............. was her journey originating/starting from auckland?
She'd started her journey on an Air NZ "Feeder" service from our "home" airport 45 mins flight time away at 5.30 pm take off time. I left home to drive her to the local airport around 3.30 pm where she was "checked in" through AKL to LAX. There was around a 4 hour transit of AKL, where she was not re-united with her baggage of course, it was "checked through" and when the LAX gate opened she went through security to the departure lounge around 9.00 pm for an anticipated boarding commencement around 9.45 pm.
No delay was announced until after 10.00 pm. when it was too late to use the complimentary dinner vouchers provided. She couldn't make the 4 hr. road journey back home, and then return for the proposed 8.00 am delayed take off.
Our contention is that having been "checked-in" to LAX from our domestic airport she was firmly established as an Air NZ disrupted pax. and no way could she "go home" and start again for a now early morning departure.
I believe that some AKL residents did indeed offer to go home, but were refused requests to be re-united with their baggage.
Doesn't matter what anyone might say, our opinion of Air NZ and their treatment of their passengers on this occasion is cast in concrete in our minds and we await the arrival of AA and QF competitition with anticipated pleasure.
Going the other way, i.e. through S.E. Asia and the Mid-East we have the choice of Singapore Airlines and Emirates, to name but two who now get our money. Air NZ have had their chance and blown it as far as we're concerned.
Favourite Airline ? Whose !