[MarcusGB]

Yes, “Beetlejuice” and “Back to the Future”, is the latest movie on this Scrapyard aircraft, leased out 772. It is being used to The Cook Islands and Sydney – Auckland

I booked a trip ex Sydney on Air New Zealand Business class to Cook Islands Rarotonga, some months ago. Not a cheap price for the distance, but a business seat on the Dreamliner overnight.
A further flight back from there, but into Auckland, shorter 3.50 hrs day flight in premium Economy I spent over £850.
I was notified that “due to the Rolls Royce Worldwide engine problems, the flight is now on a leased 772 Aircraft” I still had faith in the Airline that the standards would be there.
They were not.
Boarding was delayed, not by the late arrival of this aircraft as it was in before its due time. However, no boarding delays were posted or notified to a full 772, people standing without anything for over 50 minutes and past the boarding time. It was just a rude “cannot be bothered” attitude, which was also reflected on board.

This is an aircraft over 29 yrs old, SQ formerly, painted out, but with basic recline seats in the “Business cabin”. My seat was broken.
The seats would not even meet Premium Economy standard.
The Air New Zealand crew seemed very uptight had negative attitudes, very rude and abrupt with passengers, not even looking at them throwing any food out, poorly arranged, wines being presented as “Red or white”, no care or effort at all.
Food was disappointing, and they clearly do not know what a Vegetarian meal is any more.

The list of Latest Movies were in fact from 1988! What an advert of bad publicity to even allow such an old, aircraft to be flying within their fleet, with such standards and clearly lack of Management capability.
Who has allowed this decrepit Aircraft to even be placed or tolerated in such an Airline? No Business seats should be sold on these routes on this aircraft.

I had to change the stay on Rarotonga, and move onto Auckland on the next flight available. Having bought a Premium Economy seat, it was upgraded to this awful “Business seat”, yet when i called i was charged in NZ$, which came to £422 extra!
I could have bought a new seat on their website on line, for $1,170, so together with the fare already purchased, paid far more than the full flexible J class on line. It was not possible to change flights on line and i had to call Auckland from this remote Island to get anything arranged.
I have in total spent over £1,500 for these two flights and one change, in an awful standard Aircraft.
I was told by several sources, this Aircraft was was taken from Seattle, a former retired 772 from Singapore Airlines. The lack of care even for the movies not updated, shows what standards Air NZ have dropped too.
I previously had excellent flights with them, and always chose them from Australia to and around New Zealand.
Despite the Cabin Manager reporting the seat issues and my complaints, (he was clearly exasperated), and the issue of the ticket change which the ANZ Agent also said was “Unfair”, he was overruled. Management clearly are not taking any action or listening.
Air New Zealand have failed to come back to me.
It is impossible to find any Customer Relation on their website, or complaint or on line communication.
They have failed to approach me, unlike other Airlines.
It is quite clear this aircraft is “Tolerated and accepted” by Senior Managers within The Airline, and reflects badly on their image and standards. But it says much of The Directorship to not correct this.

I also arranged for a friend to fly from Sydney to Auckland in Premium Economy. He found the check in staff blunt, over dramatic, stating he had to check in 4 hrs before!. He was there 2.40 minutes prior to flying, plenty of time. Utter nonsense that this needs to be done, especially checking in on line prior.
Passengers will not add such time to fly Air NZ with these ridiculous times, which he also well travelled, felt was absurd.
His flight also boarded late with no information from any gate staff, with 250 people waiting, not bothering to give them any information.

Having spoken to other Colleagues and friends in Australia and New Zealand, the reputation of this Airline has plunged in recent years, and they would not choose to fly them either. The same issues are raised as i observed and experienced.
Every aspect from check in, boarding, food, standards of the plane cabins, service, punctuality has dropped.

I will be claiming back and filing a formal complaint for both flights one way or another. but then they know of these issues already. They have decided to avoid and try to hide them, and ignore their crews feedback, and that of passengers. So that speaks much of the Leadership there!

I will not be using Air New Zealand’s services again.
I would encourage others to see reviews, and certainly avoid these leased aircraft, and choose other carriers.

3 users thanked author for this post.

Prayanak, GivingupBA, Jacob

[DontTurnRight]

The plane in question was delivered new to SQ in 2002, so only 16 years young. The Boeing 777 itself first flew in 1994. I cannot believe too that Air NZ would allow the latest movie to be “BeetleJuice” Down here in NZ, we would have heard about this by now if this was the case!!

Without wishing to doubt the discomfort suffered, one has to question the reports accuracy.

1 user thanked author for this post.

Frederic

[MarcusGB]

So, only 24+ yrs old then?

Sad to say here in Auckland, and they are having many complaints about this aircraft and the Dreamliner changes.
The report on Board is accurate, as are the photographs i took on board and of the movies being displayed.
The flight was NZ060 Sydney – Cook Islands Rarotonga, Friday evening 26th October 2018.
Several crew on this flight and the next gave this information. They have also complained regarding this aircraft, but are not listened too.
I checked the website, and they still sell Business class seats on this flight. They are over £500 one way.

I had the misfortune to have the same plane Sunday 3.05pom as i exited to Auckland.
Again the whole situation remained the same. Perhaps it is then only 24 yrs old!
These are the movies, as the crew also confirmed and were embarrassed by. Yes, you should have heard about it by now, but now you have. Having flown SQ for many years, I cannot even remember this generation of seat even for a regional aircraft.
I am content to send the flight and aircraft photographs to BT from my phone…including the screen showing the movie selections i took.

I also hear, how “Dramas” are created by Air NZ, requiring people to check in 3-4 hours before a flight.
It is Not an AKL or NZ Regulation, and check in for SQ flights is up to 90 minutes for a 10.25hr flight. An absurd and rude attitude to take to a friend that flew with them in the last 5 days twice, being told he was “Late” at 2.40 hrs before check in.

Perhaps the ?? on authenticity should be made to Air New Zealand’s Directors, that accepted and continue to accepted this aged aircraft, as representing their fleet and service? The crews know about it, as the other passengers who have flown it…
I am very pleased to leave on Singapore Airlines…and i, as many i know in NZ and Australia also have stated, sad to experience such a drop in Air New Zealand’s standards. None of us seem willing to use them again.

1 user thanked author for this post.

GivingupBA

[AMcWhirter]

[quote quote=903781]This is an aircraft over 29 yrs old, SQ formerly, painted out, but with basic recline seats in the “Business cabin”.[/quote]

How things have changed over the decades.

My first flights with SIA were in 1973 (not long after MSA split into MAS and SIA). At the time it was SIA who was operating with second-hand 707 aircraft.* Today it has one of the world’s youngest fleets.

* SIA’s early 707s was ex-Qantas. They retained the wattle leaf images on the interior cabin walls.

1 user thanked author for this post.

[mkcol74]

@MarcusGB I’m struggling with “It is impossible to find any Customer Relation on their website, or complaint or on line communication.” apart from anything else.

2 very quick Googles found me this on Twitter and then this on their own website so I think you’d best use them, and wish you good luck in explaining your displeasure to them.

[Flightlevel]

Read the AusBt report on their new A321s, some seats are less than 30″pitch. Downhill all the way on AirNZ.
They didn’t learn anything from JetBlues market leading Transcon A321s!

[MarcusGB]

Thank you Alex for confirming the Aircraft age.
It matches with the original flight loading of “Beetlejuice” and “Back To the Future” as Latest Movies screened, and still on there i am informed.Clearly all else was wiped, no digital updating and these remain on the original system, at the time the Aircraft was first flying.

Thanks for the suggestions.
I initially looked on their site, thinking they would be as up front and honest as KLM and others, placing Customer relations, complaints or compliments clearly as other Airlines.
After 6 other ranges of questions, with a google search i submitted my complaint.
There is a delay of 7-10 days as they have issues regarding these complaints and the Dreamliner services, they state.
When the ticket was changed, the Air NZ person said 85% of complaints were about these replacements and 2 leased planes.

I shall inform of the outcome.
But really Air NZ Executives should be taking action regarding this aircraft, as it clearl is doing much damage to their reputation, declining anyway as indicated to me from others.

[SimonS1]

It’s unfortunate but happens at most airlines.

BA have recently leased from Cello (now bust), Jota, Air Belgium etc.

Norwegian had their exploits with that old Wamos Air banger.

I’m not sure what the alternative is – cancel your flight?

1 user thanked author for this post.

mkcol74

[AlanOrton1]

Beetlejuice you say…last I heard of him he was getting bonked on the head with a guitar by Jeff Jarrett, circa 2000. It’s all on YouTube.
Saying that, it still makes this incident somewhat more modern than the plane you travelled on.

[MarcusGB]

Sadly, Beetlejuice is in a High Dependency Nursing home now.
But, same place that Air New Zealand leased their “0ver 29 year old” scrapyard aircraft from in Seattle!

[Slickdog]

I just got back from Rarotonga on Air New Zealand from LAX to Cook Islands! Not sure if it was Beetlejuice or not but it was a sad rattle trap 772. I paid for Premium Economy and got a worn out Aircraft and cattle car seating. I contacted the Air Lines and talked about the “OLD DOG “ leased aircraft. I asked If they only used the nicely painted jets to fly the more highly profiled routes. And keep the unmarked Wornout leased jets to the Cook Islands flight. The crew mentioned that they are fill in for the 787’s. I am asking for a refund of the cost of the premium seats not on my flight! We will see !

[MarcusGB]

Air new Zealand are 3 weeks processing complaints behind, due to these 787 issues.
ALL Raratonga PE flight bookings, were supposed to be upgraded to Business class on this 30 yr old former Singapore Airlines 772.
Clearly they are still selling premium economy tickets. So yes, claim your refund on line, though they do not make it easy to findwhere on their site. I had to make a search on line for where.Expect to then wait another month, or simply ask for a Visa dispute refund from your bank, and provide evidence to support yr claim. Check the fare differences with a mock booking , copy it and ask for the difference back.
Then it will be refunded unless Air NZ Prove otherwise. They are in Breach of contract, and misrepresenting what they know will be there!
You will get a standard statement back from them that it is not their fault, but i feel IT IS, as they lease such a low grade aircraft.

The fact these issues still go on with these old aircraft and no one has bothered to remove or change it, is a disgrace to Air NZ.
I will Never choose to fly with them again.
I did get a refund, also another for being overcharged to leave the Island early, utterly disgraceful. It took 4 months!!

[MarcusGB]

It seems another major issue that Air New Zealand had failed to address.
Reflects badly on their Management these days, but again connected to their management of their 789 Dreamliner fleet!

Air New Zealand Boeing 787-9 without necessary Chinese permits forced to head back to Auckland

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