I have a situation where I am looking at buying an e-ticket for two friends on NZ. Actually I was supposed to be on the same PNR, but need to ticket separately, as I need to purchase a NZ fare that will earn *A status. (Currently *G)

I have priced everything out, and the best price by far was on United.com. It even blew ITA software and orbitz away by over $120 USD. The intinerary is SYD - CHC then WLG - AKL - CNS in Jan completely ticketed on NZ, no UA codeshares.

My concern is that I am flying on a different flight ex-USA. If something goes wrong, I would obviously like them to travel with no hassles. With United, whenever I purchase an e-ticket for someone else I have to show up at the airport and sign a "Bluey" (as they call it at the UA forum) to prove that it was actually I who paid for this e-ticket with my credit card.

However if I purchase this e-ticket for my friends, then end up missing the flight somehow, will they have hassles when trying to checkin with NZ as I am not there?

It's my first trip to New Zealand / Australia, and I am really looking forward to making some new Kiwi friends!