Keeping cellphones off during flights will soon be a thing of the past with Air New Zealand set to introduce new aircraft with mobile and internet services later this year.

Air New Zealand is increasing its international capacity by 4.9 per cent and domestic capacity by 3.8 per cent as it starts to see a recovery in air travel.

A jobless jetsetter is snapping up dozens of Air New Zealand's $1 Grabaseat fares - so he can earn enough Status points to gain gold flyer perks.

Air New Zealand climbed from eighth-best in the world last year's to fifth in this year's annual world airline awards.

Plastic cutlery on some Air New Zealand flights is re-used up to 10 times before being thrown away.

Air New Zealand has begun hiring new cabin crew - but is not offering jobs to any of the flight attendants made redundant in last year's downturn.

Air NZ has taken an unusual approach as it defends itself from claims an alliance with Virgin will mean an inevitable downgrade of its services.

An Air NZ flight attendant has been sacked after mistakenly sending a "highly derogatory and offensive" email about an Air NZ manager to the man himself.

A partnership between Air New Zealand and Australian airline Virgin Blue that could result in up to 80 more flights across the Tasman each week is unlikely to deliver cheaper fares, aviation experts say.

A proposed Tasman alliance between rivals Air New Zealand and Virgin Blue has both companies promising lower fares.

The first flight back from London after disruptions from volcanic ash has landed at Auckland airport.