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NZ Herald
12-05-2025
- Business
- NZ Herald
Air New Zealand plans ‘Elite Plus' frequent flyer tier, new exclusive lounge at Auckland Airport
The airline's lounges were 'a highly valued part of the travel experience for many of our customers, whether they're flying within New Zealand or internationally', Air New Zealand chief commercial officer Jeremy O'Brien told the Herald. 'We're always looking for ways to enhance that experience, including exploring the development of a new premium lounge at Auckland International Airport. 'As part of this, we're reviewing how the planned redevelopment at Auckland Airport could shape our lounge offerings in the future.' Elite Lounge Work will begin on constructing Air New Zealand 's new Elite lounge in the next six months, coinciding with a complete renovation of its current lounge at Auckland Airport, O'Brien told Executive Traveller. Rather than dividing space in the current lounge, which has become prone to over-crowding, the airline plans to take on more floorspace to accommodate the new premium lounge. 'We'll be able to give a full elite experience to customers,' O'Brien said. Unfettered access would only be available for Elite, 'Elite Plus' and Elite Priority One members, along with those flying Business Premier. Airpoints Gold and Star Alliance Gold members would still be able to access the main lounge as usual. 'One of the options will be a lounge area for Elite members and Business Class passengers,' O'Brien said. Construction dates remained tentative. Air New Zealand's two-tiered lounge plan is not a new concept. Qantas, which had a premium lounge at Auckland Airport before it closed in April for renovations, has provided passengers with tiered lounge options at many of its hubs. 'Elite Plus' frequent flier tier O'Brien told Executive Traveller that the long-rumoured 'Elite Plus' tier 'will be announced in the next six months', with the new lounge likely being revealed at the same time. '[Members will] have preferential access, priority around upgrades and cabin seating, those sorts of things.' While the new tier's name was confirmed frequent flyers would have to wait until the formal announcement to hear more, O'Brien said. Air New Zealand has eyed the expansion of its Airpoints programme since at least 2020, when Airpoints Elite members were asked what perks they would expect from an 'Elite Plus' tier in a select survey. At the time, the airline was considering benefits such as an upgrade request guarantee based on seat availability, free 'home airport' parking, and the chance for members to nominate a companion to fly with them free of charge. Air New Zealand's former loyalty boss, Kate O'Brien, said during the airline's 2024 Investor Day that Airpoints members had responded well to the airline's latest suggestions, especially that of an exclusive lounge for those at Elite level or above.
Yahoo
15-03-2025
- Yahoo
Global airlines tighten rules on these cabin items amid safety concerns
Several airlines have imposed a ban on power banks onboard since the start of this year. Singapore Airlines is the latest to join the list, prohibiting the use and charging of power banks onboard from 1 April 2025, according to an Executive Traveller report. Thai Airways International, Thailand's state-owned national carrier, has also announced a similar ban, set to take effect from 15 March, as reported by Malay Mail. READ MORE: I was turned away at gate by Ryanair and made to feel like criminal over rule I didn't know READ MORE: Ryanair and Jet2 warn passengers must carry second document on TOP of passport South Korea tightened rules on carrying lithium batteries on planes from 1 March, responding to the growing risk these batteries pose to aviation safety. Get breaking news on BirminghamLive WhatsApp The US Federal Aviation Administration recorded three incidents every two weeks involving overheating lithium batteries on planes last year, compared to just under one a week in 2018. The aviation industry has long recognised these increasingly used batteries as a safety concern, periodically tightening rules in response to accidents. From Saturday, South Korean airlines have issued new rules for passengers to keep power banks and e-cigarettes on their person and not in overhead cabin bins. Charging these devices on board is prohibited, and there will be strict enforcement of battery quantity and strength limits. Passengers are allowed to carry up to five 100-watt-hour portable batteries, while batteries over 160-watt-hours won't be permitted on board. The transport ministry has also stated that these batteries need to be stored in clear plastic bags. South Korean travellers departing from Incheon International Airport, the country's largest airport, expressed relief at the new regulations to Reuters. Kim Wound, a 37-year-old passenger, said: "I feel safe since we have new guidelines that can protect us. I was also advised to carry (these batteries) with me when I'm on board, which makes me feel relieved that we can find out immediately when something happens." These measures were introduced by Korean authorities in response to public concerns about fires, following an incident in January where an Air Busan plane caught fire while waiting to take off. The cause of the fire is still under investigation, but a preliminary statement released on Thursday suggested it started in a cabin overhead locker after boarding. All 170 passengers and six crew members were safely evacuated before the aircraft was destroyed. The fire was detected around 20 minutes after the delayed flight had originally been scheduled to depart. A spokesperson for the International Air Transport Association has stated: "Existing cabin crew firefighting procedures have been demonstrated to be effective for all (lithium battery) incidents which have occurred in-flight. However if such an incident occurs while on the ground, the safest option is to evacuate the aircraft,". Cabin crew are trained to extinguish flames, cool the battery with liquid, and isolate the device in fire containment pouches or boxes. Lithium metal and lithium-ion batteries, types of non-rechargeable and rechargeable batteries, are found in devices such as laptops, mobile phones, tablets, watches, power banks and electronic cigarettes. On a full flight, passengers could be carrying hundreds of these devices between them. Manufacturing faults or damage, like a phone being crushed in the gap between plane seats or exposed to extreme temperatures, can cause these batteries to short-circuit and rapidly overheat. This can result in heat, smoke and fire, and they can even explode in a "high-energy expulsion of extremely hot gel and parts of the device acting as shrapnel", according to the Flight Safety Foundation. Current aviation standards dictate that power banks and personal electronic devices should travel in the cabin, not in checked luggage, so any malfunction can be addressed promptly. A December 2024 study by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) revealed that "non-compliant lithium batteries persistently travel in hold baggage", prompting a call for enhanced hold baggage screening. The aviation industry is investigating fresh techniques for spotting these hazards, such as deploying sniffer dogs.
