New Air New Zealand CEO, Greg Foran cleans planes

Don't be surprised if the next time you fly on Air New Zealand, your meal comes served by the CEO.

The airline's new boss started in February and is undergoing a 100-day review of the business. Immediately, his greatest challenge has become the crisis brought about by coronavirus.

The airline's flights to China, South Korea, Hong Kong and Samoa have been cancelled or scaled back - and hugely discounted fares have been introduced to try and encourage more people to travel across the Tasman and domestically.

Foran is renowned for fully immersing himself in a business; a small part of the reason his tenure as head of Walmart's USA division was so successful.

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In a letter to travellers in this month's Kia Ora magazine, the new chief executive says he's heading out on the front line.

"One of the aspects of my job I get most satisfaction about is getting hands-on with customers and staff. Don't be surprised to see me working with our Cabin Crew serving on flights, checking customers in at airports or welcoming everyone arriving or departing at Koru lounges."

When I'm not interacting with customers, you might spot me helping our Baggage Handlers load aircraft, or supporting Cleaning Crew tidying up our aircraft between flights. You'll find I could even be a voice that pops up on calls into our Contact Centre," Foran said.

A spokesperson for Air NZ confirmed that Foran had already completed a cleaning shift on his first day. "He's also done several sectors around the country serving tea and coffee as well as sitting on calls at our Contact Centre to get a feel for the customer pulse," the spokesperson confirmed.

A behind the scenes look at cleaning an Air New Zealand plane reveals the job is a tough one. With an average turnaround time for an international long haul plane of just 90 minutes, a team of up to 16 races the clock to vacuum, wipe surfaces, clear rubbish, collect headsets and position safety cards. With the coronavirus outbreak, Air New Zealand has assured customers that the cleaning agents they use are effective against the virus.

The CEO even popped his email address into the letter, asking for direct feedback from customers. (It's g.foran@airnz.co.nz if you want to offer your thoughts).

Foran says "it's an exhilarating time to be leading Air New Zealand…. we've got new aircraft coming, new cabin layouts, enhanced Business Premier seats, improvements to lounges across the country, digital enhancements to our customers' journeys, and renewed commitment to innovation and, of course, will be flying non-stop from Auckland to New York from October 29".

Stuff understands the airline is close to securing a second Koru lounge for the international terminal, after complaints about overcrowding.

Foran's biggest challenge, however, remains the threat of coronavirus. The biggest weapon he has against a slow-down in bookings is price - and has so far offered domestic fares from $9 and tickets across the Tasman from $69.