Space+ Gone on 767-300 on Trans-Tasman - miserable!
 

I flew Auckland-Sydney earlier this week on 767-300s. When I booked the ticket and went to select seats, I was surprised to see that there was no Space+ in the seat map. I posted about it on here, and someone said that if you look closely, some of the seats on the seat map do show 32" pitch. (Here's the thread: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/air-n...-no-space.html )

However, I later realized that in economy, there were only two types of seats that showed up on the seat map: 31" pitch and 7" recline, and 32" pitch and 6" recline. In other words, no space + at all. (Of course, there's also bulkhead and exit rows, but we are talking about regular seats here.)

Well, after flying earlier this week, I'm sad to say that the seat map was correct: Space+ is completely gone from the 767-300s at least TT. I sat in the back in the way over, and in the front on the way up, and the pitch is the same. I also spoke to flight attendants on both trips, and both told me that Space+ has been completely removed from the aircraft.

Let me tell you, it's miserable. On the way back, the flight was almost completely full. I was crammed in there with no way to work. Even when the person in front of me didn't recline, I felt I had no personal space. When they did recline, I felt like some sort of farm animal all crammed into some pen.

I know, other airlines have poor pitch, etc etc. What I can tell you is that I am going to avoid flying at all costs on these routes. Heck, for interviews, I can use skype. Space+ made flying bearable, and now that it's gone, I am going to limit my TT travel as much as possible. If I have to fly TT, I'm going to do my best to fly on the 747, which seems to have the roomiest Y class.

I'm not expecting luxury - just a few inches of personal space!

Plus, what happened to Bruce Parton's promise that some form of Space+ would be preserved on all TT flights?

I don't see how boosting capacity by a small % will all of a sudden turn the Trans-Tasman route profitable - the combination of this new fare structure plus removal of Space+ will cost NZ their profitable business travellers. Short-cited decision.

Question should be what happened to anyone from NZ - they have gone off air, leaving Ricco to tell us all what is happening:confused:

Yes, I also wonder what happened to Bruce Parton's promise about Space +. I wish I could find his actual message, but it was certainly along the lines that "we've listened to you guys so we will be retaining some space+ seating". That wasn't a quote but that was the general thrust of the message.

In fact, what has happened to Bruce? There was a very short message some time ago to say he was on leave and nothing since. I hope he's OK.

I particularly don't get it on the 767s - 7 extra seats in a 220ish seater plane?

Yes, I only mentioned Bruce in my post, but you're right everyone has gone very quiet indeed. And their new 'spokesperson' doesn't have much class.

And I'm really upset about the 767s. I saw them as the last bastion of some sort of comfort when avoiding the A320s. At least there are some 777s (and the occasional 747) on the BNE flights. Was looking at CNS flights yesterday - they are now all 320s.

Follow this - from April 7 2010

"We’ve listened to feedback from our HVC’s since announcing our new Tasman and Pacific Island product offering. The key piece of feedback we received related to the removal of Space+ from the front of the economy section of the A320.

Based on this feedback we have carefully reviewed the seating layout to see what can be achieved to increase seat pitch for our HVC’s. On average we seat between 5-8 HVCs in the current Space plus area
As a consequence of the feedback we will be reconfiguring the A320 with 6 seats at the same 35 inch seat pitch as today in Space+. These are the front row seats.
We are also creating four rows of 32 inch seat pitch between rows 3-6 on the right hand side of the aircraft. These 18 seats will be reserved exclusively for our HVC’s that currently get seated in Space+. We anticipate that these seats with additional leg room will be more than enough to cater to our average HVC load factor.
In addition to these seats we also have the 12 exit row seats at 33 inch seat pitch.
In total we will now have 30 seats forward of the wing wit seat pitch between 32 and 35 inch exclusively for our HVC’s.

Thanks for the feedback on this issue that has encouraged us to reconsider and provide you with Space plus as per your requests

Bruce Parton
Group General Manager Shorthaul Airlines - Air New Zealand "

I understand Bruce is on leave until early November (and apparently offline)... don't envy him the state of his inbox when he gets back!

birder - where were you seated on the 763? As I understand it the seats with the 32" pitch are the AB/JK seats in Zone B (not the DEF seats in this section). Presumably this should be at least comparable with the seats on the 320 pre-Suits to Seat refit, which I had to endure a few times before I hit *G. They obviously weren't great compared to Space+, but I wouldn't say they were miserable. Still, doesn't sound like it's a move for the better...

Incidentally every seat map I've seen with the new 320 product has the two exit rows blocked off for Works Deluxe - not HVC.

[QUOTE=Top of climb;14968451]I understand Bruce is on leave until early November (and apparently offline)... don't envy him the state of his inbox when he gets back![QUOTE]

Yes Bruce may be away but did not a Mr Whittaker take over his "position" and start answering but he too has gone silent.

Almost like the Marie Celeste - keeps on sailing but there appears to be no-one at the helm, and all the ship can do is go with the flow.

Very very sad indeed.... I am relocating to Auckland late this year and will be traveling across the Tasman every two weeks and also up to the Pacific Islands regularly with at least 5 others. With all that is going on with Air NZ recently (terrible advertising (rico and blow up dolls), removal of business etc etc etc) I have booked all my travel on QF, Emirates, and Pac Blue. Potential loss to Air New Zealand of somewhere in the ball park of $180,000 worth of travel on the short haul international alone, does not take into account the avoidance of long haul out of principle as well. Sorry Air NZ.

This is something I've been trying to figure out since the announcement. I don't understand airline cost models, but I can't see how this can make a difference.

I wonder if it's possible (or an option) to have say the AB seats in Zone B back to the 35" seat pitch, which would result in a net increase of 5 seats on the old 763 configuration (an extra row in DEF and JK).

I was in 11 K. If the person in front of me hadn't reclined, it would have still been unpleasant but at least bearable. But you can't count on people not reclining, especially not on an evening flight. The woman next to me was average size, definitely not oversize, but the seats are such that you really don't have lots of arm room.

With the person in front of me reclining, I simply couldn't work. I actually brought out reading material to read (hold it close to my face), but then my overhead light was not working. I told the flight attendant and he was sympathetic but offered no recourse. Basically, instead of working for 3 hours, I got NOTHING done. Oh, and they didn't clean up our meals until 35 minutes before landing. So I couldn't even get up and walk around. So I felt like a farm animal trapped in a cramped pen. So I drank wine, watched some stupid TV, and vowed the whole time to avoid this at all costs in the future.

I think these changes to the 767 may also cause some consternation on what I call the milk run, the LAX/AKL flights that drop and pick up pax in either RAR or APW and TBU.

Certainly on one of the travel forums there is often complaint by US pax going to RAR about the old 767s, including the lack of lie flat seats for Business class pax. But also economy seating is also mentioned, but the ability to request seat+ (which many were able to do) and in some cases paid for the privilege I have read, has mollified many of them. In fact some of them have booked just because of this. I wonder what will happen when some of them find the reconfigured plane?