I think that the recent posts simply show that we all hold differing views on the value of status - sometimes very slightly differing, and sometimes a greater difference. This is all healthy, as no system-wide scheme will match 100% of all FFP members.
My query to Air NZ was to try and explicitly gain an understanding of where *G status fell with the new TT structure....particularly with the baggage query - a matter of principle as KiwiFlyer noted.
Cheers, TK