Bag Wait Time to be Reduced for Frequent Regional Travellers

Frequent Flyers on Air New Zealand’s regional services will from next week be able to spend up to 20 minutes less waiting around at airports.

From 19 October, Gold Elite, Gold and Koru members flying point-to-point on Air New Zealand regional turbo-prop services will be able to take advantage of new procedures and drop off and pick up their bags directly at the aircraft.

“Frequent flyers on our regional routes currently watch their bag get offloaded right next to them as they exit the aircraft but then have to wait for it inside the terminal, which slows their exit from the airport,” says Group General Manager Short Haul Airline Bruce Parton.

“Now with a simple reusable Fast Bag tag they will no longer need to check their bag in and instead will drop it directly at the plane. On arrival at their destination their bag will be available directly as they disembark.”

The Fast Bag service further enhances the Epass and Mpass service introduced by Air New Zealand last year. The combination of the Pass and Fast Bag means that eligible customers can present at Air New Zealand Link gates as little as 10 minutes before flights depart.

Customers identified as frequent regional flyers will be receiving their Fast Bag tags in the mail over the next few days or alternatively tags will be available from Air New Zealand Koru Lounges and gates.