Air NZ said there was no change to flight schedules at this time. (File photo) Photo: RNZ / Dan Cook
Air NZ says its priority is to get a deal across the line to halt strike action being planned for eight days before Christmas.
But the union for Air NZ cabin crew is defending the timing of strike activity.
Some cabin crews will walk off the job on 18 December, although a strike this coming Monday has been called off.
Air New Zealand chief people officer Nikki Dines told Midday Report it had not yet worked through plans for dealing with any strike action and the priority was to get a deal across the line.
"The focus will be on minimising any disruption for our customers, it's obviously a very busy and special time of year, but it is a couple of weeks away and we are working really constructively with the unions and we're hopeful we will reach and agreement and avoid that strike action."
An agreement has been reached on Air New Zealand's regional and long haul fleets and Air New Zealand was working with one of the unions on the narrow-bodied fleet which was the domestic and short haul flying, she said.
The airline was working constructively with the union on one or two issues around rostering, she said.
There was a need for the agreement to recognise the important role that cabin crew played but also to ensure the long-term health of the business and ultimately affordability for customers, she said.
The union which issued the strike action, E tū, covered about half the short haul fleet, she said.
It was a busy time of year and everyone was focused on getting a result in the next few weeks, she said.
A large number of weather disruptions this year had shown the airline how to re-accommodate customers quickly, Dines said.
"So things like going out in advance to our customers to offer them different options that they have the choice around when and how they'd like to travel and then also we've got an automated rebooking system which means that process is much much faster than it used to be."
Priority number one is that we don't get to that point, but if we do we would be letting customers know well in advance and offering them flexibility, she said.
Air New Zealand would be looking to let customers know if their flight was going to be disrupted no later than five days before it happened, she said.
E tū National Secretary Rachel Mackintosh told Morning Report domestic, trans-Tasman and Pacific crews were still waiting on a deal, however regional and long haul cabin crews were set to vote on their most recent offer - which the union had recommended they accept.
"Because progress is being made, those crew have lifted the strike for next Monday," she said.
"But what they've seen is that putting pressure on Air New Zealand by putting on a strike notice, that's was really the thing that made a difference for the other two crew."
The union had originally said any strike action would not fall in the seven days before Christmas - and this strike did not break that promise, at eight days out.
Mackintosh said by law, the union had to give two weeks' notice, which meant their earliest possible strike date was December 18.
"We just really urge Air New Zealand to sharpen their pencils and continue to work with us."
Air New Zealand chief people officer Nikki Dines previously said discussions with the union had been constructive and were progressing well.
"We're hopeful we'll reach agreement and have all bargains in a position for our cabin crew to vote as soon as possible," she said on Thursday.
"At this stage, there is no change to our flight schedule and our focus remains on reaching agreement with E tū and avoiding strike action entirely."
The airline originally estimated strikes across all of its fleets could affect somewhere between 10-15,000 customers.
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