airnewzealand01

Air New Zealand

A bag that makes up in syrupy politeness what it lacks in graphic-design inspiration.

"We care", it says. "So that your journey is as comfortable as possible, we ask you to put your litter in this bag. Air New Zealand will ensure that your rubbish is disposed of in an environmentally considerate manner. Thank you." In seven languages, including what I take to be Maori.

It's nice to know that ANZ doesn't just tip the full bags out of the back door of the plane, like other airlines do.

The German text claims that ANZ's disposal policy will actually make the environment more beautiful (umweltschönend, with two dots over the ö), not just conserve it (umweltschonend, without the dots).

Air New Zealand (two-tone)

In two colours of ink to enhance your reading pleasure.

Air New Zealand (Avomine)

Not quite as polite as the bag above, but packed with information for your reading pleasure all the same. The usual instructions and graphics on one side, plus "Waterproof waste bag. See instructions on reverse. This waste bag is provided for your use in flight to collect general waste. We will dispose of it after your flight. If used for air sickness please hand to cabin crew for disposal". In five languages (unlike the bag pictured above, no Korean or Japanese on this bag).

A little detective work shows that the English, French, German and Chinese text is plagiarized from the old British Airways bag (or perhaps it was the other way round). The graphics are pretty similar, too. The picture on the bag contains a picture of  a bag that contains a picture: three levels of graphics nested inside each other. Not bad for a mere barfbag.

Then there's an advertisement for Avomine (promethazine theoclate BP 25 mg). "Does Travel Sickness Spoil Your Journey?" it asks. "Avomine. For the prevention of land, sea or air travel sickness. For further information, ask your cabin attendant." The cabin staff can't sell you a packet, though as it's "pharmacy only medicine".

So: if you're sick on an Air New Zealand flight, you have a choice: either hand your full bag to the stewardess, or take it with you to the nearest pharmacy and ask for Avomine. 

Air New Zealand (Avomine 2)

No more instructions or little pictures on how to use or not to use your bag. Avomine now takes up the whole side rather than half. 

Air New Zealand (plain white)

From verbal surfeit, ANZ has lurched over to visual drought: its most recent offering to the travelling public is boring old plain white.