Air New Zealand safety briefing

[Rush2112]

We were just in NZ and took a flight from AKL to Queenstown (and back a week later) and I was most impressed with the safety video - the "bare" essentials! It actually made me watch the video, something I rarely do these days.

Top marks, and especially to the crew who starred in it! :ok:

[raffele]

It's a great video that emerged earlier in the year - you should be able to find it on YouTube if you fancy another gander (and a search of the forums should find you the thread where others were discussing and praising it!)

[Old 'Un]

Just as a backgrounder, some info about the briefing video.

This was part of an advertising campaign undertaken by Air NZ recently. Don't know who came up with the concept, but the Air NZ CEO called for volunteers willing to bare it all for the ads. He put his hand up too.

If you know what to look for, in one of the TV ads, there's a bag chucker walking away from the camera towards a parked a/c. Look for the grey hair - it's Rob.

What followed on from there was a series of ads/publicity material, including the safety briefing.

The whole thing has been quite a talking point within the travel industry. Even travellers have been commenting, bemusedly, about it.

10 points to Rob for volunteering. A good case of not asking staff to do something that he wouldn't do himself.

Le Vieux

[PAXboy]

Folks I know had a serious medical emergency in NZ a year ago. This airline went so far above and beyond, I could not begin to tell you.

A month after their flight home, he wrote to the Chairman to thank him and the staff for all they had done for him and his wife. Their efforts meant that she was able to die in the UK, with her family. The Chairman sent flowers to the funeral.

[RevMan2]

Here's a quote from Rob Fyfe:

"We don't talk about vision or mission or that kind of thing but we do have a character in the company that we do talk about, and one of the attributes is to "be yourself". There's a lot to be said for being yourself, rather than create a facade"

The guy impresses me no end.

[TightSlot]

I'm fortunate enough to work for them in LHR (for that reason I tend to stay off commenting and posting on the subject, since I am hardly impartial).

What I can say is that (in Europe at least) the airline is unique in many ways: After a long career dealing with European short-haul aviation in many forms, I can honestly say that it is a pleasure to work for such an enlightened employer, and for an airline that actually respects customers as human beings. I never expected to find myself saying that I'm proud to work for an airline - but I am (and just have).

Now time to crawl back into impartiality.

[Union Jack]

What splendid testimonials - I am now copying this to friends who are taking their first trip with ANZ, flying LHR-AKL in January, with the HK and LA option, to let them know that they are in such good hands.

Jack

PS TightSlot - I tend to stay off commenting and posting on the subject, since I am hardly impartial - But what if we all refrained like that regarding our own particular "subject"?:eek:

[beamender99]

I worked with them quite a few years ago and they impressed me with their free thinking on many aviation topics.

Just a small example. We always looked forward to their calendar arriving - in the middle of the year. It was not late because it actually started in the middle of the year and thus it was not competing with the blizzard of calendars arriving in December. Another clever bit of advertising.

[Solar]

"We don't have a mission statement"
Oh how I've waited to here that, I've never flown with them yet but that statement makes me want to.
I am sick sore and tired of having "mission statements" rammed down my throat that are not worth the ink it cost to print them never mind the wages of the pratt that thinks them up.

Well done to Rob Fyfe.

[James 1077]

I've taken a new job that means that I'll be flying Air NZ from Auckland to Wellington and back a few times a month. Thus far every one of those domestic flights has been excellent - service with a smile and fun.

I've also flown on the UK to NZ route a couple of years ago and they were excellent the whole way (we were emigrating with our 4 month old twins and the cabin crew couldn't get enough of them).

The only problem that I have had was a flight to Fiji and back 6 months ago where their booking system couldn't handle two infants with the same birthdays and first initial on the flight so every time they checked one in it booted the other one off. Fixed somehow in the end but took a good 30 mins at checkin. Staff were great though and handled it very well.

[PAXboy]

James 1077 How dare you make life difficult for such a fine carrier. Rename your children at once!

Some organisations/companies/groups have a good vibe and it lasts for many years. Others have a bad one and it also lasts. There is one organisation I deal with that has been 'ever so slightly poor' for 18 years. They are 'just a bit awkward' and some I know will use other venues, rather than go to them if at all possible [I'm being deliberately vague here but they are nothing to do with air travel!] Across all those 18 years that I have been attending this venue - they have stayed at the same poor quality. New managers? New staff? New buildings? Nope, they stay the same because the bad vibe is in there and no one understands it enough to get it out. Of course, most of them think they are doing a great job!

I hope that Air NZ keep their vibe and that others learn from it.