Domestic Flight
Disruptions
and your rights
We do everything we can to meet our schedules. That means flying you,
your companions and your bags to your destination, at the time we promised.
Sometimes despite our best efforts, things do not happen as planned.
We want you to know your rights, and what we can do to help.
Does this information apply to you?
This information applies to our flights between New Zealand
airports.
• Different rules apply to our international flights.
• If your flight is on another airline, please contact them
for help.
What has caused your flight to be
delayed or cancelled?
Disruptions (delays and cancellations) beyond our control
Sometimes there’s nothing we can do to prevent a flight
disruption – it’s uncontrollable.
Under New Zealand law, these ‘uncontrollable
disruptions’ include:
• Weather events or conditions
• Instructions from air traffic control
• Instructions from the Government, NZ Police or other authorities
• Major events like volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, floods
or fires
• Efforts we’ve had to make to save a life
If we couldn’t get you to your destination in a reasonable time
after one of these disruptions:
• If you purchased a refundable ticket, we will refund your
unused ticket;
• If you purchased a non-refundable ticket, we will give you a
credit which you can use over the next 12 months; or
• You may be able to make a claim from your insurer if you
have travel insurance.
Disruptions (delays or cancellations) within our control
Sometimes a disruption is in our control. For example, delays
or cancellation that is considered within our control includes
mechanical issues, staffing shortages, strikes by Air NZ staff,
or ‘denied boarding’ for reasons within our control.
• If the disruption is within our control, and we couldn’t offer
you a reasonable alternative, we will give you a refund or a
credit for your airfare – it’s your choice.
• The refund or credit will be for any flights you haven’t
already completed.
• You may also be able to claim from us other direct costs as a
result of the disruption (see Claiming Other Costs)
If these situations apply to your disruption and you booked
through a travel agent or other booking agent, please ask them
to request a refund for you.
If you booked with us directly, contact our Refunds Team
(details below).
Keeping you updated
When your flight is delayed, rescheduled or cancelled, we will let
you know as soon as possible by:
• Notifications on the Air New Zealand mobile app
• Text messages
• Email alerts
• In-terminal announcements and departure board displays
We’ll do our very best to get you to
your destination
If there is a disruption, our priority is to get you to your
destination as soon as possible. We’ll try alternative options for
you such as:
• Another Air New Zealand scheduled flight
• A flight operated by a different airline
• Chartered buses
These alternatives may take longer than your original flight.
When we are able to offer you an alternative travel option,
you won’t have to pay any additional charges.
If we provide a reasonable alternative, we won’t refund your
airfare if:
• You have accepted the alternative travel provided;
• Your flight was cancelled, delayed or rescheduled as a result
of an uncontrollable event (more details about this are
below); or
• You refuse or fail to take the option we’ve offered.
If we cannot provide you with a reasonable alternative, your
rights will depend on whether the cause of the disruption was
beyond our control or within our control - see following sections.
AUGUST 2023
Missing a connecting flight or other
travel bookings
Sometimes a flight disruption leads to you missing the next
part of your journey. We may be able to help.
Did you miss a connecting flight on the same booking?
If your flights were all booked on a single ticket, we will try to
find you a new connection.
Did you miss a different type of travel connection?
Unfortunately, we can’t help if your first flight is disrupted and:
• Your connecting flights are on a different ticket on a
different airline
• Your connecting flights are in different bookings on a
different airline that are not linked together
• If your connections use other types of travel, like trains or
cruise liners.
Please contact your booking agent in these cases. They are
in the best position to help.
Claiming other costs
You can also claim from us reasonable, proven costs that are
directly caused by you being:
• Denied boarding from a flight (those costs that are not already
covered by the compensation payments in the table above)
• Affected by a disruption that was not classed as ‘uncontrollable’
These costs might include reasonable accommodation, meals and
transport costs to/from the airport following an overnight disrupt.
Please make sure you send receipts or invoices to support your
claim to our Customer Relations Team.
By law your claim for these costs cannot exceed 10 times the
amount you paid for your flight. If the costs you incur are higher,
or if the cause of the flight disruption was ‘uncontrollable’, you
may be able to claim from your travel insurer.
You can’t claim costs or losses:
• that should reasonably have been avoided by you. For
example, if your flight is cancelled you should try your best to
reduce your costs or losses as much as possible by promptly
cancelling accommodation, activities, car hire etc.
• losses that could not have been foreseen by either of us
• if you cannot show us your receipts for those costs.
Denied Boarding compensation
(for reasons within our control)
Contact Us
Contact Centre
0800 737 000
Refunds (tickets only)
• If you qualify for a ticket refund, you can use
our online Refund Request (scan here)
• Or contact our Refunds Department
• Private Bag 92007, Auckland 1142
• refunds@airnz.co.nz
Customer Relations
To claim costs, contact our Customer
Relations team.
Air New Zealand Customer Relations
• Private Bag 92007, Auckland 1142
• https://www.airnewzealand.co.nz/feedback
*Compensation will be cash or a voucher to be exchanged for cash.
Compensation is only for fare paying passengers, not for infants.
Denied Boarding (for reasons within
our control)
Sometimes a flight won’t have enough seats for everyone
and you may be denied boarding. This can be due to us
reaccommodating customers from earlier disruptions or
having to change aircraft type, for example.
In such instances, we need to ask some passengers to take
a later flight.
• We first ask for volunteers to give up their seats.
• If there aren’t enough volunteers, you may be chosen to take
an alternative flight.
In both cases you will be given compensation (see table) for
your inconvenience and re-booked on the next available flight.
If you’re asked to take an alternative flight and miss the reason for
your original flight (such as a meeting or special event):
• We compensate you for taking a different flight
• We give you your choice of a credit or a refund for your
unused ticket
• You may also be able to claim other direct costs of the delay
that are not covered by the compensation (see Claiming
Other Costs)
We don’t compensate you if you are required to take a different
flight for reasons beyond our control, for example if you did
not check in on time or an aircraft change is needed due to
weather disrupts.
If you booked through a booking agent, please ask them to
request your refund or credit.
If you booked with us directly, contact our Refunds Team
(see Contact Us).
Length of your delayed arrival Compensation*
Less than 2 hours $100
Between 2 and 4 hours $200
More than 4 hours $300
Accommodation (for non-local residents
facing an overnight delay)
Additional reimbursement
for reasonable overnight
accommodation, transport
and meals (receipts required)
AUGUST 2023
Please see our Conditions of Carriage for more detailed information, this is the legally-binding agreement between us.
The Civil Aviation Act 1990 takes precedence over both this summary and our Conditions of Carriage.
Customer Service
& Tarmac Delay Plan
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