Air New Zealand Air Points - j class question

i was fortunate enough to book an award business class seat (for 2) on an lax to lhr on nz in may. i booked seats 11 and 12 window (but i hear window isn't really an issue). i wanted to get into the premium cabin into seats 1 a/b. the nz agent said that was only for premium blah blah blah. i checked on line. those seats are still open. do you think there is a chance they'd let my wife and i switch into those seats at some point??? thanks.

NZ does a fine job of keeping premium seats for it's Elite passengers. If you are *G you may be able to snag them, however I think you will be trumped by some NZ Gold Elites or NZ Golds.

The only real hope you have is that they are still available at ckin and the agent will give them to you.

No matter where you sit, you will have a very comfortable trip with some excellent food and wine. Enjoy the Koru Club lounge at LAX.

Those seats are marked 'V' - a Star Alliance Silver status will do enough to allow you both in there.

But Air NZ loves to fiddle around with seat assignments nevertheless.

99% of the time you'll get the seat you request, if you're entitled to be there in the first place.

99% of the time you'll get the seat you request, if you're entitled to be there in the first place.What method was used to calculate that statistic?

My experiences are far below getting the seat requested 99 % of the time. Even if it were the seat requested or a better one it would still be below 99 %.
A few years ago it would have been consistently 100 % on the second test.

E=mc2.

I've never had a seat assignment request changed on me, regardless of international or domestic booking, but I'd be happy pretty much anywhere in the nose of the 747 as long at it's not 1A or 1K.

Now there were those 2 times the guy behind me had terrible foot odor and I wanted to be reassigned almost...:p

No expectation, no disappointment eh shadabing.

I managed to request 1A & 1B based on *Gold, and have never been refused them. Also, the seat requests materialised at check-in.

We had 1a/k without issue recently trans-tasman.

*Silver and Jade flying togther, don't know if they are more picky on long haul flights but the front cabin certainly didn't seem to be filled only with Elites on that flight.