: Discussions between Air New Zealand and union groups results in a three year
agreement on a range of core conditions for ground staff.
November 22: The code-sharing agreement between Air New Zealand and American Airlines is discontinued.
. December: Air New Zealand completes a private placement of $100 million of senior notes
with New Zealand institutions.
“B” shares, which can be held by overseas nationals and companies, listed on the New Zealand Stock Exchange.
December 17: The Auckland/Tonga/Apia service is extended to include Honolulu, offering
more South West Pacific connections for North American and European travellers
1992
January 22: The airline opens multi-lingual Eurolink reservations centre in Antwerp to handle
telephone bookings from France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Benelux and Scandinavian countries.
January 24: Air New Zealand's Auckland Engineering base wins contract to assemble,
inspect and test eleven General Motors LM2500 gas turbine engines for Australian ANZAC frigates.
February: American Airlines sells its stake in Air New Zealand.
February 17: ZK-NCF, Air New Zealand's second Boeing 767-300ER aircraft, arrives from the
Boeing factory in Seattle.
February 22: The Vice-Premier of China, Mr Zhu Rongi, visits the Air New Zealand Flight Operations Training School at Mangere to observe a group of Air China pilots in training.
Pa g e 31
February 25: Air New Zealand announces a consolidated net profit of $56.1 million for the first six months of the 1991-92 financial year.
March 4: Air New Zealand National announces plans to install hush-kits on Boeing 737
aircraft to meet Wellington airport noise regulations, due to be introduced in 1995. The first aircraft will be converted in September '92, and six more by August '93.
March 16: Boeing 747-200, ZK-NZX, is chartered to Malaysian Airline System for 14-
months.
March 26: Japanese and New Zealand governments reach an agreement which allows Air New Zealand to double its capacity to Japan by 1994, and gives access to Osaka's second airport at Kansai, from its opening in 1994.
May 13: A Boeing 767-200, ZK-NBJ, is leased to LOT Polish Airlines for five months over
the northern summer.
June: Air New Zealand welcomes new Australian and New Zealand government agreement on aviation rights between Australia and New Zealand.
Private debt placement of US$60 million of senior unsecured notes with lending US-based life insurance companies. Establishment of standby credit facility of NZ$150 million underwritten by three major domestic banks.
June 6: Boeing 767-200, ZK-NBI, is leased to Air Aruba in the Caribbean for five-
months.
August 24: Mr James McCrea, Chief Executive of Air New Zealand, joins the airline's Board, and is appointed Managing Director.
September 15: Boeing 747-400, ZK-NBU, arrives on non stop 11,494 kilometre flight from
Seattle. The new aircraft allows Air New Zealand to increase services, including four a week to London, two a week to Frankfurt and daily services to Melbourne. The Boeing 747-400 carries 436 passengers, cruises at 900 kph, has a range of 13,000 kilometres, and on longhaul flights has a crew of 18.
September 21: Air New Zealand announces a consolidated net profit of $115.1 million for the 12
months to June 1992 with total foreign exchange revenue reaching a record $1.2 million.
September 24: The airline offers a Dividend Reinvestment Plan for Shareholders.
September 25: ZK-NAM - the first Boeing 737-200 with a 'hush kit', to reduce engine noise, flies
into Wellington. This is the first of seven aircraft to be modified to meet noise regulations at Wellington airport in 1995.
October 1: First scheduled service into Queenstown by Air New Zealand Boeing 737 with a
"hush-kit" to reduce engine noise is operated in conjunction with The Mount Cook Group.
October 12: New uniforms introduced for Air New Zealand cabin crew, flight deck crew,
airport and Travel Centre staff.
Pa g e 32
October 14: Air New Zealand and other airlines using Wellington International airport go to Privy Council against Court of Appeal decision on airport landing charges imposed in January 1991.
October 25: Non-smoking policy introduced for multi-sector and shorter distance Air New
Zealand international flights.
October 29: Under "Tasman Timesaver" initiative, Check-in deadline for passengers with carry-on luggage travelling to/from most Australian airports cut from 60 minutes to 30 minutes.
November 7: New "beyond rights" agreement between New Zealand and Australia came into
effect. Air New Zealand's began services to/from Taipei via Brisbane, and also services to/from Bangkok via Brisbane.
November 25: Air New Zealand wins the "Most Improved Performance" section of the
Deloitte/Management magazine Top 200 business awards.
December: The 22nd annual 'Operation Santa' flight takes off over New Zealand with 268 disadvantaged children on board a Boeing 747.
1993
February 5: The airline's North American regional office, in conjunction with the NZ Tourism
Board and other regional bodies, launches a major campaign to increase tourist numbers to New Zealand, Australia and the South pacific.
March: After more than 20 years in Air New Zealand House at 1 Queen Street,
Auckland, the company's head office moved to Quay Tower, 29 Customs Street West, Auckland.
March 26: Boeing 767-200, ZK-NBJ, leased to Lot Polish Airlines for seven months.
April 9: Former Air New Zealand director Douglas Patterson, CBE, MBE (Mil) died. Mr
Patterson was CEO and General Manager of NZ National Airways from 1961 until NAC was merged with Air New Zealand in 1978. Under Mr Patterson's management, the jet age was ushered into New Zealand aviation.
April 22: The airline's Boeing 747-200, ZK-NZZ, is chartered to Indonesian airline Garuda
for two and a half months to fly Muslims to and from Mecca for the Hadj pilgrimage.
May 10: The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) makes an award to Air New
Zealand for its 'Oceans Campaign' environmental programme.
June 14: Air New Zealand Boeing 747-400 replaces the Boeing 767-200 aircraft on Monday-Thursday Auckland-Sydney flights.
June 16: Boeing 747-200, ZK-NZX, is chartered to UK-based Virgin Atlantic for four
months.
July 22: Commencement of operations by the seventh business unit - Terminal Services New Zealand, which provides ground handling, loading, engineering and line maintenance services at Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch for the Air New Zealand Group and to airline customers. Mr BP (Brendan) Fitzgerald is appointed as General Manager.
Pa g e 33
July 23: Air New Zealand announces a third weekly Boeing 747-400 service to Frankfurt, starting November 4.
July 30: Air Pacific leases a Boeing 747-200 aircraft, ZK-NZY, from Air New Zealand for
three-year term, with further two-year option.
August 16: Air New Zealand's third Boeing 767-300ER, ZK-NCG, is delivered.
September 2: Air New Zealand wins ‘Cellar in the Sky’ international wine competition.
September 8: Air New Zealand announces a consolidated net profit of $139.5 million for the 12 months to June 30, 1993.
October: Air Services agreement signed by the governments of the Peoples Republic of
China and New Zealand, opening the way for international service between the two countries.
November: Air New Zealand capacity on longhaul routes increased three times during the
month to cater for growing inbound tourism demand.
November 4: Air New Zealand begins twice-weekly Boeing 767 services between Auckland and Seoul. Some services are direct flights, others via Brisbane.
November 28: Air New Zealand services to Kuala Lumpur cease.
December 1: Air New Zealand acquires full 100% shareholding in Eagle Aviation Limited
(Eagle Airways).
1994
January: United Kingdom travel agents and travel industry members vote Air New Zealand "Best Airline to the Pacific" in a poll by Travel Weekly magazine.
January 28: Air New Zealand decides to reduce from April the number of shared flights
under the Tasman Air Share arrangement with Qantas.
March 4: Scandinavian Airlines and Air New Zealand sign a three year commercial agreement.
April: Air New Zealand increases capacity on the Tasman route following a review of
the Tasman Air Share Agreement with Qantas.
April 3: Air New Zealand and Lan Chile form a new marketing alliance improving connections between Australia, New Zealand and South America.
May: Air New Zealand's directors revise second half forecast of company
performance, following outstanding sales in first quarter of 1994.
Air New Zealand announces start of services from Japan's new Kansai International Airport at Osaka from September 1994, with a schedule of six flights per week, including three flights via Brisbane.
May 16: Official launch of the company's sponsorship of New Zealand's major rugby
competition, the National Provincial Championship.
Pa g e 34
June: Air New Zealand announces new non-stop Los Angeles/Sydney service is to start in November 1994 with three flights per week.
Total international visitor arrivals to New Zealand rise 11.8% in the year to June 1994, to a new annual record of more than 1,230,000.
July 3: Air New Zealand begins extra 767 services Sydney/Auckland/Honolulu and
Melbourne/Auckland/Honolulu.
July 11: Start of code-shared flights from Christchurch and Wellington to Nadi on services operated by Air Pacific Boeing 737.
September 5: Air New Zealand begins services to Kansai International Airport at Osaka,
Japan using Boeing 767s.
September 9: Air New Zealand announces it is to increase services between Auckland and Honolulu, Los Angeles and Australia to cover the shortfall of capacity through the departure of Continental Airlines: These include additional Boeing 767 services across the Tasman, and replacing 767 services to Honolulu and Los Angeles with Boeing 747 aircraft.
September 19: Air New Zealand launches direct Auckland/Queenstown services using Boeing
737s.
November 4: Air New Zealand starts a third weekly Boeing 747-400 service to Frankfurt.
Air New Zealand begins new non-stop Los Angeles/Sydney return service with three flights per week.
November 6: First Sydney-Los Angeles direct service.
November 14: At its annual general meeting in Wellington, Air New Zealand announces an
unaudited consolidated net profit after tax of $190.7 million for the year to June 30, 1994, up 36.6% on 1992/93 year.
November 24: Air New Zealand transfers operations to Heathrow airport in London, after
operating at Gatwick for 12 years.
December 21: Japan Airlines (JAL) sells its shareholding in Air New Zealand to Brierley Investments Ltd. JAL has been a shareholder in Air New Zealand since April 1989.
1995
January 17: Air New Zealand announces non-stop Boeing 747-400 services between Los
Angeles and Sydney to be increased from three to five flights per week from July 95.
The airline announces an extra non-stop Auckland/Los Angeles flight - the eighth weekly service from July.
February 6: Former Air New Zealand CEO Morrison Richie Davis dies.
February 10: Air New Zealand and Polynesian Airlines announce the formation of a
commercial alliance.
Pa g e 35
May: Air New Zealand’s new Boeing 767-300 ZK-NCJ arrives from Seattle, Washington.
May 24: America's Cup winning team arrives home in Auckland onboard special Air New
Zealand Boeing 767 flight from the United States of America.
July 1: Direct international flights begin between Australia and Queenstown, using Boeing 737-200 aircraft. "Snow Express" flights run through to September.
July 4: Start of Air New Zealand's third direct Frankfurt-Los Angeles-Auckland service,
replacing flights operated via London.
July 19: The airline announces the purchase of seven ATR72 turbo-prop aircraft to replace Mount Cook Airline's Hawker Siddeley 748s. Deliveries take place between September 1995 and February 1996.
August 29: Former CEO and Chairman of the Board Sir Geoffrey Roberts dies. Sir Geoffrey
was the first General Manager of Tasman Empire Airways Ltd (TEAL), and during his years of service to the airline, the airline moved from flying boats through to jet aircraft.
September 5: Air New Zealand report an after tax net consolidated surplus of $260 million for
1994/95 - a 36% improvement on the 1993/94 year.
September 15: Northwest Airlines joins Air New Zealand Frequent Flyer “Air Points” programme.
October 18: Marketing representative for Air New Zealand appointed in India.
October 30: Commencement of twice-weekly services from Fukuoka to New Zealand and
return, using Boeing 767 aircraft.
November 1: Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II lands in Auckland aboard Air New Zealand flight NZ1 from London via Los Angeles, to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Conference. This was the first routine commercial flight used by a reigning British monarch.
November 8: Air New Zealand starts direct Bangkok-Sydney and return flights, with
connections to New Zealand.
November 9: The Air New Zealand Golden Oldies rugby festival wins the Supreme Award at the New Zealand Tourism Awards.
November 17: Air New Zealand announces its intention to seek a shareholding in Ansett
Australia.
November 27: Mount Cook Airline ATR72 enter service under the Air New Zealand Link banner on routes from Invercargill and Dunedin to Christchurch, replacing some Boeing 737 services.
December 1: Air New Zealand starts fifth weekly service to and from London.
December 8: Launch of Freedom Air International, a Mount Cook Group subsidiary, operating
low-cost charter flights between New Zealand and Australia, using a Boeing 757.
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December 11: Start of code-share flights with Polynesian Airlines from Apia to Honolulu, using Air New Zealand aircraft.
December 31: Air New Zealand takes 100% stake in Air New Zealand Link operator Air Nelson
(formerly 50% owned).
1996
January 24: Air New Zealand wins "Best Airline to the Pacific" for the third consecutive year in the Travel Weekly Globe Awards - sponsored by this leading British travel industry newspaper.
February 1: Air New Zealand and Japan Airlines announce a Strategic Partnership
Agreement covering services between Japan and New Zealand.
February 9: Mount Cook Airline's last commercial Hawker Siddeley 748 aircraft flies Wellington-Christchurch. This ends 27 years of service by the HS748 on regional tourism routes.
March 18: Air New Zealand and Lufttransport-Unternehmen GmbH (LTU) sign a marketing
agreement which allows the German airline to buy seats on Air New Zealand flights between Los Angeles and Frankfurt.
April: The official Olympic Games Committee announce Air New Zealand as one of
the five official carriers to the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney.
April 12: Agreement signed with UK carrier British Midland which will see Air New Zealand code-sharing on selected BM services to Belfast, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds/Bradford and Teesside from May.
April 13: A Boeing 767-300 - ZK-NCM - arrives from overseas for three-year lease.
April 25: Freedom Air International replaces Boeing 757 with Boeing 737-300 and
increases Tasman operations from Hamilton, Palmerston North and Dunedin to Australian east coast destinations.
April 29: Air New Zealand announces a new corporate image incorporating the ‘Pacific
Wave’. The well known koru is retained though adapted. Apart from a new livery for aircraft and vehicles, aircraft interiors are dramatically altered.
June 8: Volcanic activity at Mount Ruapehu in the North Island’s central plateau region
closes Auckland airport overnight. Further volcanic activity at Ruapehu occurs over several weeks, leading to the cancellation of domestic and international flights.
July 5: Start of codesharing agreement with Lan Chile, with Air New Zealand providing
connection from Auckland the Papeete, and Lan Chile operating between Papeete and Santiago (via Easter Island).
September 2: Air New Zealand enters into an agreement to acquire 50% of the Ansett
Holdings Limited Group for a total investment of NZ$540 million, providing Air New Zealand a stake in the Australasian aviation market. Air New Zealand will increase its asset base by raising about $240 million through a pro-rata offer of ordinary shares. In addition, the Kiwi shareholder agrees to raising the proportion of B shares (able to be held overseas) from 35 to 49% of total issued capital.
Pa g e 37
The Air New Zealand Group reports an after tax consolidated profit for the 1995/6 year of $225.2 million, 13.4% down on the previous year but still the second highest recorded since privatisation.
October 1: Regulatory approvals complete, the arrangement to purchase 50% of Ansett
Holdings Ltd from TNT Ltd., is completed. Air New Zealand appoints Chairman Bob Matthew, Managing Director Jim McCrea and Chief Financial Officer Bob Nazarian to the board of Ansett Australia, and becomes a 24.5% shareholder in Ansett International.
Under codeshare arrangements which begin this day Air New Zealand customers gain access to Ansett flights on 17 of Australia’s busiest air routes. Both companies pledge to further develop the relationship.
November 22: Air New Zealand announces it will explore the prospect of selling its catering
business.
December: Trial begins of Electronic Ticketing (ET) on domestic services, ushering in ticketless travel.
December 3: Announcement of alliance with United Airlines, the world’s largest carrier,
initially to involve codesharing on each other’s services, within the USA, across the Pacific and on trans-Tasman routes.
1997
February 24: Air New Zealand and Qantas announce the Tasman Air Share agreement will
cease from May 1, 1997.
March 19: Qantas announces the sale to institutional investors in the USA of its 19.9% stake in Air New Zealand.
March 27: Air New Zealand and United Airlines announce plans to codeshare on some 130
flights weekly as part of alliance agreement.
May 15: A United Airlines Boeing 747-400 leaves Auckland carrying both UA and NZ (Air New Zealand) flight numbers and passengers from both airlines.
June: Air New Zealand, Ansett Australia, Ansett International and Singapore Airlines
announce a commercial alliance.
June 16: Sale announced of Air New Zealand Catering Services to SC International Services Inc., the world’s largest inflight caterer. An SCIS subsidiary, Caterair New Zealand Ltd, will take over the Air New Zealand facilities.
June 18: Merger announced of Air New Zealand First Express and Ansett New Zealand
Air Freight Ltd.
June 19: Air New Zealand purchases remaining 50% of Jetset Travel & Technology Holdings Pty Ltd from Leibler Group in Melbourne. Jetset was founded by Isi Leibler and Air New Zealand became 50% shareholder in 1985.
June 26: Decision made to make all international flights smoke-free from November 1,
following government ratification of an international treaty.
Pa g e 38
August 6: Federal Express and Air New Zealand’s First Express sign alliance agreement.
September 1: Wine and beer service introduced on Air New Zealand all domestic B737 and selected ATR72 services.
September 2: Air New Zealand Limited reports a profit of $150.2 million for financial year
ending June 30 1997.
October 1: Air New Zealand B ordinary shares are listed on the Australian Stock Exchange.
October 26: Codesharing arrangements begin with Singapore Airlines. Flights on the Christchurch-Singapore route are operated by Air New Zealand aircraft and on the Auckland-Singapore route by Singapore Airlines. Each airline purchases seats on the other’s flights which carry NZ/SQ or SQ/NZ flight numbers. Services to Bangkok replaced by codeshare flights operated by Singapore Airlines.
November 18: Air New Zealand becomes a member of the official airline team for the Sydney
2000 Olympics. Headed by Ansett Australia the team also includes Malaysia Airlines, Lufthansa, South African Airways, Thai International and United Airlines.
December 9: New Air New Zealand and United Airlines first and business class lounge
opened at Auckland International Airport. The joint venture springs from the alliance agreement between the two carriers.
Also opened is a new premium class and frequent flyer check-in facility, which reduces the number of process involved from four to one.
December 31: Flights to and from South Korea suspended as result of that country’s economic
problems which result in significant decline in tourist numbers.
1998
January 21: Air New Zealand wins gold medal awards as best business class carrier and for the best check-in staff at the 1998 Executive Travel magazine awards.
February 5: Domestic Air Points made available to members of the frequent flyer scheme.
Points earned can be redeemed for both domestic and international flights.
March 26: Varig Airlines of Brazil and Thai Airways International join Air New Zealand’s frequent flyer reward scheme, Air Points. Other airline partners include Air Canada, Ansett Australia, British Midland, Lan Chile, Lufthansa, SAS, South African Airways, United Airlines and Virgin Atlantic.
April 6: First Air New Zealand Wellington-Sydney service by a leased Boeing 737-300
(ZK-NGA) configured for international services with 114 seats. Two further 737- 300s will help increase the frequencies of services from both Wellington and Christchurch to the Australian east coast.
Air New Zealand announces the sale of the light aircraft operations and coach touring business of its subsidiary The Mount Cook Group Limited to Tourism Holdings.
April 17: Air New Zealand becomes a sponsor of the America’s Cup 2000 campaign and
official carrier to the Team New Zealand syndicate.
Pa g e 39
April 24: New western route to London and Manchester announced jointly with codeshare partner Singapore Airlines.
May 1: Air New Zealand announces move to daily Boeing 747 services between
Auckland and London, via Los Angeles, from December.
May 14: Agreement concluded for sale of Air New Zealand’s five Boeing 747-200 aircraft to Virgin Atlantic for about NZ$240 million. Aircraft will be delivered between March 1999 and January 2001.
May 15: Air New Zealand confirms its intention to join the Star Alliance from March 1999.
The Star Alliance comprises six carriers − United Airlines, Air Canada, Lufthansa, Scandinavian Airline System, Varig, and Thai International. Ansett International and Ansett Australia also sign the memorandum of intent.
May 21: Lufthansa of Germany and Air New Zealand sign a codeshare alliance which
will offer daily Air New Zealand access between Europe and New Zealand.
September 3: Singapore Airlines begins codesharing on Air New Zealand domestic network. Joint flights from and to Dunedin, Wellington, Rotorua, Queenstown and New Plymouth, connect with Singapore’s international services at gateways of Auckland and Christchurch.
Air New Zealand Limited announces net profit of $NZ144.8 million of year ending 30 June, 1998.
September 21: Survey of international business class passengers rates Air New Zealand top
out of 65 airlines. Inflight Research Services surveyed 3500 frequent and mainly corporate business travellers from over 50 countries.
October 16: New fares released for domestic services offer 65% saving on normal economy
rates. Advance purchase “Priceless” fares available all year round and on all routes.
October 28: Plans announced to commence replacement of domestic jet fleet, starting
October 1999. New Boeing 737-300s will progressively replace the existing fleet of B737-200s.
October 31: Year round flights begin between Sydney and Queenstown, using Boeing 737-
300 aircraft. During ski season special flights also operate to Queenstown from Sydney and Brisbane.
November 9: Services between London and Auckland move to daily frequency, 16 years after
first flights by Air New Zealand on route.
1999
January 21: Air New Zealand reclaims prestigious Globe Award as “Best Airline to the Pacific” from Qantas, having previously won four years in succession (1994-97). Selection made by readers of UK’s Travel Weekly magazine.
One millionth Electronic Ticket (ET) sale recorded.
Pa g e 40
February 16: Air New Zealand sells 24% of its indirect interest in Equant NV, a data communications network, for SNZ39 million.
February 9: Australian visitor arrivals to New Zealand reach half million per year.
April 20: Air New Zealand voted “Best Pacific Airline” for the second consecutive year in
the 1999 Travel Trade Gazette Asia awards.
May 3: Air New Zealand and Ansett Australia join the Star Alliance network.
June: Subsidiary Ansett Express, a courier company, sold to NZ Post.
August 10: Auckland-Osaka flights increase to daily frequency.
October 18: First ATR72-500 enters service for Mount Cook Airlines, replacing earlier model ATR72-200s.
October 27: First scheduled domestic flight by first of six new Boeing 737-300 aircraft,
purchased as part of domestic fleet upgrade.
November 19: Air New Zealand and Ansett Australia confirm establishment of joint venture Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) company, expected to expand third- party contract work.
December 16: Defibrillators introduced on international aircraft. Machines can monitor heart
rhythm of passenger experiencing cardiac arrest and if needed will advise if electric shock should be administered. Machines also to be fitted to domestic jet aircraft.
December 24: Sale of further parcel of Equant NV shares realises approximately $NZ54 million
abnormal profit.
2000
January: Air New Zealand named “Best Airline to the Pacific” in the annual Travel Weekly Globe Awards.
January 1: The year 2000 rollover passes uneventfully without disruption to scheduled
services which were reduced due to lower commercial demand.
The joint venture between the engineering units of Air New Zealand and Ansett Australia begins trading.
January 5: Codeshare agreement with United Airlines expanded to now cover 18 US cities
including Honolulu and Los Angeles.
February 18: Air New Zealand announces conditional purchase of remaining 50% of Ansett Holdings Limited for A$580 million, with a further deferred consideration equivalent to 10.5% of issued capital to be settled between two and four years.
March 27: Ansett New Zealand purchased from its Australian owners, News Ltd, by
Tasman Pacific Airlines Limited, a New Zealand-based consortium.
April: Air New Zealand shareholder approval given for purchase of the remaining 50% of Ansett Holdings Limited.
Pa g e 41
Air New Zealand voted “Best Pacific Airline” for third successive year in the TTG Travel Awards.
Singapore Airlines purchases 8.3% of Air New Zealand and obtains New Zealand government approval to acquire up to 25%. Brierley Investments Limited announce an agreement to sell its B shares to SIA upon completion of Ansett transaction. This will leave BIL with a 30% equity stake.
May: United Airlines begins code-sharing on Air New Zealand’s domestic network.
May 9: Air New Zealand’s aircrew scheduling and rostering system highly commended
in the prestigious Franz Edelman research awards. System developed in partnership with Auckland University.
June 23: Following approval by Australia’s Foreign Investment Review Board, purchase
of Ansett Holdings Limited is completed. This creates a new world top-20 airline group.
June 30: Mount Cook Airline terminal at Mt Cook airfield destroyed by fire.
July 7: MD and CEO, Jim McCrea leaves Air New Zealand. Board chairman Sir Selwyn
Cushing assumes role of Executive Chairman.
August 9: Singapore Airlines completes the purchase of Brierley Investments Limited B shares, thereby increasing their investment in Air New Zealand to 25%.
August 10: New business structure introduced following full acquisition of Ansett Australia.
September: Ansett International and Air New Zealand recognized respectively as third and
fourth best airline in the world by Asia-Pacific edition of Business Traveller magazine.
Qantas Airways franchises Tasman Pacific (formerly Ansett New Zealand) to operate as Qantas New Zealand.
Air New Zealand announces that it will be making a 1 for 3 renounceable rights issue, with an issue price of $1.50 per share to raise approximately NZ$284 million.
September 13: Gary Toomey is appointed as Chief Executive Officer of the Air New Zealand -
Ansett Group (effective January 2001).
October: Code-sharing by Ansett Australia begins on all Air New Zealand domestic main trunk and key provincial routes.
Air New Zealand experiences its busiest day at Sydney International Airport in 60 years with 30 flights taking home visitors to the Olympic Games. During the games 35,000 customers sample “the world’s warmest welcome.”
October 18: First of six new ATR72-500 regional turboprops enters service for Mount Cook
Airline as replacement for earlier generation ATR72-210s.
November: Air New Zealand announces at the Annual Meeting of Shareholders that the Group’s trading profits will be substantially lower than last year.
Pa g e 42
Changes to Northern summer schedule (effective April 2001) see greater emphasis on Air New Zealand flights to the US and Japan, and flights to Germany being taken up by Star Alliance partner Lufthansa Airlines. There will also be an increasing use of code-share flights to other European destinations in conjunction with Singapore Airlines.
November 7: Acceptances totalling 93.2% of the 189 million shares offered in the Air New
Zealand rights issue were received. The underwriters take up the remaining 12.9 million shares.
December: Safety inspections lead to the voluntary grounding of six Ansett Australia Boeing
767-200s. While there are significant disruptions to the published schedule, the majority of passengers are accommodated.
2001
January: Gary Toomey joins Air New Zealand Limited as CEO.
Air New Zealand and Ansett Australia launch integrated inflight product for domestic and trans-Tasman services.
January 23: Win for Air New Zealand in “Best Airline to the Pacific” category in annual UK
Travel Weekly Globe Awards.
February: Air New Zealand named “Best Airline Based in Australasia/Pacific” in the Official Airline Guide awards.
February 12: Air New Zealand announces purchase of 16 new Beech 1900D aircraft to
replace Metroliners and Embraer Bandeirantes currently servicing provincial routes in New Zealand.
March 5: ANNZES wins NZ$180 million engine maintenance contract for El Paso
Corporation, the largest natural gas company in the world
March 28: New round the world cargo freighter service launched by Air New Zealand Cargo in conjunction with Lufthansa.
April: Fourth successive victory for Air New Zealand as “Best Pacific Airline” in TTG
Travel Awards.
US Department of Transport announces it has granted Air New Zealand and Star Alliance partner United Airlines immunity from anti-trust legislation.
Immediately prior to Easter holiday weekend, Ansett Australia advises CASA that pylon cracks have been found in some of its Boeing 767 fleet. CASA requires grounding of entire fleet of 10 aircraft pending inspection and repair, and also invokes a show cause notice as to why Ansett’s operator’s certificate should not be withdrawn entirely. 95% of booked passengers still carried during holiday weekend by rearranging schedules and using aircraft from variety of carriers including parent Air New Zealand. Urgency given to overhaul of procedures within ANNZES, and ensuring management structures are satisfactory to CASA. After exhaustive checks, units of the B767 fleet progressively return to service and CASA withdraws show due cause notice.
April 2: Services between New Zealand and Tonga doubled following Royal Tongan
Airlines decision to withdraw from the route.
Pa g e 43
April 3: Air New Zealand realizes $80 million from sale of two subsidiaries by its 50% associate company Travel Industries Associated Systems Pty. Limited (TIAS).
April 21: Tasman Pacific’s operation, Qantas New Zealand, goes into receivership
leaving thousands of New Zealand domestic passengers seeking alternative flight arrangements. Air New Zealand moves instantly to provide extra capacity. Some 18,000 additional passengers are carried in first three days.
April 30: Joint venture between ANNZES and global engine manufacturers Pratt and
Whitney announced which creates the Christchurch Engine Centre.
May 2: Air New Zealand subsidiary Freedom Air begins no frills domestic main-trunk operation in New Zealand in response to the need for additional domestic flights.
May 29: Qantas Airways Limited approaches Air New Zealand to consider the
development of a transaction which would involve the acquisition by Qantas of a significant shareholding in Air New Zealand from Brierley Investments Limited and Singapore Airlines Limited.
June: Sir Selwyn Cushing advises the Board of Air New Zealand that he is stepping
aside as Chairman of the company. Recognizing potential conflicts of interest, an Independent Committee of Air New Zealand Directors is constituted to review the Qantas proposal in the context of all other recapitalisation options.
Following the completion of the review by the Independent Committee, the Air New Zealand Board of Directors announce unanimous endorsement of recommendation to retain Ansett within the Air New Zealand group and to recapitalise the company through a placement of shares to Singapore Airlines and a subsequent capital raising. This recommendation is subject to a number of regulatory approvals.
June 25: Four BAe146 jets formerly flown by Qantas New Zealand used by Air New
Zealand to boost services to tourism centres of Rotorua and Queenstown and meet business travel needs on Christchurch and Dunedin routes arising from the collapse of Qantas New Zealand.
July: Air New Zealand lodges a formal submission to the New Zealand Government,
seeking the lifting of the current Government limit on foreign ownership in the airline.
August: Talks continue between parties involved in the proposed Qantas buy-in, with Air
New Zealand continuing to favour Singapore Airlines taking a 49% shareholding.
September 6: Singapore Airlines advises it is no longer willing to pay $1.31 per share for new
equity in Air New Zealand.
September 7: Losses by Ansett Group reach $1.3 million per day.
September 10: Air New Zealand proposes sale of Ansett Australia businesses to Qantas.
September 12: US airspace closed at 0306 (NZ time) following terrorist attacks in the US. One Air NZ B747-400 remains on the ground in Los Angeles, and one in London. Two other aircraft turn back while enroute to US airspace.
Pa g e 44
Qantas advises it will not purchase the Ansett Group. A new proposal is put to the Australian government that would see Ansett re-established as a value based airline.
September 13: Air New Zealand announces a net loss (after tax, earnings from associates and
unusual items) for the financial year to 30 June of NZ$1.425 billion, mainly arising from losses by the Ansett Group.
September 14: Ansett Australia placed into voluntary administration. Australian trade unions
retaliate by blockading Air New Zealand aircraft in Australia.
September 15/16: International services to and from the USA and Australia begin to return to schedule as US airspace reopens and industrial action in Australia is lifted. New security provisions applied for US flights.
October 4: Announcement of plan to recapitalise Air New Zealand by the injection of up to
$885 million in a two-phased loan and equity investment by the New Zealand Government. Air New Zealand board is downsized to eight members.
October 8: Board announces it is reducing directors’ fees.
International services reduced as consequence of reduced travel demand following the terrorist attacks on the US.
October 9: President and Chief Executive Gary Toomey resigns. Board member Roger
France becomes Executive Director pending the appointment of a replacement.
November 30: New board member Mr John Palmer announced as Chairman.
December: Three of four BAe146 jets withdrawn from service, mainly because of the downturn in the demand for domestic travel by international visitors.
December 15: 50th anniversary of the establishment of the legendary Coral Route from
Auckland via Fiji and the Cook Islands to Tahiti.
December 17: Last day of commercial operations for the Boeing 737-200 after 33 years service, mainly on domestic routes. Some 30 aircraft owned or leased over that period are estimated to have made over 825,000 flights, and flown a total distance equivalent to 427 flights to the moon and back.
December 21: Jetset Business Travel sold as part of the divestment of the Jetset retail division.
Air Nelson announces its SAAB fleet will increase by two to 15.
2002
January 14: Decision announced that Air New Zealand’s English-speaking reservations
services in London, Vancouver and Los Angeles will relocate to Auckland and Christchurch from April 2002.
January 18: Recapitalisation of Air New Zealand completed with the issue of new shares to
the New Zealand government -- 2,166,666,667 new ordinary shares and 1,279,866,438 new convertible preference shares.
January 23: Dr C K Chong of Singapore Airlines resigns from the board of Air New Zealand.
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January 25: A range of cheap domestic fares introduced that can only be booked through the internet, initially for services between Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.
February 1: Mr Bill Wilson of BIL NZ Assets resigns from the board of Air New Zealand.
February 13: Mr Ralph Norris appointed as Managing Director and CEO of Air New Zealand.
February 19: The e.saver fares available on the internet are expanded to include Hamilton,
Palmerston North, Rotorua, Nelson, Queenstown, Dunedin and Invercargill.
February 27: Four new directors appointed to the Board of Air New Zealand following the resignations of Dr Jim Farmer QC and Ms Elizabeth Coutts, Dr C K Chong and Mr Bill Wilson. They are Mr Ken Douglas, Ms Jane Freeman, Mr Warren Larsen and Mr John McDonald.
April 1: Codeshare services begin in conjunction with Aircalin between Auckland and
Noumea with each carrier operating two flights per week.
April 16: Jetset Retail travel agency chain is sold to Travelworld Limited for A$6.6 million.
May 3: The Air New Zealand Group’s engineering business, ANZES, secures a contract to carry out heavy maintenance and reconfiguration work on up to 15 Qantas Boeing 747-400 aircraft.
May 5: Auckland-Singapore services increase from three per week to daily with the
Christchurch-Singapore link being withdrawn.
May 9: Air New Zealand completes sale of its three South Island ski areas -- Coronet Peak, The Remarkables and Mt Hutt to Southern Alpine Resort Recreation for NZ$27 million.
May 17: Air New Zealand cabin crew voted the best in the Pacific region and Australia by
a Skytrax customer survey.
May 30: Air New Zealand Chairman John Palmer confirms discussions with Qantas covering a wide range of issues, including a Qantas shareholding in Air New Zealand, but says nothing has been agreed.
May 28: Air New Zealand announces “Express Class” domestic services will be launched
later in year as a first move in developing “the consumer’s airline”. The new domestic services will feature single class flights with lower fares and no meals, alcoholic beverages or business class section. Seating will be increased by 14 to 136, offering greater prime time capacity. Subsidiary Freedom Air will be the main provider of holiday travel flights to Queensland, Australia.
July 4: Announcement of the selection of 15 new Airbus A320 aircraft to replace B767
and B737 on short haul international services. First aircraft will join fleet in October 2003.
July 31: New domestic fares launched under the “Express Class” brand for flights from
November 1 see reductions ranging as high as 50% on main trunk routes. Savings on provincial routes are up to 20%. Lowest fares only available directly on the internet.
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August 26: Twentieth anniversary of flights to the United Kingdom.
August 28: Air New Zealand reports an operating profit after tax and before unusual items of $39 million, and a net loss (after unusual items and tax) of $319 million for the year.
September 3: Mount Cook Airport sold to Tourism Milford Limited.
November 1: First day of domestic “Express Class” flights. Enhancement for passengers
include electronic kiosks for self-check in at major airports and a delay notification service to mobile phones. Most of the cheapest fares for November and December are already sold out.
December 10: Air New Zealand announces that it has selected the V2500 engine from IAE
International Aero Engines to power its new fleet of Airbus A320 series aircraft.
December 13: Air New Zealand will acquire ten of its 15 new Airbus A320 aircraft on operating lease - five from International Lease Finance Corporation and five from Lombard Aviation Capital.
December 18: Strategic Alliance with Qantas proposed - the Board and Management of Air
New Zealand welcome the conditional decision by the Kiwi Shareholder agreeing to Qantas eventually owning up to 22.5% of Air New Zealand.
2003
January 15: Air New Zealand breaks the million-dollar barrier for a single day’s online
bookings for the first time ever (covering a mix of domestic and international flights) - demonstrating the strength of support for the new Express Class fares and its simple online booking system
January 29: Temporarily lease of a Boeing 737-300 aircraft from Air Malta to fulfil the
shortfall in capacity due to the engine failure incident out of Brisbane in December '02 which grounded the airline's Boeing 767-200 aircraft.
February 4: Air New Zealand takes delivery of a new ATR 72-500 aircraft which will be
operated by Mount Cook Airline.
March 17: Air New Zealand responds to the World Health Organisation (WHO) travel advisory and implements the precautionary world-wide directives outlined in order to avoid further spread of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).
March 20: Air New Zealand international services continue to operate normally following
the commencement of military action by the US-led forces in Iraq.
April 28: Air New Zealand ceases its direct flights from Sydney to Los Angeles to enable Air New Zealand to focus on operating its increased Auckland – Los Angeles services from 14 to 17 per week to meet demand following the withdrawl of United Airlines from New Zealand.
May: International capacity reduced through to the end of September 2003 by 8%
following a long term analysis of forward bookings based on the continued general downturn in demand for travel on some international routes, in particular to those Asian countries affected by SARS.
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June: Air New Zealand and Qantas submit information to the New Zealand Commerce Commission, outlining that the proposed Strategic Alliance is the only way to secure substantial and long term benefits for New Zealand, including tourism and job creation.
July 1: Air New Zealand officially opens its new Training Centre in Mangere at a special
function hosted by Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Ralph Norris and attended by the Associate Minister of Transport, Hon. Harry Duynhoven. The new Training Centre will house the majority of at-work training and development for Air New Zealand pilots, cabin crew, engineers and airport staff as well as pre-employment and degree programmes for students of aviation.
August 28: Air New Zealand announces a profit of $220.3 million before unusuals and tax
for the year ended June 30, 2003, up $187.3 million (567%) on the previous financial year. The Net Profit After Tax was $165.7 million for the 2003 financial year. Group earnings before interest and taxation were $233.4 million, up 162% on the previous year.
September 9: The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) turns down the
application by Air New Zealand and Qantas for authorisation to form a strategic alliance. The airlines announce that they will apply for review by the Australian Competition Tribunal.
September 16: Air New Zealand officially takes delivery of the first of its A320 aircraft from
Airbus at a special ceremony held at the Airbus factory in Toulouse, France.
October 14: Air New Zealand Managing Director and CEO Ralph Norris announces the company's four-year strategy for growth, which is aimed at ensuring Air New Zealand becomes the airline of choice when flying to, from or within New Zealand. Features include: everyday low fares, leading edge on-line booking facilities, faster check-in and boarding, improved frequency, improved border processing on international flights, loyalty recognition, new in-flight offerings and cabin crew uniforms. The airline has also identified the need for a reduction in staff numbers (1,500) across the Group which will be achieved largely through attrition and downsizing of non-frontline areas of the business as the company restructures. The strategy is expected to lift revenue and deliver total savings of $245 million annually once fully implemented in 2007.
October 23: NZ Commerce Commission rules against the proposed strategic alliance
between Air New Zealand and Qantas.
October 29: Air New Zealand launches Tasman Express featuring significantly reduced fares between New Zealand and Australia - on average 25% less than previous fares and up to 45% reduction. On-line bookings promoted and changed "café style" meal service introduced.
November 1: In its first 12 months of operation, Air New Zealand’s domestic Express Class
carries more than 1.1 million additional passengers - a total of more than six million passengers took to the skies on Express Class – 22% more than the previous year. From only 4% of domestic online sales before Express Class, an average of 35% of customers now choose to book their travel via the internet.
December 2: Air New Zealand commemorates the 30th anniversary of the arrival of the first jet
aircraft into the Cook Islands - a DC-8 - which commenced weekly services between Auckland and Rarotonga on 2 December 1973.
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December 17: Air New Zealand remembers the centenary of "first powered flight" in a fully controllable aircraft.
December 20: Air New Zealand's fully owned subsidiary airline, Air Nelson, welcomes a new
33 seat Saab aircraft to its fleet bringing the total number to 17 Saab-340A aircraft.
2004
January 22: A special local welcome is given for Air New Zealand's fifth A320 aircraft when it
arrives in Rarotonga on its delivery flight from the Airbus factory in Toulouse (France) to Auckland.
January 28: A four-year-old from Christchurch becomes the millionth active Airpoints
member to sign up for the Air New Zealand frequent flyer scheme – and with it wins a special commemorative prize of a million Airpoints.
February 26: Interim results - the Air New Zealand Group reports Profit Before Unusuals and
Taxation of $148.6 million, up $103 million on the previous comparative period. Net Profit After Tax is $105.4 million.
March 3: Air New Zealand launches Pacific Express featuring up to 64% reductions in the
lead-in Economy and Business Class airfares to the Pacific Island destinations of the Cook Islands, Fiji, Samoa and Tonga.
Pacific Express is set to deliver average savings of 54% on lead-in airfares.
March 19: Air New Zealand introduces a new daily service from Christchurch to Wanaka
making Wanaka the 25th destination in Air New Zealand’s national network and the 10th in the South Island. The flights are being operated by Air New Zealand subsidiary Eagle Air, utilising 19 seat Beech 1900D aircraft.
March 22: Air New Zealand advises the Stock Exchange of a potential NZ$107 million tax
liability in Hong Kong.
March 26: Air New Zealand's seventh A320 aircraft arrives in Auckland.
April 22: Announcement of Air New Zealand as naming rights sponsors for New Zealand Fashion Week.
April 26: Air New Zealand appoints leading New Zealand fashion designer Zambesi to
create its new staff uniforms.
June 30: Air New Zealand commences thrice weekly non-stop flights between Auckland and San Francisco utilising B747-400 aircraft.
May 17: Air New Zealand introduces fuel surcharge on airfares sold from 17 May
onwards as a result of a significant rise in cost of aviation fuel.
May 20: First Pacific Express flight departs Auckland for Fiji. With savings of more than 50% on lead-in airfares, bookings for next 12 months increased up to 107% on the same period of the previous year.
May 26: Air New Zealand announces introduction of first ever non-stop services between
Christchurch and Los Angeles operating thrice weekly from 2 November 2004.
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June 15: Air New Zealand commences codeshare relationship with Star Alliance partner, Asiana Airlines, codesharing on Asiana’s 4x weekly flights between Seoul and Auckland.
June 2: Air New Zealand announces agreement to acquire eight new B777-200ER and
two Boeing 7E7 aircraft as well as rights to purchase a further 46 long-haul aircraft. The eight B777-200ER aircraft will being entering service in September 2005, with the first five expected to be delivered by April 2006.
June 28: Air New Zealand unveils its new long-haul product with lie-flat beds, direct aisle
access and video on demand in its premium class; a new super economy product with 39-40 inch seat pitch. The economy class will retain world’s largest long-haul economy seat pitch of 34” on its 747s, new slimline seats and personal video screens.
August 6: Air New Zealand announced it will consolidate its Ordinary Shares. Every 5
existing ordinary shares will consolidate into one Ordinary share. The consolidation reduces number of ordinary shares from approximately 3,001.4 million to approximately 600.3 million.
August 16: Announcement of new direct service between Christchurch and Rarotonga in
the Cook Islands from 1 December 2004.
August 23: Announcement of new direct service from Wellington to Nadi, Fiji from 20 November 2004.
August 24: Air New Zealand to name its international fleet after key New Zealand
destinations.
August 25: Air New Zealand announces profit of NZ$243 million before unusuals and tax for the year ended June 2004, up NZ$22 million (10%) on the previous financial year.
September 2: Air New Zealand introduces further fuel surcharges in response to escalating oil
prices (initially introduced 12 May).
September 15: Air New Zealand appoints local New Zealand firm Tasman Tanning to supply the luxurious leather covers in the airline’s new premium class lie-flat beds.
September 16: Conde Nast Traveller UK Readers vote Air New Zealand Best Long-Haul Airline.
Air New Zealand and Rolls-Royce sign long-term TotalCare service agreements covering the maintenance of the Trent engines which will power Air New Zealand’s Boeing 777 and Boeing 7E7 airliners. The combined value of the contracts is around $500 million.
September 20: New Zealand High Court decline appeal by Air New Zealand and Qantas to form
a strategic alliance.
October 5: Singapore Airlines sells its 6.3% stake in Air New Zealand.
October 11: Air New Zealand signs agreement with Bombardier Aerospace to acquire 17 new Q300 turboprop aircraft to be operated by Air New Zealand Link carrier, Air Nelson, replacing its current fleet of 17 Saab 340A aircraft.
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October 12: Australian Competition Tribunal (ACT) grants Australian regulatory approval for the proposed Air New Zealand and Qantas strategic alliance.
October 13: Air New Zealand is voted ‘Best Pacific Airline’ for the sixth year (1998 – 2004) at
the TTG Annual Travel Awards.
October 14: Air New Zealand announces an expansion of services between Perth and Auckland (from four weekly to daily flights) to build traffic over the peak November to March summer season.
October 26: Air New Zealand increases fuel surcharges due to Singapore Jet Fuel prices
doubling in the period July 03 - Oct 04.
November 2: Inaugural Christchurch to Los Angeles direct service departs.
November 3: Capacity increases on regional routes announced with the addition of an 11th
ATR72-500 for subsidiary Mt Cook Airlines, effective 5 December. The short- term lease on an additional ATR, operating since July is also extended by seven months.
November 20: Inaugural Wellington to Nadi direct service takes flight.
December 1: Inaugural Christchurch to Cook Islands direct service begins operations.
December 2: The Christchurch Engineering Centre (CEC) V2500 Engine Shop is officially
opened. Air New Zealand also extends its level of interest in the V2500 engine shop, a joint venture with Pratt & Whitney, from ten to 49% in a deal worth US$7.8 million.
2005
January 24 Air New Zealand and United Airlines to code share on United’s flights between
Hong Kong to Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam, connecting with Air New Zealand’s daily services between Auckland and Hong Kong.
January 25 Air New Zealand raises over $200,000 in on online airfare auction to aid victims
of the Asian Tsunami.
February 1 Air New Zealand and the New Zealand Rugby Union sign a four year sponsorship agreement covering all of the NZRU’s teams and tournaments.
February 22 Subsidiary Safe Air is awarded a $27 million defence contract to undertake
modifications and upgrades of C130 Hercules aircraft.
February 24 Air New Zealand announces a half year net profit of $102 million and the resumption of dividend payments.
Dedicated twice-weekly around the world freighter services announced, utilising a Boeing 747-400 aircraft leased from Atlas Air Inc.
February 25 Safe Air awarded contract for the upgrade of the NZ Government’s P3 Orion
fleet. Combined value of the two new contracts is around $52 million.
March 2 San Francisco services to double to six return services per week, effective 29 November 05.
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March 4 Top chefs Govind Armstrong (Los Angeles) and Geoff Scott (Auckland) appointed to Air New Zealand’s consultant chef programme.
April 4 Air New Zealand utilises market first technology and launches online holiday
packages where customers can choose their own flights, accommodation, transfers, car rental and sightseeing options to create an integrated holiday package.
April 6 Continued increases in jet fuel prices result in further increases to fuel
surcharges, effective April 12. April 14 Air New Zealand Engineering Services (ANZES) announces the signing of a
three-year maintenance contract with Virgin Blue to provide the Australian- based airline with complete heavy maintenance support for its 48 strong fleet of new generation B737 NG aircraft.
April 15 The first 747, registered as SUI, to be refitted with the new seating and cabin
interior entered the ANZES hangar today. Following the scheduled maintenance D check and the interior fit out (including the installation of 393 new seats, stowage units, new bathrooms and soft furnishings), plus the required regulatory approvals the aircraft is expected to be in service around July.
May 25 Air New Zealand officially opens its new pilot training facility housing the
Boeing 777 simulator, classrooms and other state-of- the-art computerised training equipment.
June 9 Air New Zealand receives an Airbus award in recognition of the airline’s high
standard of Extended –Range Twin- Engine Operations (ETOPS). June 14 Air New Zealand Managing Director and Chief Executive, Ralph Norris
announces his resignation from his position to take up the role of Managing Director and Chief Executive of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia.
June 23 Air New Zealand renews a four year sponsorship agreement with the New
Zealand Olympic Committee (NZOC) which will see the airline carry New Zealand’s sporting elite when they travel to the next Olympic and Commonwealth Games.
July 16 Air New Zealand officially takes delivery of the first of the airline's Q300
aircraft from Bombardier Aerospace, at a special handover ceremony held at the Bombardier factory in Toronto, Canada.
July 20 Air New Zealand’s first refitted Boeing 747-400 enters service. The new
design and physical refit of the first aircraft has taken more than 60,000 hours of work, with the airline’s fleet of eight 747s expected to take until mid-2006 to complete, at a cost of approximately NZ$160 million.
August 9 Air New Zealand officially opens its newly-expanded Los Angeles lounge for
Business Premier customers and Star Alliance Gold members. August 11 Air Nelson’s new Bombardier Q300 aircraft takes to the skies in a series of
demonstration flights in the regions it will serve including Nelson, Palmerston North, New Plymouth, Tauranga, Rotorua, Hamilton and Napier.
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August 29 Air New Zealand today announced a profit after tax of $180 million – 8 percent higher than in 2004.
September 1 Air New Zealand increases its fuel surcharge on airfares as the cost of
benchmark Singapore Jet Fuel continues to increase. September 2 Air New Zealand launches a new scholarship programme in conjunction with
the New Zealand Olympic committee (NZOC). The Inspiring New Zealanders scholarships, involving mentoring by Olympic heroes Sarah Ulmer, Hamish Carter, Bevan Docherty and Claudia Riegler and flights to compete at an international sports event, are open to young athletes competing in an individual Olympic sport.
October 5 Air New Zealand announces direct services between Auckland and Adelaide.
From 26 March 2006, Air New Zealand will operate three direct flights a week. October 14 Air New Zealand Chairman, John Palmer announces that Rob Fyfe, Group
General Manager Airlines, will assume the role of Chief Executive Officer effective immediately. Mr Fyfe has been with the company for almost three years and his appointment follows a global search that included the evaluation of strong internal candidates for the role.
October 14 Air New Zealand has applied to the New Zealand Ministry of Transport for the
necessary regulatory approvals to commence non-stop flights between Auckland and Shanghai.
October 16 Air New Zealand reveals the new Zambesi-designed uniform for cabin crew,
pilots, airport and Travelcentre staff featuring Koru-inspired curves, a special Maori design and a beautiful Merino wrap.
October 26 Air New Zealand places firm orders for another two Boeing 787-9 aircraft in
addition to the two it already has on order. October 28 Air New Zealand takes delivery of the first of eight new B777-200ER aircraft,
registration ZK-OKA, at Boeing’s Everett, Seattle premises. November 4 Air New Zealand launches a weekly service to and from Niue.
November 14 Air New Zealand receives an award for the best Business Class Airline in
Australasia at the 12th World Travel Awards ceremony in London. November 17 Direct Taipei flights to be suspended from final scheduled codeshare flight on
24 March 2006 due to declining visitor numbers. November 29 Air New Zealand increases the frequency of its Auckland – San Francisco
service from three to six days a week. December 7 The full flight simulator for training of Q300 pilots was opened today. The
simulator, which is based at Air New Zealand’s new flight simulator facility in Auckland, will allow Air Nelson to train its pilots domestically rather than offshore.
December 14 Air New Zealand celebrates 40 years of service to Los Angeles. The
inaugural Los Angeles-Auckland service operated via Fiji and Honolulu on 14 December 1965 with a DC8 aircraft.
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December 19 Air New Zealand announces it will commence outsourcing heavy maintenance of its wide body aero-engines from next year. This will result in the loss in the New Year of around 110 jobs.
2006 25 January Air New Zealand suspends its non-stop Christchurch to Los Angeles twice
weekly service due to low passenger loads. 24 February Profit before unusuals and tax of $81 million for the six months to 31
December 2005 announced, down 45 percent on the prior period.
Senior Executive and corporate reorganisation announced.
24 February A streamlined new structure is proposed which will support the operational and customer facing areas of the business. It is expected the new structure will reduce 1,890 positions in these areas to 1,420 over the next year.
24 March Two new domestic routes announced that will link Nelson directly with
Palmerston North and Hamilton. 26 March Air New Zealand launches new Auckland to Adelaide service.
28 March Air New Zealand opens its first Kiwi ‘bach’ in Melbourne, marking a
revolutionary new take on the traditional airline lounge. 5 April Air New Zealand appoints Peter Elmsly as its first General Manager for
greater China. This, along with regulatory approval to operate into Shanghai Pudong reinforces the company’s commitment to launching a direct Auckland to Shanghai service.
5 April Air New Zealand launches a second daily service to London via Hong Kong.
10 April Air New Zealand re-establishes management of cargo on its domestic
network with the launch of its National Cargo business this week. 12 April Air New Zealand and Qantas announce they have signed a code share
agreement for their Tasman routes. The airlines will shortly file applications seeking authorisation from the New Zealand Minister of Transport and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.
21 April Air New Zealand announces it will increase domestic and outbound
international airfares by 10 percent in response to recent significant rises in jet fuel prices.
27 April Passengers on Air New Zealand flights are now able to have limited use of
cell phones and electronic devices set to flight mode. 12 May Air New Zealand becomes the launch customer airline for the new Boeing
787-9 aircraft.
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18 May Huge new mobile maintenance dock increases capability of Christchurch engineering base.
24 May Air New Zealand announces additional early morning and late night
Auckland/Wellington services to meet demand. 14 June Fleet of eight B747 aircraft will have a seating reconfiguration, reducing the
number of economy class seats and increasing premium economy seats by eight.
16 June Air New Zealand moves to introduce all inclusive advertised pricing for all
international flights from New Zealand. 19 June Tickets are now on sale for first non-stop Auckland to Shanghai flight on 6
November. 21 June New services between Oamaru and Christchurch make Oamaru Air New
Zealand’s 26th destination. 28 June Vanuatu added to Air New Zealand’s Pacific Island network.
29 June Domestic in-flight service is enhanced with the introduction of beer and wine
on selected flights. 12 July Air New Zealand announces significant changes to its international network,
suspending operations to Singapore and introducing the B777-200 on the Auckland to London via Los Angeles route.
13 July Air New Zealand Cup rugby competition launched.
25 August Air New Zealand announces a profit of $150 million before unusual and tax
for the year ended 30 June 2006, 36 percent down on the previous year. 25 October Air New Zealand will suspend Rarotonga - Papeete - Los Angeles services
following a review of non-profitable routes. 28 October Inaugural flight of second Auckland to London via Hong Kong service.
10 November Air New Zealand engineering services division awarded US$3 million contract
by UK airline Thomsonfly. 23 November Air New Zealand announces it will reduce seat capacity on the Tasman by 11
percent from April 2007. 1 December Announcement of new Wanganui to Wellington service to commence 12
February 2007. 12 December Air New Zealand announces a re-launch of its Pacific Premium Economy to
provide enhanced in-flight services on long haul flights. 13 December Business Premier service named Best Business Class to the South Pacific by
Business Traveller Magazine. 18 December Three new direct regional services announced to launch late next year –
Invercargill–Wellington, New Plymouth-Christchurch, Tauranga -Christchurch.
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20 December Purchase of four additional B787-9 aircraft announced.
2007 2 February Air New Zealand named in class action in Australia based on accusations of
price fixing in the air cargo market. 14 February Air New Zealand’s onboard wine selection scoops the pool in the prestigious
UK Business Traveller Magazine Cellars in the Sky competition – awarded Best Business Class Red, Best Business Class Cellar and Most Original Business Class Cellar.
27 February Air New Zealand announces a profit before unusuals and tax of $109 million
for the six month period ending 31 December 2006, an increase of 35 percent ($28m) on the same period the previous year.
6 March Air New Zealand announces two additional services between Auckland and
Shanghai, increasing weekly operations from three to five services. 29 March New flight procedures introduced that will dramatically improve the reliability
of flights in and out of Queenstown Airport in inclement weather. 5 April Air New Zealand commences code share arrangement with Air Rarotonga.
11 May ‘Pimp My Plane’ campaign wins best online ad campaign at People’s Choice
NetGuide Web Awards. 22 May Air New Zealand announces number of Pacific Premium Economy seats on
B747 fleet will increase for a second time following strong continued customer demand.
23 May Queenstown to Melbourne direct flight for the summer months announced
along with a seasonal doubling of capacity between Auckland and Adelaide. 24 May Air New Zealand announces it will match employee KiwiSaver contributions
up to four percent – double the employer contribution currently required by the scheme.
6 June Online sales surpass $1 billion for the first time within a financial year.
8 June Air New Zealand announces its new non-stop service between Auckland and
Vancouver will operate year round following strong demand. 26 June Air New Zealand announces it will spend more than $50 million equipping its
13 A320 aircraft and five Boeing 767 aircraft with individual on-demand personal entertainment screens.
27 June Air New Zealand announces it will commence reciprocal code share flights
with Air China and Shanghai Airlines from 1 July. 24 July Air New Zealand Technical Operations secures a five year, $45 million
contract to carry out heavy maintenance on Hawaiian Airlines 767 fleet.
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3 August Air New Zealand announces it will purchase four Boeing 777-300 Extended Range aircraft to be delivered between late 2010 and 2011.
21 August Pacific Blue announces it intends to launch domestic services within New
Zealand. 27 August RNZAF awards $110 million defence maintenance contract to Air New
Zealand subsidiary Safe Air. 28 August Air New Zealand today announced a profit of $268 million before unusuals
and tax for the year ended 30 June 2007, an increase of 79 percent on the previous year.
4 September Norm Thompson, Group General Manager Short haul Airlines is appointed to
the newly created role of Deputy Chief Executive Officer. 7 September Prime Minister Helen Clark announces a ‘Blue Sky’ Air Transport Agreement
between New Zealand and Canada, allowing for greater freedom for expansion into the Canadian market.
11 September Air Nelson announces it will expand its fleet, purchasing two new Bombardier
Q300 aircraft to boost capacity for regional centres. 17 September Air New Zealand announces its first North American ‘Pink Flight’ which will
transport passengers from San Francisco to the 2008 Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras.
28 September Air New Zealand signs a memorandum of understanding with Boeing and
engine maker Rolls-Royce to work together on ensuring commercial aviation continues to become more environmentally sustainable.
21 November Bruce Parton, General Manager Domestic Airline is appointed to the role of
Group General Manager Shorthaul Airline. 22 November New Zealand Government announces it will introduce regulation around
charges imposed by Christchurch, Wellington and Auckland airports. 7 December Business Traveller Magazine names Air New Zealand ‘Best Airline to the
South Pacific, Australia and New Zealand’. 11 December Air New Zealand announces world’s first in-flight International Airline
Concierge service. 14 December Air New Zealand announces direct Auckland to Beijing service from July
2008. 21 December ANZES signs a $45 million, five year contract to provide heavy maintenance
services to Virgin Blue.
2008 16 January Air New Zealand announces a direct service six days a week between
Whakatane and Wellington.
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24 January Air New Zealand announces it will suspend flights between Nadi and Los Angeles from April.
25 January New domestic pricing strategy is announced offering cost savings regional
New Zealand. 29 January Air Transport World Magazine votes Air New Zealand best passenger service
airline in the prestigious ATW Awards. 1 February ‘KoruHour’ launched weekday mornings and evenings on services between
Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin and Queenstown. 7 February Air New Zealand’s in-flight wine selection awarded Best Business Class Red
and Most Informative Wine List at the Cellars in the Sky Awards in London. 29 February Air New Zealand today announced normalised earnings before taxation and
unusual items of $159 million for the six-month period ended 31 December 2007, an increase of 62 percent on the same period in the previous year.
27 March Environment Trust formed to fund research and development into alternative fuels and support projects that enhance New Zealand’s clean, green reputation around the world.
30 April Air New Zealand announces domestic fares are set to rise as a result of
record high fuel prices. 16 May Air New Zealand announces it will establish an Aviation Academy for the
training of pilots, cabin crew, engineers and specialist airline management staff.
11 June Gate to gate in-flight entertainment offered on B777 and B747 fleets.
19 June Air New Zealand joins Continental and Virgin Atlantic in becoming a member
of Algal Biomass Organisation, to advocate for the development of more sustainable and environmentally friendly fuel sources.
30 June Paul Bingham appointed to Air New Zealand board.
26 August Air New Zealand today announced Normalised Earnings before unusual items
and taxation of $197 million for the year ended 30 June 2008, a decrease of 24 percent on the previous year.
12 September NZ 8 to San Francisco re-named Aspire I takes part in a world first test flight
to demonstrate the potential for significantly reduced carbon emissions under optimal flight conditions.
16 September Air New Zealand will announces it will retrofit zonal dryers across four of its jet
fleets and hopes to save 500,000 US gallons of fuel a year across 42 aircraft, reducing carbon emissions by 4700 tonnes a year. The airline also announces it will fit performance enhancing blended winglet to its 767-300ER fleet, saving more than NZ$7.5 million in fuel and around 16,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions annually.
19 September Altitude Aerospace Interiors launched.
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26 September Air New Zealand commits to doubling the number of Pacific Premium Economy seats on the 777-200ER fleet in order to meet unprecedented demand.
29 September New Masterton-Auckland direct service announced.
18 October Air New Zealand flies its first RNP enabled flight from Sydney to Queenstown.
The Required Navigation Performance technology, fitted to the entire A320 fleet will allow pilots to fly at lower altitudes on a more precise and efficient route into the airport, saving fuel and emissions and reducing the impact of bad weather on services.
28 October State-of-the-art new domestic check in experience unveiled, including a new
layout, self check kiosks and new gate scanners for straight to gate check in. 19 November Air New Zealand announces it will disestablish up to 200 full time positions in
cabin crew, recruitment, airline operations and technical operations planning and management.
28 November Air New Zealanders Captain Brian Horrell, Murray White, Michael Gyles and
Noel Marsh are sadly lost in an aircraft incident off the coast of Perpignan, France. The four were among seven onboard the A320 aircraft, on lease to German airline XL Airways, when it crashed into the Mediterranean Sea during a test flight.
1 December The Air New Zealand Environment Trust launches Kids Restore New Zealand
to encourage children to show leadership in their communities through environmental activities.
30 December Air New Zealand successfully completes the world’s first commercial aviation
flight powered by the sustainable second-generation biofuel jatropha. The flight is operated by Pilot in Command Captain Keith Pattie and Air New Zealand Chief Pilot Captain David Morgan.
2009 30 January Air New Zealand announces it will suspend Hamilton-Brisbane route from 25
April. 16 February Inaugural service of Masterton – Auckland direct.
26 February Air New Zealand announces normalised earnings before taxation of $26
million for the six month period ended 31 December 2008, a decrease of 84 percent on the same period the previous year.
10 March New Zealand NZ2 flies Tailored Arrival demonstration into LAX as part of a
trial to prove the viability of the initiative, aimed at significantly reducing fuel burn and CO2 emissions.
17 March Air New Zealand announces it will match a $2.5 million cash injection by
government aimed at promoting travel to New Zealand by Australians.
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20 March Altitude secures multi-million dollar five year deal to design customised furniture for up to 20 new Boeing 747-8 aircraft for a major North American carrier.
23 April Sarah Williamson appointed as General Manager Mount Cook
Airline. 10 May ‘Nothing to Hide’ TV ad campaign goes live, featuring Air New Zealanders,
including CEO Rob Fyfe, in full body paint. 20 May World leading POLi online payment system is launched enabling Air New
Zealand customers to pay for flights directly from their bank account. 5 June Air New Zealand announces new Westport-Christchurch service from 6 July.
5 June Air New Zealand’s Boeing 747-400 registration ZK-NBS makes its final flight,
to Roswell New Mexico. 9 June Air New Zealand achieves Environmental Gold accreditation, recognising it as
one of the New Zealand’s most environmentally responsible tourism businesses.
26 June ‘Bare Essentials’ in-flight safety video goes live. The video, featuring Air New
Zealanders in full body paint receives more than 3 million YouTube hits in the next 10 days.
13 July First Boeing 767-300ER fitted with blended winglets arrives in Auckland.
27 August Air New Zealand announces normalised earnings before taxation of $145
million for the year ended 30 June 2009. This is a decrease of 26 percent on the prior year but a dramatic improvement on half year results.
31 August Zeal EPMU A320 flight attendants ratify new collective agreement.
3 September Conde Naste Traveller Magazine votes Air New Zealand the world’s second
best long-haul leisure airline. 12 October Eagle Air announces it will suspend Oamaru – Christchurch services from 1
January. 23 October ‘Momentum’ sculpture is unveiled in remembrance of significant events in Air
New Zealand’s history, including the Erebus and Perpignan accidents. 27 October Air New Zealand signs code share agreement with South African Airways to
provide a one-stop service between Auckland and Johannesburg, via Perth. 3 November Air New Zealand announces it will acquire14 new Airbus A320 aircraft to
replace its current domestic fleet of 15 Boeing 737-300 aircraft. The first A320 aircraft is set to arrive in January 2011.
12 December Inaugural trans-Tasman flight between Rotorua and Sydney.
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22 December Air New Zealand announces it will operate direct services between Sydney and the Cook Islands from June, making it the only airline to operate direct services between the two nations.
2010 8 January Trelise Cooper announced as designer of Air New Zealand’s next uniform.
14 January Air Transport World Magazine names Air New Zealand Airline of the Year.
26 January Revolutionary 777-300 interiors publically unveiled including the Economy
Skycouch and Premium Economy Spaceseat. 26 February Air New Zealand announces normalised earnings before taxation of $96
million for the six month period ended 31 December 2009, an increase of $70 million on the same period in the previous year.
19 March Altitude Aerospace signs up first Boeing Business Jet VIP aircraft completion
contract. 9 April Air New Zealand and Continental Airlines commence reciprocal code share
agreement. 16 April Eyjafjallajokull volcano erupts in Iceland causing widespread disruptions in
UK and European airspace which last more than a month. 20 May UK magazine Which? names Air New Zealand Best Airline for 2010.
21 May Air New Zealand awarded Best Airline Australia/Pacific and the Staff Service
Excellence Award for Australia/Pacific at the Skytrax Awards. 1 June New self check kiosks unveiled for trans-Tasman passengers. The kiosks are
expected to half check-in times. 26 July Starfish card launched offering significant discounts on regional airfares.
20 August Air New Zealand announces partnership with Fly Buys – offering significant
benefits for members of both loyalty programmes. 26 August Air New Zealand announces normalised earnings before taxation of $137
million for the 12 months ended June 2010. 7 September ‘Seats to Suit’ announced, offering the choice of Seat, Seat + Bag, The Works
and Works Deluxe on flights between New Zealand, Australia and the Pacific Islands.
20 October Air New Zealand announces its service connecting Nukualofa and Apia with
Los Angeles will be suspended from January 2011. 12 November Rico safety video launched.
21 December New Zealand Minister of Transport approves trans-Tasman alliance with
Virgin Blue. This combined with last week’s approval by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission enables the alliance to go ahead.
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24 December Air New Zealand’s first Boeing 777-300ER aircraft touches down in Auckland.
2011 12 January Air New Zealand announces code share agreement with Virgin Atlantic,
offering more flexibility on routings between the UK and New Zealand for both carriers’ passengers.
20 January Air New Zealand acquires a substantial shareholding in Australian based
airline Virgin Blue. The move is part of a planned acquisition of a shareholding of between 10 percent and 14.9 percent.
26 January Air Nelson announces new Auckland - Paraparaumu service to launch Labour
Weekend. 1 February First all black A320 aircraft touches down at Auckland Airport. The A320s will
gradually replace the existing B737-300 fleet, increasing the number of passenger seats and improving fuel efficiency on the domestic network.
7 February Air New Zealand, in partnership with Vodafone, announces new black A320
aircraft will be enabled with mobile phone and data capability. 8 February New B777-300 aircraft touches down in the capital to give Wellingtonians a
taste of the revolutionary new product on offer. 16 February 104 representatives of passengers lost in the Erebus disaster travel to
Antarctica to pay their respects. 16 February Air New Zealand launches online airport taxi booking service that promises to
save customers time and money. 21 February Recovering Japanese visitor numbers prompt Air New Zealand to operate
Boeing 747-400 aircraft to Tokyo for the first time in five years. 22 February 182 people are killed when a devastating 6.3 magnitude earthquake strikes
the Canterbury region. In the ensuing week Air New Zealand moves more than 45,000 passengers domestically out of Christchurch, utilising every aircraft in its fleet. Other aid efforts by the airline included moving emergency personnel and their equipment from around the world, $50 fares for anyone needing to get in our out of Christchurch immediately after the disaster and ongoing public stand-by fares and free flights for individuals and groups raising funds for the people of Christchurch.
24 February Air New Zealand announces normalised earnings before taxation of $112
million for the six months to 31 December 2010, including an $18 million gain on equity swaps relating to the investment in Virgin Blue.
3 March Jan Dawson, chair and chief executive of KPMG, will join the Air New
Zealand board on 1 April. 10 March Air New Zealand announces it will increase the cost of both international and
domestic fares from 18 March as a result of the rising cost of jet fuel.
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15 March Air New Zealand announces the financial impact of the Christchurch and Japan earthquakes is more severe than initially predicted and full year normalised earnings are expected to fall below $100m.
20 March Grabaseat launches new reverse auction feature for purchasing domestic and
international flights. 28 March ‘Fit to Fly’ safety video featuring US fitness legend Richard Simmons is
launched. The video receives more than a million views on YouTube in just three days.
7 April Christopher Luxon, President and CEO of Unilever Canada is appointed
Group General Manager International Airline. 8 April Air New Zealand receives government approval to code share with Etihad
Airways. 20 April Commerce Commission withdraws claims against Air New Zealand Cargo
employees five years after launching its investigation. 12 May Skycouch Economy seat wins the aviation category in the Conde Nast
Traveller’s 2011 Innovation and Design Awards. 16 May Air New Zealand and Virgin Australia Airlines announce plans for their trans-
Tasman alliance network which will connect 26 domestic New Zealand ports with 31 in Australia.
11 June Ash from a volcano in Chile drifts into New Zealand airspace, causing
sporadic disruptions to air travel in New Zealand and Australia for more than two weeks.
23 June Hawaiian Airlines extends its 767 fleet maintenance contract with Air New
Zealand Technical Operations for a further five years. 23 June Air New Zealand collects three Skytrax World Airline Awards – Best Airline
Australia/Pacific, World’s Best Premium Economy Class Airline and Worlds Best Premium Economy Class Airline Catering.
8 July US Department of Justice ceases its cargo cartel investigation against Air
New Zealand. 19 July Air New Zealand takes top honours for marketing at Airline Marketing Awards
in London. 4 August Jane Freeman announces she will retire from the Air New Zealand Board on
24 August 2011. 5 August Grabaseat celebrates its fifth year with a ‘convoy’ of two B747s to Vegas.
25 August Air New Zealand announces normalised earnings before taxation of $75
million for the 12 months to 30 June. This result is down 45 percent compared with the 2010 financial year.
26 September Air New Zealand increases its relevant interest in Virgin Australia to19.99
percent.
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19 October Air New Zealand invests in regional growth, committing to purchasing up to 12 ATR72-600 aircraft by 2016.
25 October Inaugural Auckland – Paraparaumu flight.
28 October First Tokyo-Christchurch flight since the February 22 Canterbury earthquake.
7 November Air New Zealand announces it will trial a new Christchurch-Mt Cook-
Queenstown route in the summer of 2012-13. 22 November OneSmart card is launched and promises to transform the traditional Airpoints
card into the ultimate travel companion. 14 December Air New Zealand signs Memorandum of Understanding with Licella Pty Ltd to
jointly explore the potential of the technology to produce sustainable biofuel in New Zealand.
15 December Air New Zealand announces a partnership with ANA, providing travellers on
both airlines with improved access to destinations in Japan and New Zealand. 21 December OneUp upgrades launched as a trial.
22 December Air New Zealand wins Australian Government tender to operate air services
from both Sydney and Brisbane to Norfolk Island.
2012
10 January Air New Zealand wins the prestigious ATW Airline of the Year award – for the
second time in three years. 11 January The world’s largest all black aircraft, the B777-300ER painted in its All Black
livery touches down in Auckland. 31 January CEO Rob Fyfe announces this will be his last year with Air New Zealand,
standing down as of 31 December 2012. 3 February Announcement of a new seasonal non-stop service between Auckland and
Bali to commence in June. 23 February Air New Zealand announces the first international service into the Sunshine
Coast, with seasonal direct flights from Auckland between July and September.
24 February Air New Zealand announces half year normalised earnings before taxation of
$33 million for the six month period ended 31 December 2011. This is a 71 percent decline on the same period for the previous year. Net profit after taxation was $38 million.
1 March Air New Zealand will increase capacity to its North American destinations of
Los Angeles, Vancouver and San Francisco.
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28 March Air New Zealand announces it will increase direct services to Shanghai and plans to operate daily flights with 12 months. The twice weekly direct service to Beijing will be suspended in June.
20 April Air New Zealand announces a three year commercial partnership with
Department of Conservation worth around $3 million. 9 May Capacity on Auckland-Perth services to increase by 20 percent from
September 11 May Air New Zealand to increase capacity to Honolulu by 50 percent to meet high
demand. 19 June Air New Zealand announces Christopher Luxon, GGM International Airline will
take over as Chief Executive Officer at the end of December. 21 June Air New Zealand’s hand sketched celebrity-spotting in flight safety video is
launched. The video features Emmy-nominated American actor Ed O’Neill and New Zealand actress Melanie Lynskey, with cameo appearances from numerous other well known personalities.
13 July Air New Zealand announces a global two-movie partnership with The Hobbit,
making it the official Airline of Middle-Earth. 16 July Grabaseat celebrates its sixth birthday and celebrates by offering 600 airfares
for a ludicrously low $6 each. 20 July Air New Zealand unveils a modernised version of its logo.
30 July After nearly 20 years in Terminal 2, Air New Zealand announces plans to
move its Los Angeles airport operations to Tom Bradley International Terminal in 2014 where it will also manage the new Star Alliance LAX Lounge.
7 August Mount Tongariro erupts with ash cloud affecting some regional services.
7 August Air New Zealand grounds its fleet of Beech 1900D aircraft for precautionary
checks after hairline cracks were found in the tail area of an aircraft. 8 August The airline celebrates 30 years of flying between New Zealand and London
via Los Angeles. 18 September Air New Zealand enters into a formal three year partnership with Antarctica
New Zealand and the New Zealand Antarctic Research Institute (NZARI) to support scientific research in Antarctica.
19 September The airline announces plans to invest more than $100 million in upgrading its
fleet of eight Boeing 777-200ER aircraft. 19 October Air New Zealand launches a daily Night Rider™ service with every seat on
the aircraft available for $29 on the last flight of the day between Auckland and Wellington.
31 October Air New Zealand’s first new-generation ATR72-600 aircraft, featuring the airline’s famous ‘all black’ livery is handed over in Toulouse, France.
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1 November Hobbits, Dwarves and Wizards take flight as Air New Zealand launches its latest on board safety video, ‘An Unexpected Briefing’ inspired by ‘The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey’. The video goes on rake up almost 12 million views online. The release of the safety video marks the start of Air New Zealand’s global marketing programme dedicated to The Hobbit trilogy.
1 November Air New Zealand launches 1,500 free one-way Seat airfares into and out of
Christchurch in the lead up to Christmas. 5 November Air New Zealand announces plans to withdraw services between Hong Kong
and London in 2013 and form a strategic agreement with Cathay Pacific on the Auckland – Hong Kong route.
7 November Air New Zealand becomes the first airline to offer all international passengers
departing Sydney International Airport for trans-Tasman and Pacific Island destinations fast track kiosk check-in facilities.
21 November Mount Tongariro erupts for the second time in 2012, affecting some regional
services. 24 November The official airline of Middle-earth reveals its stunning 777-300 aircraft
featuring a 73m long decal depicting the cast of the ‘Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey’.
20 December The strategic agreement between Air New Zealand and Cathay Pacific goes
live with code share sales on each other’s services between Auckland and Hong Kong.
2013
18 January Lorraine Murphy is appointed to the position of Chief People Officer, effective
March 2013. 25 January Air New Zealand operates daily return services between Auckland and
Shanghai for the first time since launching the route in 2006. The airline also resumes daily return services to Tokyo for the first time in three years.
27 February Television adventurer Bear Grylls stars in the airline’s latest safety video
‘Bear Essentials of Safety’ – the first ever safety video shot completely outside of an aircraft environment.
28 February Air New Zealand announces normalised earnings before taxation of $139 million,
an increase of more than 300 percent on the same period the previous year.
6 March Leanne Geraghty is appointed to the role of General Manager, Australia. 7 March Calum Laming is appointed to the newly created role of General Manager
Customer Experience. 21 March Air New Zealand is inducted in to the Randstad Awards Global Hall of Fame
after being named the country’s most attractive employer for a third
consecutive year – the first time an organisation anywhere in the world has won the prestigious accolade three times in a row.
3 April Air New Zealand and Pratt & Whitney announce plans to invest $20 million in
new workshops and a logistics centre to support new generation aircraft at the jet engine overhaul facility at Christchurch Airport.
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10 April The airline takes top honours in the Global Tourism Business category at the 2013 Tourism for Tomorrow Awards, recognising sustainable tourism global best practice.
18 April Air New Zealand and Virgin Australia announce they will become the first
airlines to offer a direct service between Christchurch and the West Australian capital of Perth in over 20 years.
27 April The newly revamped Koru Lounge at Christchurch International Airport
opens. 23 May Check-in kiosks are introduced at Melbourne Airport for customers travelling
on trans-Tasman and Pacific Island routes. 6 June Air New Zealand enters into an agreement to increase its shareholding in
Virgin Australia by a further 3 percent, taking its interest to 22.99 percent. 11 June Air New Zealand and Tourism New Zealand sign a Memorandum of
Understanding valued at more than $20 million, in a one year partnership to undertake joint marketing activity promoting travel to New Zealand in selected international markets.
13 June The High Court approves the settlement agreement between Air New
Zealand and the New Zealand Commerce Commission which resolves long standing proceedings brought by the Commission against a number of airlines in 2008.
18 June Air New Zealand unveils the first of its brand new fuel-efficient Airbus A320
aircraft at the Paris Air Show complete with Sharklet wing tip devices. 19 June The airline’s Premium Economy Class takes top honours at the 2013 Skytrax
World Airline Awards, sweeping the board in all three Premium Economy categories – ‘Best Premium Economy Class’, ‘Best Premium Economy Class Seat’ and ‘Best Premium Economy Class Onboard Catering’.
25 June Air New Zealand announces the destinations its new fleet of 10 Boeing 787-9
aircraft will fly to. Inflight product details for the aircraft are also confirmed including the Economy Skycouch and a brand new Premium Economy seat.
12 July Air New Zealand announces a new daily direct service between Paraparaumu
and Christchurch from November 2013 to be operated by Air Nelson. 13 July Air New Zealand teams up with the San Francisco Giants to takeover AT&T
Park, including a cultural and sporting exchange with four All Blacks players. 5 August Air New Zealand partners with Auckland International Airport to grow Chinese
visitor numbers to New Zealand.
7 August Scott Carr is appointed to the position of General Manager Japan. 7 August Air New Zealand introduces a mobile booking system, allowing customers to
book domestic tickets from the airline’s mobile travel app – mPass. 19 August Air New Zealand celebrates the legalisation of same sex marriage in New
Zealand by marrying a same sex couple on board an Air New Zealand aircraft at 30,000 feet.
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29 August Air New Zealand announces earnings before taxation of $256 million for the 2013 financial year, an increase of 172 percent on the previous year and the company’s best result in five years.
9 September Air New Zealand extends its popular Night Rider™ service to include
Christchurch. 18 September History is made with the inaugural flight of the Boeing 787-9 in Seattle.
19 September Air New Zealand and Kiwibank launch three new Airpoints earning credit
cards. 20 September Air New Zealand welcomes the Minister of Transport Hon Gerry Brownlee’s
decision to reauthorise the Air New Zealand and Virgin Australia trans- Tasman alliance through until 31 October 2018. The announcement follows the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s determination to reauthorise the alliance earlier in September.
24 September The first aircraft featuring Air New Zealand’s new livery inspired by the New
Zealand Fern Mark takes flight. 24 September The Star Alliance Los Angeles Lounge, managed by Air New Zealand, opens
at Tom Bradley International Terminal at LAX. 2 October Air New Zealand is named Australasia’s Leading Airline for the fifth year in a
row while the Christchurch Koru Lounge wins Australasia’s Leading Airline Lounge at the World Travel Awards.
7 October Air New Zealand launches ‘Antarctica: No Ordinary Place, No Ordinary
Assignment’ - a global search for an environmental enthusiast to share the wonders of Antarctica with the world.
10 October Air New Zealand teams up with America’s sweetheart of comedy Betty White
and a cast of golden oldies for its latest inflight safety video – ‘Safety Old School Style’.
2 November Operations in and out of Los Angeles are disrupted following a shooting
incident at Los Angeles airport. 7 November Air New Zealand signs a deal licensing its Skycouch seat product to China
Airlines. 7 November Auckland-Perth is announced as the first scheduled route ever to be operated
by the Boeing 787-9.
2 December Air New Zealand unveils its latest Hobbit inspired aircraft featuring Sir Peter Jackson’s theatrical interpretation of the mythical dragon Smaug. The aircraft flies to Los Angeles the same day, arriving to a red carpet reception ahead of the film’s Hollywood premiere.
2014
7 January The airline signs a licensing agreement with China Airlines for its Economy Skycouch seat.
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16 January Air New Zealand and Singapore Airlines announce an intention to form a strategic alliance which would enable Air New Zealand to fly the Auckland-Singapore route again and Singapore Airlines to operate the Airbus A380 to New Zealand for the first time.
31 January Air New Zealand signs on as the naming rights sponsor for the Queenstown Marathon – one of New Zealand’s newest and most anticipated international sporting events.
5 February Jonathan Mason is appointed to the Air New Zealand Board.
12 February The airline unveils its latest safety video ‘Safety in Paradise’ – a collaboration with Sports Illustrated’s iconic Swimsuit franchise to celebrate its 50th anniversary.
27 February Air New Zealand announces normalised earnings before taxation for the half-year of $180 million, an increase of 29 percent on the previous corresponding period.
27 February Capacity on Japan services to increase by 30 percent from November.
7 March Air New Zealand partners with Tourism New Zealand to bring China’s number one online talk show Morning Call to New Zealand where the host will anchor the show from the Economy Skycouch.
11 March Capacity on the Auckland – San Francisco route to increase by 10 percent over the upcoming Northern Winter period.
12 March Air New Zealand and Virgin Australia announce plans to operate a second seasonal non-stop service between Christchurch and Perth from December 2014.
12 March Air New Zealand is named as one of the world’s most reliable airlines in the annual FlightStats On-time Performance Service Awards.
24 March Air New Zealand welcomes the launch of the tourism industry’s new Tourism 2025 framework to significantly grow the contribution of tourism to New Zealand’s economy.
25 March The airline re-signs agreements with the Cook Islands Government to operate non-stop services between Rarotonga and Los Angeles and Rarotonga and Sydney.
31 March Capacity on trans-Tasman routes into Queenstown to increase by more than 12 percent from July to September.
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6 April Air New Zealand’s first Boeing 787-9 aircraft bearing the airline’s distinctive new all black livery is revealed at Boeing’s Everett factory near Seattle.
18 April The Competition Commission of Singapore gives clearance for the proposed alliance between Air New Zealand and Singapore Airlines.
28 April Air New Zealand is the only Kiwi company to feature in the top ten in the annual Corporate Reputation Index in Australia.
6 May Air New Zealand announces it will install the largest single solar array in New Zealand at its Auckland Technical Operations base later that month.
9 May Air New Zealand and Pratt & Whitney open new workshops and a logistics centre at the Christchurch Engine Centre to perform V2500® engine maintenance, repair and overhaul work.
19 May Air New Zealand and New Zealand Winegrowers announce a Memorandum of Understanding to work together to actively promote New Zealand as a destination for wine tourism.
20 May Air New Zealand and Tourism New Zealand announce a $20 million extension to their marketing partnership.
20 May Alliance partners Air New Zealand and Virgin Australia to increase capacity on trans-Tasman routes into Queenstown and Christchurch from November to March.
29 May Air New Zealand’s first Boeing 787-9 successfully completes its first production test flight in the skies above Seattle, Washington.
2 June Air New Zealand announces the purchase of 13 new Airbus A320neo (new engine option) aircraft to refresh its international narrow body fleet and an additional A320 to join its domestic operation.
30 June The airline celebrates 10 years of flying the Auckland – San Francisco route.