A Herald report yesterday told how Air NZ asked a man to present his father's death certificate if he wanted to change his flight.
The airline deals with nearly 4000 people in grief a year, some of whom have shared their tales with the Herald.
THE BAD
Phil Whyman, 68, who is retired, flew from Kerikeri to Manchester last year to support his daughter-in-law dying of ovarian cancer.
She held on unexpectedly for a few days on the brink of death, and Mr Whyman and his wife postponed their flights home.
They were flying Emirates to Auckland, and the Dubai-based airline rebooked their flights free and offered a three-month open-ended ticket in case they had to postpone their flights further.
But Air New Zealand demanded proof of the imminent death before it would change their flights to Kerikeri.
So Mr Whyman faxed a letter from a doctor at his daughter-in-law's hospice - but was told it was not enough.
Mr Whyman said he was asked to produce a marriage certificate to prove his son's marriage, and a birth certificate to prove he was his son's father.
"It was like rubbing salt in the wound. I was a little bit more than irate. I was a frequent traveller in my business days and flew many hundreds of thousands of miles with Air New Zealand," he said.
"I fully understand that people rip them off, but when I supply them with information, it's surely got to be sufficient. I just couldn't believe their attitude."
Reading Mr Crosbie's story reminded him of his painful experience with the airline.
"It just brought back all the pain and anguish from last year, vivid memories of absolute and total frustration."
His biggest grievances were that Air New Zealand would not let him talk to asupervisor about his situation, and that it demanded proof that he was the dying woman's father-in-law.
THE GOOD
Carolyn Aish's father died unexpectedly last Saturday morning.
Ms Aish, who lives in Britain, got a call from her mother and brother just in time to have a final word with dad.
"I was in a state of shock and disbelief and trying to maintain some dignity while crying. This hasn't happened in my immediate family before, and it is a terrible, unreal experience."
Ms Aish called Air NZ right away to book a flight home - and its staff were sensitive and comforting every step of the way, she said.
She was offered special discounts without asking, a flight was booked within hours, and she was on a plane home within a day.
She arrived in New Zealand only about 50 hours after she got her family's call.
"The Air New Zealand staff on the ground at Heathrow were nothing short of comforting and professional, as were the staff on the flight. The flight service managers and their colleagues were just so lovely," Ms Aish said.
Getting the compassionate travel discounts was not a hassle either after a fax from a bereavement counsellor at her father's hospital. "I have and would always fly Air NZ. As soon as I sit down I always feel like I am already home."
INSURANCE
Travellers booking domestic flights on Air New Zealand are now being automatically "opted in" to insurance offers - a standard practice among competitors.
Air NZ now automatically selects $10 "domestic trip insurance" for each one-way flight - without alerting clients of the change.
The move has been criticised as "sneaky" by one consumer rights advocate.
The insurance cover refunds in the event of "unforeseen circumstances".
If a ticketholder is not able to take their trip, the policy will refund the cost of cancelling travel, accommodation and Air New Zealand package arrangements up to $2000.
If something happens during the trip, it will refund the "reasonable" costs of extra travel and accommodation up to the same amount. It also covers any loss, theft or damage to luggage.
Travellers must now de-select the insurance manually.
The airline says it has always had "opt-out" fees on international flights, which can cost up to $50 on return flights to Brisbane and $110 for a return trip to London.
An Air New Zealand spokeswoman said opt out had existed for some time on international services, and the airline had moved in June to "harmonise our domestic travel insurance with the rest of the industry".
Customers had three clear opportunities to opt out while booking, and had 14 days to cancel the insurance, she said.
Consumer New Zealand chief executive Sue Chetwin said the change raised questions.
"I think it's sneaky. It's not what you expect Air New Zealand to do."
OPT-OUT OPTIONS
One-way flight from Auckland to Christchurch on Monday October 18, 2010.
* AIR NZ: $60, now automatically selects the $10 domestic trip insurance = $70.
* JETSTAR: $59 selects an option for $9 optional travel insurance = $68.
