Air NZ Reservations Restricted to Booking Certain AC flights?
Jan 11, 2016, 7:46 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 155
Air NZ Reservations Restricted to Booking Certain AC flights?
I just spent an hour on the phone with a patient agent at the Air NZ Contact Centre trying to book a complex open jaw itinerary from Canada to New Zealand. I selected my flights on ITA Matrix and fed them to the agent but she said she was restricted to booking only certain Air Canada flights because of an agreement between the two airlines. Specifically she said the agreement did not allow them to book my preferred flight AC472 YYZ-YOW (00:30 departure) except on Sundays, Mondays and Tuesdays; she said I could spend the night in Toronto and fly on AC444 (09:10 departure) instead. Her GDS would not show her the 07:10 or 08:10 departures either. I confirmed that all flights had availability and were within the MCT. There were similar restrictions on the YYZ-YVR portion were only certain AC flights were available.
Is this how two Star Alliance partners treat each other? Seems that even in the internet era I need a knowledgeable, Canadian-based travel agent to sort this out.
Is this how two Star Alliance partners treat each other? Seems that even in the internet era I need a knowledgeable, Canadian-based travel agent to sort this out.
Jan 11, 2016, 8:35 pm
#3
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Sydney, Australia
Programs: NZ*G ELT, VA-G
Posts: 3,598
NZ is known for making things as difficult as possible for partner flights. I am not sure about the point of these endless restrictions for an airline that they are supposed to call partner.
I recently tried to book a flight to Lima and found that not only NZ have removed Star partner connections they have limited to AR in Economy only even if you book a Business fare. You would think that AR being their high profile South American partner they would make it easier for connections. But sadly no. Even worse, no Airpoints accrual apart from Rio and Sao Paulo. In the end I booked VA to LAX instead. Would really like to try their new EZE service but wasn't meant to be.
I recently tried to book a flight to Lima and found that not only NZ have removed Star partner connections they have limited to AR in Economy only even if you book a Business fare. You would think that AR being their high profile South American partner they would make it easier for connections. But sadly no. Even worse, no Airpoints accrual apart from Rio and Sao Paulo. In the end I booked VA to LAX instead. Would really like to try their new EZE service but wasn't meant to be.