Option to switch to earlier flight
 

First time
Airnz sent a notification during the day to ask if you wanted to shift to a earlier flight ..free of charge

When was the flight for? same day as the email? dom or int? fare type?

Yes wlg to alk
sent 1354 flight 1945
surprised it was a free change
To help get you to your destination sooner, we're offering online booking flexibility to move to an earlier flight of the same routing.

If you think this sounds like a good idea, you can make this change via the Air New Zealand mobile app, or the View and Manage Booking button below.

Please keep in mind that all flights are subject to availability.

We look forward to having you on board today.

Ma te wa
Shielam
Air New Zealand Customer Care Need to make a change?

Hmm no upcoming cancelled flights WLG to AKL. So not trying to shuffle some people way earlier.

May be some overbooking and too many have done online checkin so too may turn up?

I've had that before, nothing unusual. I think they do it for night time flights usually in case some people are having to wait around.

it clearly a first for NZ
not the same thing I know. but CX is extremely common to offer earlier flights to passengers if they arrive at the airport early. Not that it applies to long haul, but regional routes like HKG to TPE/SIN/BKK/ICN etc, I find it very helpful and I think NZ should do more of it if their pax arrive early and they have seats....

Overall it's a reasonably common thing.

During weather events you'll often find they open up flexibility across large parts of the domestic network, even if you're not affected. I've probably had 3 or 4 notifications this year.

Maybe they're just doing it today with so many people traveling?

this was texted well before we had even thought about going to the airport!

One handy aspect of it is that it can give you full flexibility to change for free on an international PNR of you have a domestic connection!

I've had this before on NZ.

So a few weeks back, I went to check in for a flight back to NPL via WLG. I was quite early, but with business done and nothing else to do, I thought I would just hang in the lounge for a bit. The Check In kiosk said that it was unable to check in me in and please report to a CSA. She brought up my booking and said that would I like to go via Auckland leaving in 25mins and get home nearly 2hrs earlier. Yes, yes I would.

done and done it was up to the lounge. It was a SLOW board, and we took off late, and then we had to circle around for a while due to traffic in Auckland. Upshot, we landed in Auckland 20mins after the departure of the flight to NPL. I got a text to say I had missed my flight and to call or see a Air NZ rep. I headed down the Regional Gates and got the ladies there to look into it. The only other flight to New Plymouth was full, so I would have to go tomorrow at midday. They said they would organize a hotel and dinner ect. Nope, I wanted to be home that night, I had a appointment at 9am the next morning that I couldn't miss for love or money. I was prepared to rent a car and drive back that night if I had too.

The lady at the Regional Desk was amazing, credit to her. She told me to wait in the Regional Lounge for a bit, and she would do her best. About a hour later, she came through and waved a boarding pass to NPL that night at me. What a star! Albeit arriving back in NPL 2.5hrs after my original flight haha

So I will be mindful in the future when I get offered earlier flights as to the connection times ect before I leap in and accept. The stress was real for a while there!

that's when having status and flying airnz over jetstar pays