Air New Zealand Air Points - Denied seat at NAN lounge

Traveled NAN-AKL on NZ74 today -- purchased full-fare BP ticket and am GE. Arrived at the NZ lounge to find not a single seat available. Despite a letter at check-in counters advising that due to the limited seating (74 seats) in the lounge, only 1 guest would be allowed in today. (Flight operated by a 773). Noticed lots of families/groups of 3~4. Lounge agent apologetic and advised nothing she could do. Ended up just sitting upstairs in the gate lounge.

Given the number of BP seats and limited lounge space, shouldn't NZ waive ANY guest privileges under these circumstances (ie, a full-fare C pax should be ensured space in the lounge ahead of the guests of other pax?

What do you think? First come first served should be the policy or some sort of policy that ensures HVC have a seat in the lounge? What policy do you think NZ should adopt for these circumstances?

...Noticed lots of families/groups of 3~4...

It is the last weekend of the school holidays.

Noticed lots of families/groups of 3~4.

Both mum and dad could've had status.

I think it's just one of those things that happens. Unless you're expecting them to plonk "reserved" signs on a couple of seats I don't really know what you could realistically expect.

If lounge access comes as part of the privileges of the fare, and they cannot provide it, the lounge dragon should be empowered to hand over $20USD equivalent in NZD if they don't have the space to offer what they have marketed and sold.

Was the OP denied entry?

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry8310/4.5.0.180 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/120)

OP, did they switch on the IFE food ordering serive for your short NAN-AKL on 773 as a compensation? :)
How was J catering out of NAN these days anyway?

Traveled NAN-AKL on NZ74 today -- purchased full-fare BP ticket and am GE.Random question as you list status down the side there - you seem to omit NZ*E from your list. Is it too embarrassing here to be that these days?

I have never seen signage in the Pacific Islands about 1 guest, usually it seems to be no guests, when 777s are operating.

But good luck. This is the airline that would rather have cabins full of OneUp's than preserve peace and tranquility of a less than full cabin. The same no-doubt applies to lounges (although I don't see them trying to implement bidding for lounge access).

(although I don't see them trying to implement bidding for lounge access).

Wouldn't that be a sight. :)

$5! $10! $12! $25! as you squeeze your way towards the boarding pass reader.

The Nadi lounge is usually over-crowded. Last time I was there people were sitting on the floor. And this was not school holidays. As Fiji is a 'child friendly' destination many families visit and the lounge obviously is very lax on giving large families entry.

RAR is a different matter - often overcrowded because entry is given to 'rellies' of the staff operating the lounge. They are waved in without having to have their boarding passes swiped.

Will be in NAD again in a couple of weeks so will report back on crowds at that time. I must say, however, that the food at NAD is usually very good - much better than the atrocious offering at AKL nowadays.

What policy should NZ employ (if any) given that some of their lounges are undersized? Current policy employed at NAN appears to be first come first served rather than enforcing either guest limits or, if they the carrier was truly sincere about enforcing the limits, issuing lounge passes at check-in (rather than having the lounge attendant try to enforce).

Issuing lounge passes for BP pax and for select other pax (up to the lounge's 74 seat limit) and issuing NZ$15 food/bev credits for use in the airport's food/bev outlets for the other pax seems like a reasonable approach (and one employed by other airlines facing similar situations).

All of the lounges I use are regularly overcrowded to the point where I sometimes just buy a coffee or drink in a cafe outside!

Lounge access is given away to corporates as a freebie and for using credit cards you get lounge vouchers to the point where the quality of the experience to those who have earned it is vastly diminished.

Its part of the constant debasement of benefits to frequent flyers in the pursuit of revenue! It also seems to be part of the company's mindset. Viz with younger pilots held back from commands while some over 70's continue to fly.

Its part of the constant debasement of benefits to frequent flyers in the pursuit of revenue! It also seems to be part of the company's mindset. Viz with younger pilots held back from commands while some over 70's continue to fly.
Yes pursuit of revenue it what they have to do, unfortunately also cutting costs as much as possible.
Regarding younger pilots....that is OTT. NZ lost an Employment Law case regarding the enforced retirement of captains due to age discrimination. If the younger generation want a promotion they can leave for another airline.

The Nadi lounge is usually over-crowded. Last time I was there people were sitting on the floor. And this was not school holidays. As Fiji is a 'child friendly' destination many families visit and the lounge obviously is very lax on giving large families entry.

RAR is a different matter - often overcrowded because entry is given to 'rellies' of the staff operating the lounge. They are waved in without having to have their boarding passes swiped.

Will be in NAD again in a couple of weeks so will report back on crowds at that time. I must say, however, that the food at NAD is usually very good - much better than the atrocious offering at AKL nowadays.

Gotta love RAR... I do miss living there.

If lounge access comes as part of the privileges of the fare, and they cannot provide it, the lounge dragon should be empowered to hand over $20USD equivalent in NZD if they don't have the space to offer what they have marketed and sold.

Why would you want NZD in Fiji? And why should it be a USD equivalent of anything?

Because an American said so?

Because an American said so?

mmmm, you'd be wishing an Aussie said it instead, given the current exchange rate. :D (Or better still, a German)