April 1940 -Tasman Empire Airways Limited (TEAL) formed with trans-tasman flights in flying boats.
April 1947 – NZ Govt NAC begins domestic services.
Oct 1953 – NZ and Australian Govts become only shareholders in TEAL.
April 1961 – NZ Govt becomes sole owner.
April 1965 – TEAL renamed Air NZ.
1960s – DC 8s, Electras.
April 1978 – Air NZ and NAC merged.
1970s – DC 10s, Friendships, Boeing 737s.
1981 – Boeing 747 – 200s enter service, DC 10 phased out.
1986 – Ansett NZ starts first domestic competition.
1980s – Boeing 767s enter service.
April 1989 – Air NZ privatized.
Oct 1989 – Air NZ shares offered on stock exchange.
- Jan 1991 – New organisational structure implemented. International side defined as core business with domestic side separate. Cargo, catering, engineering become own
- business units.
1990s – Boeing 747 – 400s enter service.
April 1996 – Pacific Wave livery and advertising launched.
September 1996 – Announcement that Air NZ had purchased TNTs 50% holding in Ansett Holdings.
June 1998 – Last Boeing 747 – 200 sold to Virgin atlantic.
July 1998 – Commercial agreement with Ansett and Singapore airlines approved by Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.
1999 – Star Alliance Member
Worlds Warmest Welcome Advertising
2000 – Singapore airlines buys 25% of Air NZ
News Ltd 50% share of Ansett Australia bought by Air NZ for $600 million.
Ansett had an extensive network throughout Australia and provided Air New Zealand customers with a greatly enhanced offering.
Following a significant downturn in Ansetts performance, leading to unsustainable levels of losses, Ansett was placed into Voluntary Administration in September 2001. On the 4th of October 2001 the Air New Zealand Board, its major shareholders and the New Zealand Government announced a new proposal which provided a substantial capital injection from the New Zealand Government. Following shareholder approval of the new proposal in December 2001, Air New Zealand was recapitalised in January 2002.
In July 2002, Air New Zealand began a fleet renewal programme and confirmed an order for 15 new Airbus A320s. The deal includes confirmed purchase rights on a further 20 aircraft from the A320 family, exercisable over the next ten years. The fleet renewal programme will be focused on international short haul routes on the Tasman and South Pacific. The Airbus aircraft will replace Boeing 767-200 aircraft that are being retired from the fleet, and Boeing 737-300 aircraft that will be progressively retired between September 2003 and December 2006.
- In addition to the benefits the Airbus aircraft will bring to the airline, they will also expand the capability of Air New Zealand Engineering Services
- ("ANZES").
The current fleet includes Boeing 747, 767, and 737 jets, with the Air New Zealand Link carriers operating ATR72, SAAB 340 and Beech 1900 turbo-props. Airbus A320 twin-jets are to be introduced on trans-Tasman and Pacific regional routes beginning from the second half of 2003.
Being There Is Everything
Today we are changing our business model to firmly put the customer at the front of all our processes. Our domestic business has changed dramatically. We listened to our customers and, in response, launched our new Express Class. We want people to be able to fly more because being there is everything.
Express Class began operating on 1 November 2002 and encompasses substantially lower fares with simplified rules, a focus on internet sales and ease of booking, additional seat availability and improved loyalty benefits for frequent flyers.
With the successful re-launch of our domestic product, we are turning our attention to our short haul international (Tasman and South Pacific) and long haul international products and services. The outcome of this review is expected to be announced in the 2003 calendar year.
28 November 2008 Perpignan crash, lost 5 Air NZers
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