Latest / Early Edition with Ryan Bridge / Irene King: Aviation Commentator on Greg Foran resigning as CEO of Air New Zealand

Transcript

Irene King: Aviation Commentator on Greg Foran resigning as CEO of Air New Zealand · Early Edition with Ryan Bridge

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: In a week of resignations and sackings, we had another
• 0:03
  Speaker 1: and this was a shock. This came out of the blue.
• 0:04
  Speaker 1: Air New Zealand boss Greg Farran is calling at quits.
• 0:07
  Speaker 1: Remember he came to us just before the pandemic. He
• 0:10
  Speaker 1: used to work out to Walmart, used to run Walmart.
• 0:14
  Speaker 1: So the airline's chair believes the airline is well up
• 0:17
  Speaker 1: to well set up to continue its growth without Greg foran.
• 0:22
  Speaker 1: But the governments, of course is a major majority shareholder
• 0:25
  Speaker 1: at fifty one percent. So we are wondering how this
• 0:28
  Speaker 1: will impact the economy. Obviously it's a big deal in
• 0:31
  Speaker 1: New Zealand. I've got an aviation commentator with me right
• 0:33
  Speaker 1: now who joins me from India because she's traveling, Irene King.
• 0:37
  Speaker 1: Good morning to you.
• 0:40
  Speaker 2: Good morning.
• 0:41
  Speaker 1: Is it hot?
• 0:43
  Speaker 2: So now make sure in you jelly at the moment?
• 0:47
  Speaker 1: Nice. Now here's the question of the week, with all
• 0:49
  Speaker 1: these resignations and these sackings. Did he quit or was
• 0:53
  Speaker 1: he pushed?
• 0:54
  Speaker 2: You reckon? No, I think it's it's voluntary. Yeah, I've
• 1:02
  Speaker 2: had a tip off about three or four weeks ago.
• 1:05
  Speaker 2: There he is considering it and yeah, he's had a
• 1:09
  Speaker 2: challenging time and what a rollercoaster of five years, and
• 1:14
  Speaker 2: I think you need any human list would say, yeah,
• 1:18
  Speaker 2: you know, let's have a break from it. And at
• 1:21
  Speaker 2: the moment it's just relentless.
• 1:24
  Speaker 1: It is relentless. What are the challenges facing in New
• 1:26
  Speaker 1: Zealand right now that the new chief executive will have
• 1:28
  Speaker 1: to face up to.
• 1:31
  Speaker 2: Well, we you know, the engine issues are well doted
• 1:34
  Speaker 2: engine but there's big supply chain problems in terms of
• 1:38
  Speaker 2: new aircraft, so you know that's constraining gross right around
• 1:42
  Speaker 2: the world. And the New Zealand economy, you know, it's
• 1:47
  Speaker 2: it's pretty well, it's an economy that's underperforming relative to
• 1:51
  Speaker 2: the rest of the world, and so that's seriously impacting
• 1:55
  Speaker 2: in New Zealand's profitability. He's got some some may major
• 2:00
  Speaker 2: major misalignments for the domestic market to address, and you
• 2:07
  Speaker 2: know that those are not easy either. And I guess
• 2:12
  Speaker 2: the last point I would make is, you know, we're
• 2:16
  Speaker 2: all having to severely address our costs and I don't
• 2:20
  Speaker 2: really see any great evidence of a new zel I'm
• 2:23
  Speaker 2: doing the present time.
• 2:25
  Speaker 1: How could they.
• 2:28
  Speaker 2: Well, you can always address your costs, you know, you
• 2:31
  Speaker 2: just have to really think about how smart your organization
• 2:36
  Speaker 2: is functioning relative to know what the customers.
• 2:39
  Speaker 1: So you so, Dame Trees Walsh, who is the chair,
• 2:44
  Speaker 1: says that the airline is well set up to continue
• 2:46
  Speaker 1: its trajectory of growth and innovation. Are you as confident
• 2:50
  Speaker 1: as she is?
• 2:52
  Speaker 2: Well, you know, I think they're in the nose. They
• 2:56
  Speaker 2: see the numbers, but you know you've got to be
• 3:01
  Speaker 2: really really focused. Back on the New Zealand domestic market,
• 3:06
  Speaker 2: customers are unhappy. They perceive they're not being value for money.
• 3:12
  Speaker 2: The regional New Zealand is particularly unhappy with high is
• 3:17
  Speaker 2: being that our eyes abating nieces for the ordinary person.
• 3:22
  Speaker 1: All right, well, Irene enjoy you dilly, and I thank
• 3:25
  Speaker 1: you so much for joining us at is Irene King
• 3:27
  Speaker 1: and she is an aviation commentator and you for more.
• 3:31
  Speaker 2: From early edition with Ryan Bridge. Listen live to News Talks.
• 3:35
  Speaker 2: It'd be from five am weekdays, or follow the podcast
• 3:38
  Speaker 2: on iHeartRadio