Air New Zealand Air Points - Does your fare class effect where you sit?

Okay your thinking what sort of a dumb question is that, so I will explain myself.

I travel Air NZ whenever possible for my personal travel and of course I go for the lowest fare.

It seems as a result I get given a seat at or close to the back in the economy section everytime and I was wondering if this is the experience of other travellers?

Even when I ask for a forward (economy) seat the closest they seem to be able to give me is row 11, (733) yet when I board there are free seats further forward.

I've booked another trip to Wellington in July for the weekend in T class,(internet fare) which must be the lowest of the lows so I will test my theory then!

Jetkid http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Jetkid, I don't know whether your fare basis affects where you sit if you leave it to automatic allocation, but if you book online you can select your own seats. You can also call AirNZ and request a specific seat - I've been successful in getting exit rows this way, or ensuring I sit on a particular side because I prefer the view... What's that you say? Me? Anal? Never! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif

Hi there,

The most forward rows of all NZ aircraft are blocked off for 'vip travellers' until 24 hours prior to departure.

Basically the system checks to see if you are a Star silver, gold, elite, or 'vip' member, and if there is a note in your PNR to this effect, allows you to be confirmed in a forward row.

In the domestic 733s, rows 1-10 are reserved for this purpose. 24 hours before departure, the seatmap is released to the airport to complete seating, and the forward seats not filled by the 'vip' flag are assigned to the other pax.

Therefore, checking in early and asking at checkin is the best method to get a forward seat if you're not a tiered FFP member!

Hope this helps http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif


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*Any information given in the email is my personal opinion and not the opinion of my employer.

But if the flight is full, checking in early doesn't make much difference http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif All the seats that could be allocated, have been preallocated.

Seems to be the case when I've travelled.

Cheers,

Justin

Great thanks for your comments everyone. I will make an effort to get there a bit earlier and see what effect (if any) it has. I'll let you know how I get on!

Jetkid http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Or the other way to look at it is, does it really matter if you are in seat 7D or seat 16D. It is not like it is a UA flight where service often stops at row 9.

So I would just not worry about sitting around at the airport to ensure that you are waiting 5 mins or 2 mins at the luggage carousel.

But hey that is from someone who rarely ever sits further back than row 5! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

Enjoy the wonderful service while it lasts! We only have until October 27! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif

Mark

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by airnzboy:
Hi there,

The most forward rows of all NZ aircraft are blocked off for 'vip travellers' until 24 hours prior to departure.

Basically the system checks to see if you are a Star silver, gold, elite, or 'vip' member, and if there is a note in your PNR to this effect, allows you to be confirmed in a forward row.

</font>

We are travelling on NZ to LAX in a few weeks and I am *Gold and 6'7 tall. Is it possible at all to get an exit row pre-allocated for *Golds on NZ? I know it is possible for UA flights, but I never tried it with any other airline. What if my travel companion is only *Silver? Could we both get the exit row?

Hi NZ, i'm also flying on NZ to LAX in a couple of weeks, are you flying direct on NZ14 or via NZ?

Perhaps we might be on the same flight together!

So, is there a difference between someone who has NZ status (Gold) and someone who has *Alliance Gold from a partner airline on how one is treated (eg. seat allocation, etc.)?

I presume there's no hope of any upgrades since my status/points is NOT with Air NZ.

I'm flying out tomorrow LAX-SYD.

Koru Flyer: What is happening to NZ's service after Oct. 27th?

Sydfly, I have successfully pre-allocated exit row seats on NZ as a UA *Silver. Call and ask - you shouldn't have any problem, unless of course they have already been allocated which is quite likely.

globeflyerca, Koru Flyer was referring to the change in NZ's domestic services to a 'low-frills' model (single class; meals replaced by tea/coffee and cookies) effective from a few days ago. No changes to the (excellent) international services.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by kawoh:
Hi NZ, i'm also flying on NZ to LAX in a couple of weeks, are you flying direct on NZ14 or via NZ?

Perhaps we might be on the same flight together!</font>

kawoh, yes we are on NZ14, the direct flight, but actually it will be another 5 weeks until then. I wish it would already fly in a couple of weeks though... http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Have a good flight anyway.


Thanks for all the advice, I guess I'll try and call NZ and see what they can do...

Further to the seat assignment theory, I must have done something nice for Qantas as they give me row 6 EVERY time I fly on one of their 733's now. I have no status with them so perhaps they don't have the same policy as Air NZ. (I never have to ask either, very odd).

Wonder what the chances are of getting row 1 on the new Express Class config 733's!

Jetkid.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Jetkid:
Wonder what the chances are of getting row 1 on the new Express Class config 733's!

Jetkid.</font>The thing is, do you really want it? http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif I was in 1C on a reconfigured 733 just before Express Class started, and I didn't care for the the non-folding armrests or the confining little tray table that appears from them. There's also no full-size bin up top & my carryon got moved back so I had to jostle through pax behind me after landing. Next time I might try row 11 or 12 (exit).

justakiwi

Hi, i was allowed to choose a seat when i called Air NZ airpoints service centre, if you cant get an exit row, try for Row 27 on the 747 - d,e,f,g (d and g being the aisle seat0 middle row - at least u might get a slight bit more leg room, negaitive - u could be next to a noisy kid upside - they could bump u into biz class if they do have a noisy kid they want to save the seat for in case? who knows.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by kawoh:
Hi, i was allowed to choose a seat when i called Air NZ airpoints service centre, if you cant get an exit row, try for Row 27 on the 747 - d,e,f,g (d and g being the aisle seat0 middle row - at least u might get a slight bit more leg room, </font>


I called NZ in Australia today but there were no two seats left at any exit row. They told me that only exit row 23 is reserved for people with *alliance status and the two other exit rows can be reserved by anybody in advance (and are therefore taken already). Is that really true that non-status passengers can reserve the exit row in advance? I only know LH policy and they don't give away ANY exit rows before check-in not even if you are Mr. SuperGold.

I also tried row 27, but they said that they can't give me those seats either because they are only for parents with kids. I should try again at check-in.

Well, knowing my luck, I will probably get no seat with extra legroom as usual (unless they bump us into biz http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif...). Does anyone know whether the last two rows on the 747 have more legroom to the side because there are only two seats? That's my last hope, I guess. Otherwise it'll be a very loooooooooong flight for me this time.

Looking at the flight I could see that is is basically empty. How are my chances of getting a whole row at check-in? Does it matter if you have status in order to get a few seats blocked off for you?

Edited for typos

[This message has been edited by Sydfly (edited 11-07-2002).]

Sydfly, if I understand your post correctly it sounds like there were still 2 exit row seats, just not together... if so, why not reserve them for you and your travelling companion, and you may be able to swap with another exit row pax? Or, if the flight really is quite empty, you could ask nicely whether they would block off a row for you...

Failing that, the legroom in all the seats is pretty good at 34"... another pleasant surprise compared to LH's mean 31" http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

The last two rows on the 744 do have extra space between them and the window, but you get all the toilet traffic (and potentially smells) plus people stretching their legs etc so personally I would avoid them on a long haul (and they don't get much longer than SYD-LAX!). Besides, you have to be skewed around in your seat to get the advantage of any extra room.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by mad_atta:
[b]
Failing that, the legroom in all the seats is pretty good at 34"... another pleasant surprise compared to LH's mean 31" http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

</font>

@mad_atta: I totally agree with you about LH Y seats (by the way, I thought they were 32'', but that doesn't make it better). This is NOT a seat in my opinion. I thought Germans are well known for being tall, but compared seats of some Asian airlines LH is very very poor and must think that Y class Germans are all dwarfs. Honestly, I think nobody taller than 6' can be comfortable in LH seats. I'm just glad that I don't have to fly LH that often from Australia.

And I will take your advice and call NZ again tomorrow. I'm not sure whether they still had two seats at the exit, but I will try...

If the plane is empty you might find that being cramped 3 to a row in the exit row is too tight. Remember the arm rest will not go up.

Have often laughed at the people squashed in the exit row while the rest of us have had a whole row to ourselves!

Personally on NZ with 34" pitch I just choose the best non exit seat and sit there. It is amazing what 3" of pitch will do.

And yes I am over 6 foot.

Mark

Sydfly, that's a pity about not getting a seat, i had no problems when i called the Airpoints help desk, reserving me row 27 both ways. Unfortunately row 23 was unavailble for 2 pax on either way. I would perhaps try again.

Here's the guts on seating!

On the 744, Rows 23 thru 29 are blocked off for passengers with frequent flyer status - Airpoints Silver, Gold, Gold Elite, Star Alliance Silver, Gold, and also passengers with the designator 'VIP' can be seated there as long as their membership number is recorded in the booking.

Any other seat right through to row 60, including the exit row 35, can be assigned to any passenger if available.

The day before the flight, Departure Control at the airport take over the seating completely, reseating passengers if necessary to accomodate unaccompanied children, disabled passengers, etc. They also seat every passenger without a seat assignment, seating them according to the best weight and balance for that particular flight. Reservations/Travel Agents etc cannot allocate a seat from that point onwards.

Hope this helps http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif


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*Any information given in the email is my personal opinion and not the opinion of my employer.