Demand sees Air New Zealand re-open lounge: Domestic passenger numbers picking up

Air New Zealand has re-opened its Wellington regional lounge on weekdays for the first time since the pandemic. Alison Swarbrick, the airline's senior manager of global lounges and valet, announced the move which she said was to accommodate strong domestic demand. The Wellington domestic lounge is open as usual on weekends and public holidays. "It's great to see Kiwis travel their own country and we're pleased to be open again," she said. Wellington Airport CE Steve Sanderson says domestic passenger numbers are picking up again. "Our regular travellers will arrive and depart from the gates they were used to pre-Covid. They will also be able to enjoy more regular terminal entertainment and faster security screening following the rollout of new smart lanes by Aviation Security at the end of last year." Air New Zealand reported an after-tax loss of $454m for the year ended June 30, 2020, down on the previous year's $276m profit. It expected to operate at around 80% of its pre-Covid capacity in January and February.<br/>