Cut Teachers some slack Air New Zealand

19 Mar 2011 08:12p.m.

Florah wrote:

hello.
Would this discoubnt apply to teachers in Australia who are subjected to fly on Air NZ flights because they no option to do so? I was also thinking, if Air NZ applied the discount to their Australian counter-part, would this not provide an incentive for Australian teachers in Australia to travel on Air NZ flights as well? This is thought. Let me know what you think. Regards, Florah

05 Aug 2010 04:51p.m.

spyda wrote:

Teacher's deserve everything they can get - they are the founding blocks of the country bringing forth new generations. Their work does not stop once they leave the classroom so they should be paid accordingly. The politicians are the ones that need their perks and salary reviewed.
Why does this country show the respect and reward the rest of the word shows to teachers

27 Jul 2010 03:12p.m.

anjela wrote:

Wow i am surprised at how some feel about teachers. don't forget that where you are today maybe because of schooling where teachers were present. I agree with Steve Cooper about support. i feel they deserve to be paid in the holidays. i would also like to invite John Campbell and those that think teachers should not get the perks to teach in a secondary school for at least a term. lets see how long you last!and may I remind Lisa that parents do take their children out of school to travel. as for our holidays, check out schools in the holidays, you would be surprised to see students and teachers still around. visit teachers at home in the holidays you will find them marking or lesson planning and we do this during our holidays so that you kids are better prepared for assessments. besides doing what we do, we are also exposed to mental and physical abuse by students and it does take a toll. so Mr Campbell get to know what teachers really do and go through before making comments. Oh and do not forget the number of teachers leaving the profession or deciding to leave and iam one of them.

22 Jul 2010 02:16p.m.

aly wrote:

Thanks Kylie, you couldn't have put it any better. Teachers deserve the extra perks, we work incredibly hard, have a very stressful job and our pay only just scrapes us through...not to mention our OWN pay goes towards students and their education particularly when the school can not cover costs..If your going to bag out teachers then yea you obviously do not know any teachers or understand its not just a 9-3 job. People such as your selves are ignorant and its teachers who are shaping the world of the future so that you can grow old and be in a secure environment...Well done for someone finally doing something about cheap flights, i nkow i spent my last 2weeks off writing reports for YOU to read and photocoying, planning and reasearching the work YOUR children will be using.....If your that pathetic to 'not fly with air nz untill they take away discounts' then I'm sure Air NZ staff don't want someone like you on their flights anyway.Teachers do deserve cheaper air fares, i myself love to travel and that is my passion, i don't take time off school as i feel i should be here for the students to achieve as best as they can and so i can only get full priced tickets and therefore no one to travel with.

11 Jul 2010 05:36p.m.

Kylie Fullerton wrote:

Wow! Vanessa, Lisa and Steve. Bitter much? People who say we don't have crappy hours or bad pay obviously don't know any teachers. To say we have 'paid time off' is completely wrong. We end up with no more 'time off' than everyone else who gets their four weeks per annum. I have been at school and working late into the night every night this week...even though it's the 'holidays'. Actually, it is considered non-contact time and that is why we are paid. So we can teach your children, with well prepared lessons and up to date knowledge. Who do by the way get taken out of school willy nilly to take advantage of cheap flights. Which ends up creating more work for us, as parents feel some guilt about this and ask for 'homework' while the child is away, which we are expected to mark and then try and catch them up on everything they miss - much more difficult than you would imagine! To say we moan more than anyone else is also incorrect, but even if it were true, do we not have the right? If we are lucky enough to secure a pay rise it's often something as ridiculous as 4% over 3 years - hardly worth it and then definitely worth the fight after the three years to try again! Yet our current Politicians are thinking of getting rid of their travel perks for a 10% increase in salary! Imagine that and extra 10% on top of an already 6 figure income? No one forced us to be teachers just as no one forced you to have children so don't begrudge us this small perk. Lets not forget that teachers see your children for many many more hours a week than you do but the only time we get to take holidays is when all the children are on break too. Imagine if you didn't have time off from your children ever? Why are we always so out to pull everyone down? Why hasn't anyone said "Good on them! They work hard, have an important job, I support that"? Then go out and try and get a better deal for themselves.

07 Jul 2010 10:33a.m.

Vanessa wrote:

This is so unfair! Why should teachers get a discount? They made a choice to become teachers, nobody forced them to be teachers. There are many other people who would like to go away during the school holidays but can't afford to do so. This is discrimination. I will not fly Air New Zealand again until they take away the discounts from teachers.

06 Jul 2010 08:43p.m.

Lisa wrote:

This is totally unfair, why do teachers get special perks, other hardworking people who have kids don't get to take time off school and work to utilize off peak discounts. We cant just whip our kids out of school willy nilly and fly off. Imagine what would happen if all leave applications during school holidays were accepted, how many nurses, doctors, police and other hard working people would be off work and how would this effect society. Im not denying teachers have a hard job but isn't some of the payoff the satisfaction in forming the minds of the worlds next leaders? isn't this why they became teachers in the first place? Why do you train to be a teacher knowing the crap (so they say I disagree) hours, and bad pay (yet again I disagree) and then become registered and demand more, more holidays, more pay, special perks! Also what about home-school teachers they are very successful in their work (some more so than at public school) yet they do not get included in this offer. Teachers do an important job but they also moan more than anybody else about their work conditions. Air NZ are being bias, they may as well bring out men only discount flights next, wonder how many female teachers would moan about that! I also wonder how legal this is surely its not fair trading to base a special discount based on your race, gender or in this case career.

06 Jul 2010 05:28p.m.

steve cooper wrote:

I watched with interest the story on cut price air fares for teachers during school holidays. Although support staff were mentioned they never really got to feature in the story and it is support staff that do really deserve such a perk because unlike teachers the vast majority of support staff do not get paid for holidays. most jobs are on a term time only basis and contracts are often ended with each term to be re negotiated every time. This means that not only can support staff not travel when special offers are available to the general public but due to lack of job security they cannot even plan holidays ahead with any sort of confidence. Both my wife and I work as support staff and we'd gladly pay normal fares if it meant job security and paid time off at school holiday times. Don't feel too sorry for teachers.When they are looking forward to a nice long holiday at xmas we are wondering how we will cope for the several weeks without pay. Steve Cooper.