Kiwis pay more than Brits for flights 21 Jan 2013
Related articles
Kiwis pay hundreds more than Brits for NZ-UK trip
House of Travel says travellers often need to first get out of NZ - such as to Australia - to get a good deal, even to other destinations
Flights between London and Auckland are up to twice as expensive when booking from New Zealand compared to buying return trips out of Britain.
A Herald survey of British travel agents and websites found return flights originating in London were vastly cheaper than NZ deals on equivalent trips leaving Auckland - with major airlines offering tickets as low as $1500.
House of Travel says travellers often need to first get out of NZ - such as to Australia - to get a good deal, even to other destinations.
Airlines are defending the disparity as a matter of demand and local market conditions.
An Air NZ flight from London to Auckland in April and returning in May, booked from Flight Centre in the UK, cost £852 - $1620 on the currency exchange rate at the time.
The equivalent flight from Auckland to London on the same days, booked through Flight Centre in New Zealand, cost $3189.
And even when adjusting for seasons - so both return flights arrive in spring from autumn - it was at least $600 more expensive to fly return from Auckland.
Flights out of New Zealand cannot be bought on Air New Zealand's UK website, and one-way tickets out of London are almost as expensive as return trips.
House of Travel spokesman Brent Thomas said the price discrepancy wasn't widely known by New Zealanders. His firm hadn't received any complaints, probably because travellers were unaware of it.
"But there are times we put our customers onflights to Australia to fly to the US or even further to the UK because that's cheaper than flying out of New Zealand."
Mr Thomas said he believed the fare difference was due to demand and seasons, but ultimately it was the airlines' decision what flights cost.
Annie Webster, who wrote to the Herald about the discrepancy, said it was fair that Air NZ wanted to attract tourists to the country.
But there were many UK expats who wanted to return home to visit friends and family, who in turn would be encouraged to visit New Zealand for a holiday, she said.
"Where's the level playing field? It sucks."
Ms Webster said the planes had to "go in both directions anyway".
An Air NZ spokeswoman said there was more demand for a return flight from Auckland to London than from London to Auckland.
"This is why the price for the journey originating in Auckland is higher than that from London. In simple terms, the most cheap fares sell out first on any airline operating to and from New Zealand."
She said the best available fare at any time in any market was always determined by a combination of passenger demand and flight availability.
Other influences on price included the cost of international travel compared to other goods in the local market, seasonal demand influence on price, currency fluctuations and competitor pricing.
In the past 10 years, the NZ dollar has become about 33 per cent more expensive for UK visitors.
In 2003, a pound was worth $3. Now it fetches less than $2.
On the 2003 exchange rate, the disparity in the Air NZ fares would have been $616, down from $1569 on current rates.
A Qantas spokesman said every travel market was different, with big variations in the competitive, economic and regulatory environment from country to country.
"Airlines have to match their air fares to local conditions, which is why a ticketsold in London will have a different price from a ticket sold in Auckland. This is true for all international airlines, as it is for global retailers and other international businesses."
Aviation commentator Peter Clark said a "fare isn't just a fare" - sales, seasons, cost of supplies and fuel, demand and how full a flight was all affected the price of a ticket.
A UK travel agent expressed amazement when told of the disparity.
"That's amazing, isn't it? It's quite common though. It's weird but I can't explain it; it's just the way it is."
Travel agents were not willing to haggle on price but offered to beat quotes from competitors.
Korean Air ($2259) offered the cheapest Auckland-London return tickets, followed by China Southern ($2614), Air NZ ($2768), and Malaysian Airways ($2854).
By Amelia Wade
NZ Herald
News
Hilary Timmins' Award-Winning UK Documentary Series To Inspire NZ Students
29 Jun 2020 Education
Dream Catchers, produced and directed by Hilary Timmins, celebrates the success stories of more than thirty inspirational New... more
New Zealand reaffirms support for Flight MH17 judicial process
7 Mar 2020 News
Ahead of the start of the criminal trial in the Netherlands on 9 March, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has reaffirmed the need to... more
Business
NZ Government's Economic package to fight COVID-19
17 Mar 2020 Business News
The Coalition Government has launched the most significant peace-time economic plan in modern New Zealand history to cushion the... more
NZ Government announces aviation relief package
19 Mar 2020 Business News
Transport Minister Phil Twyford today outlined the first tranche of the $600 million aviation sector relief package announced earlier... more
Living
Diversity was Key at New Zealand Trade Tasting in London
6 Jun 2022 Food & Wine
New Zealand Winegrowers Annual Trade Tasting was recently held in London, on Wednesday 4 May, in Lindley Hall.
It was the first... more
Kiwi author stuns Behind the Butterfly Gate
12 Jan 2022 Arts
Hidden behind the Butterfly Gate is where the secret has been kept for 76 years...
New Zealand writer Merryn Corcoran’s... more
Property
Fairer rules for tenants and landlords
17 Nov 2019 Property
17 NOVEMBER 2019
The Government has delivered on its promise to the over one million New Zealanders who now rent to make it fairer... more
New Zealand Government will not implement a Capital Gains Tax
17 Apr 2019 Property
The Coalition Government will not proceed with the Tax Working Group’s recommendation for a capital gains tax, Jacinda Ardern... more
Migration
Boosting border security with electronic travel authority – now over 500,000 issued
19 Nov 2019 Migration
19 NOVEMBER 2019
We’ve improved border security with the NZeTA, New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority, which helps us to... more
Christchurch reinstated as refugee settlement location
18 Aug 2018 Migration
18 AUGUST 2018
HON IAIN LEES-GALLOWAY
The announcement that Christchurch can once again be a settlement location for refugees... more
Travel
Gallipoli Anzac Day services cancelled
19 Mar 2020 Travel & Tourism
The New Zealand and Australian Governments have announced this year’s joint Anzac Day services at Gallipoli will be cancelled... more
New Zealanders advised not to travel overseas
19 Mar 2020 Travel & Tourism
New Zealanders advised not to travel overseas
more
Sport
The Skipper's Diary: Sir Richard Hadlee honouring his father and NZ's Forty-Niners
27 Oct 2019 Cricket
NZNewsUK London Editor Charlotte Everett spoke to Sir Richard Hadlee about why he’s chosen to publish his father’s... more
PREVIEW: All Blacks v England semi-final
26 Oct 2019 Rugby
The two most convincing quarterfinals winners are set to square off in a semifinal showdown for the ages when the All Blacks meet old... more
Columns
Gordon Campbell on the Gareth Morgan crusade
11 Nov 2016 Opinion
Gordon Campbell on the Gareth Morgan crusade
First published on Werewolf
The ghastly likes of Marine Le Pen in France and Geert ... more
Gordon Campbell on the US election outcome
10 Nov 2016 Opinion
Column - Gordon Campbell
Gordon Campbell on the US election outcome
Well um.. on the bright side, there (probably)... more
Kiwi Success
Congratulations to Loder Cup winner
26 Sep 2018 People
25 SEPTEMBER 2018
The Loder Cup, one of New Zealand’s oldest conservation awards, has been awarded to Robert McGowan for 2018... more
Appointments to New Zealand National Commission for UNESCO
16 Aug 2018 Appointments
16 AUGUST 2018Appointments to New Zealand National Commission for UNESCO
HON JENNY SALESA
Associate Education Minister Jenny Salesa is... more
Recruitment
Historic pay equity settlement for education support workers
14 Aug 2018 Recruitment
14 AUGUST 2018Historic pay equity settlement for education support workers
RT HON JACINDA ARDERN
HON CHRIS HIPKINS
Prime Minister
The... more
Historic pay equity settlement for education support workers
22 Aug 2018 Recruitment
14 AUGUST 2018Historic pay equity settlement for education support workers
RT HON JACINDA ARDERN
HON CHRIS HIPKINS
Prime Minister
The... more