Air New Zealand cancels long-haul services as cabin crew strike looms
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Air New Zealand's cancellation of 46 wide-body long-haul services affected 9,500 passengers.
PHOTO: REUTERS
AUCKLAND – Air New Zealand said on Feb 11 that it cancelled 46 wide-body long-haul services ahead of a planned two-day strike by cabin crew over stalled negotiations.
The cancellations affected 9,500 passengers, the airline said in a statement, adding that the domestic and regional network would operate as normal, with some cargo-only flights also scheduled.
In a separate statement, local union E tu said the airline’s cabin crew would strike on Feb 12 and 13 after talks failed to resolve their concerns, urging Air New Zealand to make “a fair and realistic” offer.
“The work done by wide-body cabin crew is demanding and often misunderstood,” E tu national secretary Rachel Mackintosh said.
“They are also shift workers whose rosters change every month. They work very irregular hours... and there is no certainty in their work patterns.”
The union said the strike will involve only wide-body aircraft workers, with cabin crew taking action on both days.
Air New Zealand said it has contacted affected passengers with rebooking options or refunds.
The airline added that it has rescheduled flights and redeployed its fleet to protect most Tasman and Pacific services from cancellations. REUTERS
