Media Release 9 June 2006
Air New Zealand And Commerce Commission Agree On Advertising Charges
Air New Zealand has reached an agreement with the Commerce Commission in respect of prosecutions related to advertising
in 2001 to 2003. The Auckland District Court today heard joint submissions including agreement to fines totalling
$600,000 related to 112 advertisements. The Commerce Commission proposes to withdraw prosecutions in respect of 239
other advertisements. Air New Zealand has also agreed to pay $50,000 towards the Commerce Commission's costs.
If the joint submissions are accepted by the Court on 16 June, it will conclude proceedings heard last year in which the
Court found that 14 out of 20 sample advertisements were misleading because headline fares did not include Civil
Aviation Authority and insurance charges and in one case, a fuel surcharge.
Air New Zealand's Group General Manager Shorthaul Airlines, Norm Thompson, said "Air New Zealand's advertising has
changed materially since 2003 and now provides greater clarity of what had become a complex calculation of variable
input costs to different fares. The company will continue to work with the Commerce Commission to agree on further
opportunities for simplification."
ENDS