Air New Zealand Air Points - Fuel Surcharge Reduction and Tax/Fee refunds

Two comments to pass on.

I recently cancelled a non refundable BA European flight and was surprised to get a refund of about half the amount paid to my credit card.

Having never had a refund from NZ for an unused flight it begs the question why is the security fee, fuel surcharge and GST component not refunded?

The obvious answer is they can do what they like and usually do but I wonder what the legal position is with respect to the Consumer Guarantee Act or other legislation and whether its worth a letter to the Commerce Commission?

I cant believe NZ hands over the security fee to airports for passengers who do not travel!

SQ this week announced they are reducing their fuel surcharges because of falling fuel prices. NZ was quick to increase now slow to decrease? Particularly galling given they are 50% hedged anyway!

:(

Admin fee? Some airlines charge an admin fee (which can be quite a lot) to process refunds.

Two comments to pass on.

Having never had a refund from NZ for an unused flight it begs the question why is the security fee, fuel surcharge and GST component not refunded?


NZ removed the fuel surcharge on all flights booked direct from them a few years back. They bulit it into the price of the airfare. Therefore they dont have to refund it as they sold it as one item.

NZ removed the fuel surcharge on all flights booked direct from them a few years back. They bulit it into the price of the airfare. Therefore they dont have to refund it as they sold it as one item.

That is incorrect. NZ do have a hefty fuel surcharge, but they have wrapped it up for sales ex-NZ and ex-Australia. In other markets it is separate. Furthermore, on alliance products, awards and certain other fares, even ex-NZ, Air NZ does charge a hefty fuel surcharge (even on flights operated by other airlines which is a disgusting practice IMO).

Try ticketing a RTW or CP with NZ and with UA on the exact same itinerary and you'll see what I mean.

Altho for grenal fares the surcharges are wapred into the fare due to the NZCC.

Only ex-NZ, and only on NZ's own fares. "Free" tickets (aka awards) get the fuel surcharge.

I guess the point I was making was why should they keep fees like security when they don't pay them out. BA kept a GBP30 admin fee and refunded GBP150 which seems rasonable (as they kept the fare also).

On the fuel front NZ were fast increasing when prices were going up (even though they were hedged!) Now on the way down they are dragging their feet.

... on alliance products, awards and certain other fares, even ex-NZ, Air NZ does charge a hefty fuel surcharge ... In the last week I booked two pairs of award tickets including AKL-VLI-AKL on NZ metal, one pair using aeroplan miles (ex NSN) and one pair Diamond Club (ex WLG), in both cases via the respective call centres. The only fees on the aeroplan tickets were aeroplan's CAD$30 warm-body-intervention fee. The fees on the Diamond Club tickets were 34.50 sterling, which I just assumed was their call-centre fee too.

So even though I genuinely hate to dispute the undoubted wisdom of Kiwi Flyer, my recent experience suggests he might have this one at least partly wrong :)

Ah but you used Aeroplan miles and Diamond Club miles. Try it with Airpoints and see what you get charged ;)

Who in their right mind would use Airpoints dollars for a short South Pacific jaunt? ;)

Ah but you used Aeroplan miles and Diamond Club miles. Try it with Airpoints and see what you get charged ;)

Typically, these programs charge surcharges for redemptions on their own flights, but not for Star Alliance redemptions. If you try to redeem Aeroplan miles for an Air Canada flight, for example, you do get stung the hefty fuel surcharge and other fees. It may well be the same for Airpoints?