Got an email saying I've received 2 Koru lounge passes from my credit card spend today. Great timing!
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Originally Posted by kyanar
(Post 30298443)
They could try the UA approach - Air NZ Business Premier "Polaris" type lounges with access only for C passengers flying any *A airline departing that airport. Takes a few 772/773 loads of BP and equivalent pax out of the Koru lounge and with a stricter guesting policy and cutting out *G pax flying in Y or A class...
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Originally Posted by edmm
(Post 30298451)
Absolutely. We spent much of a day in the SFO Polaris lounge in May. It was great, everything a lounge should be- quiet, spacious, comfortable and good food. You pay huge money for NZ C. It's about time we got value for money.
The spend required to reach NZ*G/GE status (and *G in most *A programs) is non-trivial, particularly if self-paid. What is the right answer? |
Originally Posted by drajknox
(Post 30298591)
Personally I think NZ would be foolish to try to create a Polaris type premium lounge for Business class passengers only as in many ports it would’ve an underused space in terms of their own Business passengers. I think the Elite guesting should be reduced to 2 guests with Gold and Koru at 1, children should count irrespective of age. I wonder if the answer is:
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I also really wonder how much of a problem the Elite 5 guest allowance is.
Clearly in the domestic lounges at times there are corporate Elite's who will happily guest in multiple people and I've seen this plenty of times. For international lounges it isn't something I've ever seen. The simple reality is that Air NZ clearly has too many HVCs - despite plenty of people in here believing they have the worst FFP in the world! |
I just wonder with the huge increase in tourist traffic if in fact *A users could be a contributing factor given quite a few *A carriers now operate in and out of Auckland
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Let's be honest, if you don't fly NZ internationally (and use the NZ lounge), your alternatives aren't that compelling. Until QF upgrades its lounges, its offering is poor (both the Business and First ones are overcrowded and mediocre at times). Emirates is decent, but unless you are heading Dubai and beyond or Bali (or it is open when a QF flight is operating), it's of little real interest to NZ. Contrast AKL to SYD or MEL, where there are far more choices and NZ isn't a default to attract airlines as a contract lounge, nor is it dominant.
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Originally Posted by ClanJ
(Post 30298682)
I just wonder with the huge increase in tourist traffic if in fact *A users could be a contributing factor given quite a few *A carriers now operate in and out of Auckland
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Have been in heaps of *A carrier lounges in the past 3 months and the most crowded one you guessed it was the Auckland one when we left. As an aside flew from Milan back home with Thai Air via BKK. in J. In the BBK to AKL had a faulty armrest in my seat which I informed them of. They got back to really quick with an apology and 5000 miles to my FF account which was totally unexpected. Great customer service.
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Originally Posted by sbiddle
(Post 30298679)
The simple reality is that Air NZ clearly has too many HVCs - despite plenty of people in here believing they have the worst FFP in the world!
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Originally Posted by cavemanzk
(Post 30298877)
Agreed - which all comes down to NZ have an large monopoly over the New Zealand market. For most Frequently Flys NZ is really the only choice. I’d say by far the bulk of the elites are getting there by way of corporate travel, not through their discretionary, personal travel spend. |
I guess the one thing that really interests me about this whole issue is why things are so bad this week. Yes lounges are always busy during school holidays, but it's the end of school holidays so you'd assume most international traffic is inbound, not outbound.
I really think both AIAL and Air NZ are just as bad as each other in many respects. As we all know Auckland Airport has been a construction zone for literally the last 20 or so years with almost permanent "upgrades" taking place. AIAL's tendency is to do things long after they're needed, and if you look back at their annual reports you'll see most planned works do happen - but years after they were actually required. As of this years annual report they're still saying the new domestic terminal will be ready in 2022 but the 2022 has a big * next to it and will probably end up being the date they finally decide on the final plans.. It'll be an awfully expensive new regional lounge if it's only going to have a life of 3 years before being scrapped. Overcrowding at International Koru has been an issue essentially since the lounge was opened and Air NZ's response has essentially been to do very little. If they'd genuinely thought they had needed a 2nd lounge in the new pier then surely they would have begun construction of this in conjunction with the new pier, and not waited until it was complete to announce something. |
Swings and roundabouts
After all the bad press, I was expecting the AKL domestic Koru to be busy this morning (even though I know the media focus has been international). Instead, it’s empty. It’s a nice reminder of what lounges are “meant” to be like. |
Originally Posted by sbiddle
(Post 30300534)
Overcrowding at International Koru has been an issue essentially since the lounge was opened and Air NZ's response has essentially been to do very little. If they'd genuinely thought they had needed a 2nd lounge in the new pier then surely they would have begun construction of this in conjunction with the new pier, and not waited until it was complete to announce something.
Two years later and nothing has improved. It is time for Mr Luxon to walk the walk. Not just admit they have problems and do nothing about it. In my business if we did not address client issues within two year we would have been out of business long time ago. |
Originally Posted by WLGNZ
(Post 30300767)
I
In my business if we did not address client issues within two year we would have been out of business long time ago. Their charging of service fees for everything, even for Elites, is outrageous, but like this Koru lounge issue when we have no viable alternative, at least for domestic, what can we do |
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