Post by Tony on Jul 22, 2012 0:28:49 GMT 12
From the Dominion Post:
www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/business/7322725/When-Ansett-was-the-new-star-in-our-skies
by Tom Hunt
GREAT BEGINNINGS: An Ansett plane takes off from Wellington Airport
There were no high-class lounges at Wellington Airport and boarding a plane meant an often blustery scramble across the tarmac.
But that was pre-1987 and the launch of Ansett New Zealand, which heralded an era of plush airport lounges, airbridges, and full meals and bars on board planes.
Expectations were sky-high when Ansett took to the air on July 25, 1987, helped by a battler image and legislation the year before opening airlines to foreign ownership.
A seven-page advertisement in The Dominion trumpeted a "new star in our skies".
Baggage claim would be faster, airbridges meant "no more queuing in the pouring rain to climb the slippery stairs, with a howling southerly trying to rip your ears off"' and breakfasts "as soon as you are up" involved orange juice, a ham and cheese croissant, chipolatas, tomato, wholemeal roll, butter, marmalade and tea or coffee.
But just 14 years later the airline had gone under.
Today, its mustard, yellow, red, and blue vapour-trailed stars are a distant memory for many Kiwis.
The doomed airline is perhaps now best known for advertisements - the businessman who boarded the plane with his wife's keys ("I gave them to the pilot," the hostess reassures him, "and he threw them out the window") or Fluffy, the bedraggled cat that accidently ends up at the airport.
Ansett came to the rescue both times with the phrase, "what a big difference a little extra service can make".
Mystery weekends, where passengers turned up to the airport and were flown to an unknown destination within New Zealand, were also a hallmark of the airline.
Ansett pilot Peter Vincent, now the owner of Vincent Aviation, said the "Golden Wing Lounge" - a precursor to today's Koru Club - was introduced, and full meals and a bar service were included, even on regional flights.
While Air New Zealand would probably have introduced these innovations eventually, Ansett certainly sped up the process.
While Air New Zealand in Wellington operated out of an old hangar, Ansett built a whole new building attached to the old international terminal. That was followed in 1988 by the introduction of the new-wave "Whisper Jets", replacing the noisy older jets.
But despite the innovations, passengers failed to make the transition. "If we got a flight with more than 40 to 50 people, it was talked about," Mr Vincent said.
Among crew, there was a family atmosphere. "I guess we were the underdogs and, as such, that tends to bring people together."
Ansett NZ was the direct descendent of Newmans Air, which started service in New Zealand in 1985.
Before Ansett NZ began scheduled services, there were familiarisation and training flights, said Mike Richardson of The Aviation Historical Society of New Zealand.
On June 18, 1987, a flight from Christchurch touched down in Wellington and was paraded for media and airline staff before flying on to Auckland then back to Christchurch.
By the airline's 10th birthday in 1997, by now fully owned by media magnate Rupert Murdoch's News Corp, it had started to turn a profit.
"There were no high-class lounges at Wellington Airport and boarding a plane meant an often blustery scramble across the tarmac.
But that was pre-1987 and the launch of Ansett New Zealand, which heralded an era of plush airport lounges, airbridges, and full meals and bars on board planes.
Expectations were sky-high when Ansett took to the air on July 25, 1987, helped by a battler image and legislation the year before opening airlines to foreign ownership.
A seven-page advertisement in The Dominion trumpeted a "new star in our skies".
Baggage claim would be faster, airbridges meant "no more queuing in the pouring rain to climb the slippery stairs, with a howling southerly trying to rip your ears off"' and breakfasts "as soon as you are up" involved orange juice, a ham and cheese croissant, chipolatas, tomato, wholemeal roll, butter, marmalade and tea or coffee.
But just 14 years later the airline had gone under.
Today, its mustard, yellow, red, and blue vapour-trailed stars are a distant memory for many Kiwis.
The doomed airline is perhaps now best known for advertisements - the businessman who boarded the plane with his wife's keys ("I gave them to the pilot," the hostess reassures him, "and he threw them out the window") or Fluffy, the bedraggled cat that accidently ends up at the airport.
Ansett came to the rescue both times with the phrase, "what a big difference a little extra service can make".
Mystery weekends, where passengers turned up to the airport and were flown to an unknown destination within New Zealand, were also a hallmark of the airline.
Ansett pilot Peter Vincent, now the owner of Vincent Aviation, said the "Golden Wing Lounge" - a precursor to today's Koru Club - was introduced, and full meals and a bar service were included, even on regional flights.
While Air New Zealand would probably have introduced these innovations eventually, Ansett certainly sped up the process.
While Air New Zealand in Wellington operated out of an old hangar, Ansett built a whole new building attached to the old international terminal. That was followed in 1988 by the introduction of the new-wave "Whisper Jets", replacing the noisy older jets.
But despite the innovations, passengers failed to make the transition. "If we got a flight with more than 40 to 50 people, it was talked about," Mr Vincent said.
Among crew, there was a family atmosphere. "I guess we were the underdogs and, as such, that tends to bring people together."
Ansett NZ was the direct descendent of Newmans Air, which started service in New Zealand in 1985.
Before Ansett NZ began scheduled services, there were familiarisation and training flights, said Mike Richardson of The Aviation Historical Society of New Zealand.
On June 18, 1987, a flight from Christchurch touched down in Wellington and was paraded for media and airline staff before flying on to Auckland then back to Christchurch.
By the airline's 10th birthday in 1997, by now fully owned by media magnate Rupert Murdoch's News Corp, it had started to turn a profit.
"We still have some way to go, in all honesty, to get our head above the water," chief executive Kevin Doddrell said at the time.
It wasn't to be. A few years later the airline had folded.
Proof perhaps that a "little extra service" doesn't always ensure survival.
Flight Path
1987: Ansett New Zealand launched, and for the following eight years records successive financial losses.
1995: It celebrates maiden profit of $2.7 million.
1996: News Corp buys into Ansett NZ after Air New Zealand takes a half-stake in Ansett Australia.
We still have some way to go, in all honesty, to get our head above the water," chief executive Kevin Doddrell said at the time.
It wasn't to be. A few years later the airline had folded.
Proof perhaps that a "little extra service" doesn't always ensure survival.
Flight Path
1987: Ansett New Zealand launched, and for the following eight years records successive financial losses.
1995: It celebrates maiden profit of $2.7 million.
1996: News Corp buys into Ansett NZ after Air New Zealand takes a half-stake in Ansett Australia.
2000: Sold to group of Kiwi and Australian businesspeople in new company Tasman Pacific Airways. Tasman does a franchise deal with Qantas in Australia, under which its planes here fly under the Qantas New Zealand name.
April 21, 2001: Qantas New Zealand put into receivership. All domestic flights cancelled. Qantas Australia terminates its franchise agreement with Tasman Pacific.
WATCH TWO CLASSIC ANSETT ADS BELLOW:
Additional information on image
Boeing 737-130 ZK-NEA c/n 19013 City of Auckland.
To N701PJ Transpacific Enterprises.
www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/business/7322725/When-Ansett-was-the-new-star-in-our-skies
by Tom Hunt
GREAT BEGINNINGS: An Ansett plane takes off from Wellington Airport
There were no high-class lounges at Wellington Airport and boarding a plane meant an often blustery scramble across the tarmac.
But that was pre-1987 and the launch of Ansett New Zealand, which heralded an era of plush airport lounges, airbridges, and full meals and bars on board planes.
Expectations were sky-high when Ansett took to the air on July 25, 1987, helped by a battler image and legislation the year before opening airlines to foreign ownership.
A seven-page advertisement in The Dominion trumpeted a "new star in our skies".
Baggage claim would be faster, airbridges meant "no more queuing in the pouring rain to climb the slippery stairs, with a howling southerly trying to rip your ears off"' and breakfasts "as soon as you are up" involved orange juice, a ham and cheese croissant, chipolatas, tomato, wholemeal roll, butter, marmalade and tea or coffee.
But just 14 years later the airline had gone under.
Today, its mustard, yellow, red, and blue vapour-trailed stars are a distant memory for many Kiwis.
The doomed airline is perhaps now best known for advertisements - the businessman who boarded the plane with his wife's keys ("I gave them to the pilot," the hostess reassures him, "and he threw them out the window") or Fluffy, the bedraggled cat that accidently ends up at the airport.
Ansett came to the rescue both times with the phrase, "what a big difference a little extra service can make".
Mystery weekends, where passengers turned up to the airport and were flown to an unknown destination within New Zealand, were also a hallmark of the airline.
Ansett pilot Peter Vincent, now the owner of Vincent Aviation, said the "Golden Wing Lounge" - a precursor to today's Koru Club - was introduced, and full meals and a bar service were included, even on regional flights.
While Air New Zealand would probably have introduced these innovations eventually, Ansett certainly sped up the process.
While Air New Zealand in Wellington operated out of an old hangar, Ansett built a whole new building attached to the old international terminal. That was followed in 1988 by the introduction of the new-wave "Whisper Jets", replacing the noisy older jets.
But despite the innovations, passengers failed to make the transition. "If we got a flight with more than 40 to 50 people, it was talked about," Mr Vincent said.
Among crew, there was a family atmosphere. "I guess we were the underdogs and, as such, that tends to bring people together."
Ansett NZ was the direct descendent of Newmans Air, which started service in New Zealand in 1985.
Before Ansett NZ began scheduled services, there were familiarisation and training flights, said Mike Richardson of The Aviation Historical Society of New Zealand.
On June 18, 1987, a flight from Christchurch touched down in Wellington and was paraded for media and airline staff before flying on to Auckland then back to Christchurch.
By the airline's 10th birthday in 1997, by now fully owned by media magnate Rupert Murdoch's News Corp, it had started to turn a profit.
"There were no high-class lounges at Wellington Airport and boarding a plane meant an often blustery scramble across the tarmac.
But that was pre-1987 and the launch of Ansett New Zealand, which heralded an era of plush airport lounges, airbridges, and full meals and bars on board planes.
Expectations were sky-high when Ansett took to the air on July 25, 1987, helped by a battler image and legislation the year before opening airlines to foreign ownership.
A seven-page advertisement in The Dominion trumpeted a "new star in our skies".
Baggage claim would be faster, airbridges meant "no more queuing in the pouring rain to climb the slippery stairs, with a howling southerly trying to rip your ears off"' and breakfasts "as soon as you are up" involved orange juice, a ham and cheese croissant, chipolatas, tomato, wholemeal roll, butter, marmalade and tea or coffee.
But just 14 years later the airline had gone under.
Today, its mustard, yellow, red, and blue vapour-trailed stars are a distant memory for many Kiwis.
The doomed airline is perhaps now best known for advertisements - the businessman who boarded the plane with his wife's keys ("I gave them to the pilot," the hostess reassures him, "and he threw them out the window") or Fluffy, the bedraggled cat that accidently ends up at the airport.
Ansett came to the rescue both times with the phrase, "what a big difference a little extra service can make".
Mystery weekends, where passengers turned up to the airport and were flown to an unknown destination within New Zealand, were also a hallmark of the airline.
Ansett pilot Peter Vincent, now the owner of Vincent Aviation, said the "Golden Wing Lounge" - a precursor to today's Koru Club - was introduced, and full meals and a bar service were included, even on regional flights.
While Air New Zealand would probably have introduced these innovations eventually, Ansett certainly sped up the process.
While Air New Zealand in Wellington operated out of an old hangar, Ansett built a whole new building attached to the old international terminal. That was followed in 1988 by the introduction of the new-wave "Whisper Jets", replacing the noisy older jets.
But despite the innovations, passengers failed to make the transition. "If we got a flight with more than 40 to 50 people, it was talked about," Mr Vincent said.
Among crew, there was a family atmosphere. "I guess we were the underdogs and, as such, that tends to bring people together."
Ansett NZ was the direct descendent of Newmans Air, which started service in New Zealand in 1985.
Before Ansett NZ began scheduled services, there were familiarisation and training flights, said Mike Richardson of The Aviation Historical Society of New Zealand.
On June 18, 1987, a flight from Christchurch touched down in Wellington and was paraded for media and airline staff before flying on to Auckland then back to Christchurch.
By the airline's 10th birthday in 1997, by now fully owned by media magnate Rupert Murdoch's News Corp, it had started to turn a profit.
"We still have some way to go, in all honesty, to get our head above the water," chief executive Kevin Doddrell said at the time.
It wasn't to be. A few years later the airline had folded.
Proof perhaps that a "little extra service" doesn't always ensure survival.
Flight Path
1987: Ansett New Zealand launched, and for the following eight years records successive financial losses.
1995: It celebrates maiden profit of $2.7 million.
1996: News Corp buys into Ansett NZ after Air New Zealand takes a half-stake in Ansett Australia.
We still have some way to go, in all honesty, to get our head above the water," chief executive Kevin Doddrell said at the time.
It wasn't to be. A few years later the airline had folded.
Proof perhaps that a "little extra service" doesn't always ensure survival.
Flight Path
1987: Ansett New Zealand launched, and for the following eight years records successive financial losses.
1995: It celebrates maiden profit of $2.7 million.
1996: News Corp buys into Ansett NZ after Air New Zealand takes a half-stake in Ansett Australia.
2000: Sold to group of Kiwi and Australian businesspeople in new company Tasman Pacific Airways. Tasman does a franchise deal with Qantas in Australia, under which its planes here fly under the Qantas New Zealand name.
April 21, 2001: Qantas New Zealand put into receivership. All domestic flights cancelled. Qantas Australia terminates its franchise agreement with Tasman Pacific.
WATCH TWO CLASSIC ANSETT ADS BELLOW:
Additional information on image
Boeing 737-130 ZK-NEA c/n 19013 City of Auckland.
To N701PJ Transpacific Enterprises.
