bmi diamond club - AirNZ Downgrade

Thought I'd try this as a thread as I think it's got lost in another thread.

Need some help with a redemption for the wife;

Booked LHR -AKL (via SIN and SYD on SQ) then to AKL on NZ, all in J. BMI have called to say that the SYD - AKL leg has been downgraded to Y as the aircraft used in Y only.

Anything that I can do to 'force' them to get my wife in a J seat? Also if I can't get her in a J seat should I expect any miles/taxes back from BMI?

Cheers

If it is now an all Y service, then short of asking NZ to change the plane back, or fit her a special sedan chair, she's going to have to sit in a Y seat.

As for miles back - nothing due at all as redemptions are priced in the highest class of service on the ticket and that is business class. Nothing due back I'm afraid for the shortest leg (or any leg at all) being downgraded. Taxes I am not sure on, but someone else may be able to help there.

If it is now an all Y service, then short of asking NZ to change the plane back, or fit her a special sedan chair, she's going to have to sit in a Y seat.

As for miles back - nothing due at all as redemptions are priced in the highest class of service on the ticket and that is business class. Nothing due back I'm afraid for the shortest leg (or any leg at all) being downgraded. Taxes I am not sure on, but someone else may be able to help there.

Thanks for the quick answer. Thought that'd be the answer, always disappointing as other flights SYD to AKL still have J.

Hey ho - here's hoping that the flight gets reverted to a service that does have J.

So frustrating that DC has gone as I'd have simply paid £20 and changed the flight to a better deal.

In practical terms what about lounge access and baggage allowance for this last leg?

The SYD-AKL services without J are on Airbus A320s, but NZ does have a product class on those services that is meant to be a premium product in an all economy cabin - called "Works Deluxe".

It includes lounge access and Euro-style J class seating in that the middle seats in a 3-3 configuration are blocked, and seat pitch is slightly higher (34" not 30"). It also includes full meal and beverage service (but economy class standard). If I were you I'd check with BD if you will be in that product (you ought to be in "Y" but have seating selected for rows 1 or 2 only). If confirmed, then check with NZ that this is what you will be on.

Thought I'd try this as a thread as I think it's got lost in another thread.

Need some help with a redemption for the wife;

Booked LHR -AKL (via SIN and SYD on SQ) then to AKL on NZ, all in J. BMI have called to say that the SYD - AKL leg has been downgraded to Y as the aircraft used in Y only.

Anything that I can do to 'force' them to get my wife in a J seat? Also if I can't get her in a J seat should I expect any miles/taxes back from BMI?

Cheers

Did DC not offer you a different flight that had a J seat open??

I've flown NZ Y (AKL-SYD) connecting from an NZ J longhaul into AKL, on BD redemptions.

The BPs were spat out outmatically saying 'Works Deluxe" or "The Works", can't remember which one it was, but got a meal (includnig my Veggie preference), free drinks etc, automatically. Seat in the first few rows, free IFE, etc.

It is just a shorthaul style of seat, not a longhaul bed. Indeed, with the seat back IFE it totally trumped most european shorthaul J!

You can even order drinks thruogh the screen (was never charged for any), but didn't need to use screen either as crew were attentive.

http://www.airnewzealand.co.nz/the-works
http://www.airnewzealand.co.nz/works-deluxe

As I said, can't remember which one it was on the BP, but it didnt' matter in practice. Luggage allowance of the longhaul J etc.

Thanks - that's a little more promising. I've done the trip a few times and either had all style business class seats and or fully flat beds. Was a little suprised by the Y only config.

Presuming NZ still offers proper J, on widebodies, on that route, I'd keep phoning back and making a nuisance of yourself until you get rebooked onto a plane with proper J.

(When I flew that route, I made damn sure I was on a 747.)

It's true, as RAPC says, that no refund is due (because Y+J is charged at J rates), but you paid for J and were (originally) offered J. And you're not going to take no for an answer.

Presuming NZ still offers proper J, on widebodies, on that route, I'd keep phoning back and making a nuisance of yourself until you get rebooked onto a plane with proper J.

(When I flew that route, I made damn sure I was on a 747.)

It's true, as RAPC says, that no refund is due (because Y+J is charged at J rates), but you paid for J and were (originally) offered J. And you're not going to take no for an answer.

That is silly as it's almost a domestic hop - in fact the Oz and NZ governments are looking to make trans-Tasman services counted as domestic with no immigration or customs. Flat bed J is really overkill for these flights.

If you have been assigned a seat in the 'works' part of the cabin then you should get the Y+ experience as described above. Use NZ.com seat selection tool to verify. If so, I would let it go.

It is only a 3hr flight and you could spend hours fighting only to find NZ change equipment again or worse still, BD screw up the reservation.

You really really really want Works Deluxe - not Works.

Works deluxe has a vacant seat next to you, a little extra legroom and access to the lounge. Works Deluxe seats are the front two rows of the 320.

Works without deluxe may not get you into the lounge in SYD since you are changing carriers there so the inbound SQ J seat won't necessarily get you into the Koru Club.

Actually it looks like that once a confirmed and issued Ticket is getting downgraded into X Class, the class than booked is the cheapest one with no meal nor checked baggage included. That’s really not professional form NZ… they are downgrading people form Business into the cheapest Economy.

At least they could offer Works or Works Deluxe.

Is there any way to get at least rebooked into a better Economy class since Ticket was issued as a Business Class ticket?

I've rang AirNZ who have confirmed my wife will get access to the lounge @ SYD. To make matters worse there is no bassinets on this flight eek!

Actually it looks like that once a confirmed and issued Ticket is getting downgraded into X Class, the class than booked is the cheapest one with no meal nor checked baggage included. That’s really not professional form NZ…


This is incorrect - myself, and others (including just a couple of posts above yours in this thread) have been booked into 'Works' for X class redemptions on NZ flights. I believe this is standard practice for *A redemption bookings flying NZ.

This is incorrect - myself, and others (including just a couple of posts above yours in this thread) have been booked into 'Works' for X class redemptions on NZ flights. I believe this is standard practice for *A redemption bookings flying NZ.

Same experience on BD reward NOU-AKL, and UA reward AKL-NAN. Both times it booked into WORKS (X)

Same experience on BD reward NOU-AKL, and UA reward AKL-NAN. Both times it booked into WORKS (X)

Well on my flight AKL-TBU I can only choose seats from 4 DEF to 8 DEF...
All other seats are blocked, so don't look like it's booked under Works? :rolleyes:

However on another flight I have the full cabin to choose from, only Works Deluxe cabin is not there to choose from....

Well on my flight AKL-TBU I can only choose seats from 4 DEF to 8 DEF...
All other seats are blocked, so don't look like it's booked under Works? :rolleyes:

However on another flight I have the full cabin to choose from, only Works Deluxe cabin is not there to choose from....


4DEF to 8DEF is Works. If you paid business class you should be entitled to Works Deluxe, so call NZ and argue your case. Works Deluxe has lounge access, more legroom, a vacant middle seat and an extra cheese platter.

For what it is worth, I once flew on an NZ ticket EDI-LHR-LAX-AKL-MEL in paid business class. The EDI-LHR sector was on BD metal and there was no business class on the flight. NZ booked me into the cheapest economy class rather than the most expensive Flexi Y (class C or D). I called them up and they had a think about it - then rebooked me into Class D Flexi Y.

That is silly as it's almost a domestic hop - in fact the Oz and NZ governments are looking to make trans-Tasman services counted as domestic with no immigration or customs. Flat bed J is really overkill for these flights.

I'm not sure that it's silly :confused:

If I had a choice between BA CW and CE for a LHR-ATH flight (roughly similar sector length), you can be damn sure I'd choose CW. And I'd be more than a bit miffed if I ended up on CE.