why fly

WOW getting a bit worried today I booked LAX-AKL and when I got my seat selection AZ gave me seat 27K and return 23A. "Special" seats held for SE members, however the next day the seats were taken and I was told that NZ does not give seat preference to anyone other than NZ members They said it was because UA and AC don't give them special seating. SO back of the BUS and wishing I had booked with UA!
Has anyone had this problem with NZ before.
Was this a mistake?

cattle

try phoning back and getting new seats assigned and see if they "stick" this time. I wouldn't choose the exact seats you mentioned just in case

airbus320

Last month, I phoned NZ and booked a premium seat in economy based on my *Gold status. No problem.

Has the policy now changed?

StuMcIlwain

UA doesn't fly to AKL anymore. But when they did, they used their 777s with no E+. The best seat on that plane is worse than the worst seat on an Air New Zealand plane.

why fly

I did the new agent then checked with a supervisor and they do nothing for AC SE MEMBERS...

why fly

Also they say "no difference in seats" same seats just the rows at the front are reserved for NZ members. UGH UA has a seat sale, Qantas matched the NZ seat sale.
So I am so PISSED that I did not do UA via SYD...and more Q points. This flight is looking like a nightmare, and I kind of wish I was not going to New Zealand. UGH the worst has yet to come looks like I talked 2 friends into joining me... Hope its not to late to change to UA for them.




[This message has been edited by why fly (edited 09-17-2003).]

ALW

I agree that NZ should be treating SE (Star Gold) better, but to be honest you seem somewhat overly upset about not getting "the same seat" but a few rows closer to the front.

What's more important (IMHO), is whether they're going to give you priority checkin, lounge access, etc.

andrew

Hampton

And Stu pointed out above that the best seat on the UA plane isn't as good as the worst seat on the AZ flight. I've never flown AZ but did the E+ on UA SFO-SYD in March and it was no hell. My friend raved about her economy seat when she went from LAX-AKL-MEL in May. So sounds like you may be better off on the NZ flight.
I do find it surprising that SE's don't have special status, though.

jebediah

soory, dont really follow your pessimism there.

not all star carriers give *golds a seat assignment in advance (think SK may be one of them) at all routes. especially 'special' seats (em.exit etc). However, i've done the UA 777 flight as well between LAX and AKL, and that was nothing compared to with NZ. NZ econ is quite pleasant. great service. a more fun experience than grumpy UA FA's in a packed flight.

and new zealand is a fantastic place! you should be excited if you get a few days of travlling there to have a look around.

(for other *carriers E and SE would mostly be pretty much the same = *gold.. and i dont blame them for prioritising their own, just like SQ, LH, and the lot does.)

cheers!

DavidNZ

I flew AKL-LAX-AKL a few months ago and I was in the front of Y on both legs (*A G, AC E). I've never heard that the forward seats in Y are SPECIFICALLY reserved for NZ Gold and Gold Elites, but they would likely get preferential seating.

Word of advice: no matter how sure you are of your seating, call 6 days in advance of the flight and check again. I've had them re-assign me a few times.

why fly

OK UA fly’s VIA SYD I think they cancelled the flight to AKL and its a 747 with E+ seating... NZ has a standard seat with 34" Also I have flown UA a lot because of the E+ seating, it is GREAT.
I have not been able to cancel my NZ booking so I am stuck [ Interesting AC and UA both recognize NZ *Gold etc. but they won't recognize us.]
jebediah
SQ upgraded me last month because I was SE, had an agent waiting for me at the gate, and arranged ground transport for me.... I was flying them because UA's flight was cancelled so we were transferred to SQ.
So for sure SQ takes care of E and SE's
Regarding LH who would fly them unless you were desperate anyhow
Anyhow later I will follow up with Aeroplan if NZ does not give us reciprocal treatment maybe its time for AC to end it for them! Although by the looks of things NZ will be a radically different airline soon.

Anyhow it was the way NZ handled the situation that STUNK. They had confirmed my seats, when I called back 2 days later to add seats for 2 friends, my seats had been moved to center of the 747??? *& %$$&* WHAT, they said they moved us because the seats I had were for NZ Status customers only…. And no they were not going to call. Anyhow they just lost 4 customers and if I could they would lose 2 more. UA is happier for it, and so are my friends, more points, better seats, and treated like a customer.

DavidNZ

I think that NZ will first look after it's own Elite and Super Elite customers for those 'premium' seats. It just makes sense. NZ is in fact one of the few *A carriers, from what I'm told, who watches their manifest for their own *Gs first. Why not? Is it not about loyalty to the airline? Why should an AC SE get access to the 'premium' forward Y seats over a mere NZ Gold pax, especially on an AirNZ flight! (Lest anyone think I am biased against AC, I'm a Canadian living in NZ collecting AP).

By the way, and as has been posted above, premium on NZ is not really premium. It's just further forward.

taupo

Rightly or wrongly, I can see NZ looking after its own before other carriers *Gs. However their is subtle way of doing it. To give Whyfly the "premium" seats, then take them away without telling him, then giving him less desireable seats and saying they are saved for their own and not AC SEs is just plain stupid. If they were given to Whyfly in the first place he should keep them. Had NZ assigned him a seat further back and said it was the best available he would likely have been happy (sorry to be presumptious) NZ has created ill will, lost passengers and for 0 gain to NZ.
Whyfly, you should cross post this thread to the NZ forum.
Having said all this, almost any Y seat on NZ is as good as a Y seat can be, and you will have some of the best cabin service you will likely have had in Y.

why fly

Yah I was the one who.. posted the NZ seats were no different. Just Crummy Customer service! PS I will try to POST some stuff from NZ web site.. interesting.
Ha anyhow let AC and UA treat NZ customers like & %#$@) see how they like it! PS they removed me from an exit row so maybe the seat was better??? I thought so and I guess NZ did as they gave it to somebody they thought was more worthy

why fly

I wish i knew how the URL address does not seem to change so I dont know how!
PS I guess I am a very easy customer to keep happy I love flying UA E+ and am always very Happy with AC regular Y. I fly over 100K a year almost all LONG LONG flights ASIA/AFIRCA/SouthPacific. If I dont consider Chicago[connect to ASIA] a flight, I have almost never been on a flight under 8 hrs this year. So NZ has started this flight pissing me off, taking something away...