Air New Zealand Air Points - Using UA miles on NZ: catch-22

Just returned from NZ and loved it. So much I'm sending my sister and hubby on business award seats next Feb. Or so I thought.

I tried over and over to find seats (through UA) but not seats, at all (except coach)

Called NZ and found that 1) they had award seats 2) their system looks about 2-3 weeks further out than UAs and 3) NZ award seats are not the same as those set aside for UA.

So there are NZ seats, but only in the time frame beyond UA "look forward" system can see. But they aren't available to UA anyway.

UA says NZ has either booked all the seats or hasn't opened them up. They don't know.

Does anyone know if the switch to new C seats on the LAX/SFO-AKL/CHC flights has delayed release of UA(*A? generally) seats or if this is just holding back seats in hope of getting revenue?

Aren't *A obliged to make a certain number of award seats available? Is it customary for NZ to wait to do this? I've called when the 330 day window for UA opens but no luck.

ANy thoughts on how to get these seats is appreciated.

I had no problem going SFO-AKL last August, even on a Friday night. I did have trouble getting the late flight leaving AKL-LAX (continues to LHR!), but that was released about 2 months before travel.

I did find that the Mileage Plus agents weren´t uniformaly knowledgeable.

Just returned from NZ and loved it. So much I'm sending my sister and hubby on business award seats next Feb. Or so I thought.

I tried over and over to find seats (through UA) but not seats, at all (except coach)

Called NZ and found that 1) they had award seats 2) their system looks about 2-3 weeks further out than UAs and 3) NZ award seats are not the same as those set aside for UA.

So there are NZ seats, but only in the time frame beyond UA "look forward" system can see. But they aren't available to UA anyway.

UA says NZ has either booked all the seats or hasn't opened them up. They don't know.

Does anyone know if the switch to new C seats on the LAX/SFO-AKL/CHC flights has delayed release of UA(*A? generally) seats or if this is just holding back seats in hope of getting revenue?

Aren't *A obliged to make a certain number of award seats available? Is it customary for NZ to wait to do this? I've called when the 330 day window for UA opens but no luck.

ANy thoughts on how to get these seats is appreciated.

I notice that you have cross posted this.

Try this thread for Information
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=409142

I notice that you have cross posted this.

Try this thread for Information
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=409142


Thanks, I had read that thread. But I'm not sure if NZ has some sort of *A obligation to make award seats available or if their internal award processes create the problem. Not sure if its a NZ problem or *A problem, hence two posts to two different set of "experts".

The link above is mostly about high season and NZ Airpoints, with some guesses about what's going on in the areas I'm interested in.

I got mixed answers from UA and NZ agents, so I was hoping someone here or on the NZ thread know something that would help me thread :eek: my way through the bureaucratic mazes.

I did an F award on this route, via SYD in Feb 05 and had a terrible time getting anything. Had to reticket (paper tik with NZ legs) at $100 to get something close to what I wanted. Still ended up in Y on CHC-SYD although there were plenty of empty seats in F on that leg.

This whole process is indicative of why the airline industry is in trouble. They can't seem to install the simplest customer friendly upgrades to their business practices. (Rant, rant :( )

Again, February is peak season.

My guess is that 330 days out may be 'too far in advance'. Whenever I've used UA miles for free tickets on *A they have always been 2-3 months prior! In fact, I'm leaving this week to LHR from LAX and UA couldn't accomodate me but NZ was available in Feb for Apr travel (I have UA Metal on return).

This has happened several time to me where NZ was available a few months before but not 6+ months before. Perhaps it's just their inventory control policy.

Good luck

Again, February is peak season.

Why?

Glen


FlyerTalk 'Oz Fest #2' in Sydney May 27/29, 2005. Click for details (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?threadid=336631)

Why?

Glen



because it is.

Why?

Low season to and from oz - what's the big deal re Feb in NZ?

Why?

Low season to and from oz - what's the big deal re Feb in NZ?

Best (most stable) weather and just part of the on-going summer peak (december-late february).