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Air NZ to compete with travel agents on new-look website

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Air NZ to compete with travel agents on new-look website

Air NZ, with all other airlines, has spent the past few years encouraging customers to book flights on its website, avoiding travel agents altogether.

Now it wants them to book their whole holiday online.

This move, described by Air NZ as a market first for the country, will heighten competition with travel agents - many of whom have moved away from selling low-margin airfares into the more profitable area of holiday packages.

Air NZ global direct sales general manager Chris Hunter said online customers had been demanding more from the airline’s website than just a plane ticket.

A big focus of the site was the in-bound travel market, with overseas visitors using it to book accommodation and other parts of their holiday, such as rental cars.

House of Travel commercial director Tony Moffatt said although he expected it, he was still surprised Air NZ was heading down this path.

“Around the world, airlines have been spectacularly unsuccessful at delivering anything more than the airline experience,” he said.

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