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Air NZ said Thursday it expected fiscal 2018 earnings before tax to exceed the previous year, boosted by strength in the domestic market and robust inbound tourism while also announcing a dividend hike. The airline reported a profit before tax, the most closely watched measure of its performance, of NZ$323m (US$237.70m) for the six months ended Dec. 31, down from NZ$349m a year ago as higher fuel prices dampened profits. Still, the company said it was on track for the second highest annual profit in company history. “The domestic market continues to show strength driven by the New Zealand economy as well as inbound tourism, and we will be increasing capacity approximately 6 percent across our regional and jet services to support that demand over the second half of the financial year,” CE Christopher Luxon said. The airline said it would pay an interim dividend of NZ$0.11 per share, up from NZ$0.10 a year ago and the highest interim payout in the company’s history. It also announced plans to launch a new direct service to Taipei, beginning November 2018.<br/>

Air NZ has thanked trans-Tasman travellers for their patience after the mixed response to charter planes filling in for Dreamliners that need engine maintenance and repairs. CE Christopher Luxon also defended the airline's handling of the Rolls-Royce engine problems which led to one being shut down after suffering damage from turbine blades soon after take-off to Japan late last year. Luxon said the aircraft also suffered "superficial, not structural" damage but at no time was passenger safety compromised. "At no point were any of our passengers at risk - there is a system that has multiple layers," he said after releasing the airline's six-month result. "We're taking very aggressive, very assertive action to make sure we get those engines sorted." There was an accelerated maintenance programme underway, with engines being flown to Singapore for checks and, where necessary, turbine blades replaced. The issue has hit the worldwide Dreamliner fleet powered by Rolls-Royce engines — about 300 planes — and Luxon said his airline's maintenance and engineering expertise had helped it work through it better than others. Because of disruption among its 11-strong Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner fleet, Air NZ contracted Portuguese charter operator Hi Fly to operate two aircraft - one between Auckland and Perth and the other between Auckland and Sydney.<br/>

Air NZ says new non-stop flights between Auckland and Taipei will help boost tourism from Taiwan and provide more incentive for Kiwis to fly there. The airline will fly up to five times a week from November using a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner. Direct flight time is about 11 hours and standard return economy fares on Air NZ's website today for that month are around $1530, although airlines will usually launch new routes with promotional deals. At present Taiwan's China Airlines flies to Auckland and Christchurch but via Brisbane and Melbourne. Air NZ CE Christopher Luxon said the new service was significantly quicker and more convenient than current indirect options. About 36,000 visitors a year from Taiwan already visited New Zealand. "We're confident a direct link will grow numbers further," he said. "It's part of deepening that Pacific Rim strategy and those deep connections into Asia - Taipei is a really fantastic place, it's a wealthy city."<br/>

THAI is embracing chatbots and big data analytics to gain insight into customers and boost online sales. "This year, THAI aims to increase the online revenue proportion from 23% to 25% of total revenue, thanks to the advanced features of data analytics," said Pariya Chulkaratana, VP for e-commerce and ancillary marketing. She said the company aims to use data analytics to better understand the customer's journey and provide a<br/>"personalised website". The site will offer a predictive one-stop service for flight information, hotel booking and car rental. Moreover, THAI recently introduced "Nong Fah", an artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot capable of responding to customer inquiries at www.thaiairways.com. Nong Fah is available 24/7 to provide instantaneous replies to questions about promotional offers, advance check-in, flight schedule, official<br/>merchandise and travel extras. "Soon we will have a voice-based digital assistant and marketing campaign offered at different channels suited to customer preference, such as Line, SMS or email," Pariya said. The company will also expand its payment channel next month by accepting QR code payment and Samsung Pay. The company's website saw 30m visitors in 2017, up 15% year-on-year.<br/>

An airline went the extra mile to make sure a passenger's lost wedding ring safely arrived back to her. Brit Morin lost her engagement and wedding rings last week travelling somewhere between New York and Jackson Hole, Wyoming, she said. A United agent found the rings, which are welded together, Feb. 8 at a departure gate at Newark (New Jersey) Liberty International Airport. Morin’s family told the airline she believes her wedding and engagement rings fell out of the bag they were in before boarding her United flight. The rings were then handed to Captain Jim Moorey, who kept them with him while piloting a flight from Newark to San Francisco International Airport, where they were picked up Feb. 15, United said. “A @United gate agent found it, put it in a safe, and then gave it to a pilot to HAND DELIVER it back to me in SF,” Morin said. “I have a newfound faith in humanity and airlines.” “This is great to see our employees being recognized for their care for our customers,” United said.<br/>