Air New Zealand Air Points - Clarification on award seat buckets

I understand that NZ offers Z or I classes for award bookings in business premium. Checking for availability:
[KVS Availability Tool 3.3.0/Platinum - Sabre: ITN/UK-ASB] (http://www.KVSTool.com/?R)
SYD Sydney Kingsford Smith NS AU [YSSY]
AKL Auckland Int'l NZ [NZAA]
SAT 25 Oct 2008

Carrier Flight From Depart To Arrive A/C St Availability
--------- ------ ---- --------- ---- --------- ---- ---- -----------------------------------------

NZ 102 SYD 09:30 AKL 14:30 763 0 C4 D4 Z4 J7 Y7 B7 M7 H7 Q7 V7 W7 T0 L0 S0



Unfortunately ANA/Amadeus/KVS is timing out at present but at one point showed CS+

Anyway the question is whether UA have access to the same Z bucket. I ask this because the good folk at UA say there is nothing available for redemption on that flight.

I was hoping that some of the experts here may shed some light on this matter. Many thanks!

NZ upgrades and the discounted long-haul business fares come out of the Z bucket for NZ.

I was under the impression that *A awards also booked into Z. Or maybe NZ upgrades/discount fares book into Z and *A awards into I. In which case there is no I bucket on that flight which would explain why UA isn't seeing any availability.

A bit OT: I also notice there is no P bucket on that flight (at least from KVS) which is usually a smart saver economy fare.

Good logic there NZ_Flyer, but UA said there was availability for the outbound flight on NZ101 AKL-SYD where there was Z4 and no I showing :confused:

In fact, KVS doesn't ever show I when checked for that route even in April or Jun 2009!

I'm not sure then kangela.

Maybe NZ blocked it from *A awards for some reason?

I believe you need the I bucket

On EF I see I4 for that flight. Also that same day on NZ118 (a 772 flight) there appears to be I8

Jeff

kangela, I have booked many Business Premier *A awards on Air New Zealand. All *A business awards on Air NZ come from the "I" bucket.

mxm135 :)

This is an issue with United. UA blocks many * awards that are available to other partner members. Do a search of "Starnet" in the UA forum to find out more.

This is an issue with United. UA blocks many * awards that are available to other partner members. Do a search of "Starnet" in the UA forum to find out more.

^Thank you bevoinva. The StarNet issues discussion provides clues although, as with the FTers in the UA forum thread, am none the wiser on the details.

To correct some misinformation above.

Awards on NZ book into "I".
As with many other airlines, NZ generally stops "I" booking class from being viewed by GDSes. This blocking is independent of whether or not they have availability. "I0" means no availability. "I" missing doesn't mean anything.

UA Mileage Plus does indeed filter *A award redemptions - so even if NZ has "I" availability, UA may prevent a MP award. UA totally blocks out NZ LAX-LHR because they want redemptions to use their own flight. UA reduces availability on other routes because they want to limit how much $$ they pay NZ for awards.

.....
Awards on NZ book into "I"....

Thanks Kiwi Flyer. Yes, you have already spelt this out on The Booking Class guide - Air NZ international services (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=408701). The guide does indeed identify "I" as redemption and "Z" as upgrade redemption classes.

I understand that NZ offers Z or I classes for award bookings in business premium. Checking for availability:
[KVS Availability Tool 3.3.0/Platinum - Sabre: ITN/UK-ASB] (http://www.KVSTool.com/?R)
SYD Sydney Kingsford Smith NS AU [YSSY]
AKL Auckland Int'l NZ [NZAA]
SAT 25 Oct 2008

Carrier Flight From Depart To Arrive A/C St Availability
--------- ------ ---- --------- ---- --------- ---- ---- -----------------------------------------

NZ 102 SYD 09:30 AKL 14:30 763 0 C4 D4 Z4 J7 Y7 B7 M7 H7 Q7 V7 W7 T0 L0 S0



Unfortunately ANA/Amadeus/KVS is timing out at present but at one point showed CS+

Anyway the question is whether UA have access to the same Z bucket. I ask this because the good folk at UA say there is nothing available for redemption on that flight.

I was hoping that some of the experts here may shed some light on this matter. Many thanks!

There are currently 4+ seats available in I (CS) class for *A-wide redemptions, so it's either a UA agent error, or the UA's StarNet blocking issue:

[KVS Availability Tool 3.3.0/Platinum - SNT: Awards/StarAlliance/JP-ANA] (http://www.KVSTool.com/?R)
SYD Sydney Kingsford Smith NS AU [YSSY]
AKL Auckland Int'l NZ [NZAA]
SAT 25 Oct 2008 / 4 Seats

Carrier Flight From Depart To Arrive A/C Availability
--------- ------ ---- --------- ---- --------- ---- ---- -------------
NZ 100 SYD 07:00 AKL 12:00 763 FS- CS- YS-
NZ 102 SYD 09:30 AKL 14:30 763 FS/ CS+ YS-
NZ 704 SYD 11:30 AKL 16:30 320 FS/ CS- YS-
NZ 118 SYD 15:30 AKL 20:30 772 FS/ CS+ YS-

Thanks KVS. The ANA link was timing out for me yesterday. Also, glad to know that CS = "I" on NZ.

I called UA immediately after your post. No luck. I think, as Kiwi Flyer notes above, UA is blocking those seats. :(

I was just reading the new terms that come along with the new e-tickets.
It mentions this "Airpoints reward classes (X,I)" is X class only for NZ members ?. Also with NZ Own members how you can book any seat any flight do they just add to this class when you book?.

X is standard award booking class in economy, when not using any seat redemption (eg for mixed airline redemptions, using other FFPs for award on NZ)

X is standard award booking class in economy, when not using any seat redemption (eg for mixed airline redemptions, using other FFPs for award on NZ)

So any seat redemption just goes into the standard booking classes?

Yes it does.

Thanks for clearing that up Kiwiflyer.

QF has a similar scheme as well now. Classic awards book into the standard award booking classes and Anyseat awards book into the corresponding booking class.