I don't mind to be rude either, but why vent here? There is a whole department with Air New Zealand who deal with complaints like this.
The company is trying hard to learn how to do things better when things don't go right and I believe is moving in the right direction.
Just venting anonymously here without engaging with Air New Zealand isn't going to make anything better.
But at the end of it, I'm pleased you have another option going to LAX now. Competition is good, it will either show how good or bad the current operator really is.