Air NZ cabin crew vote to strike. 

Detected Manipulations & Suggested Changes

Appeal to emotion

Using emotionally charged language to influence readers’ feelings rather than focusing purely on neutral facts.

The phrase: “Union says international crew have reached ‘breaking point’ after months of negotiations with the airline…” This wording, especially “breaking point,” is highly emotive and frames the situation as extreme and urgent, potentially eliciting sympathy for the crew without providing factual detail (e.g., specific working conditions, pay issues, or negotiation points).

3 suggestions

Attribute and contextualize the emotional language more clearly, for example: “According to the union, some international crew feel they have reached a ‘breaking point’ after months of negotiations with the airline over pay and working conditions.”

Balance the emotional framing with concrete facts: “The union cites increased workloads, roster changes, and pay concerns as reasons for the strike action.”

Include neutral paraphrasing alongside the quote: “The union describes staff as under significant strain, saying some feel they have reached a ‘breaking point’ after months of negotiations.”

Omission of key information

Leaving out important context or perspectives that are necessary for a balanced understanding.

The article states: “Union says international crew have reached ‘breaking point’ after months of negotiations with the airline, and they will not work over three days in February.” Missing elements include: - No details on what the negotiations are about (pay, hours, safety, etc.). - No information on the airline’s position or response. - No context on how many flights or passengers may be affected. - No indication of any legal or procedural steps (e.g., mediation, minimum services).

4 suggestions

Add the airline’s response or position, for example: “Air New Zealand said it was disappointed by the strike vote and maintains that its latest offer is fair, citing [summary of offer].”

Provide basic context on the dispute: “The dispute centers on [pay rates / roster patterns / rest periods], with the union arguing that [their position] and the airline saying [its position].”

Include scope and impact: “The planned strike covers approximately X international flights and could affect up to Y passengers over the three days in February.”

Mention any ongoing processes: “Both parties are scheduled to attend mediation next week in an effort to avert the strike.”

Unbalanced reporting

Presenting one side’s perspective while giving little or no space to the other side.

The article only presents the union’s framing: “Union says international crew have reached ‘breaking point’…” and the fact of the strike. There is no quote, summary, or even mention of Air New Zealand’s perspective, justification, or response.

3 suggestions

Include at least one statement or paraphrased position from Air New Zealand: “Air New Zealand said it is continuing to negotiate in good faith and hopes to avoid disruption for customers.”

Explicitly note if the airline was contacted: “Air New Zealand was approached for comment but did not respond by deadline.”

Summarize both sides’ key points in neutral language: “The union argues that workloads and conditions have become unsustainable, while the airline says it has already improved rosters and pay in recent agreements.”

Biased language

Using wording that implicitly favors one side over another.

The phrase “have reached ‘breaking point’” is presented without any balancing language or alternative framing. While it is attributed to the union, the article does not counterbalance it with neutral or opposing language from the airline, which can subtly bias readers toward the union’s perspective.

3 suggestions

Clarify attribution and balance: “The union claims that some crew have reached a ‘breaking point’, a characterization the airline disputes.”

Use more neutral descriptive language alongside the quote: “The union says staff are under significant pressure, describing them as at a ‘breaking point’ after months of negotiations.”

Add the airline’s characterization of the situation: “Air New Zealand, however, says that while negotiations have been lengthy, it does not accept that staff are at a ‘breaking point’ and points to [specific measures] it has taken.”