As a business traveller I suggest that Air NZ is significantly over priced (up to 30%) for business class travel to Asia and Europe and the US. (For this reason I do not often fly with Air NZ.) However there is no question that it is (far and away) best in terms of an in flight experience.

I have travelled with a LOT of different airlines, tho' mostly North American (not Singapore or Emirates). Air NZ is definitely the best internationally in all the categories mentioned. There are others who are often cheaper, but the service and the planes themselves can be appalling. Eg, they literally squeeze mroe seats on the plane so there is less room, eg. And they are hardly ever on time, etc. Until you've experienced worse with others, consistently, you don't know how good you have it. So I do all my travelling on Air NZ whenever I can. It's worth it.

I have been looking for some flights recently and Air NZ displays its internet fares excluding airport taxes - unlike Virgin Blue and Jetstar.
I thought they had had their knuckles rapped for this practice for being misleading??

Air NZ occupy the transit lounge for at least 8 hours every day of the year. They told me that the lounge is leased from United - so they could do a deal to improve the facility. In correspondence, Air NZ refused to consider this.
Also, and of course, they could organise more immigration officials if they were prepared to pay for them. One or sometimes two is not enough for a jumbo-full. FFs jump the queue, of course.
As clients of LAX they have a basis for negotiation. We the passengers are paying for this awful arrangement.

LAX is simply an atrocious airport and there is probably not much that Airnz can do about it. If flying with an end point in the US, go via San Francisco instead. Incredibly different experience.

This is the airline that stands you in a queue for your entire transit of several hours in Los Angeles en route to London. And, yes, it is their fault. They could pay a small amount to improve this service (a second or third immigration official, for example) and to give a face lift to the abysmal transit lounge. I will use another airline in future.
I also agree they abuse their monopoly position for much of the domestic market. The only low-cost fares available exist where Virgin or Jetstar compete.
Not all bad - I agree with some of the positive comments as well - but their customer service for the cattle class is notable by its absence - particularly at high level (CEO, not altitude). And I too have experienced poor service so that FFs can have a bit more. That after paying for 10 round trips to UK in 2 years, which would have made me a platinum flyer if all those seats were for me.

Hi

Speaking as someone who is around 2m tall, I avoid Air NZ like the plague. They are the only airline which refuses to provide seats with extra leg room to people my height if the seats are vacant.

This is a result of the two-class system on Air NZ. On the main trunk routes, the front of the plane is more spacious and reserved for top-tier frequent flyers. No matter what fare you pay, you cannot book a seat there unless your FF status is above Jade.

I have been told this by lots of Air NZ staff but Air NZ does not make this clear on its website anywhere.

Cheers
Roland

Dear Paula,
What other New Zealand airlines?
I understand that they are all a subsidiary of Air New Zealand?