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Idiosyncrasies of NZ/other airline booking options

Idiosyncrasies of NZ/other airline booking options

Old Oct 14, 2014, 5:36 am
  #1  
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Angry Idiosyncrasies of NZ/other airline booking options

I am almost defeated by the bizarre idiosyncrasies of NZ's booking relationships with other airlines.

What I want to do is fly LHR-AKL-TYO-LHR in PE, with the TYO-LHR sector on BA8 (HND-LHR), primarily because my partner is on that same flight herself, and we can fly back to London on the same flight/cabin (and I can use my Oneworld Sapphire status as well).

I CAN book a oneway ticket AKL-NRT/HND-LHR on NZ/BA on the flights I want through either the UK or NZ Air NZ websites, in PE. No problem. It also offers VS NRT-LHR, for more, in PE, which I'd rather avoid, not only because I wouldn't be sharing the flight with my other half, but also because I get no status benefits, and it means us going to different airports at TYO leaving the same day, and arriving around 4 hours apart at LHR on the same day.

I CAN book a return ticket AKL-NRT/HND-LHR-AKL likewise

I CAN'T book a return ticket LHR-AKL-NRT/HND-LHR at all, in any class for exactly the same day. I rang NZ, and the lady did spend 40 minutes trying to help, but couldn't make it work. It requires me to go NRT-LHR on VS in either Y (ugh) or PE, although I can go HND-LHR in NH for an additional 1500 in Y (um no thanks). There is availability in NH in PE, but NZ can't sell me seats on NH in PE (and it can't on JL either).

So there is some restrictive arrangement whereby Air NZ can't sell a UK origin ticket that includes a BA sector from Japan to the UK. Meanwhile, Air NZ can't sell me a PE seat on any airline flying from TYO-LHR except VS, even though all of them offer it, including its *A partner NH. Even if the NZ sector booking classes are changed to higher ones, it makes no difference, and the BA flight has plenty of availability in PE (my partner got a free BA redemption ticket using miles on it).

I CAN book two separate one way tickets LHR-AKL and AKL-NRT/HND-LHR, for 550 more, but that just seems madness.

Sorry, it's just a rant, but the rules don't make sense. NZ is forcing me onto VS, I am willing to pay to go on BA, there is availability - NZ would sell me the ticket if I didn't start the trip at LHR, but no!
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Old Oct 14, 2014, 10:54 am
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Can you book it on a third party site like Expedia? I have had similar problems and have got around them this way.
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Old Oct 16, 2014, 3:54 am
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Originally Posted by WLGNZ
Can you book it on a third party site like Expedia? I have had similar problems and have got around them this way.
Tried that and no, the Virgin option is all they offer too. I'm weighing up whether to book two one ways, it is 350 more, but it avoids a four hour layover at LHR/an additional cab fare/separate fare to Narita/seating apart/not getting OneWorld Sapphire privileges/
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Old Oct 16, 2014, 6:35 pm
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Would a travel agent be able to do it for you?

I had a similar headache a couple of weeks ago trying to route AKL-SFO-JFK vv; it kept pushing connections on DL and VX (and UA to EWR), none of which worked as my +1 was already booked separately on UA to and from JFK. In the end I had to make two separate bookings; one on NZ and one on UA (and saved $400 in the process!)
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Old Oct 16, 2014, 7:18 pm
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Try a search on chipmunk. If you find something *similar* (like the VS flights you don't want) that links you to Priceline, follow the link. Then replace the relevant parts of the link with the segments you do want. Kindly report back what happens.
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Old Oct 16, 2014, 7:44 pm
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Originally Posted by sokolov
Try a search on chipmunk.
You mean hipmunk?
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Old Oct 21, 2014, 4:33 am
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Tried hipmunk, no luck, didn't even offer the routing.

Thought about a travel agent, but decided to stay another night in Tokyo.

Buying one-way in PE LHR-AKL, then AKL-NRT, cheaper to buy another night's accommodation, cancel partner's redemption ticket on BA in PE and for us both to get redemption tickets on JAL in PE HND-LHR the next day. Perfectly acceptable for long all day flight on JAL 77W, with lounge access in advance.

Now considering about whether it is better to go LHR-SFO-AKL on VS/NZ (with NZ codeshare on the VS flight) to use the Clubhouse at LHR (which is good fun), or cough up 150 more to go NZ the whole way, in PE via LAX. Will have dropped to Gold by then, and have 2 new RUs, will spend on going PE-BP from SFO or LAX-AKL, spend the other on upgrading AKL-NRT from Y to PE (it's a 77W on that day oddly).
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Old Oct 21, 2014, 4:53 am
  #8  
nux
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So basically you are wanting a LHR-AKL return in premium economy, with the return routed via TYO.

There doesn't seem to be any published fare by NZ that allows this with the TYO-LHR segment on BA.

If you want to travel LHR-AKL, AKL-TYO on NZ and BA TYO-LHR then there are various combinations of fares that allow end-on-end ticketing to construct this routing, but they are not cheap and some segments will need to be economy or business.

There is the option of LHR-TYO-AKL on BA/JL/NZ return AKL-TYO-LHR on NZ/BA.
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Old Oct 22, 2014, 1:40 am
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Originally Posted by nux
There is the option of LHR-TYO-AKL on BA/JL/NZ return AKL-TYO-LHR on NZ/BA.
There is, but those options are highly unattractive because:

- The JL/NH and 1 of the 2 BA LHR-TYO flights go to HND, NZ flies from NRT. Transiting HND-NRT is less than desirable, especially when the BA flight arrives at 0730 (far too early) and the JL one at 1600 (far too late) to make the 1830 NZ departure from NRT.
- The 1 BA flight to NRT means a 9 hour transit at NRT (the soon to be cancelled VS flight is similar). Given the 1.5-2hr travel time from NRT to downtown Tokyo each way, and the ANA lounge at NRT isn't that great, I'd rather not do that. LAX and SFO transits are not great, but none involve anything like the time lag on an already lengthy trip.
- Westbound LHR-NRT is overnight in PE (and not on an upgradable class on BA), if I go via LAX or SFO it is a daytime sector. NZ Spaceseat LHR-LAX is quite pleasant, and VS has the small advantage of offering access to the LHR Clubhouse in advance of the trip for the SFO route if booking the NZ codeshare.
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Old Oct 22, 2014, 4:31 am
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Question wait? call again?

If time permits, I would wait and phone them in a couple of days........

fyi, I had a remarkably similar experience on a different itin:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/air-n...e-yow-akl.html
I ended up having a couple of fascinating conversations with the NZ scheduling department (NB my on line booking was not accepted by the other Star Alliance partner i.e. AC). My preferred flights were not accepted by the partner, so I was asked to call the toll free number! Here is what I learned:
- NZ has lots of issues with AC cnx. (which is why he proposed WS, which is not SA! The agent also advised that NZ has similar issues with Asiana;
- NZ online customer service is useless. In my case, I sent them two messages about my experience and the replies were canned and not helpful.

My flights are seven months out, so I have a related question. How does NZ deal with schedule changes? In the SA, I am used to getting the cnx. I want when one or more of the partners has a schedule change. Does NZ accommodate reasonable requests? Or, will they obfuscate like UA? e.g. change must be more than 2 hours, otherwise UA policy considers the change minor!
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Old Oct 22, 2014, 11:25 pm
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Originally Posted by libertyuk
Tried hipmunk, no luck, didn't even offer the routing.
As I said, look for something SIMILAR. Technically, it could be any routing. Say, VIE-SZG-VIE. The point is to get a link to Priceline, then work with that link and tell Priceline this way what you really want.

That may or may not price out.

If you find something similar it is easier to change the remaining bits.
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