Air New Zealand quietly increased its baggage and domestic pet fees last week.
The new prices came into effect on Thursday, May 23 and apply to bookings made from that day onwards, 1News reports.
The higher costs are as follows:
Domestic: A prepaid bag now costs $45, up from $35; the excess baggage fee increased from $45 to $60; and overweight bag fees have doubled from $20 to $40.
Short distance: A prepaid bag now costs $95, up from $70; excess baggage fees increased from $60 to $45; and overweight bag fees have doubled from $40 to $80.
Long distance: A prepaid bag now costs $160, up from $120; the excess baggage fee increased from $150 to $195; and overweight bag fees have doubled from $60 to $120.
The price increases were due to a challenging economic environment, said chief customer and sales officer Leanne Geraghty.
“Like many Kiwis and businesses, we are experiencing a high-cost environment, which means we need to adjust prices in several areas,” Geraghty said in a statement to the media.
“We always recommend adding extra bags at the time of booking or before travel to avoid excess or overweight baggage charges. For excess and overweight baggage, customers will be charged one flat fee regardless of the size or weight of the item .”
As for transporting pets, it now costs $120 to fly them on Air NZ, regardless of size. Previously, the fee was $75 for pets up to 25 kg and $100 for pets over 25 kg.
“When transporting furry friends, the cost for us to transport them is the same regardless of their size and weight. That's why we decided to simplify our pet pricing and charge one flat rate of $120 for domestic travel,” said Geraghty.