Even the Cheapest Flights New Zealand

... can bring you a little luxury

You're in luck!

Some of the cheapest flights New Zealand are offered by the Economy Class Award Winners of 2006...

Yes! The winner of the 2006 Award for Best Economy Class flies into Auckland. As do the second and fifth place getters. And they offer some of the cheapest flights New Zealand...

Malaysia Airlines is the winner of the 2006 Award for Best Economy Class - an award is based upon quality of product and service standards supplied on long-haul, intercontinental routes - and is well-known for offering discount flights into New Zealand.

Runner-up is Singapore Airlines, with Swiss moving from 6th in 2005 to take 3rd this year, Qatar Airways into 4th place (2005=9th), and Emirates maintaining a ranking in the top 5.

Malaysia Airlines
Singapore Airlines
Swiss
Qatar Airways
Emirates

©Skytrax Research 2006

Commenting on the 2006 results, Peter Miller (Skytrax Director Marketing) said ...

"Economy class is the bread and butter business for all airlines, and is of course the mode of air travel for the majority of customers."

"It is probably the most criticised aspect of an airlines product and service standards, and has been an area in recent years that has seen many airlines cutting back investment, and in many areas reducing product levels in a bid to maintain levels of profitability".

For those of you who have found the cheapest flights New Zealand before, you've probably experienced this... But things are definitely improving.

"Whilst short haul economy service has been considerably changed to counter the competition from lost cost airlines, the long haul economy cabin has had to counter the fact that fares remain at an artificially low level in many markets."

"That said, there are still a large number of airlines out there that do offer a full service product, and are indeed constantly striving to improve the overall standards that they deliver to their Economy class customers."

Fortunately, the cheapest flights New Zealand are often provided by the Asian airlines. That happen to be 5-star award winners...

And that's got to be good for the travelling public!

"Looking at the onboard experience for a typical long-haul flight, there are a fairly limited number of factors of prime importance to the customer - seat comfort, standards of inflight entertainment and onboard catering, and the general efficiency and quality of the staff service."

"Malaysia Airlines is clearly winning on these fronts, and being one of the small number of airlines to retain a seat pitch of 34 inches is testament to the level of importance placed upon seating comfort levels."

"They are an airline offering AVOD entertainment, a good standard of onboard catering ranking, high cabin staff performance - all of which were clearly the contributing factords to their success in this category."

Now that Air New Zealand no longer operates on the Auckland - Singapore route, you can expect more flights from second-placed Singapore Airlines. Another company offering some of the cheapest flights New Zealand.

"...(which) was similarly well rated for inflight entertainment and catering, although more confined economy seats and an apparent decline in previously very high cabin staff service standards were constituent factors in missing out on top spot for 2006."

While not flying to Auckland, Swiss is part of the Star Alliance, of which Air New Zealand is also a member. So you might be able to find a combination there, maybe through the US. Though they may not be the cheapest flights New Zealand, they'll be the most comfortable...

"Swiss shows further progress up the ranking, from 6th last year to 3rd place in 2006. In sharp contrast to the generally poor ranking of Swiss short haul services in Europe, passengers clearly find the long haul product to be closer to the former very high standards of their predecessor, Swissair. Efficiency and consistency of service were specific hallmarks that were echoed by many of the survey respondents."

Fourth-placed Qatar Airways could be worth considering if you're flying out of Europe and want to stop in the Middle East, though maybe not at Doha, before heading on to South East Asia and Oceania...

Perhaps not providing the cheapest flights New Zealand but...

"Qatar Airways continues on its drive toward excellence, its Economy Class ranking moving from 9th in 2005 to take 4th position this year. Accepted to have an excellent quality of product and service across its inflight service experience, the main restraint to a higher quantum leap in the rankings appears to be limited and overcrowded facilities passengers experience at the home base airport of Doha."

"Evidently this is something that will change when the new airport opens in a few years, but does serve to demonstrate the importance that customers place upon the airport experience as a whole."

And, finally Emirates. One of my favourite airlines... and despite the expansion issues, still offering some of the cheapest flights New Zealand.

Air New Zealand's CEO is publically unimpressed with Emirates and, in a competitive environment, presumably they're doing something right...

"Emirates has been a consistent Top 5 performer in the Best Economy Class Awards, slipping back this year from 2nd place in 2005. Excelling in categories such as inflight entertainment, well ranked for onboard catering, survey feedback largely points to the lack of service consistency experienced by Economy class customers."

"As an airline established around an ethos of very high quality, it would seem the dramatic expansion that Emirates is experiencing has moved the focus away from some of the basic aspects of passenger satisfaction"

As mentioned elsewhere, choose your airline carefully, the rock-bottom cheapest flights New Zealand may not necessarily be the best start to your holiday and paying just a little extra could get your vacation off on the right foot...

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