Little sense of service

Press, 1 February 1986, Page 18

Little sense of service

Pity the intending air traveller with Air New Zealand. Thousands of passengers on international flights have had to do with a bun in a bag for refreshments as a result of industrial action by catering staff during the week. Those passengers at least made it to their destinations, but the foodless flights seem bound to continue into next week — if there are any flights at all. Pilots with the nation’s flag carrier have grounded all. flights for stop-work meetings on Monday morning and no-one is prepared to guarantee when normal schedules will resume. Industrial problems are nothing new to Air New Zealand, of course, and demands for more money are not unique to the airline's

staff. Nevertheless, the airline management might find this an opportune time to explain one or two things to the public again — such as why the perks tax alone will cost the airline $2 million this year for providing fringe benefits to its staff including subsidised air travel.. Stranded or hungry travellers might also feel a little less piqued if they were to hear once again of the "exceptional efforts” of the airline’s staff that were the reason for the $7 million payment last year of an extra week’s wages and $5OO to all Air New Zealand employees. Hard though it might be to reconcile these reports with 'reality, the tales might occasion some wry amusement.