Profits have fallen at national airline Air New Zealand, with the Christchurch and Japanese earthquakes hitting the company hard.

There seems to be a general consensus out there that budget airlines are a good way to get around Europe easily and on the cheap.

A Las Vegas casino resort took on a Kiwi flavour this week when top band Opshop played in front of about 600 New Zealanders.

At the height of the aviation chaos caused by the ash cloud, I commented to my wife, "It's going to be interesting to see the outcome of this ... "

Police have dropped a charge against former radio DJ Iain Stables, over an altercation with a Jetstar worker following a missed flight. Both men claimed they had been assaulted and were the victims.

The latest in a series of Air NZ promotional videos featuring US celebrities and the Jim Henson Company-created puppet Rico, has been released.

It's the refund you can claim when your airfare is non-refundable - but few travellers appear to know about it.

Heavy rain, sleet and snow is threatening parts of NZ. Follow developments and read reader reaction from your area.

Weather forecasters say worst of electrical storms over but heavy snow likely in south.