Preferred seats become free?
Oct 26, 2016, 5:34 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2016
Posts: 17
Preferred seats become free?
Hi guys long time follower but first time poster!
I'm flying NZ PE from Hong Kong to Auckland next month. I'm sure in the past I have been able to get a seat in the bulkhead row at the airport or online free of charge if I book last moment.
My question is do these seats become free on the booking site at some point before the flight and if so how many hours, days out does this happen. I like the bulkhead but I'm not sure it's worth a preferred seating charge to get it.
Thanks in advance for your help guys.
I'm flying NZ PE from Hong Kong to Auckland next month. I'm sure in the past I have been able to get a seat in the bulkhead row at the airport or online free of charge if I book last moment.
My question is do these seats become free on the booking site at some point before the flight and if so how many hours, days out does this happen. I like the bulkhead but I'm not sure it's worth a preferred seating charge to get it.
Thanks in advance for your help guys.
Oct 26, 2016, 10:41 am
#2
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: New Zealand (most of the time)
Programs: Air NZ Elite *G, Honors Gold, IHG Platinum Elite
Posts: 6,100
Exit row seats free up at T-48 for HVC's to select at no charge.
It's incredibly rare to have these free at T-48 on longhaul so don't expect to utilise this. Like everything on Air NZ if you want it you should pay for it.
It's incredibly rare to have these free at T-48 on longhaul so don't expect to utilise this. Like everything on Air NZ if you want it you should pay for it.
Oct 27, 2016, 10:19 am
#3
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: AKL, YUL
Programs: NZ*GE, UA*G
Posts: 319
Do the "preferred" seats free up at T-48 for NZ*S? I'm waiting on an RU for a pretty full flight but I'm pretty sure if I spend $50 on a better seat (there are a few left) and then the upgrade clears, they don't have a mechanism for reimbursing me for the $50 seat I won't be sitting in. So if they free up and I haven't heard about the upgrade yet, I'd move up just in case.
Oct 27, 2016, 12:07 pm
#4
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: New Zealand (most of the time)
Programs: Air NZ Elite *G, Honors Gold, IHG Platinum Elite
Posts: 6,100
*S is not considered a HVC as such - it's only Koru, Gold and Elite who are.
You are correct in that if an upgrade clears you will not receive a refund for any paid seats.
You are correct in that if an upgrade clears you will not receive a refund for any paid seats.
Dec 7, 2016, 5:51 pm
#5
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: AKL, YUL
Programs: NZ*GE, UA*G
Posts: 319
Hi, in a few hours I'll be T-48 for AKL-LAX; if I want to check on free preferred seats (for NZ*G) should they be turning up online via the usual "seat select" part of the Air NZ website? or do you have to do this on the phone. I just happened to check seat select a few minutes ago and it looks like seat select is not currently available for that flight, though it was available a few days ago.
Dec 7, 2016, 8:45 pm
#6
Join Date: Jun 2012
Programs: NZ G, QF Bronze
Posts: 326
Hi, in a few hours I'll be T-48 for AKL-LAX; if I want to check on free preferred seats (for NZ*G) should they be turning up online via the usual "seat select" part of the Air NZ website? or do you have to do this on the phone. I just happened to check seat select a few minutes ago and it looks like seat select is not currently available for that flight, though it was available a few days ago.
Best call the call centre so you don't miss out.