KEY POINTS:
Air New Zealand will not cave in to public pressure as passengers today face their first day without a free biscuit.
"We're not reinstating it," spokeswoman Pam Wong said yesterday. "As mentioned before, we have introduced this based on surveys and everything else that we've done."
Ms Wong said Air NZ had not been swayed by the outcry that erupted after news it was axing the biscuit and replacing it with paid snacks on all 737 flights.
"At this stage we're obviously looking forward to introducing the [pay] service, which we believe there's a strong demand for," she said.
The position represents a change from Friday, when Ms Wong said Air NZ could crumble in the face of the biscuit backlash and bring back the wrapped cookie if passengers desired.
"It really comes down to what they want," she said at the time.
Her reaction then was in response to a deluge of emails to the Herald website from passengers decrying the biscuit's demise, as well as criticism of the move from All Blacks Ali Williams and Keven Mealamu. Williams said getting rid of the cookie was "stupid" and Mealamu, a fan of the chocolate chip variety, also wanted them brought back.
A spokeswoman for Helen Clark said the Prime Minister had "no view on the biscuit" and - as far as her frontperson knew - did not consume them on flights.
National Party leader John Key said he was "delighted" the biscuits were gone because he found them "an unwelcome temptation" his waistline could ill afford.
Broadcaster Paul Henry was appalled, saying it was the end of an era.
