Air NZ taunts rivals over delayed flights

Air New Zealand is putting the heat on its rivals over reporting punctuality on domestic routes.

Pacific Blue in June began publicising its on-time performance - in its case aircraft departing within 15 minutes of schedule - but Air New Zealand yesterday called for that to drop to a 10-minute window.

In July, 86 per cent of Air New Zealand's 15,357 flights operated by 68 aircraft left within 10 minutes of schedule, the airline said. It will report its performance monthly in operating figures it gives the stock exchange.

Pacific Blue has said that for the six months to June, 90 per cent of its flights departed within 15 minutes of schedule.

Air New Zealand's group general manager (short-haul airline), Bruce Parton, said Pacific Blue's 15-minute window "was a slap in the face to Kiwi travellers".

"If we can operate that number of flights and aircraft to a 10-minute standard, so too should our domestic competitors each operating with just three aircraft."

Qantas successor Jetstar's entry into the domestic market in June was marred by delayed flights, partly due to its aircraft not being equipped to land in Queenstown in all weathers.

Jetstar said yesterday that now that it had been flying here for two months it would report on-time performance "in the near future" on its website.