"zeal320"

[zulu_kilo]

What is the idea behind this?? :ugh:
Some/all of NZ 320's are being transferred on the register to a company called Zeal320. When you board the a/c the sign 'op by Zeal320', but all in NZ colours, except for 1, which is bright yellow with WB Movie World titles (prev with SJ:\ )
Where is NZ going with this? For 'cheaper' engineering?

[Chimbu chuckles]

Anyone wanna bet that new A320 commands at ANZ will be on Freedomair T&Cs?

[haughtney1]

£5 cold hard cash Chimbu...says your right:ok:

As ever NZ is only about 5 years behind the times:E :uhoh:

[Austin Holed]

"As ever NZ is only about 5 years behind the times"

I don't think so haughtney1, it all started back in the early 90s: introduction of the 744s at Air NZ , getting rid of the F27s, replacing them with low cost Metros & Saabs. Nope, when it comes to shafting airline staff, NZ was right up there.

[haughtney1]

Austin...dont get me wrong, I am one of the afforemention shafted, all Im saying is that NZ is part of a trend.....a 5 year old trend...rebranding a to a low co..then shifting mainline T & C's onto it :ok:

[Split Flap]

Quote "Anyone wanna bet that new A320 commands at ANZ will be on Freedomair T&Cs?"

Anyone wanna bet that that they won't be? Cause I'll have a dollar of that.;)

[Sqwark2000]

zulu_kilo

To your original question, from memory I think the "idea" was that it is cheaper to maintain a single fleet type AOC than a multi fleet type AOC, hence one strategy was to create a new operating company that was to be the Airbus company. To make the combined Air NZ/Freedom A320 operations feel more a team instead of a us/them company they created "Zeal 320".

Of course there probably are more sinsiter motives such as has been aforementioned in this thread

Happy to be corrected though

S2k

[zulu_kilo]

I guess that if any upgrades happen, they will still remain with NZ seniority. I understand that the Zeal320 tech crew will remain on the NZ payroll, for now. The cabin crew I guess will be employed under SJ therefore cheaper. Me thinks there would be just a little objection if the tech crew were employed/paid from SJ... who knows! :}

[distracted cockroach]

Freedom and Air NZ tech crew are operating under their own employment contracts. Both were negotiated prior to the combination of A320 operations and run until 2008. A "work-sharing" agreement was negotiated with the company whereby NZ pilots can fly SJ services and vice versa. In return, SJ pilots got firm numbers on the NZ seniority list (previously numbers were "reserved" and only firmed up when a position with NZ was taken up)
NZ pilots cannot fly with SJ pilots, but both can fly with the other's flight attendants. Aircraft are progressively being placed on the Zeal 320 AOC, and NZ flight attendants can only fly aircraft on the NZ AOC (of which 2 are now left)
As part of the work sharing agreement, Freedom pilot numbers were limited to present strength, so any increase in pilot numbers HAS to come through NZ (and on the NZ contract) There are 2 original SJ F/Os who still have priority right to command, but all other commands HAVE to come from the Air NZ side. Effectively this prevents the company using the SJ pilots contract to undercut the NZ guys. With any luck, in 2008 there will only be one contract meaning the differences in flight and duty times, allowances, rostering, annual leave, etc etc will no longer be present.
Flight attendants under the SJ contract are SUBSTANTIALLY cheaper but unfortunately they have no work sharing agreement, so the NZ girls and boys are being undercut and done out of their A320 flying (they are the short haul F/As who also do all the domestic work on the 73s)
It is what could be called "a bugger's muddle" but the managers think it will save them money and give them more flexibility......go figure!