A customer service fail for Air NZ
I’m a big fan of most of what Air NZ does. Their technology investment has been great (love my m-pass and e-pass), and I fly then when I can. I love their safety video (and one of the “stars” was working on my domestic flight today – poor girl – everyone talking to her about it). So I am not an Air NZ basher.
But I couldn’t believe their customer service at the international terminal today. I got there at around 11.30 for a 3.30 flight to Thailand. I’m on Thai Air, but Air NZ do the checkins for them.
Bad enough that at 11.30 they have not even assigned a desk for check ins, so you literally do not even know where to wait. Then at 11.50 they put up a sign for the flight, so I go to the allocated desk, to be told that they will not be checking people in until 12.30 pm. Now I’ve flown a lot and at many airports you can check in for an international flight at any time that day. How hard is it to just have even one person catering for early check ins?
Then around midday the check in staff appear. They chat to each other for a while, and then they go sit behind their desks. But because it is not 12.30 we still can not check in. Yep you had Air NZ staff sitting there behind their desks doing nothing at all, while a large queue is waiting in line frustrated. And the magically at 12.30 we are allowed to approach them.
Why in Gods name would they not just start checking people in, the moment staff are ready?
I don’t blame any of the staff. They are following orders. But someone in Air NZ management needs to get a culture change – don’t force people to queue up, when you actually have staff ready and able to work. They could have easily started check in 20 minutes earlier.
UPDATE; Consensus from the comments is Air NZ not to blame, as Thai would have contracted them for a start time, and they may not even be able to access the computer system earlier. Fair enough. My complaint to Air NZ then becomes a request – can they pass feedback onto Thai that by the three hour mark there are over a score of passengers already waiting to check in, and contracting Air NZ to have even one staff member start earlier would increase customer satisfaction!
November 6th, 2009 at 1:54 pm
Is that still really the case? Since security procedures have been ramped up around the world, most airlines I’ve flown with have a much narrower window of opportunity to check-in. A three hour window may be forced on the airlines in many spots.
[DPF: I've often had six to eight hour gaps in flights and no problem checking in several hours before]
November 6th, 2009 at 1:55 pm
I don’t think they start paying them until the clock ticks over.
November 6th, 2009 at 2:01 pm
I’ve had that before @ JFK with United Airlines.
Though I have to say, I’d be wary of pinning the blame on AirNZ for this one until you’d checked out whether it was the Airport policy / Security etc.
November 6th, 2009 at 2:08 pm
You should have tried this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGVxAb2fth4
November 6th, 2009 at 2:12 pm
That is frustrating. Had a similar sort of experience with Air NZ staff in Los Angeles. They were half way through checking people in for flights ,when all the staff stood up and left their counters. They had a union meeting to attend. From memory they were gone for 20 minutes (might have been 30) while we all stood in line.
Now that was not Air NZ’s fault, as far as I can tell. That is the labour union in action. And nobody missed their plane, this was hours before departure. Not even labour unions are that indifferent to outsiders.
But it still sucked.
November 6th, 2009 at 2:14 pm
I haven’t been anywhere since 9/11 where a 6-8 hour prior checkin was permitted.
November 6th, 2009 at 2:22 pm
This reminds me of waiting for an Air NZ flight from Sydney to Auckland all too early in morning, and being stuck at the back of an hour long queue (at least) to check in, because there was only one counter available for economy class, which was a massive bottle neck. There were two counters open for business class, right beside the economy class one, but they wouldn’t take anyone from economy. Frustrating.
November 6th, 2009 at 2:23 pm
Agree with everything in the post, but one question. Why on earth would you arrive at Wellington airport four hours early? There’s pretty much nothing whatsoever to do there! I love it when I’m only going away a few days and can travel with carry on only, just show up half an hour before the flight(maybe a bit earlier for jetstar), go straight through security and board. None of the torture of having to wait around in the airport which always leads to spending money on over priced, terrible tasting food.
At least Wellington has free wifi though
[DPF: It was Auckland Int Airport. What made it worse is there was no convenient area to wait at for the checkin to open, as they are all upstairs. Eventually I just sat on the floor at the front of the queue and read a book]
November 6th, 2009 at 2:24 pm
I wonder if the issue is due to Auckland Airport, as there might be an allocated space and time slot for checked in baggage for a given flight.
Btw, I assume you met the younger lady in the video, not the older one.
[DPF: The blond one. Both ladies appear pretty young to me, but the one with black hair is probably younger]
November 6th, 2009 at 2:27 pm
Thai are fairly specific on their website that check-in in auckland only opens 3 hours before the flight
http://www.thaiair.com/thai-services/on-the-ground/en/auckland.htm
This will be a contract service provided to Thai, and they will only be paying from 12:30.
If you have a complaint take it up with Thai, Air NZ will simply be doing what is required in the contract.
November 6th, 2009 at 2:34 pm
I ran into that a couple of years ago, in Sydney. When we asked, they told us that the baggage handlers wouldn’t be ready until 3 hours beforehand (or something like that). So conceivably we could have checked in if we had had no bags..
November 6th, 2009 at 2:36 pm
Many airlines don’t open their computer systems for check-in until three hours out from departure, especially when it is a flight leaving from an outport – which will be why everyone had to wait for the magic T-3 hours notwithstanding the staff were already all in place. Passengers with connecting flights can get around this because if it is all on the same PNR, once their first flight trips the T-3 window, all other flights within airport control (as opposed to central reservations) will issue by piggybacking off that first flight.
November 6th, 2009 at 2:36 pm
hmm…Bangkok eh…stay away from soi cowboy DPF..not that Id know..er..Ive been told its er..naughty…
November 6th, 2009 at 2:50 pm
That is an exception I would have to say. I have found Air NZ to have been close to top notch on every occasion over the last few years. One of their best efforts was an early check in for an international. General chit chat about why I was going – wedding – chap goes, “oh you’re not with xyz?”
“Yes indeed.”
“Hold on, they’re gold customers and in the Koru lounge. You can get in on their tickets, I will just call the lounge.”
Big tick.
November 6th, 2009 at 2:55 pm
Just think how good they’d be if the government hadn’t nationalised them in 2001!
November 6th, 2009 at 3:10 pm
poor form really.
ive had to wait for an hour or so in hong kong… but it shouldn’t happen at Auckland airport.
i imagine you have gold status or are a koru member?
November 6th, 2009 at 3:36 pm
I don’t fly ANZ internationally if i can help it.
November 6th, 2009 at 3:46 pm
David
To be fair to Air New Zealand, this is likely because their customer airline – in this case, Thai – does not open their check-in till 3 hours prior to departure. Remember, you are not checking in for an Air NZ flight. This 3 hour check-in is the norm at airports which are not your home base and where the carrier may have only 1 or 2 flights per day.
Where Air NZ provide customer handling for other airlines, they do so on term of contract, so actually, your grievance should be directed at Thai. Even if you said the Air NZ staff should take the initiative, they may not be able to log into systems that allow them to check in for the Thai flight. So it’s best you vent at Thai, not Air NZ.
Stephen
November 6th, 2009 at 3:53 pm
David
Firstly 100% agree AirNZ overall is GREAT, in particular very innovative (super easy check in, space+, their new “fast bag” etc).
The open 3 hours b4 check is is quite standard. It frustrated me no end when overseas to get to Airport early to be told the check in counter opens TWO hours b4 the flight left (had this with Qantas, and at more than one international airport). Means lugging bags around for an hour or so then re-queuing to check in.
I haven’t found any airport that will let you check in much more than 3 hours. (especially the big ones – coz they would have thousands of pieces of luggage from potentially hundreds of different flights to store/sort. The 3 hour window means they are just dealing with what’s leaving “now”.
But agree its silly when their are staff at other counters.
November 6th, 2009 at 4:23 pm
Just think how good they’d be if the government hadn’t nationalised them in 2001????
Hello Heard of bankruptcy .
They nearly went under during the blessings of private ownership. That never seems to count of course , but if the meal is cold
during government ownership there is hell to pay.
November 6th, 2009 at 4:47 pm
DPF, I’m having trouble posting quality posts for debate?
November 6th, 2009 at 4:50 pm
Countess, if the govt hadn’t f’d up the whole process, they would be owned by Singapore Airlines now, Ansett wouldn’t have gone under, and we’d have genuine competition across the Tasman. Explain to me again how the govt saved our bacon?
November 6th, 2009 at 4:54 pm
Bangkok City I guess. I dont’ know how long you are there but Baipai Thai Cooking School is worth checking out.
Translater is Mickey Pattip Aramrung, I know her personally. She will make you welcome
November 6th, 2009 at 5:30 pm
David,
Thai Airways contracts Air NZ to provide ground handling at the airport and that agreement will be covered by a service level agreement (SLA) The SLA’s I have seen (and no I don’t work for Air NZ and never have) are really specific and do include the time the counters need to be opened, how many counters must be open at that time and is policed heavily by the Airline Rep stationed at the port. I would expect this is the same for the Thai-Air NZ SLA.
So your criticism of Air NZ might be misguided and you may want to enquire with Thai Airways and suggest to them that they open the counters eairler. However this would increase the cost to them and would then drive up the price of your ticket.
Ben
November 6th, 2009 at 7:00 pm
You could have just enjoyed the cornucopia (or is that pantheon) of pleasures on offer at Auckland Internal Airport while you waited.
November 6th, 2009 at 7:30 pm
Richard
Agree about the 2 hour opening. Flying from Heathrow at 8am, tickets said arrive 3 hours before. Dragged everyone out of bed at 3am, checkout of Hotel, taxi to airport, arrive 5am, terminal empty – checking doesn’t start till 6am.
November 6th, 2009 at 7:41 pm
The same thing has happened to me every time I’ve taken NZ7 from San Francisco to Auckland.
November 6th, 2009 at 8:07 pm
PaulL you got that one right. Cullen and Co managed to Stick their noses in and stuff up the sale to Singapore. Unfortunately he wasnt as generous to the NZ shareholders as he was to the Aussie shareholders in Tranz Rail.
Countess govts on both sides of the tasman have screwed over AirNZ well and truly over the years. If it wasn’t for Aussie Govt then AirNZ wouldn’t have been interested in Ansett.
November 6th, 2009 at 8:49 pm
I had the same thing in Singapore. They wouldn’t open check-in until 2? (may have been three) hours before the flight. From what i recall it’s to do with security – they don’t want bags sitting around for a long time.
November 6th, 2009 at 10:41 pm
Online check in anybody? Doesn’t Air NZ do this yet??? Good god.
November 6th, 2009 at 10:59 pm
You would have to hold a gun to my head to get me to fly Air NZ internationally, and even then I would probably beg you to pull the trigger. The planes are great but the cabin crew are a pack of uptight bitches, and that includes the blokes.
November 6th, 2009 at 11:30 pm
Quantas has hot stewardesses…shame about the accent tho.
November 7th, 2009 at 12:48 am
Rufus – you flying the same Qantas I am? Emirates if you’re checking out the hosties.
November 7th, 2009 at 3:26 am
Answer to your puzzlement David: “Trade Union”
Danyl said earlier: “I don’t think they start paying them until the clock ticks over.”. If that was the case I seriously doubt they would be there 20 mins earlier, albeit chatting. Normally wage earners only turn up at work when they get paid, not beforehand. But I could be wrong.
I also agree with Chthoniid in the very first comment. Many airports have much smaller time windows for check-in.
November 7th, 2009 at 9:24 am
Emirates yee haa !! Its like walkin on to the set of the playboy mansion…beautiful…
November 7th, 2009 at 10:32 am
AirNZ is OK if you are gold level or business – but otherwise they are just a typical western style airline – shit customer service and they treat customers as though they are an intrusion into their work!
Cathay – downtown checkin in HK – check in a whole day before at the down town terminal – off to Macau for the day and then back to the airport, into the diners club lounge (free for members) and then onto the flight – great service.
Asian airlines are pretty good – along with excellent airports generally (where for example you can buy lounge access if you are travelling economy). The airport facilities really help. Take US airports – more like concentration camps – starts the trip in a bad mood.
And it helps being 6′6” tall – one finds that a bit of the ’stand over’ tactics really help in asia. If they say ‘No’ – you just stand there and look pissed off – its amazing how that quickly turns into “Ah – yes, I think we can change that…”