We’ve had it wrong for years: Air New Zealand doesn’t have a ‘Koru Club’ – Stuff

Air New Zealand's lounge for frequent flyers isn't actually called the Koru Club or even Koru Lounge - and this has thrown frequent traveller Brook Sabin into a tailspin.

There are some facts of life that you'd think most of us would know.

I'm talking things like: strawberries aren't berries, fruit loops are all the same flavour (devastating, I know) and it's impossible to lick your elbow. I hope nobody was around when you attempted to prove me wrong. Yes, even your dog wondered what you were up to.

So, how many of the above three did you already know?

Well, I'm going to add one more to the list. The Koru Club isn't called the Koru Club.

READ MORE:* Air New Zealand's Koru Club: It's time to kick the freeloaders out* Air New Zealand introduces tougher rules for lounges * Budget Buster: Are airport lounges still worth it?

Hang on, Air New Zealand's lounge, where everyone scoffs all the food and listens to everyone else's conversations, isn't the Koru Club? Not even the Koru Lounge? Nope - you're not even close.

I found this all out when a polite email popped up from Air New Zealand correcting me after I did a recent story. I'd overheard a conversation in the Koru Club about how to get cheap fares on Air New Zealand regional flights (what did I say about listening to conversations) and turned it into a story. I made a reference in the story about the source of my information: the Koru Club.

DAVID WHITE/STUFF

Air NZs lounge in Wellington Airport.

But, hang on - if it's not the Koru Club, what is the place called?

Before I reveal all, here's a recap on what is a Koru Club. It's Air New Zealand's frequent flyer lounge, and they are scattered all across the country and at a few locations overseas.

Inside, you'll find a revolving buffet of food. Much of it is quite tasty, like salads, sandwiches and curries - and there are always a lot of cheese and crackers on offer. There is also a pretty impressive bar, and it's not uncommon to see holidaymakers having a celebratory glass of bubbles at 8am before a flight.

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Air New Zealands lounge in the Auckland Airport.

Oh, and my favourite bit - you can order fresh barista-made coffee on your phone.

There are also a few downers - such as the hospital-like scrambled eggs which turn up every morning. I'm unsure if chickens were actually involved in the making of them. But alas, while I have occasionally criticised Air New Zealand's lounges, mainly because of crowding issues, you only have to travel on other airlines and experience their lounges to realise how lucky we are. For a relatively small country with little competition in the lounge space, Air New Zealand does an exceptional job.

This brings us to the most important thing you need to know: The first rule about Koru Club is it's not called Koru Club.

DAVID WHITE/STUFF

The Wellington lounge has a great view of the runway.

A spokesperson for the airline confirmed it's now known as drum roll please the 'Air New Zealand Lounge'. Surely this is a recent change? No, not even close. The airline ditched the name in 2015, and it has gone pretty much unnoticed for roughly 2556 days.

The spokesperson told Stuff Travel the airline ditched the term because Koru members (those who pay for access) are only a portion of passengers able to access the Air New Zealand lounges. Lounge guests can be Airpoints tiered members (e.g. Gold, Elite, Silver), Business class customers, Star Alliance eligible guests, voucher holders or frequent fliers from partner airlines.

So, m te w Koru Club even if most of us are only saying our goodbyes long after its departure. The only official use of the word koru is now the Koru membership and Koru hour. Yes, thats the happy hour on Air New Zealand where alcohol and comically large chunks of cheese are served on tiny crackers. Thankfully, some things never change.

Brook Sabin/Stuff

The cheese and cracker service on Air New Zealands Koru hour flights.

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We've had it wrong for years: Air New Zealand doesn't have a 'Koru Club' - Stuff