Originally Posted by
Xiaotung
As a *G status holder, you don't need a second carrier on the ticket to check in an extra bag in Economy (not counting Seat Only) but you do in Business?
Yes, I suppose there are financial considerations for Air NZ with additional costs incurred (weight, for example) should people take an extra bag. Plus, it's also a potential revenue earner as they can charge full airport rates for a 4th bag (they don't allow pre-pay bags when a passenger's allowance is 3 pieces). Because it's their own metal, they may as well take the opportunity to generate revenue/limit costs if they can.
Originally Posted by
Xiaotung
I just checked NZ's baggage policy and they have indeed updated this under Gold benefits to include a 4th bag wording. Not sure when they made the change but still it's inconsistent with *A policy as *A website mentions nothing about having to involve more than 1 carrier and no other *A carrier does it.
This has been updated for many years - close to a decade I'd say.
Originally Posted by
Xiaotung
Yes, it makes zero sense. So if I travel in Business from AKL-LAX, for instance, I only get to check in 3 bags but if I fly AKL-LAX-SFO, I get to check in a 4th piece. Where is the logic in that? How does flying NZ only get punished?
From my understanding, *A rules allow individual carriers to implement their own policies when it comes to *G benefits on itineraries that are solely their own metal. This is the case with various "Light" fares (no baggage) offered by the LH Group, UA domestic having no lounge access for it's own UA*G members, and NZ's Seat Only fares no giving an extra piece of luggage for *G. However, where an itinerary has 2+ *A carriers, the rules generally require airlines to accept an additional piece of check-in luggage (an exception may apply to LH/LX/OS/SN Light fares as they are part of the same group).
I remember many years ago a ticketing error permitted an end-on-end combination between an LH Light fare (no baggage) and an NZ Business fare (3 pieces). The passenger was NZ Elite and his itinerary was AKL-LHR in BP on NZ2 with a few days in London. Then LHR-FRA on an LH Light fare. He had 4x checked bags - 3x as Business + 1x extra as NZ*G. No issues with a 4th bag at AKL due to 2+ *A carriers, but a big fight with LH at check-in in LHR. LH ultimately had to accept all 4 bags as both they and NZ were on the same ticket - plus, USDOT and MSC rules also applied. If he wasn't *G, then they would've only had to accept 3 bags.