Jaunted

Airline News / Air New Zealand / New Zealand Travel / Auckland Travel / AKL / Christchurch Travel / CHC / → All Tags

Air New Zealand's New 'Koru Valet' Idea is a Little Crazy, a Little Genius

Maybe a former airline CEO can wash your car?

There's no doubt that Air New Zealand is always trying to think outside the box when it comes to keeping loyal customers and creating raving fans. Now, the Kiwi airline has added even more perks for hopping on one of their planes. Something called the "Koru Valet" hit the scene several months ago and we find the benefits pretty compelling.

The Koru Valet service isn't just your traditional, "we'll park your car and take you to the terminal" kind of deal. It's a bit more and, had we a car in New Zealand and an upcoming flight, we wouldn't hesitate to use it. It goes like this: an Air New Zealand staff member parks your car super close to the terminal and then you fly off, return, and get that car back washed, serviced and with a full tank of gas. Yep, all that in one valet parking lot.

more ›

Livery / Airline News / Air New Zealand / Airplanes / Hobbit Travel / 777 / New Zealand Travel / AKL / → All Tags

Hobbits Hitch a Ride on an Air New Zealand 777

With all the anticipation and drama of a movie premiere, Air New Zealand unveiled their newest livery and this time it's not all-black. In fact, this one is quite the opposite as it's mostly white with "middle-"earthtones and Hobbits all over it.

In short, the Kiwi carrier has painted a scene from the movie The Hobbit:An Unexpected Journey on one of the Boeing 777s that flies between New Zealand and LA, eventually continuing on to London. The grand reveal of the aircraft's new paint job happened in a hangar tarted up to look like a "hobbit-hole."

more ›

Politics Travel / Airport Security / TSA / Airports / Travel News / Full-Body Scanners / New Zealand Travel / New Zealand / Drug Travel / AKL / Airport News / → All Tags

Auckland Airport Tests Full Body Scanners, But Not for Security's Sake

The US TSA has been famously unconcerned with traveler frustration over airport nudey scanners. In Britain, if you opt out of a full-body scanner, you don't even get to fly. There are some ins-and-outs to how the policies got made and why they stay the way they are, but mostly it's that security officials know that Americans and Europeans don't care about invasive searches and scanners.

Things are a little different in New Zealand, where there's legislation explicitly forbidding "naked imaging" in airports. Maybe it's because the culture is slightly more infused with machismo, or maybe travelers over there just have less patience for security theater than we do. In any case the ban is now creating some problems because New Zealand airport authorities want to introduce more advanced scanners into security checkpoints. They're not really interested in the extra security provided by the machines, though, as much as they want to catch drug smugglers.

more ›

Airport Lounges / Photo Gallery / New Zealand Travel / AKL / Airports / Eric Rosen / Air New Zealand / Business Class Travel / → All Tags

Inside Air New Zealand’s Koru Lounge at Auckland Airport

As part of our Airport Lounge Series, we’ve already taken you inside Air New Zealand’s expansive Koru Lounge at LAX. But while we were on our way back from New Zealand to the U.S. after checking out the airline’s nifty new 777-300ER, we hung out in Air New Zealand’s flagship international lounge at Auckland. Thus, of course we’re going to bring inside as well, with a look at all its amenities, including a photo gallery and video. So get ready to say Kia Ora…and sign up for a foot massage!

more ›