Air New Zealand London Airfares in 1982

 

London Fares Guide - class descriptions

London Fares Guide 1982

1982 was the year Air New Zealand started flying its own aircraft, under its own crew, from Auckland to London, via Papeete and Los Angeles (Boeing 747-200 aircraft did not have the range to fly non-stop from Auckland to the United States). However, Air New Zealand sold airfares to London not just via Los Angeles, but also via Tokyo and Singapore.  Air fares were agreed by the Government, so the cheapest fares available, in economy class (which at the time was arguably more spacious than today, with a 34" seat pitch and 10 abreast seating on a 747 much more spacious than today's 31" or 32" in 10 abreast on the narrower 777 or even 9-abreast on the even narrower 787). was $1884 in 1982 dollars from Auckland to London.  That is $8,372 in 2023 prices.

To achieve a comparable fare under similar conditions, a search on the Air NZ website for a return trip from February until March 2024 of $2,768, indicating that in real terms long haul airfares have reduced by around two thirds. (Of course Air New Zealand no longer flies all the way to London, so the fare below is codeshared with Singapore Airlines via Singapore, the fares below also include codeshares with Virgin Atlantic via Los Angeles)

For those wanting a bit more space, Pacific Class was Air New Zealand's first business class, and essentially consisted of a bit more legroom, empty middle seats, lounge access and better catering.  A lot of parallels with today's premium economy, except with less legroom and recline (although lounge access is not available with premium economy on Air New Zealand). 

Pacific Class cost $4,816 in 1982 dollars, which today is equivalent to $21,400!  Premium economy today is around $6,680 (choosing the cheapest option through Singapore and cheapest via Los Angeles).  That's a drop in price of around 69%.

First Class described in this leaflet, was $7,166 in 1982 which today is equivalent to $31,845!  The description in the leaflet shows seating that is not even up to today's business class, with recliners in pairs, rather than flat beds, with little privacy.  The soft product with catering and drink was undoubtedly superior, but that's about it.  Compared to Business Class today at $14,655.  This is a drop of around 54%, but the options are wider today.  By simply flying via Singapore, that fare drops to $9,812 return, a 70% drop if you don't need to fly via Los Angeles.

 

So what if you DO want to fly first class today?  Of course Air New Zealand abolished first class in 2004 with the introduction of Business Premier, which is a slightly older version of the same seat used today. 

However, First Class IS available on Emirates (and was available on Singapore Airlines), albeit to a standard that exceeds Air New Zealand in 1982. This means private suite seats, showers on A380s, your own minibar and an actual bar to visit on the plane (which business class also has access to). At that point the fare is $16,637, which is still cheaper in real terms than business class in 1982.

The conclusion of this is that in 40 years long-haul airfares (between New Zealand and London) have dropped to levels between 20 and 33% of what they were in 1982 in real terms.  That reflects the removal of government restrictions on airfares in the mid to late 1980s, but also the vast liberalisation of the airline industry in that time, with competition by airline, by route and hub, and the enormous efficiencies achieved across the industry.

Air New Zealand Australian Fares Guide 1982

 

Air New Zealand Australian Fares Guide 1 October 1982

Air New Zealand Australian Fares Guide 1 October 1982

In October 1982 Air New Zealand was only flying direct Trans-Tasman flights from Auckland and Christchurch, and from there to Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane (plus Perth and Norfolk Island from Auckland).  This is its fares guide and should be understood in the context of bilateral international air rights negotiations and highly regulated fares set by mutual agreement between governments. 

Services were at the time solely operated by Boeing 747s from Auckland and Christchurch (Wellington fares presumably reflected inclusion of domestic connections to those airports), and 737-200s to Norfolk Island.  The 737s had single class service, but the 747 offered economy, business (branded Pacific) and first class.

Assuming a general inflation comparison, every dollar at the time of this fare schedule would be $4.41 today.  So that means quite some airfares:

Auckland-Sydney economy with the cheapest fare was $390 return or $1719 in equivalent value today

Christchurch-Sydney full economy was $716 return or $3158 in today's dollars

Auckland-Melbourne in business class (which at the time was equivalent to premium economy of today plus lounge access) was $954 return or $4207 in today's dollars

Auckland-Perth in first class (after all, it's a longer flight) was $2404 return or $10601 in today's dollars.

The general efficiencies of the airline industry have made a big difference, as has greater competition, which was facilitated by the end of Government-approved airfares in the late 1980s.

Air New Zealand Boeing 747-200 First Class

 

First Class Rolls-Royce 747B

Cabin Layout and Seating

Meals, special privileges and facilities

In the 1980s it was common for international airlines to promote their premium products through leaflets highlighting why their premium classes were especially desirable. This was produced by Air New Zealand to highlight the first class product on its Boeing 747-200s, and from a 2023 perspective shows a mix of how far technology has come, but also how soft product has changed so much.

The Air New Zealand 747 First Class was located in the nose cabin, and the front of that cabin (which had a wardrobe, was decorated in a New Zealand forest scene. This was also the location of the pull down movie screen used for projecting films (as it was still a decade or so before personal video players would become available). 16 seats in the cabin is a density that was reduced to 12 around the year 2000 and today in a 747 nose, Lufthansa only has 8 seats in First Class, because First Class is now a much more spacious hard product than in the 1980s.  Simply having pairs of seats side by side would be unacceptable in First Class in 2023 due to lack of privacy, but what is also notable is First Class seats were recliners with footrests, they did not lie flat. Almost all international airlines of any repute in 2023 have Business Class seats that convert into fully lie-flat beds for long-haul flights, but in 1982 First Class would typically be a wide recliner, albeit with sheepskin seat coverings (which has long disappeared no doubt due to wear and tear and resulting cost).

Air New Zealand highlighted that its First Class seats were made by Recaro from "West Germany" as it was then, and being highly ergonomic. No doubt highly regarded at the time, this wouldn't be seen as a competitive Business Class seat today.

However, the soft product compares much more favourably. The trolley depicting bottles of champagne (Lanson and Moet), with elaborately decorated trays of food to be dished out at the seat (with cake to be sliced, alongside cheeses and fruit, on the lower level of the trolley), harks to a time when airline food in First Class was meant to be special and akin to being in a fine restaurant.  Noting wines from New Zealand, Australia and France, a sample menu gives a clear indication of how special Air New Zealand thought First Class should be with a choice of cold Hors d'Oeuvres, a seafood course and a main of beef fillet or chicken, with options of vegetables or salad. 

Finally a list of the "special privileges" of First Class (and let's compare it to first or business class of today, noting Air New Zealand dropped First Class in 2005.

• Preflight seat selection (this is available in all classes, although some seats are reserved for priority frequent flyers)
• First Class Check-in Counter (standard to have first class counters, distinct from business class which itself is distinct from economy class check-in - Air NZ in Auckland has a dedicated premium check-in area, available to business class and Air NZ/Star Alliance Gold and better frequent flyers and Koru Club members)
• Special luggage labels with priority (class based bag tags and priority tags are available in first and business class, priority luggage service is very much airport dependent!)
• Use of lounges at New Zealand departure ports and en route as available (First and Business Class passengers generally have this). Noting the lounge is to "relax with a drink" and meet the "Chief Purser" - the latter is not so common in long-haul international lounges. Finally note the chance to meet fellow First and Pacific (Business) Class passengers, which tends to be not what happens in lounges nowadays, because they are so much bigger, less exclusive and intensely used.
• Personal recognition by cabin staff (this is expected in first class, and often achieved in business class)
• Cold/hot towel service when boarding and in flight (expected in first, business and premium economy)
• Selection of reading and writing material (increasingly disappearing, certainly rare to see writing materials)
• Superior quality headsets for audio/movie entertainment (expected in first and business, with noise cancelling technology, albeit entertainment always includes on-demand video screens)
• First choice of duty free merchandise (duty free is no longer sold on Air New Zealand and is increasingly uncommon among international airlines more generally)
• Complimentary In-Flight Bag (amenity kits are expected in first and business class)

Bear in mind business class (Pacific Class as it was branded) at the time, had only just been introduced by Air New Zealand, and that product consisted of economy class seats with blocked middle seats, sheepskin seat covers, and more seat pitch. Essentially inferior to modern day premium economy. 

Few would hark back to the age of First Class in terms of seating comfort, but there is some sense that the food and beverage service was on a level that simply isn't seen today on most airlines.