No room in Auckland Lounge
#32
Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 367
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...
#33
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: WLG/BKK
Programs: TG*G, NZ*GE, QF G, Accor Gold
Posts: 10,206
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?
#34
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Auckland
Programs: NZ*E
Posts: 186
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:
- Create a top tier lounge for Business/Elite/EP1
- Remove guesting off Koru, but reduce the price as well to compensate
- Reduce or remove entirely the contracting out of the Auckland International Lounge
#35
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: New Zealand (most of the time)
Programs: Air NZ Elite *G, Honors Gold, IHG Platinum Elite
Posts: 6,118
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!
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!
#37
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: NZ
Programs: NZ Gold, BA Gold, QF Silver, IHG Platinum Elite Ambassador, Accor Diamond
Posts: 1,048
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.
#38
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: WLG/BKK
Programs: TG*G, NZ*GE, QF G, Accor Gold
Posts: 10,206
My guess is that the swelling of numbers would be from Koru Club members - perhaps a sizeable (majority in domestic) proportion of those in the lounge - perhaps more so in the past 5 years with fewer public/private businesses allowing staff to travel in business class. I expect that some will have KC paid for by the company, rather than personally.
#39
Join Date: Feb 2016
Programs: NZ Silver A3 Gold Qantas Gold Accor Platinum
Posts: 223
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.
#40
Join Date: Feb 2007
Programs: NZ Koru
Posts: 6,415
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.
#41
Join Date: Dec 2007
Programs: Air New Zealand Elite
Posts: 446
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.
#42
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: New Zealand (most of the time)
Programs: Air NZ Elite *G, Honors Gold, IHG Platinum Elite
Posts: 6,118
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.
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.
#43
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Auckland, New Zealand
Programs: NZ *G
Posts: 412
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.
#44
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: BLQ / TRG
Programs: NZ*E, UA*1K, QF Plat
Posts: 1,071
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.
#45
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Christchurch, New Zealand
Programs: NZ Elite; QF Platinum; CZ Gold; MU Platinum; Marriott Titanium; Accor Platinum
Posts: 1,467
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