Air New Zealand Air Points - When NZ = SJ!?!

Here's an oddity that has me completely perplexed. As the family's resident FF anorak, I'm going through my partner's father's AirPoints statements and comparing against his boarding passes from a recent 'Escapade' RTW ticket to check which flights haven't credited on his account yet. He was on one of those SQ/NZ/VS fares, which included one domestic NZ flight on 3/3/03 CHC-AKL, connecting to NZ48 AKL-RAR. This sector is one of those which has not credited, and on checking the boarding pass I'm amazed to see it listed as Freedom Air flight SJ7208, rather than NZ520 or 524 or whatever it was supposed to be. Now the 'father-in-law' is pretty much airline-illiterate, so there's probably not much point in asking him if something unusual happened that day, so I'm trying to piece it together myself. Given that SJ didn't even fly NZ domestically at that stage, does anyone have any theories as to what happened? I think this was during the time that NZ was suffering a bit of an aircraft shortage and the Air Malta aircraft was flying domestically - did they use Freedom Air a/c and crew as well? Also, any theories on whether I'll have trouble getting the points credited?

While I'm in a questions-and-answers mood, I've noticed that on recent BHE-WLG-SYD flights, my partner didn't get the 1,000 point minimum for the BHE-WLG flight; instead he got actual miles, i.e. a measly 52! Is this just a mistake, or is there some new rule?

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by mad_atta:
While I'm in a questions-and-answers mood, I've noticed that on recent BHE-WLG-SYD flights, my partner didn't get the 1,000 point minimum for the BHE-WLG flight; instead he got actual miles, i.e. a measly 52! Is this just a mistake, or is there some new rule?</font>

To answer my own question (I know I'm mad, OK?) I spoke to AirPoints about the minimum earn - because the flights were all on the same PNR and the same day, they count as one 'journey' - which of course added up to well over 1,000 points, so no minimum earn was applied to the domestic sector. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif IIRC, this is a change from what used to happen in the days of the 600 point minimum, when the domestic flights counted as a separate 'journey' of their own and thus qualified for the minimum earn... though I could be wrong - does anyone have the definitive answer for this? One thing is clear: it is even less incentive to pay the premium price charged for official international 'connecting' fares - a Flexi Saver costs less and earns more. More risky, though, if your connection is tight.

You could be right sir, I was on business with my boss in March, he purchased a "Premium Economy" on me from WLG-AKL and on the same day I was on NZ23 form AKL-SIN. I received 4 SC for the domestic with 480 points. I also though that I'll get more points on the domestic leg. You are not the first one. I was too lazy to ring ANZ because I just got enough points to fly business class to Asia which I'll be using next week http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif

An SJ flight number in the 7000 series sounds awfully like an ad-hoc flight - I'd be willing to bet your dad's NZ flight was cancelled and the quickest way to get him to his destination was to use an SJ aircraft and crew.

Airpoints shouldn't have a problem with crediting his account with the miles, if this is the situation (and if he was entitled to miles to begin with!)

By the way..is the father as slack at completing and posting trip reports as the son is? http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

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All my posts are my own personal opinions and experiences and in no way represent the opinon of my employer.

[This message has been edited by airnzboy (edited 06-10-2003).]

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by airnzboy:
An SJ flight number in the 7000 series sounds awfully like an ad-hoc flight - I'd be willing to bet your dad's NZ flight was cancelled and the quickest way to get him to his destination was to use an SJ aircraft and crew.

Airpoints shouldn't have a problem with crediting his account with the miles, if this is the situation (and if he was entitled to miles to begin with!)
</font>

I bet you're right. We'll see what AirPoints have to say.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by airnzboy:
By the way..is the father as slack at completing and posting trip reports as the son is? http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif</font>

Ouch!!!

Very sorry, airnzboy, Sir! I'll get right to it shall I, airnzboy, Sir!! Will endeavour to do better in the future, airnzboy, Sir!!! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

The 1000 points things sound like a change from the 600 domstic points ruling. I have not bothered to read the T&Cs closely enough to check this.

I remember the annoyance back before the changes of flying CHC/WLG using my NZ number and then WLG/CHC using SK to get the points which NZ would not credit due to the ridiculous rule.

I remember many email exchanges with Brent showing how this policy was stupid for NZ. i.e. I would buy NZ one way and QF the other etc etc etc.

But why can't NZ just give 1000 point mimimum per flight and stop creating unusal and penny pinching rules!

Mark

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Koru Flyer:
But why can't NZ just give 1000 point mimimum per flight and stop creating unusal and penny pinching rules!</font>

Exactly! The idea seems to be: let's take Qantas Frequent Flyer then make it about 20% less generous and call it AirPoints...

Anyway, I'm now a happy Aeroplan user (until AC goes bankrupt!).

You'll be safe on AC. Colonette (Canada's transport minister) won't let the airline die. The strain on the social system with all those people thrown out of work would essentially ensure that the Liberals do NOT win the next Federal election.

Also, you can get *G much easier using AP when living in this part of the world!

Yes, that is the point. AP seems quite happy o essentially restrct elite membership to NZ. Basically you have to fly twice as far to get *G or *E living outside of NZ!

Which is a pain, as despite the earning problems, I really do enjoy the benefits of NZ*E and service provided but it is becomming increasingly difficult to justify. Espeically given that SK do not recognise NZ as a star alliance partner (just try to use easy checkin in CPH and find NZ!).

Mark

Also looking forward to mad_atta's trip report http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

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Qantas - Air New Zealand

All right, all right - my long promised trip report is slowly taking shape: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum81/HTML/003805.html