NZ_Flyer

It seems the problem child are RUs and Elite APD upgrades lodged after T-7 days

Basically at T-7 days upgrades are allocated with OneUps at the bottom of the rank. I've been told that upgrades are only given in advance if there are 5 or more seats left in that cabin class.

From T-7 to T-8hours before departure it seems that OneUps are regularly reviewed but that RUs are only looked at at either T-7 or on the day of departure. Someone correct me if I'm wrong but the stories in this thread where OneUps are given over RUs are all in the situation where a RU is lodged within 7 days of departure (after that initial upgrade review and allocation) and that the OneUp system is reviewed multiple times before departure but the RUs are not? This is maybe because the software is set to assume that all RUs have been allocated by the time OneUps have been processed. Which would be true at T-7 but not at say T-3 if someone puts in an RU at T-4

Hopefully that makes some sense.

Sea Sharp

Just confirming that my NZ *S RU was approved on check in. For anyone interested.

Bub001

[QUOTE=NZ_Flyer;28704832]It seems the problem child are RUs and Elite APD upgrades lodged after T-7 days

Basically at T-7 days upgrades are allocated with OneUps at the bottom of the rank. I've been told that upgrades are only given in advance if there are 5 or more seats left in that cabin class.

From T-7 to T-8hours before departure it seems that OneUps are regularly reviewed but that RUs are only looked at at either T-7 or on the day of departure. Someone correct me if I'm wrong but the stories in this thread where OneUps are given over RUs are all in the situation where a RU is lodged within 7 days of departure (after that initial upgrade review and allocation) and that the OneUp system is reviewed multiple times before departure but the RUs are not?

It is my my understanding that this is NOT the situation. My reading is that people have lodge RU requests well in advance of T-7; One-ups have been granted at T-7, but RUs have not. Then on day of departure, typically at check in or after checkin has closed, RUs clear. It might be argued "The RU came through and no One Up was granted while an RU was denied". It matters if you are not Gold or Elite, but using your one, hard-earned RU...and I know that many people on this forum think that the entire country are gold or elite...they're aren't!! You don't get to take advantage of increased baggage; you potentially don't get priority check in; you potentially don't get lounge access (if it clears at the gate). Cleared One-Ups get those benefits. If you are gold or Elite, it will not impact you, but if you are not, it certainly might well do.

bce1

I dont profess to have any inside knowledge aside from a conversation with someone who works in their revenue control group - who don't do the upgrades but does have some oversight.

Practically all of the upgrades which are likely to work are processed at T-7 days in the order previously described. But majority aren't released until day of travel in case they have last minute sales - but the back-end process is completed earlier.

YMMV.

sbiddle

A scenario of a OneUp clearing in advance of travel while somebody waits until the gate for a RU to clear would be incredibly unlikely.

As for baggage you get the baggage allowance of your upgraded class if a RU or APD is lodged - the only exception is Seats to Suit routes.

At the end of the day by far the vast majority of OneUp upgrades to not clear.
The vast majority of RU and APD upgrades do clear. There isn't much else to really add.

dadig

As Elite, I've had RU and APD Upgrades clear within T-7 and T+8 hours regularly on TT flights.

Bub001

Re-baggage...ignoring s2s, are you saying that you will get the increased bag allowance just by lodging a request? Because that is simply not correct. And if your upgrade does not come through until check in or later, it's a bit late to take advantage of it then!!

See above flysally and teabag for examples.

Hmmmm I wonder if Silver flyers AKL-LAX-AKL would agree with the assertion that the vast majority of RUs clear?

Of course we will never know that because of airnz's lack of transparency around upgrades,

I don't believe that it is a conspiracy. And I no longer have skin in this game. airnz lost me as a ff when they changed the rules around benefits to golds about 4 years ago. I now travel with them as a non-ff when there is no other option.

sbiddle

Yes that's what I am saying. If you have a RU or APD upgrade lodged that has not cleared at check-in you will receive the extra baggage allowance of your upgrade on all routes except Seats To Suit.

This has been policy for many years, and I'm not aware of it changing in the last few months. If you've got evidence of it changing I'd be keen to know.

As for RU's clearing my comment is what I said. The vast majority of RU's clear - I'm not talking about specific routes, it's an across the board statement.

For the record I know plenty of Silver pax who have had RU's clear on AKL-LAX or AKL to SFO flights. Just because some don't clear (and if you're an Elite travelling during busy times such as school holidays you probably won't get your upgrades clear either due to the planes being chokka) doesn't mean none clear.

I really don't understand what the "lack of transparency is". At the end of the day RU's are an unconfirmed upgrade. I understand perfectly how the system works, the only thing I don't know is where I rank in an upgrade list which is the only benefit of upgrade systems that most US airlines use where you can see your name and know what your chances of an upgrade are.

smeags_nz

I've believe this is correct. From what I've heard and my experiences, as long as you have lodged an upgrade for a long-haul route, you do receive the additional baggage allowance.

SpannerSpinner

I am NZ*s, I have a TT flight on Friday, my non-gifted RU (Y-BP) was approved sometime before Saturday night. So at least for TT flights they are processing silver RUs 7 days out, but quite possibly only clearing them if load factors are low enough that they will have spare seats to sell up to the morning of the flight. Several of my RUs haven't cleared till check-in in the past.

Shamrock55

As someone fairly new to Air NZ, may I ask what booking class on Expertflyer I should be looking under to see availability for possible RUs?

NZ_Flyer

A for premium economy
R for business premier

However Air NZ don't release availability of R class to ExpertFlyer so you have to call Air NZ up and check availability if you want to guarantee a confirmed advanced upgrade to Business Premier. They release 2x seats Business Premier seats per flight for Elite RU's/APD upgrades.

Shamrock55

Thank you for this. OK so I have an RU submitted for AKL-HKG soon. Fingers crossed.

Thai-Kiwi

For a gifted RU from a NZ*E, does the booking have to have my Airpoints number entered into the frequent flyer data?

I presume the ticket needs to be on NZ stock, even if containing other sectors on other carriers.

I ask as I am TG*G but NZ nothing, and I could possibly be a NZ*E RU beneficary.

Thanks.

KiwiJC

You will need to have your NZ Airpoints number on the booking, and be a giftee of the NZ*E member.