Major milestones for Air New Zealand’s mobile app

The Air New Zealand mobile app has hit its 1 millionth download, a figure the company says is a huge milestone for the airline.

Air New Zealand first launched its mobile platform in 2008, then relaunched in 2013 with enhanced functionality.

Since then, the airline has continued to add new features as it builds up its functionality.

Air New Zealand chief digital officer Avi Golan says a million downloads is an important milestone for the airline which is very focused on delivering great mobile experiences for customers.

"Customer satisfaction with the app is high. Customers who participated in research groups told us they use it almost every time they fly with us, with many commenting about how it makes travel easier," Golan says.

According to Golan, Air New Zealand's mobile app offers a range of features to enhance the check-in, lounge, and boarding experiences for customers, including the ability to check-in for flights, manage bookings on the go, track Airpoints balances and receive real-time flight information.

Golan says customers can look forward to the airline continuing to evolve and develop the apps it offers to further enhance their travel experience.

"Not only to manage their bookings and at the airport on the day of travel, but also earlier in the dreaming and planning phase," he says.

In 2015, Air New Zealand also became one of the first airlines in the world to launch an app for the Apple Watch. The airline's app is also now available on Android Wear.

"These versions of the app allow customers to receive real-time flight information and notifications on their device," explains Golan.

"They also offer the ability to order coffee at certain lounges and act as an electronic boarding pass," he adds.

Golan is also happy with the fact that the app has clocked its two millionth coffee order, via the popular coffee ordering function.

The ability to order a coffee from the app while visiting many of the airline's lounges was added in 2014, and is one of the app's most used features, according to Golan.

"The app remembers the customer's coffee preference and invites them to order a coffee at the touch of a button whenever they enter the lounge," Golan says.

"The customer receives another mobile alert when the coffee is ready to collect from the barista. Of the two million orders placed to date, almost half were for flat whites," he muses.