As a regular flyer I always book from overseas for AIR, way cheaper...
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Can you please explain how that works Raz? Do you use another website? Or do you mean you fly from LA to Auckland returning to LA with Air. Rather than Auck to La back to Auck? (I know about 20 years ago tickets were cheaper on air.co.nz rather than air.com but that has been standardised for a long time now)
Both:) I'm always going back and forth so i can start a return from either and also consider one way flights at times...American airlines, AIR and United are currently in play if you do not want to go via Australia..you can also get cheaper on code share at times...say fly American Airlines with a Qantas booking takes you to Auckland via AIR and AA from Auckland to LAX say on biz class...is the currently a steal...not a bad product, the food superior to AIR...
Bumped into an old friend yesterday, a jet engine engineer at AIR so naturally I asked him how things are going with RR. We're "managing" it he said. Still got two planes parked up. It was just a very brief discussion...he was on his way with his daughter to get her orthodontic braces adjusted and was running late.
I got the sense that they are making some progress on this (used to be 4-5 planes parked up a couple on months ago) and managing their way through it okay. Thought I would share for what its worth which probably isn't much.
Maybe Benny could update us some more ?
Your engineer mate going to cause disruption before Christmas
Unions representing Air New Zealand's aircraft maintenance engineers, aircraft logistics and related staff have served notice of a planned strike four days out from Christmas – on the airline's busiest travel day of the year.
He didn't mention that ! "Bob" has never struck me as short of a quid and has worked there for at least a couple of decades and I would think he's one of their more senior staff so I would imagine he's one of the people on more than $150K. From what I have read there is now a global shortage of experienced LAME's (licensed aircraft maintenance engineers). Are they getting a bit greedy simply because they can ? If all the other unions are settling for x + 2% per annum to more than cover inflation why shouldn't they ?
One can't be too greedy mate, you're part of a team of over 11,000 people with multiple other unions to consider. If everyone moves purely in line with market forces with no respect or consideration for other team members or shareholders then there would be so much disruption we wouldn't have an airline at all.
Suppose Bob is on say $180,000 at a guess. He's probably earned that level as he's been with them for so long and is highly experienced and a good reliable hard working team member from what I have heard and is well respected in the community. I doubt many Kiwi's would think $180,000 is nothing and I doubt many would think a 2% pay rise per annum is unreasonable. Here's an idea, why don't you ask some of the incredibly hard working young teachers on $50K what they think ? If you guys play hardball you may find more overhaul work being sent overseas. I'd feel safer when I fly if the work is done here because I know people like Bob are very thorough and have the highest level of integrity but greed is ugly and sometimes has consequences...