MaestroNZ

Hi All
I'm planning a status run this Sunday to clock over to Elite (and a surprise visit Mum for Mothers Day haha).
I need 44 Status points to get there. I need to fly from Wellington to New Plymouth.
The AirNZ website is offering me a direct route at about 8:50am or via Auckland at 10:45am. The direct flight earns me 11 status point for a fully flexi or the one via Auckland gets me 38 status points for a flexi time ticket ($90 more for 27 status points!). This seems too good to be true.
I called the 0800 number to check that if I book the flexi time ticket via Auckland can I change it on the day to the direct flight (if there are seats available obviously) and still get the higher status points. The call centre said I would as it's based on the fare booked.
This all seems to good to be true, has anyone had any experience in getting the higher earn?

I hope all this is clear.
Thanks in advance!

dadig

You won't get the higher status points if you rebook. Catch is you have to transit via Auckland. Sorry.

sbiddle

There is nothing unusual about this scenario - it's been discussed many times on here.

​​​​​​it's not possible to get the same earn if you change flights and don't have a change of direction.
​​​​​

MaestroNZ

Thanks guys
I thought it was too good to be true. Pity I gave the call centre rep 5/5 for being knowledgeable in their automated survey after the call.
But glad there was something niggling in the back of my mind that made me query it here.
Cheers

sbiddle

I'm a little confused by your "I thought it was too good to be true" comment.

You will earn the figure quoted if you fly to NPL via AKL. You can't expect to get the same number of SP / APD on a single flight as you do on two flights.

There are many holes, exploits and inconsistencies in the Airpoints earn calculations and in all seriousness because of the incredible complex beast that Airpoints has become you also can't assume Air NZ staff know how everything works - many people on here who fly regularly will no a lot more about the inside workings of the program than Air NZ staff.

The average CSR knows will not understand earn is a complex calculation involving route, aircraft type and fare price. They will also likely not understand the BAU rules in the background that determine the difference between individual flights and journeys.

macfod

for some like me earning status points is a minefield, what you can normally expect that near the renewal time you are always a few points short...or is it just me..
mind you with 8 free lounge passes ( kiwibank earns ) sat there doing nothing whilst I am gold I have to wonder what is my loss if I drop to silver

MaestroNZ

Well I went ahead out of curiosity and booked fully flexi flights. Direct to New Plymouth and via Auckland home to Wellington. All the way through at the top of the booking screen it said I would earn 47 status points. After I booked and paid I checked my App and it said I'd earn 10 for the direct flight and 21 return via Auckland so only 31 points for the return trip. 16 less than the screen when booking.
Doesnt look like it's possible for me to earn the 43 points I need to upgrade from one flight to New Plymouth no matter how much the ticket is.
Looks like I might just have to go to Auckland instead and visit friends instead of Mum.

sbiddle

Ahh you won't get full earn if you booked both on the same PNR. There are some well known bugs with SP earn that will show far more points on the booking engine than what you'll earn that Air NZ don't seem interested in fixing... Try booking a mixed fare for two people and look at the huge SP earn it says you'll earn (which you won't).

Because you're flying WLG - NPL - AKL - WLG on the same day the BAU rules that determine direction of travel and earn will convert WLG - NPL - AKL to a single WLG - AKL journey and you'll earn on that journey, not two separate flights. You'll then earn for the AKL - WLG flight. Don't expect the typical CSR to know any of this - it's well beyond their pay grade.

You needed to book both as separate PNR's to got the full earn.

drajknox

There are many issues with the SP system. I have a AKL MEL flight later this week which was booked as Works and which I've oneupped to PE Spaceseat. When the oneup came through the SP + APD earn both dropped in the potential earnings screen to be both lower than lowest estimated Works earn. Interestingly in the Last Minute Tips before your Trip email which I received today the SP was higher than in the original booking.

I've had this happen before and contacted Air NZ and they reversed the incorrect lower earnings and credited as per initial booking - so after this trip I will likely have to do the same to get the correct earn.

NZ_Flyer

How about this:

Booked AKL-NPL one way. Then a client in Wellington wanted me to run through something in person so TA changed it to AKL-WLG-NPL (same day). My corporate traveller booking shows two separate sectors with different fare amounts for each sector (rather than one fare if it was a single journey with a connection in WLG) and different booking classes, and my potential SP earn is split out into two separate sectors when I look at it. Will NZ treat that as AKL-NPL? Or as two separate sectors?

Kiwi Flyer

Two separate sectors due to the change in direction of travel.

NZ_Flyer

Great thanks KF. So by the same token, a same day AKL-DUD-CHC-AKL on a domestic multi-stop would earn as AKL-DUD and then DUD/CHC-AKL rather than 3 separate sectors (unless booked as 3 separate tickets)?

pbl22

If the DUD-CHC sector is on the same PNR as CHC-AKL, then that half of the journey will earn as DUD-AKL. You need to split as two separate bookings to maximise SP earn. The AKL-DUD will earn same SPs regardless of whether it is on a separate booking or part of same PNR as DUD-CHC.

sbiddle

Doing that journey opens up lots of variables and rules if booked on a single PNR. I wouldn't be confident taking a guess at what could happen !

NZ_Flyer

Hmmm so AKL-DUD-CHC on one PNR and CHC-AKL on another should do it?