Air New Zealand is the Worst Airline in the World!
 

In 2019, while at London Heathrow, my kids and I were bumped off a pre-paid, connecting flight of Air New Zealand. They SOLD our tickets to other waiting passengers.
Extremely rude and unapologetic. Do NOT fly this horrible Airline!

Okaaay. . . . you registered to post a rant about a flight (or non-flight) three years ago?? There can be a lot to any story and I'm sure there is a lot missing from yours.

Air New Zealand is the Worst Airline in the World!
 

I posted this because Fodor's Travel Forum had an Article on the Ten Worst Airlines. They should have included Air New Zealand. Yes, it was over two years ago, but if you or your family ever have a similar experience (Which I hope you never have) you will Not forget it, whether three or ten years. I have flown many airlines in the last 50 years and have always been treated very favorably. This shocking, inexcusable experience by Air New Zealand of leaving us stranded in Heathrow Airport, with no overnight Hotel, and no future flight home, along with rude employees was outrageous! I share this nightmare story with others, hoping they won't become victims of Air New Zealand like us.

Waiting for “the rest of the story.” How did you finally get home? What reason did they give you? Surely there is more than this. Details please.

" I share this nightmare story with others, hoping they won't become victims . . . "

You haven't shared anything at all really -- just that you are angry. There are MANY reasons one may have a problem with a flight or connection. Since you have decided to just tell us you are angry and not what happened, one can probably assume the missing details would explain why ANZ denied boarding.

roger, wilco, thanks for the tip Dan
out

I, too, would like to hear more details. I'm sure there is more to the story.

So, you showed up at the gate, the gate agent took one look at you and denied boarding? Really?

This was a connecting flight, did you arrive too late? Boarding usually closes 15 minutes or so ahead of take off, when did you arrive at the gate?

Did you have the correct paperwork? An online check turns up a guy who was denied boarding an ANZ flight at Heathrow because he didn't have the paper boarding pass for Hong Kong to Auckland that Hong Kong authorities were demanding during Covid, but that wasn't 2019.

Drop the other shoe.

It’s not unheard of to be involuntarily denied boarding, airlines do this.

(what do you mean, they sold your tickets to other passengers?
Do you think that people turned up hoping to buy a ticket at the gate?)

https://www.tripsavvy.com/voluntary-...denial-3260012

we were ‘selected’ while in the queue in Kuala Lumpur with Malaysian Airlines, to compensate they gave us an airport hotel and a flight 24 hours later (plus a bit of local cash so we had an unplanned outing in the city).

We were asked to volunteer while in queue in Adelaide (Qatar Airlines this time).

Lesson learned, we always online checked in ASAP after that, all connecting flights, plus get to airport early.
Don’t be at the end of the queue. Overselling seats is common.

We flew Air New Zealand twice (L.A,/London). We loved everything about our flight experiences (which I don't say very often about flying in the 21st century). We were very disappointed when they discontinued that route.

It is so hard to know who is the worst airline as bad experiences happen. I had an awful experience with American Airlines, then on the same trip again with British Airways. I swore never to fly with them again. I have stuck with United and then yep this past year had an awful experience. I got lucky as I got stranded at my home airport. Not so lucky for some others.

It continues to be one bad experience for each so I could just keep giving my business to other airlines or just say it happens? Better to have these experiences so if they happen again, I know what to do to lessen the impact and come out of them faster? No one’s decision is going to be the same and I guess be lucky you have a choice. It’s ok to talk about your experience as maybe it just might help someone else. Knowing how you handled it I think would be useful.

I'm with Maitaitom. One of the best airlines, if not the best, I've been on. Used it many times on the (sadly former) LAX to LHR route as well as to Australia and New Zealand. because of the LHR route and so much use out of it, DH and I have elite and gold status.