No longer accepting Koru Club guest passes
 

Starting a new thread so as to not hijack the Freeth AKL-MEL mini do one, with the topic here being an apparent change in rules around accepting KC guest passes.

So picking up on birder's comment from that thread around NZ's communication being clear as mud as always, this one truly is a shocker. It's as if someone recklessly amended paragraph 1 of that part of the Ts and Cs and just ignored the rest.

It now reads;

"Please note that you will soon be able to enjoy one guest each time you visit just so long as we have space available and we will no longer be accepting guest passes from 18 June 2011.

As a Koru member you will receive ten complimentary Guest Passes each membership year. Guest Passes and Annual Guest Cards may be used at ....."

So they will no longer be accepting guest passes but they're still going to issue ten every year?

I've just joined and received my pack over the weekend, I've therefore got 10 guest passes that are pretty much useless.....

Couple of things:
1 - They still advertising guest cards for sale - does it mean one guest and you buy guest cards?
2 - Is there a limit on how you "enjoy" one guest or will normal moral and civil standards of behaviour apply?
:)

I just received a letter about the changes.

Koru now gets a guest free of charge everytime they visit the lounge from 18June. It also includes the 9 regional lounges within NZ.

Koru now get lounge access in Noumea,Tahiti,Vanuatu with more lounges coming soon.

If you a 4 year membership you get the 5th free.

Under "Get it done in the Lounge"

'Buy an extra Guest Card' - Im confused about that one

My comment when this was floated (and you will note the sarcasm): oh and that will make the lounges less crowded. :confused:

Is it possible to devalue Air New Zealand Gold and/or Gold Elite status any more? :td::mad:

There is now essentially no difference between the Airport benefits of NZ Gold and Koru and for most people between NZ Gold Elite and Koru. And indeed even if you clock up NZ Gold Elite twice in one year you would still struggle to know the difference.

That is a serious boost to the value of a Koru membership!

Maybe the "buy an extra guest card" means you can buy a guest card so you can guest two people in?

If the 'extra Guest Card" is anything like what Qantas di, it would be an annual guest card enabling the KC member to have two guests.

On the flip-side, it does make Koru more equivalent to other purchased lounge access programs. Qantas Club, Red Carpet Club, etc, all allowed for a guest without using one-time passes.

Perhaps they were seeing customers moving over to the US Airways Club or United RCC programs which allow for Star access at a lower price?

Actually: the Virgin Australia program allows for member + one guest, so it's probably another alignment exercise.

I have no particular stake in this game anymore - although I was amazed at the SYD lounge crowding on Saturday prior to the UA departures.

Does this now mean that Koru get a guest regardless of numbers in lounge, they get priority over Gold?
If so really good for Koru as they are paying for the lounge not just "getting" it given to them - you know what I mean

I wouldn't think one would get priority over the other. In my personal experience as a Jade, Silver, Gold and Koru you get treated the same by the staff (service wise), and are just another passenger, which is the way it should be, well from a business point of view anyways. GE on the other hand, it is probably in NZ's best interest to look after them well.

agreed with the service (soft product) however the hard products (eg priority check-in, lounges, FF benefits...ect) air nz still failed to differentiate the groups.

There was talks earlier about a relaunch of Airpoint's and more GE Benefits, if so it can't be too far away (june/july) - fingers crossed :)

(Emphasis added) Why on earth would you think that?

My current understanding is that these will disappoint.

In all buisnesses, every customer should treated with that same high standard, whether they are a regular or they will only use your good/service once. It's my philosophy anyway, everyone might not agree with it, but how you look after people is pretty important.