The way Air New Zealand serves its onboard snacks will change in 2022, at least temporarily, as the airline looks to prepare for when the Omicron variant of COVID-19 spreads in the community.
From January 1, the airline will provide its onboard snack to customers when they disembark the aircraft rather than during the flight.
The change also means tea and coffee will temporarily not be served at all.
"Customers look forward to their cookie, popcorn or bliss bites so rather than pause food and beverage service, we have made the decision to offer our popular snacks to our customers to enjoy when they arrive at their destination," Air NZ Chief Customer and Sales Officer Leanne Geraghty said.
"It's anticipated that we will soon see the Omicron variant within the New Zealand community, so we are making this change now to further safeguard our customers and crew."
Masks will continue to be mandatory for all customers onboard and must be worn throughout the duration of the flight.
"Masks are one of the key ways to limit transmission, so making this change will enable our customers’ masks to be kept on throughout the flight and ensure they are as safe as possible while onboard an Air NZ aircraft," Geraghty said.
The temporary change to snacks will be reviewed on a regular basis. Water will still be available upon request on all flights.
