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