Reading the Air New Zealand results was a bit disappointing - even more so was the commentary after. 

Profit's down, demand is down, costs are on the march, capacity still buggered by engine problems. 

Here's the real punch in the guts for our national carrier: they won't be back to full capacity for the best of two more years. Foran confirmed it last night. 

There's something about a national carrier that should make you feel a bit proud. 

When you've been overseas and travelled the world, not seen a Kiwi in ages, jumping onboard that last leg home, hearing the accent - the comfort of Kiwi service. 

Foran's had a rough time in the job. Border closures and lockdowns, is there anything worse for the new boss of a global airline? 

The Rolls Royce and other engine issues - again, not really his fault. 

You can plan around that stuff but even those plans have had to change. The engine makers' timelines for a fit-it job have been pushed out.

And then there's the prices - we all love to whine about the prices, including me. 

A return weekend flight from Auckland to Wellington, for the middle of next month, will cost me close to 800 bucks! And guess what? They're going to keep going up - an extra five percent in the near future.

As Foran hits the departure lounge to make way for a new Captain of our national treasure —if we'd still call it that— the question is what would or should he have done differently?  

For all the faults and complaints and price hikes, is there anything anyone has suggested that could have fixed these problems while not simultaneously sinking the business, or worse, forcing it to go, once again, cap in hand to the government for another handout? 

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