New Air NZ begin flight to US, UK

Air New Zealand's three new planes will start flying the return flights to Los Angeles and London today.The airline took delivery of its first Boeing 777-300 aircraft equipped with a new interior just before Christmas.It now has two more and the Civil Aviation Authority has just approved the use of the new Skycouch seats in economy.Air New Zealand spokesman Mark Street said there has been good feedback from passengers travelling on the ad hoc services since January.Another two triple seven planes will be delivered in the next 12 months.

Each plane can carry 338 passengers.The plane's interior is officially known as the Skycouch but has come to be known as Cuddle Class for its seating arrangement.The Skycouch is the first economy seating that allows the traveller to lie flat, or a couple to curl up.Chief executive Rob Fyfe said there has been huge interest in the new aircraft.Air New Zealand has spent four years redesigning the interior to try to take some of the luxuries from the front of the plane and shift them further down the aircraft, including premium economy seats and Cuddle Class.Fyfe unfazed by fuel costsMeanwhile chief executive Rob Fyfe said he doesn't care if the cost of aviation fuel rises to even greater heights. Currently it's around $115 a barrel and other airlines say if it gets to $150, that will become painful.

But Fyfe said Air New Zealand is incredibly robust and has a strong balance sheet.He said high fuel prices will clean out some of the struggling airlines that are surviving by the skin of their teeth. But he said strong airlines should get stronger.Fyfe believes the weak should fall by the wayside but said too much intervention stops that from happening.Ironically Air New Zealand was bailed out by the Labour government in 2002.