Following a successful trial period, customers can now chat online with the airline’s customer care team in real-time, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The airline has seen more than 38,000 customers typing in their inquiries since the trial of the feature kicked off in December.

Air New Zealand Chief Customer and Sales Officer Leanne Geraghty says the channel has been hugely successful, and customers are enjoying having another method of contacting the airline.

“Live Chat is just like direct messaging a friend online.

Once you’re connected with us, you’ll get an immediate response from a real person who can help with most types of inquiries.

“We know customers appreciate speed and convenience, particularly when it comes to needing help or support with their travel plans.

“In May, the volume share of Live Chat was about 9.

2% of all customer communication with us, and our team was able to respond to an initial message in just 47 seconds.

”While Live Chat is the latest digital innovation to roll out for the airline, it won’t be replacing Oscar, Air New Zealand’s much-loved AI chatbot, who has been around since 2017.

“Oscar isn’t going anywhere, he’s still available to help in more than 900 ways, and we’re working on ways to build his capability up as we advance our technology.

“However, if you’re having a yarn with Oscar and he’s having trouble understanding your request, simply let him know you’d like to speak to a human and he’ll pass you on to one of our friendly team.

”Customers can access via Oscar through the Air New Zealand website, Facebook Messenger, or WhatsApp, or by clicking on “Live Chat” in the help and feedback section of the Air New Zealand app.

The Live Chat function will continue to be optimized, making it even easier for customers to access through the website and app over the next few months.

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