“I think the number will be somewhere between 10-15,000 customers, possibly. So it’s significant.”
“This next round of conversations are going to be critical. And as we get the finer details locked down, and if we do end up going down that path, the first people we’ll notify are the customers.”
An Air NZ crew member’s base pay sits between $58,000 and $85,000, but “salaries aren’t just about the base pay”, Ravishankar said.
“It’s a job that is quite unique … so there is a lot of non-base allowances that make up the pay as well.”
Union members’ demands totalled “in the millions”, and as air travel became increasingly expensive, ensuring the airline survived the economic cycle while keeping prices affordable “is high on the agenda”.
“Equally high on the agenda is making sure that we look after our cabin crew,” he said.
On Friday, Air NZ cabin crew from two unions said they would strike next month on the proposed date over pay and conditions.
The Flight Attendants’ Association of New Zealand (FAANZ), representing 1000 Air NZ flight attendants, and about 1250 of the airline’s cabin crew members represented by E tū, altogether represent about 80% of the airline’s total crew.
Air NZ confirmed it had received the formal strike notices, which will see action take place at various times on December 8 affecting regional, domestic and international flights.
Tom Rose is an Auckland-based journalist who covers breaking news, specialising in lifestyle, entertainment and travel. He joined the Herald in 2023.
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