Air New Zealand has launched a new ad campaign to promote its mobile app and, like a combination of the most interesting man in the world and Cadbury’s airport dancer, it aims to show that using the airline’s tech makes flying an absolute breeze.
According to its website, the Air New Zealand app allows travellers to see all domestic and international flights, view up-to-date details of all flight bookings including seat and gate numbers, book flights, get weather and information about destinations, check in before reaching the airport, scan to board and receive notification of any changes to flight times or boarding gate numbers. And, the one feature that seems to have travellers talking most is that it asks Koru Club members if they want a coffee after they scan in, lets them order it from the app and then notifies them when it’s ready to pick up.
Air New Zealand spokesperson Imogen Dennis says the campaign via FCB is focused on ‘effortless travel’, “and demonstrates how our mobile app makes travelling easier for our customers”.
“Since the campaign kicked off on Sunday night we have noticed an increase in the number of mobile app downloads and we are seeing positive feedback from customers and strong levels of engagement on social media channels around the app and our TVC.”
Dennis says the app has been popular with tech-savvy passengers since it was first introduced, with about 280,000 downloads and high ratings in both the Apple and Android stores. And, as Air New Zealand strives to get to know its customers better and personalise its communications, the data the app provides will no doubt help with that goal.
The app bares a similarity to Kiwi-owned Orbit Corporate travel’s app, which aims to alleviate the stress of business travel, enabling travellers to save time and have secure access to all itinerary details with real-time notifications of any changes to bookings across any airline. It also includes accommodation, rental cars, taxis, trains and event bookings.
In other Air New Zealand-related news, the airline announced on March 10 that it will be one of the first New Zealand companies to launch an app for the highly anticipated Apple Watch, with many of the same features from the mobile app included.
“Air New Zealand customers with the Apple Watch will soon be able to receive flight information and notifications on their device including boarding calls, a departure countdown feature and their electronic boarding pass. Those eligible for lounge access will even be able to order barista made coffee at some of the airline’s lounges straight from their wrist.”
Air New Zealand chief information officer Julia Raue says the airline’s developers visited Apple in California during the development of the app.
“We are continually looking at ways to enhance the customer experience and digital plays a key role in this. Our new Apple Watch app will allow us to provide real time flight updates to our customers in a unique way. Our in-house developers visited the team at Apple in California as they created the app and we’re looking forward to introducing it to our customers in the coming weeks,” says Raue.
Apple has announced the watch will be available for sale from April 24 to customers in Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, the UK and the US but no sale date has yet been announced for New Zealand, but Air New Zealand expects its updated iPhone and watch app to be available in line with these dates.
