Air NZ serves up improved menu in regional lounges

The national carrier is pledging to bring gourmet food to its regional airport lounges. An issue in the past has been the lack of kitchen facilities in many of the smaller lounges, but Air New Zealand says it has been working with its chefs in Wellington and its cargo network ‘‘to get the kai into the regional lounges just in time for the first flights out’’. Air New Zealand chief customer and sales officer Leanne Geraghty said: ‘‘One of our most common pieces of regional lounge feedback is that our food offering isn’t the same as what’s enjoyed in our larger ports. That’s all about to change as we continue to look at how we can improve the Air New Zealand experience.’’ Dunedin was the first to get the new choices, and Geraghty said the airline had received ‘‘overwhelmingly positive’’ feedback. Nelson will be next later this week, followed by Napier. The remaining five regional lounges will get the new menu in the new year. The menu will feature a choice of two gluten-free hot dishes, one of which will always be vegan. For example, Dunedin recently had ginger soy chicken with capsicum and spring onion, and a vegan option of sweet and sour tofu with edamame and sesame. The airline says it has spent $150 million upgrading its lounge programme, which has been renamed ‘‘Air New Zealand Lounges’’ after being known for many years as the Koru Club.