Originally Posted by
Reason077
Not
entirely true in the case of NZ:
NZ PACIFIC PREMIUM ECONOMY CLASS UPGRADE SURCHARGE ON- AKL - LON/LAX/SFO/YVR V.V. AKL/CHC - NRT V.V. AKL - HKG V.V. AKL/CHC - KIX V.V. LAX/HKG - LON V.V. AKL - SHA AKL - SYD/MEL/BNE NZ PACIFIC PREMIUM ECONOMY IS AVAILABLE FOR PASSENGERS PAYING ECONOMY CLASS RTW FARES THE FOLLOWING SURCHARGES USD 125 FOR AKL-SYD/MEL/BNE AND USD 350 FOR ALL OTHER SECTORS BOOKED IN E CLASS USD 170 FOR AKL- SYD/MEL/BNE AND USD 500 FOR ALL OTHER SECTORS BOOKED IN U CLASS.
So you should be able to pay to upgrade your RTW sector to premium economy, then use your M&M Star Alliance upgrade from there.
That should work (subject to availability in
both the relevant premium economy booking class and the business class upgrades booking class). According to Miles & More
An upgrade is possible from Business Class booking classes C, D (and also J with ANA and Singapore Airlines and Z with ANA), as well as from the Economy booking classes Y and B, and also E, O, U with NZ. Upgrades with SAS are only possible from booking classes Y, B, S.
As for the other question - NZ won't process the upgrade at the gate as they'd have no assurance they would be paid by miles and more.