Safti

I will be returning from Aukland to YYZ on Jan 20 or 21, 2015. Can only find a 40hr. J class return with 3 stops through Asia and Europe through the AP site. When/how do I start looking at UA with more direct routing? Every time I try for a dummy booking on UA, I am told that it's not a valid itinerary. I already have my J award seat from YYZ-SYD on Dec. 31 and plan to book SYD-AKL when I do my return booking to avoid more than one change fee.

lowside67

If the seats are actually available, then you can simply call the Aeroplan call centre. There are no J seats between SYD and AKL though I believe, NZ has basically pulled all business class inventory...

Mark

crimsona

UA doesn't fly to Auckland, only Air New Zealand does (and they don't release seats)

You could probably do AKL-NRT-YYZ as open jaw published route (I did for YVR), but SYD-AKL-NRT-YYZ is over mpm5 over the Pacific.

Have to buy the SYD-AKL on cash. Alternatively, you could fly AKL-LAX in economy. SYD-AKL-NRT-IST-YYZ will work over the Atlantic too

lowside67

Only NZ flies AKL-NRT so you are out of luck there.

I would try flying:
AKL-BKK (TG)
BKK-TPE (BR)
TPE-YYZ (BR)

The Thai flight will have some YQ but the Eva flights do not and the TPE-YYZ is a fantastic business class flight, especially for 0 YQ. Rimowa amenity kits, Dom Perignon, and pod style reverse herringbone seating.

They will release availability next week I believe for the AKL-BKK flight on Thai - there currently is good availability up until Jan 16, 2015. Likewise on the TPE-YYZ flight.

Safti

Am I able to look this up on the AP website or do I have to call it in?

lowside67

You will have to call in to BOOK it but you can look it up on the Aeroplan site, one leg at a time.

IE search for AKL-BKK on your dates in business class, write the dates down it's available, then repeat the process with BKK-TPE and TPE-YYZ until you find dates that work.

However, you should call Aeroplan before you start looking at this and see if this is considered an acceptable route as it is over mileage. The mileage allowance for SYD-YYZ returning over the Pacific is pnly 12,177 and the routing I came up with is 14,999 so it will only work if it's a published routing, which is unlikely.

If it is NOT a published routing, you will have to fly AKL-BKK and then head back over the Atlantic, where you will have lots of space. If you are not afraid of a little bit of YQ for a nice flight, I would recommend AKL-BKK-FRA (Thai 77W-A380), FRA-YYZ AC or LH. Or alternatively to save a bit of money, AKL-BKK-FRA-ZRH-YUL-YYZ. (This way you would use Swiss from FRA-ZRH-YUL which is free rather than Lufthansa which will cost $$$).

Safti

So, AKL -BKK-YYZ is not a valid routing. I do see AKL-BKK-FRA-YYZ all in J but it's nearly 40 hrs. Yikes! Is that what I should expect?

lowside67

What is your routing on the way to SYD?

AKL-BKK - 12 hours
BKK-FRA - 12.5 hours
FRA-YYZ - 8 hours

donnyk

Just as a side note to this thread, Air NZ pulled all Business AKL-HNL availability labour day weekend 2013 and it has never returned. Before that there was a nice bit available. At least one person reported success on the Air NZ forum of just emailing them and they did actually open a reward seat up to star alliance and they were able to book it right away. May have just been a very nice agent but never hurts to try.

Safti

YYZ-PVG
PVG-SYD
AP won't even let me route my return from AKL-BKK-FRA-YYZ. Over mileage. No Y or J from SYD to AKL available for me so because I have an open jaw with a stop in SYD, nothing seems to work.

donnyk

AKL is not as flexible as SYD. You can't go west from AKL and go via the atlantic to go home, too far.

Your only option would be to make AKL a side trip that you pay for, and go home via SYD either east or west.

crimsona

YYZ-NRT-AKL is a legal routing (pops up on Aeroplan.com, Nov 27, mixed J/Y), so the reverse is also true.

No seats that I can see though on the return, probably due to summer break down under

kwflyer

The only problem with the NRT-AKL on NZ in J, is that you are often stuck in recliner NA J style seats vs actual lie flight beds.

lowside67

You will need to give them specific instructions which is that you are doing an open jaw but that SYD is your point of turn. They are using AKL as your point of turn which does not have the large mileage allowance over the Atlantic to return that SYD does.

Hang up, call back, and tell them to explicitly enter SYD as your point of turn, with an open jaw to AKL, it will work.

Mark

SYD/YYZ

Not true they do fly some flights using 767/777 aircraft, 767 is a recliner and 777 is flat bed. You are correct that most trans-Tasman flights are an all economy A320 service. You can get J but NZ may only open the seats up a couple of weeks before departure.

Cheers,

SYD/YYZ