From my perspective it also devalues my membership of UA's Mileage Plus - this has taken away the easiest opportunity to burn United miles out of New Zealand. Inventory in business T-T has been easier, until now, to access than in economy.
Surely this is not a permanent change. Restricting/reducing Business inventory is one thing, but to eliminate it completely seems a little too far fetched even if NZ has been reducing the benefits offered to other *A members.