Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Air New Zealand sliced 10% off its fuel bill last year and says it will continue trying to make fuel savings regardless of an emissions trading scheme.

Chief executive Rob Fyfe says fuel was the biggest cost to the business last year - $1.6 billion - and the company will keep trying to lower it.

He says Air New Zealand is a small airline and will never be one of the world's big airlines, so it has to continue to be innovative.

Mr Fyfe told Nine to Noon on Thursday that approach is paying off, with Air New Zealand now one of the most profitable airlines in the world.

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