(Reuters) - Air New Zealand posted a 61% drop in its annual earnings on Thursday, hurt by high inflationary pressure which is impacting travel demand in its domestic as well as in the North American market.

New Zealand's flagship carrier reported earnings before tax of NZ$222 million($138.55 million), down from NZ$574 million a year ago and compared with the Visible Alpha consensus estimate of NZ$176.7 million.

($1 = 1.6023 New Zealand dollars)

(Reporting by Shivangi Lahiri in Bengaluru; Editing by Mohammed Safi Shamsi)