Air New Zealand has quietly raised its baggage and domestic pet carriage fees, with the new prices taking effect from Thursday, May 23. The changes apply to bookings made from that date onwards, as reported by 1News.
Updated Baggage Fees
Domestic Travel:
- Pre-paid bag: $45 (up from $35)
- Excess baggage fee: $60 (up from $45)
- Overweight baggage fee: $40 (up from $20)
Short-haul International Travel:
- Pre-paid bag: $95 (up from $70)
- Excess baggage fee: $60 (up from $45)
- Overweight baggage fee: $80 (up from $40)
Long-haul International Travel:
- Pre-paid bag: $160 (up from $120)
- Excess baggage fee: $195 (up from $150)
- Overweight baggage fee: $120 (up from $60)
Reason for the Increases
Leanne Geraghty, Chief Customer and Sales Officer, attributed the price hikes to the challenging economic environment. “Like many Kiwis and businesses, we are experiencing a high-cost environment, which means we’re having to adjust pricing across several areas,” she stated.
Geraghty advised customers to add extra bags at the time of booking or before travel to avoid incurring excess or overweight baggage fees. She emphasized that for excess and overweight baggage, customers pay a flat fee regardless of the item’s size or weight.
New Pet Transport Fees
The cost to transport pets domestically has also increased. The new fee is $120 for all pets, regardless of size, compared to the previous charges of $75 for pets up to 25kg and $100 for those over 25kg.
“When transporting furry friends, the cost to us to carry them is the same regardless of their size and weight, so we have decided to simplify our pet pricing and charge one flat rate of $120 for domestic travel,” Geraghty explained.
These adjustments reflect Air New Zealand’s response to the current economic challenges and the need to manage operational costs effectively.
