Ryan Bridge: Where in the world is Nikhil Ravishankar?

You've got to feel a bit for the Air New Zealand boss. 

If ever there was a poisoned chalice, he's drinking from it. He's glugging it back. Drowning in it.

They've suspended their guidance after the gas price went nuts. Doubled on Iran. That's after announcing a loss of $60 million for the half year.

And now they're hiking prices up to $90 on international fares and, reportedly, looking at cutting some routes. 

On top of all that you've got David Seymour barking loudly about selling half of you off. 

His problems are financial, but the implications are very political. As they always are for the boss of our national carrier. 

It's up there with the PM and Rennie's job at NZR in terms of profile and criticism. 

But when the going gets tough, you've got to front. 

If an NZX update of the kind we saw yesterday was put out by the CEO of a company not half owned by voters, then you'd get away with no public interviews. 

But that is not the case for Air NZ. 

I spoke to Greg Foran the other day —another Air NZ boss who timed his landing into the job terribly (Covid)— and thanked him for always fronting to the public when the going got tough. 

Over the years, he made himself very available. Didn't really matter whether the news was good or bad. There was plenty of bad, engine issues, prices, Covid travel refunds, etc. 

Which begs the question, as the airline faces new headwinds, where in the world is Nikhil Ravishankar?

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Where in the world is Nicol Ravashenka. You've got a
feel of it for the New Zealand boss, don't you.
He is in the hot seat and he is sweating.
If ever there was a poison chealice, that guy is
drinking from it. He is glugging it back. He's drowning
in it. Poor thing. They've suspended their guidance after the
avgas price went nuts doubled on Iran. That's after announcing

(00:21):
that loss of sixty million dollars for the half year,
and now they're hiking prices apparently this is according to stuff,
up to ninety dollars on international fares and reportedly reportedly
because they haven't confirmed this yet, looking at cutting some
roots as well, looking at cutting some costs. On top
of that, you've got David Seymour barking loudly about selling

(00:42):
half of you off. His problems and this is the
problem with all the New Zealand bosses are financial. The
implications very political. You know, it is the national Carrier,
after all, it's up there with the PM, it's up
there with the all Blacks coach at NZR in terms
of profile and criticism in New Zealand. But when the

(01:03):
going gets tough, you got to front. If an index
update of the kind that we saw yesterday was put
out by the CEO of a company not half owned
by voters, then you'd probably get away with no public interviews.
Talked to some shareholders, but that is not the case
for Air New Zealand. I spoke to Greg four him
the other day, another Air New Zealand boss who timed
his landing into the job quite terribly COVID and thanked

(01:27):
him at the end. I said thank you for always
because he did. He would always front up to the
public as far as I can remember anyway, never really
felt irked by it, always front up to the public,
always come in for an interview when the going got tough.
Over the years, he made himself very available. Didn't really
matter whether the news was good or bad. And there
was plenty of bad engine issues, prices, COVID travel refunds,

(01:50):
remember all that stuff. So whether it was good or bad,
Greg was generally there, which begs the question, as the
airline faces new headwinds, where in the world is nicol Revashenka.
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