New Zealanders love New Zealand says Air New Zealand

New Zealanders love New Zealand says Air New Zealand and the numbers prove it. Last year Air New Zealand carried almost 8 million customers (7,919,929 to be exact) and operated 118,721 flights around Aotearoa (New Zealand) and the world in 2021. Air New Zealand Chief Customer and Sales Officer Leanne Geraghty said if the year has taught the airline anything, it was that Kiwis absolutely love to travel around Aotearoa. “7.4 million customers travelled on our domestic network last year, up from 6.7 million in 2020, which is just fantastic to see,” Ms Geraghty said. The increase is despite Auckland, which accounts for a significant percentage of domestic travellers, being in lockdown for several months. “We also welcomed many frequent flyers, with our most frequent flyer taking 230 flights in 2021, clocking up a staggering 96,121 kilometres in the air.” And those passengers consumed;

4.5 million Cookie Time cookies,
8 million famous Air New Zealand lollies
1.3 million savoury snacks
176,796 litres of juice
96,632 litres of soft drink
123, 922 litres of beer
40,095 litres of red wine
21,182 litres of Chardonnay
23,050 litres of Sauvignon Blanc
2,142 litres of whiskey
591, 280 crackers

The airline also made a significant contribution to the Department of Conservation, helping protect New Zealand’s native species. In 2021, Air New Zealand helped relocate more than 600 threatened species and flew 73 conversation dogs around the country. It also donated more than 720,800 goods including blankets, pillows, and cookies to support a range of charities, such as Women’s Refuge. Shipments of vaccines and other medical supplies were carried by the airline into New Zealand, as well as Samoa, Fiji, Tonga, Rarotonga, Niue and Australia. For cargo, the airline carried 121,000 tonnes of cargo across New Zealand and the world. This includes:

12,200 tonnes of fresh produce (largest quantities being capsicums, blueberries, avocados and tomatoes)
6,300 tonnes of chilled meat (lamb, beef and chicken)
2,700 tonnes of chilled salmon
1,600 tonnes of lobsters
6,400 tonnes of other seafood (fish, clams, tuna, mussels, oysters)

Ms Geraghty says despite lockdowns and continued restrictions on travel caused by the global pandemic, Air New Zealand achieved a phenomenal amount in 2021. “I’m incredibly proud of the Air New Zealand team and all that’s been achieved last year. Things are certainly looking up for 2022, with borders expected to open in the months ahead. We’re looking forward to carrying more Kiwis to where they need to be, relocating native wildlife, transporting cargo and everything in between!”