Mattie Cribb Posted January 13, 2009 Posted January 13, 2009 Gday All I just have a Quick question that someone may be able to answer "What Ever Happened To Freedom Air" one day i saw them next day didnt see them for years and i havent heard anything. Mattie
Guest OzChris Posted January 13, 2009 Posted January 13, 2009 Mattie I think their aircraft now operate under the ANZ banner...Freedom air pretty much finished up early last year - around Feb/March (08)
nzom_pilot Posted January 13, 2009 Posted January 13, 2009 As Chris said they finished flying under the Freedom brand in March 08. Air New Zealand decide to drop the Freedom brand, because with the amount of competition across the Tasman, the difference between the NZ economy fares and the Freedom "LCC" fares was negligible, so they decided it had served its purpose. Interestingly enough they had reformed Freedom as Zeal320 Ltd which held the AOC and operated all the A320s in Freedom and Air New Zealand service, with the lower cost base and lower crew wages. This also resulted in all the A320 services moving to the Zeal range of flight numbers NZ700/800/900. Zeal320 Ltd has now also ceased with the A320 fleet and crews being absorbed back into Air New Zealand. You will notice shortly that the flight numbers will revert back from the NZ700/800/900 range to the NZ100/200/300 range. About the only changes were the loss of the Warner Bros livery and the loss of international service to Palmerston North. Other than that most people didn't notice the loss of the Freedom brand, especially as since they became Zeal320 and operated both brands, you could get an ANZ liveried plane on a Freedom flight and vv.
Mattie Cribb Posted January 13, 2009 Author Posted January 13, 2009 Ok Thanks Guys for you help i have always wanted to know what happened to Freedom Air CASE CLOSED hehe
Guest Michael Coates Posted January 13, 2009 Posted January 13, 2009 The really silly and disappointing thing about it all is they spent millions of dollars in advertising on the Gold Coast and most of the time you are actually flying in an Air New Zealand branded aeroplane rather than the Freedom air branded aeroplane. It would have been better if they spent those millions of dollars in advertising and brand awareness to simply give us $50 off an each way seat. Then they would have got some real business. Having said that however I flew with them several times between the Gold Coast and Auckland and Christchurch and most of the times the planes were full. On another note I can't work out why when you leave New Zealand you pay a departure tax plus GST. I had about two hours to kill one day before the flight and there was nobody behind me in the line so I decided that I wanted to argue the GST component on top of the departure tax which is really a tax on a tax. As I explained to the lady when she was asking me to pay it I had already been through the customs area so it should have been GST free... she couldn't really answer my questions other than swearing something about Blood* Aussies and he sent me on my way to argue the case with the tourist refund scheme. They looked at me, shook their heads and said go home!
Robbo Posted January 13, 2009 Posted January 13, 2009 Good way to kill some time Mick !!! I will have to try it :)
Guest Darren Masters Posted January 13, 2009 Posted January 13, 2009 Yes, I found out that Air New Zealand took freedom under it's wing sometime back. Interestingly if you remember the Freedom Air 320 with the Looney Tunes livery? Well, that's the aircraft that crashed into the Coast of France last month. It was painted in Air New Zealand livery at the time of the crash. A little off topic but NZOM, I love the Air New Zealand green 737. I think it was ZK-FRE. Saw it on the apron during our taxii run on Sunday
nzom_pilot Posted January 13, 2009 Posted January 13, 2009 Interestingly if you remember the Freedom Air 320 with the Looney Tunes livery? Well, that's the aircraft that crashed into the Coast of France last month. It was painted in Air New Zealand livery at the time of the crash. A little off topic but NZOM, I love the Air New Zealand green 737. I think it was ZK-FRE. Saw it on the apron during our taxii run on Sunday That was ZK-OJL the original Looney Tunes/Warner Bros livery and when they decided to lease it out to XL they reainted ZK-OJO into the special scheme. OJO reverted to standard Air NZ livery with three weeks of Freedom ceasing services, and had been the only aircraft in Freedom colours for several months prior to the end. ZK-FRE is "lovely", lol, its the aircraft with the largest love/hate relationship in NZ, some love it some hate it, I don't mind it. It is known in most circles over here as FREddy the Frog for obvious reasons. Ive got several pics somewhere I'll dig one up and upload it to the database here so those who don't know what we're on about can see it.
nzom_pilot Posted January 13, 2009 Posted January 13, 2009 FRE is now online http://theaussieaviator.net/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=2248
Guest Glenn Posted January 13, 2009 Posted January 13, 2009 I like that green. Thanks for uploading it
Guest Darren Masters Posted January 13, 2009 Posted January 13, 2009 It looked really nice in the flesh...errr, metal too.
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