Air New Zealand's Elite Priority One Club Excludes PM John Key

New Zealand Prime Minister John Key is not included in Air New Zealand’s Elite Priority One, or EP1. It is the airline’s discreet service for its top individual spending travellers.

Membership to the secret club is by invitation only. Those who will be invited by Air New Zealand chief executive Christopher Luxon and the company’s top executives are eligible to join.

Mr Key said he was not part of Air New Zealand’s elite club and did not remember receiving an invitation. “I’m gutted that I’m not, obviously, because clearly it sounds pretty cool,” added the prime minister. However, he remarked that Air New Zealand still treated him very well.

Ian Taylor, Dunedin graphics company Animation Research chief executive, said Elite Priority One was all about providing efficient business travel and not “champagne and oysters.” He added that he had been a member of Air New Zealand’s elite club for about a year and half.

Taylor revealed he would be cancelling his membership from the club so he could defend the elite club. He said it would not be appropriate for Taylor to promote the initiative if he remained a member.

He explained that the airline’s exclusive club does not give people free upgrades or fast food. Taylor rejected the perception that members were big spenders or high rollers. He said describing the members as the high rolling types was “just wrong.”

EP1 members will be greeted by an usher when they disembark in any Air New Zealand destination. The usher will then help members go through airports faster by without the long lines, reports Stuff.

Air New Zealand’s EP1 club is a step above the current Elite 10 club in which a customer has to be a member for 10 or more years. Andrew Dale, chief executive of travel management company APX Travel, said EP1’s benefits and number of members remain a secret. He believes it is a discreet concierge type treatment, reports NBR.

BusinessNZ chief executive Phil O’Reilly said he was aware of the elite club but he was not a member. He said it made sense for Air New Zealand to take care of its high value customers to keep the competition away. He added it was a “sensible move” on the part of the company.

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