treadsoftly

This looks like something of a cluster***k to me.

It is likely that I will continue to credit to my recently opened A3 account for long-haul Air NZ, and I'll have to sit down and figure out whether I start doing that for my domestic Air NZ flying too.

gdbsti

Yeah, count me in as another self-funded long haul GE bailing from a decimated FFP and sadly managed airline.

AirNZ may respond to the GE backlash by upping recognition UG's to 3 or 4 for GE's?? Who knows??

In the meantime AirNZ can stick Oneup their *A77

nzlilibet

The same thought has occurred to me. Currently have a Westpac Titanium 'parked' while I trial the Kiwibank Gofly. Will do the sums and consider returning to Westpac when my current free Gofly runs out. With Westpac you can claim the $ back for any travel booked on the card.

ajnz

Well done NZ. There's nothing useful left in the Airpoints program.

Very sad that QF pulled out of AKL-LAX. I can't wait for UA to open IAH-AKL, as I will be using that regularly.

NZ_Flyer

Yeah but they look at and process One-Ups from 7 - 3 days out. There's nothing there that states they will still give Comp and APD upgrade requests priority over Oneups. Especially as they process One-Ups before Silver and at the same time as Gold comp and APD upgrades. So I can easily see them doling out One-Ups and then saying "sorry cabin is full" when they look at Silver upgrdes 48 hours out and even Gold upgrades 72 hours out.

Rden

Well said Blackcloud

Today is a very sad day for Air New Zealand.

I've sat in the Wellington koru lounge this afternoon with two execs from large NZ companies. Their view was clear. This is the biggest devalue of any airline program they have ever seen and the staff members who travel overseas with work will be penalized because they can't use their points to upgrade cabins and it's company policy to buy economy. We discussed a mass cut up of elite cards and sending them into Rob Fyfe.

In my view the buck stops with him. He runs the airline and should take full responsibility. This is a disaster waiting to happen for him and is likely to overshadow his departure from the airline.

I feel sorry for the aircrew who will just cop it on flights with grumpy elite and gold customers. Shame on you Rob for putting your staff in that position.

I personally am happy to send my elite card back in bits. Not a proud day to be a kiwi

pbl22

That's the only reason I got an Airpoints-linked CC. The APD are not an incentive for me (and even less now). But in last three months I have earned 111SP from credit card purchases. Helps with the requal (although why, I now ask myself, given today's news).

ANZ787900

Who knows what they were thinking. That's a horrible move by Air NZ. Now what is there to do with airpoints dollars? Following these moves, I wouldn't be surprised to see the next feature released - converting APD back to NZD..

Xiaotung

IRD would be knocking on members' doors if that were to happen. Next moves probably would be getting rid of APD altogther and making it a status program. But who needs status when there are hardly any perks.

Kiwi_FF

NZ has made itself completely irrelevant to business travelers and is clearly in a race to the bottom for the leisure market.

Good luck to them. I'm GE because of domestic travel, but I'm in Europe this week , travelled first class on SQ and LH for substantially less than an NZ business class fare.

I can't see any reason why anyone would travel premium class on NZ!

This latest insult on air points follows a long tradition of imposing death of a thousand cuts on their best customers that will only ever continue to go one way.

I will toast there health in the F lounges on my way home!

Placebogirl

Tempting--I do kind of meed my card as it gets me into the Virgin lounges here in AU (please, DJ, join *A already! I'd move the majority of my business to you in one hot minute, but I need to be with a *A member), but then Air NZ will replace if for free, at a cost to themselves. Hmmm.

roby

Is this a moment when the onesmart APD topup backfired? In that case they should really get rid of onesmart instead of APD upgrades. Onesmart now looks like one stupid idea.

Rden

I think onesmart has given the accountants an excuse to take over. This is the start of things to come. I hear the next step is another reduction in air points on international journeys. I've decided it's Emirates for me - I already fly them over the Tasman since and now will go all the way. It's a shame there are no options to switch domestically.

serfty

JASA/FASA anyone?

I have bookings through to May that will give me GE until mid 2014; It was getting tenuous whether to continue to pursue this but with this change I doubt I will.

If I choose not to pursue GE I will make bookings to utilise the "Recognition" upgrades I'll get through then, but that will be the end of GE for me.

I may maintain *G as it's cheap and easy to earn with Air NZ, but merely for the DJ status in oz and *G status worldwide.

Rebound

I suppose we need to create a new thread on recommendations for *G with other Airlines now...

What a sad day, also will have GE through until 2015 but I don't see the point continuing with Airpoints, I fly mainly domestic and a lot of regional routes, so I have no choice - the only good thing is I mainly fly on flexi-fares so getting atleast *G on another program should be attainable.