![]() Nor has New Zealand been immune from the flow-on effects, as local reports of lost luggage, missed connections and non-existent call-back services multiply.Īir New Zealand chief executive Greg Foran has described the current period as "a challenging time for everyone". ![]() These logjams have well and truly taken the shine off what was supposed to be the aviation industry's great recovery from the pandemic lows, which saw it lose $400 billion because of lockdowns and travel restrictions. Photo: PHIL NIJHUIS / ANP MAG / ANP via AFP ![]() People standing in a queue at Schiphol airport in the Netherlands as the holiday season put a strain on airlines last month. Welcome to the wonderful world of international travel in the time of Covid-19.Īnyone who follows these things - including Kiwis champing at the bit to visit friends, colleagues and relatives abroad - will already know something about the chaos currently engulfing the travel industry.Īll around the world the sector is groaning under the weight of "revenge travel" as millions of passengers look to return to the skies.Īcross Europe generally, and Britain especially, the sector is in crisis as it copes with, on the one hand, this tsunami of pent-up customer demand and on the other, severe labour shortages brought on, in part, by the industry's colossally stupid decision to axe millions of jobs during the darkest of the pandemic months. Sure, the carrier has a dedicated helpline, but this wasn't much help: the average wait-time to speak with an agent was about four hours. While it was named best premium and best economy carrier, I was hoping for assistance after missing one of a number of flights I had booked with Air New Zealand (or one or other of its partner airlines) during a four-week international trip.Īlas, nobody from the award-winning airline could be found to help sort out the problem, which by this late hour not only involved getting a replacement flight but finding a roof for the night. It was about midnight and I was standing around haplessly at Los Angeles International Airport when I heard Air New Zealand had done impressively well in the latest Excellence Awards. Air New Zealand may have won awards recently, but its staff were missing in action when David Cohen needed help with finding a replacement flight.
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