Air NZ hikes Koru Club fee

By CHRIS DANIELS

The price of that glass of wine at the Koru Club is about to soar.

Air New Zealand yesterday announced the cost of individual membership will jump by more than 30 per cent to $495 a year, effective immediately.

The airline says this price hike, the first in four years, will be used to help fund what it says are its "ambitious plans for a $20 million upgrade of key Koru lounges in New Zealand and overseas".

Chief operating officer Andrew Miller described the club as a "user-pays facility" which had been significantly subsidised by Air NZ since it was set up 16 years ago.

Corporate membership will rise by nearly 50 per cent to $445 a year, a $145 increase.

The partner and life membership categories will be dropped, though existing members will not have any change.

Existing club members have until July 1 to renew their annual memberships at the current rate.

* Air New Zealand has also moved to levy extra charges on passengers flying through Wellington Airport, and others that simply fly over the airport.

Ranging up to 10 per cent, this money is being raised in response to the airport raising its landing charges by nearly 80 per cent.

Air New Zealand is challenging these charges in court, so while collecting them from passengers, it is refusing to pass them on to the airport company.