Check out the NZ airpoints program to find out the downside of emulating NZ. Airpoints has been revenue focused for years, however there are special modifiers to the airpoints status points. For example is 30 status points for AKL-CHC narrowbody J class but 100 points for AKL-YVR. Revenue and mileage earning are only part of the equation.

Domestic services are another downside,iIMHO. Having flown NZ domestically and across the Tasman, they fall down on their ground services. They have no concept of standby from a technology and process perspective. Their answer is to cancelled the trip or fly the next day. Computer systems cannot transfer over from cancelled flight to later flight.

Best service and advice I got from an NZ employee was a former WS FA who could translate North American flying to NZ flying style. Things like afore mentioned standby travel (makes priority standby benefit useless), transfer to other airlines to recover from IRROPS, priority boarding, strict enforcement of reduced weight and reduced size carryon bags, just to name a few of the differences between NZ and North American airlines.