rayonline

Thought it was just OneUp bids from May 2012... using money and/or points.

benkepes

Hey all

I'm an Air New Zealand fanboi - I love what I consider to be my airline and evangelize it everywhere. I also spend around $50k per annum with them. And, other than because I'm a NZ taxpayer - I have no other commercial relationship with them.

They look after me exceptionally well - partly perhaps because I'm not backwards at coming forwards and they're maybe a little wary of that.

Anyway - these changes are the straw that may very well break the camel's back - the latest in a long line of moves that devalue my status...

It truly sucks... a sad sad day

:-(

http://www.diversity.net.nz/air-new-...ll/2012/03/02/

LagunaKiwi

From the email sent to Gold Elite members.........

This means that as a Gold Elite member, you can continue to redeem your Recognition Upgrades and request Standby Upgrades as you do today. We'll be allowing for these requests from Gold Elite members before we review the number of seats that we make available for OneUp.......

I'm still unclear regarding the reinstatement of Gold Elite Upgrades.

The message does not mention the restoring of confirmed upgrades, from the relevant class of service 365 days out.

benkepes

Just recieved a response from Rob Fyfe to my post - kudos to him for doing so. Will now try and engage more to the betterment of all HVCs

kaimanawa

Re: Lounge access in North America. If this is a priority, join A3 now and credit there until you get Gold status (20,000 miles, but check their earn charts as lots of fare buckets credit 50%). This is good for something like 3 years and easy to do while your NZ *G status expires.

And as for your exit strategies, I think that's reasonably good advice, though I'll add a some subtle suggestions.

As for group (1) UA is the best of the North American programmes (oh how far NZ have fallen that I'm saying this!) due to the upcoming IAH-AKL service, though AC does tend to have better earning rates if you fly to Canada and travel on *A in Europe.

I'd lean towards QF if you're in group (2)... Oneworld status is more useful than Velocity, and you can also get QF credit if you go to LAX via NAN or PPT on FJ or TN respectively.

Group (3) does have an option if they fly between the main centres. JQ now lets you pay $15 for QF credit, though QF status doesnt' get you into any NZ domestic lounges.

benkepes

I've been thinking about comments in here regarding Rob's responsibility for these changes. Some have suggested that as CEO he should take the heat...

I'm not so sure - while it's true that the CEO is the ultimate leader, Rob has a history of hiring smart people and empowering them to have autonomy.

The key measure is, I believe, his willingness to change policies based on feedback he receives. I believe this is happening and, while I don't like the changes of late, I'm not prepared to crucify Fyfe for them.

FWIW I've had extensive dialog with many of the AirNZ execs and have found Rob the most communicative and open to suggestion... just my 2 cents...

paintini

From the current T&C for Airpoints, confirmed upgrades go after 30-5-12, standby upgrades remain in place only for GE.

As a GE I have three upgrade options:
1) use my recognition upgrades, these CAN confirm up to 355 days in advance but only if certain booking classes are available and so the confirm period is 355-0, where 0 is check-in. These classes can be introduced into the flight closer to departure so that your recognition upgrade confirms then and there.
2) use a standby upgrade, where no bidding process is involved, the rate is sure to rise, and is ONLY confirmed at check-in.
3) enter into a bidding process with OneUp. This was initially to be known as flipping the bird but OneUp is catchier.

serfty

It seems to be the case that Recognition upgrades will still be able to be used used after 30th May to bypass PE on 3 class flights. I had to read it several times to be confident of this: (http://www.airnewzealand.com.au/airp...nditions#using)

LagunaKiwi

Thanks paintini. That's exactly how I interpreted the change as well.

Not good enough for me, and unless they revert back to confirmed upgrades, I will leave the programme.

I have no problem loosing the ability of a double upgrade.

I realize the the airline needs to enhance revenues but the ability to plan ahead, purchase a Premium Economy ticket, and then find a day where it would allow for the upgrade to be confirmed was by far the best aspect of being a Gold Elite.

I can't believe that I'm going back to United. Despite the fact that their planes/service and general flying experience leaves much to be desired ... they do in fact treat their Elites pretty well.

Rob Fyfe should not be the scapegoat. I have met him on occasions and he seems to listene to complaints. Lets hope as benkepes suggests that he will listen again!

Shazzadude

I got an email that said my silver status would be factored in. If so I would think the best rule would be that one can only be outbid by someone of the same or higher status.

deconz

I'm sorry but given what has transpired in the past week I very much doubt that is what will happen.

They will accept higher bids from those without status.

The only way to be sure they are doing what they say they are is if they make the entire OneUp process transparent - something I seriously doubt they want to do!

paintini

Agreed, I have had limited dealings with Mr Fyfe or Mr Parton but when I did ask for some help they stepped up big time and secured a decent refund for a school trip caught up in the RWC pricing schema. I've been to investor presentations fronted by Mr Fyfe and was impressed. I am an AIR investor but unlike others who suggest this was a "bet", there is sufficient reputable research to make an investment case at current share prices.

One could be cynical and see the "put it out there approach" regarding OneUp has saved the cost of engaging a reputable marketing firm to quietly learn what AIR's customers wanted or were at least prepared to accept without wholesale desertion. AIR certainly knows now what we don't like. From an accountant's perspective this might seem like money saved on the bottom line.

RandyNZ

Thanks for this advice - I've been pondering whether to shift my *A accrual to US or UA. Given intermittent comments I see on FT about US maybe being bumped from *A, this has discouraged me despite other comments that state it's an easier FFP to get awards and upgrades with (I have no idea myself as I haven't accrued to either for a few years now).

Meanwhile, I've canceled my paid J trip on NZ for late April and am instead giving QF a try AKL-SYD-LAX-MEL-AKL, on the A380 for the transpac - hopefully the engines won't fall off, haha! Between that and my US domestic travel will be able to qualify for Gold again with QF quickly and see how that compares, even if a step lower than equivalent to GE with NZ.

I stopped flying QF when they began to have a string of delays in my own limited experiences and when NZ first rolled out the BP seats, as I tend to travel solo and enjoyed the privacy.

May be time to switch my ANZ plat card from NZ to QF soon.

So would others tend to recommend UA over US for *A as an alternative for Oz/NZ to NA then?

Rebound

Guess i'm stuck with Airpoints, I hope Virgin join *A but thats a pipe dream and would be some time away...

WLG Base

There was a request to Airpoints Fairy today: