drajknox

Sitting in AKL Domestic lounge awaiting another markedly delayed departure and was thinking that it would be a great enhancement to the Airpoints programme if NZ added Flexi credits with the idea being that every time a member has a departure delayed by more than 1 hour they earn a Flexi Credit which they can apply to a future non Flexi fare to convert it to Flexitime. 3 Flexi credits could be used to change a fare up Fully Flexi.

Such a scheme would acknowledge that although events cause NZ to run late, delays do cause inconvenience to customers. Recognition of this in such a way would allow customers to expect similar acknowledgement from NZ that sometimes they need to change flights and if they have previously suffered inconvenirnce they could receive some compensation in being allowed to make changes when they need to do so..

i find the “flight xxx is delayed due to late arrival of your aircraft” quite annoying as often this occurs because aircraft have actually been reallocated rather than a specific plane being late. Really it doesn’t matter why a flight is delayed, the fact is it is delayed and the reason doesn’t mean much as a passenger has no influence over it. Also you can sometimes predict using the arrivals screen that the initially notified delay will be longer - as was the case tonight when I said to my wife there would be a further delay and 15 min later this was announced. It seems staged delays are thought to annoy customers less.

hodi

I like it!

i was stuck in the koru zoo this evening too and in Auckland int one earlier, just chaos. Wondered if anything will be done to sort this over crowding. Wasn’t even standing room.

sbiddle

In fairness to Air NZ the weather situations we've seen over the past week are the exception, not the norm. Building lounges to cope with this demand would be uneconomical because they'd be too big 99% of the time.

Some of the complaints and moaning I've seen from people online and in the media in recent days has been quite remarkable. Sometimes bad weather events happen, and if people aren't willing to accept that then maybe they shouldn't use planes to fly places! If people want weather disrupt cover they should pay for an appropriate domestic travel insurance policy that will cover them for it.

hodi

Weather related completely agree, but lets be honest its pretty hammered most of the time if you fly at any sort of peak period. Just seems to have got much busier recently and I wonder if its an earned status/guest or bought membership load. From a work perspective, ie its a bonus that doesn't cost me anything, Im happy, if I was forking out heaps for BP and walked into some of these non weather related sardine tins I would be gutted!

samyoull

I'd go a step further and suggest they just implement a standby list at the gate a la UA - if there are empty seats on a flight, why not fill them with HVC's?

'Flexi credits' sound far more complex to implement.

zoovet

I agree entirely, this can be done at very little cost to the airline at all.

edmm

I had a cancellation that was weather related, I went on the Jetstar flight an hour later. But most of my flights in the last 3 months have been delayed to varying degrees, none of which have been weather related. It's got to the point where I am deliberately taking earlier flights to make sure I get there or make my connection.
To me the issue is not the fact of the delays and cancellations, it is how they are handled.

wairakei15

And the other annoyance is announcing the first delay 10 minutes before departure, so you have left the Koru with no hope of returning to the Zoo. Our aircraft to Rotorua was stolen for Tauranga, a round trip of 70 minutes plus, so ops would have know 100 minutes before our scheduled departure that it would be significantly delayed Rotorua, however only posted the delay 10 minutes before due ! Considering the disaster Auckland was, I was lucky to be only 30 minutes late home. Some had no seat for two days !

Markhm

I would happily give up earning APD ( I earnt 1.4 today) in lieue of increased SP earn.

kiwifrequentflyer

Flexitime credits would be utterly useless for passengers that fly primarily for pleasure (like me - I only fly domestically for pleasure, internationally is my business travel). It's better to get it than not I guess, but I'd much rather just get something like airpoints as a sorry. Or status points. But then again, passengers flying primarily for pleasure also don't care about SP, haha.

kyanar

I'd be happy with receiving SP on fares booked with APD, even if at a reduced rate (no, not 10% like with that part pay with APD/part with cash thing that only people in NZ get to use). Qantas has actually done this in the past, offering Discount Economy SC earn on Domestic Classic Award bookings, and Full Economy SC earn on International Classic Awards.

nzkarit

Is it QF or VA that lets you buy SC with points?

codyc1515

In full fairness to NZ I have found them to be very accomodating during delays (meal vouchers, money compensation, any flight of your choice or alternative transport method).

kyanar

I don't think either do normally but I have heard that if you're caught short, QF can offer to "sell" you the shortfall at the end of the membership year for points.