Photo: RNZ / Cole Eastham-Farrelly
The union representing flight attendants warns there could be ongoing strike action after negotiations stalled.
Air New Zealand cabin crew will walk off the job on 8 December after failing to reach an agreement over pay and conditions.
The union has been negotiating for six months, its demands totalling in the millions.
If the strike goes ahead, the airline said it would support impacted customers, which includes rebooking and may include providing meals, refreshments and accommodation if required.
Air New Zealand chief executive Nikhil Ravishankar declined an interview with Morning Report, but told the NZ Herald the strike could affect somewhere between 10-15,000 customers.
"This next round of conversations are going to be critical. And as we get the finer details locked down, and if we do end up going down that path, the first people we'll notify are the customers," he told the news outlet on Monday.
An Air NZ crew member's base pay sits between $58,000 and $85,000, but there were lots of non-base allowances that make up their pay as well, Ravishankar said.
The president of the Flight Attendants Association of NZ, Craig Featherby, told Morning Report strike action was a last resort after negotiations stalled over the past month.
Featherby said the airline is asking staff to give up conditions and they pay offer is just shy of living wage.
"Air NZ continue to invest in modernising it's aircraft... it's built new lounges, rolled out new designer uniforms and returning major shareholders... What we are asking them to do is invest in their people too. This is not hundreds of millions of dollars that we are asking for, this is more the millions of dollars of additional funding."
He said ongoing strike action may occur but reassured customers there will be no strike action on the seven days leading up to Christmas.
Aviation commentator Irene King said ripple effects from a the strike could go on for a long period of time.
"It's not just passengers on they day that potentially get disrupted. It's all of those that are waiting for flights and potentially wanting to come home," King told Morning Report.
She said the airline is under growing financial pressures
"That's something most Air New Zealanders do not appreciate or do not understand because they have had a pretty good run with this airline and they've benefited significantly when the good times have been there. We are in some pretty awkward times now and I think there's a need for everyone's expectations to be adjusted - both management and union."
The three unions representing Air NZ crew will meet with the senior executive team on Wednesday.
In a statement, Ravishankar said Air NZ remains committed to working with the unions to reach a fair and sustainable outcome.
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