Air New Zealand Air Points - Trans-Tasman fare sale to/from CHC and WLG until Feb 14th

Just a quick heads-up for y'all - in response to the Qantas and Virgin Blue / Pacific Blue sales, NZ is responding with ultra cheapo fares between SYD and WLG/CHC on direct flights only: A$245 return including all taxes! This is a new price low, to my knowledge anyway. Must purchase by February 14th, for travel 10th March to 5th April. At that price, even I can cope with not earning miles!

Wouldn't you know it, today I was just about to book some flights to CHC. The only problem is that the dates of this sale just don't work for me, plus I was too slow and missed the last sale which had a much more generous range of dates. It's not easy being stupid, you know! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/mad.gif

Mad atta, interested in going to WLG for the weekend??? thinking of going 2 April, returning 4th April... booze and eat up in the lounge, both ways!

BTW - how do you book it? says $240 one way on airnz.com.au now...

oops, the fares show up on their website..... just not published elsewhere.


--

i've found sun night 28 mar available, back mon mornign straight to work 640am, gets into syd at 820am...(overnight in wellington for all of 6 hours...)

flightcentre will match these fares down to A$234 including taxes ($10 off on a round trip to NZ). you can pay on CBA rewards and earn nearly 500 points as well (2 points per $1 spent).

[This message has been edited by kawoh (edited Feb 10, 2004).]

I'd consider a MR with you guys, if you don't mind the company...

------------------
Latitudes.

For my part, I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel’s sake. The great affair is to move; to feel the needs and hitches of our life more nearly; to come down off this feather-bed of civilisation, and find the globe granite underfoot and strewn with cutting flints.
Robert Louis Stevenson (1850–1894)

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Latitudes:
I'd consider a MR with you guys, if you don't mind the company...</font>

Unfortunately, the "M" bit of "MR" doesn't quite apply in this case! :P

I'm actually off to the Barossa valley that weekend (on the Red Rat - quelle horreur!)...

Personally I wouldn't bother going to WLG for 6 hours. They close the airport from about 1.30am to 3.45am I am sure.

Does this fare accrue airpoints?????

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by MrSydney:
Personally I wouldn't bother going to WLG for 6 hours. They close the airport from about 1.30am to 3.45am I am sure.

Does this fare accrue airpoints?????</font>

Yes, WLG closes for a few hours overnight.

No mileage - see mad_atta's posts

Of course Courtenay Place isnt too far away and still open and pumping (well at some places anyway http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif )

[This message has been edited by Kiwi Flyer (edited Feb 11, 2004).]

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Kiwi Flyer:
No mileage - see mad_atta's posts</font>

True, if you are an Air Points member. I have accrued United miles on these fares though! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif


------------------
Latitudes.

For my part, I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel’s sake. The great affair is to move; to feel the needs and hitches of our life more nearly; to come down off this feather-bed of civilisation, and find the globe granite underfoot and strewn with cutting flints.
Robert Louis Stevenson (1850–1894)

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by MrSydney:
Personally I wouldn't bother going to WLG for 6 hours. They close the airport from about 1.30am to 3.45am I am sure.

</font>

I had two short layovers this year, arriving from Sydney at midnight or so and off on one of the first domestic AM flights - I camped out at the airport for the six hours or so and although it was closed,
there were no hassles. I recommend gate 17 except it gets a bit cold http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif. Also, the Koru Club serves a wicked breakfast and has great showers.

Cheers, Zac

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Latitudes:
True, if you are an Air Points member. I have accrued United miles on these fares though! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif


</font>

How? The fare rules now specifically say no miles - on any program, at least on the NZ site. Other sites are silent and MP has no qualification as to these fares.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by mad_atta:
in response to the Qantas and Virgin Blue / Pacific Blue sales, NZ is responding with ultra cheapo fares between SYD and WLG/CHC on direct flights only: A$245 return including all taxes!</font>

I think it's amazing that AirNZ have gotten themselves into a position where they can offer these sorts of fares... well done Ralph Norris. And all this while still offering food, booze and lounges too, fantastic.

Cheers, Zac

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Altaflyer:
How? The fare rules now specifically say no miles - on any program, at least on the NZ site. Other sites are silent and MP has no qualification as to these fares.</font>

Umm... the rules state no miles are accrued for Air Points members. Air NZ does not control other airlines programs. I have flown these specials in the past and UA has always credited the miles.

------------------
Latitudes.

For my part, I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel’s sake. The great affair is to move; to feel the needs and hitches of our life more nearly; to come down off this feather-bed of civilisation, and find the globe granite underfoot and strewn with cutting flints.
Robert Louis Stevenson (1850–1894)

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Latitudes:
Umm... the rules state no miles are accrued for Air Points members. Air NZ does not control other airlines programs. I have flown these specials in the past and UA has always credited the miles.

</font>

But don't other FF programmes and Air NZ have to agree with which fare classes are qualifying fares (since they are effectively purchasing the miles)? Certainly the AC Aeroplan and BD Diamond Club programmes are explicit about no miles on NZ G,K,L,S fares. Maybe UA Mileage Plus have different agreements (or are lax in checking). But Air NZ are explicit in their Tasman Smart Saver T&C (bolding is mine):

"Tasman Smart Saver fares do not permit:

- earning of Airpoints with Air New Zealand or other frequent flyer points or miles with any of our partner airlines

- purchase of Companion Tickets using Airpoints

- Business Class upgrades using Airpoints
earning of Status Credits"

Latitudes I'm curious to know whether this has worked for you recently - there's often a lag with these sort of rule changes, with partner FFP's allowing mileage accrual for a bit longer than the host programme, but usually the loopholes get closed in the end.

AFAK, if NZ stipulate that the fares are not mileage-earning and advise their partner airlines as such, they then don't have to credit UA for the cost of UA providing miles to their programme members, however UA have the option to credit those miles at their own cost if they choose to.

Attention UAL Lurkers: Please read the following post with your eyes closed! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/tongue.gif

Of all of the NZ flights I took last year, including the Tasman Express and Domestic Express, UA credited me the miles.

My next Tasman Express flight is Feb 28, so I'll let you know if/when the miles post.

(OK, you can open your eyes now!)

------------------
Latitudes.

For my part, I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel’s sake. The great affair is to move; to feel the needs and hitches of our life more nearly; to come down off this feather-bed of civilisation, and find the globe granite underfoot and strewn with cutting flints.
Robert Louis Stevenson (1850–1894)

[This message has been edited by Latitudes (edited Feb 15, 2004).]

Well, well! That's useful to know!

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by mad_atta:
AFAK, if NZ stipulate that the fares are not mileage-earning and advise their partner airlines as such, they then don't have to credit UA for the cost of UA providing miles to their programme members, however UA have the option to credit those miles at their own cost if they choose to.</font>

That's what I thought, too.

Latitudes, if you don't mind me asking, did you have any difficulty in getting Air NZ check-in agents to enter your MP number, or did you not bother and just mail in your boarding passes after your flights?

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Zinzan:
Tasman Smart Saver fares do not permit:

- earning of Airpoints with Air New Zealand or other frequent flyer points or miles with any of our partner airlines

- purchase of Companion Tickets using Airpoints

- Business Class upgrades using Airpoints
earning of Status Credits"
</font>

I see where you found that on the Air NZ web site, but when I buy the ticket online the rules of the fare state:

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Airpoints: No Airpoints accrual, Not eligible for Airpoints upgrades or companion tickets</font>

So which one can you believe?


<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Zinzan:
That's what I thought, too.

Latitudes, if you don't mind me asking, did you have any difficulty in getting Air NZ check-in agents to enter your MP number, or did you not bother and just mail in your boarding passes after your flights?
</font>

I entered my MP number online when I bought the flights. At check-in I presented my 1K card and received a boarding pass with UA *G (or something similar) printed on it.

A few days later... Presto! Miles appear on my online statement. This has happened several times already so I figured nothing was out-of-the-ordinary.

------------------
Latitudes.

For my part, I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel’s sake. The great affair is to move; to feel the needs and hitches of our life more nearly; to come down off this feather-bed of civilisation, and find the globe granite underfoot and strewn with cutting flints.
Robert Louis Stevenson (1850–1894)

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Latitudes:
I entered my MP number online when I bought the flights. At check-in I presented my 1K card and received a boarding pass with UA *G (or something similar) printed on it.

A few days later... Presto! Miles appear on my online statement. This has happened several times already so I figured nothing was out-of-the-ordinary.

</font>

Hmm... that's very interesting. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif Thanks, Latitudes.