Air NZ Price Promise - Any experience?
Nov 29, 2018, 9:52 pm
#1
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Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 1,992
Air NZ Price Promise - Any experience?
Mods please merge if this has previously been discussed.
I wanted to ask if anyone has any experience using ANZ's online price promise? I want to book LA to London in premium economy but direct on Air NZ's website is close to $1900. However, several websites such as Expedia, Amex travel etc is $1495. I am nervous to pay the higher price with Air NZ and then they tell me they won't honour it and I am out of pocket.
I could just book directly with the OTA, however, I like to book all my travel directly with the airlines.
Welcome any thoughts/advice.
I wanted to ask if anyone has any experience using ANZ's online price promise? I want to book LA to London in premium economy but direct on Air NZ's website is close to $1900. However, several websites such as Expedia, Amex travel etc is $1495. I am nervous to pay the higher price with Air NZ and then they tell me they won't honour it and I am out of pocket.
I could just book directly with the OTA, however, I like to book all my travel directly with the airlines.
Welcome any thoughts/advice.
Nov 30, 2018, 3:27 am
#2
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: BNE
Programs: NZ*G, QF Bronze, VA Red
Posts: 563
The rules are pretty complex. and there are some gotchas in there. Here's the exclusion list, where I've highlighted the ones that may screw you:
- Different flights, routes, itineraries, inclusions, travel class, or number of passengers, or different number of adults and children.
- Fares for flights operated by other carriers.
- Fares provided by opaque online agencies where carrier and itinerary details are not known until after purchase are excluded from the Online Price Promise.
- Prices quoted and or charged in other currencies.
- Corporate, wholesaler, consolidator, group fares, student fares, or package fares, or fares restricted to members of certain websites or membership programmes.
- Fares published websites that have different URL Country Code Top Level Domain endings.
- Fares that are offered on websites that do not have the capability to confirm the booking and accept payment.
- Fares that are sold by retailers, agencies or persons who are not accredited and authorised distributors of Air New Zealand airfares.
Nov 30, 2018, 6:30 am
#3
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Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 1,992
The rules are pretty complex. and there are some gotchas in there. Here's the exclusion list, where I've highlighted the ones that may screw you:
- Different flights, routes, itineraries, inclusions, travel class, or number of passengers, or different number of adults and children.
- Fares for flights operated by other carriers.
- Fares provided by opaque online agencies where carrier and itinerary details are not known until after purchase are excluded from the Online Price Promise.
- Prices quoted and or charged in other currencies.
- Corporate, wholesaler, consolidator, group fares, student fares, or package fares, or fares restricted to members of certain websites or membership programmes.
- Fares published websites that have different URL Country Code Top Level Domain endings.
- Fares that are offered on websites that do not have the capability to confirm the booking and accept payment.
- Fares that are sold by retailers, agencies or persons who are not accredited and authorised distributors of Air New Zealand airfares.
Nov 30, 2018, 10:27 am
#4
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: New Zealand (most of the time)
Programs: Air NZ Elite *G, Honors Gold, IHG Platinum Elite
Posts: 6,159
There used to be a price match on the NZ site a few years ago.
Had a friend who noticed the price of his NZ fare between NZ & AU dropped several hundred dollars within an hour or so of booking. Took close to an hour with multiple CSRs to finally claim on the policy - which ended up being a charge back to his credit card for the difference after the flight was flown.
Had a friend who noticed the price of his NZ fare between NZ & AU dropped several hundred dollars within an hour or so of booking. Took close to an hour with multiple CSRs to finally claim on the policy - which ended up being a charge back to his credit card for the difference after the flight was flown.
Nov 30, 2018, 8:48 pm
#5
Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 375
I looked at the Accor price promise last weekend and when you read the T&C so many outs it wasnt funny. I rang their contact center and they were able to see the cheaper price on Expedia but were not able to match so suggested I pay even more for a cancellable reservation so I could cancel it if the price match wasnt given.
In a similar manner its frustrating how many hotel programs wont honour bookings via other channels for recognizing nights stayed or to earn points - again multiple exclusions.
In a similar manner its frustrating how many hotel programs wont honour bookings via other channels for recognizing nights stayed or to earn points - again multiple exclusions.
Dec 3, 2018, 12:56 pm
#6
Join Date: Dec 2013
Programs: NZ Airpoints GE, Qantas Platinum, Accor Diamond, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 976
Though I know nothing about how airlines or hotels price, I find it amazing that they can lose so much control over the product they release to third parties to the point where they end up competing with themselves.
Dec 3, 2018, 2:30 pm
#7
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 2,665
Also I have heard sometimes the third parties may display price X but when dig into find out they have refreshed their price list, so showing prices for inventory which is no longer bookable at that price. Apparent when domestic flights may be changing hour by hour.
Dec 3, 2018, 6:35 pm
#8
Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 375
The example I was referring to saw an Expedia NZ price of around $760 from memory vs SIGNEDIN cheapest price at Accor of approx $1040 - and the Expedia conditions were better in that cancellable whereas Accor cheapest price wasnt. The Expedia price was definitely bookable as I took it to last screen (as did Accor agent when confirming price). Interestingly the agent initially had looked at Expedia AU where price was dearer. He eventually advised me to book an even more expensive Accor cancellable rate and then cancel if they refused the pricematch. In the long waits while he was seeing what he could do I read some tripadvisor reviews which were not good and decided to book elsewhere.
Dec 5, 2018, 5:50 am
#9
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Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 1,992
And of course the day after I book Virgin PE, I check Google Flights and Air NZ is now $1491 (LAX-LHR in Premium).....I can't be bothered to cancel and rebook. I wonder if that was a result of my phone call??
So silly because they could have had 2 customers....not that we would have made a difference to their bottom line...
So silly because they could have had 2 customers....not that we would have made a difference to their bottom line...