Number of Elites
Mar 6, 2019, 9:08 pm
#16
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: New Zealand (when I'm home!)
Programs: Air NZ Elite
Posts: 1,218
I would also care less except for one thing..... I have to transit via LAX 6-8 times a year. I dispair every time and in response to a complaint about why NZ cannot do more - given they do for their EP1s - was - there are two many elites - upto 15-20 on each in bound plane so they couldn’t do more as to many..... so I extrapolated! Or else stuck in another teir like qantas.
Perhaps the EP1s have some magical way that celebrities get to use to clear security, but the USA is extremely tight and this would always be an extreme thing for a very, very elite group of exclusive guests due to their extreme security regulations. As in, EP1 level. It'll never be an option for "Elites" unless the "Elite" program became EP1 level exclusive, in which case... you would no longer qualify.
The problem there has nothing to do there being too many Elites. The problem here is that the New Zealand GOVERNMENT won't pay so that we can join the Global Entry program. That would fix the vast majority of the USA arrival woes.
Mar 6, 2019, 9:20 pm
#17
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: NZ
Programs: NZ*E, QF-G, EK-P
Posts: 605
Ouch. No need to sound so hostile.
im well aware of the process. Despite the rules a number of airlines have processes to expedite the process for their top tier elites. My comment was simply in reference to an NZ staff member saying they only have CBP permission to expidite clearance for a couple of passengers per flight - it’s still clearance, it’s just expedited. If you have 15 elites that will never work - if you have 1-2 passengers it might. My only point.
im well aware of the process. Despite the rules a number of airlines have processes to expedite the process for their top tier elites. My comment was simply in reference to an NZ staff member saying they only have CBP permission to expidite clearance for a couple of passengers per flight - it’s still clearance, it’s just expedited. If you have 15 elites that will never work - if you have 1-2 passengers it might. My only point.
Mar 6, 2019, 9:28 pm
#18
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: New Zealand (when I'm home!)
Programs: Air NZ Elite
Posts: 1,218
And that in itself is conjecture, to say the least. I don't know of any airline that has any "public" FFP that can get around USA security measures. If they do, then it's the exclusive/private EP1 style.
Mar 6, 2019, 9:46 pm
#19
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: NZ
Programs: NZ*E, QF-G, EK-P
Posts: 605
You are missing the point. It’s not getting around anything. It’s expedited. And having gone through with an EP1 in November, I can confidently say a number of other airlines were using the same lane. But the thread is drifting off topic. So I will stop there.
Mar 6, 2019, 10:33 pm
#20
Join Date: Sep 2017
Programs: Air NZ Koru, Air NZ ELT *G, IHG Spire Ambassador, Emirates, Flying Blue, QANTAS Club
Posts: 424
Mar 6, 2019, 11:33 pm
#21
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 2,645
Doesn't LAX also have the VIP terminal?
Suspect a car there & back would be one way to do it.
Think VA for a time were running their crew via the VIP terminal. Think saved them time so could get to hotel and onto the rest time sooner & also leave hotel later so more rest time
Suspect a car there & back would be one way to do it.
Think VA for a time were running their crew via the VIP terminal. Think saved them time so could get to hotel and onto the rest time sooner & also leave hotel later so more rest time
Mar 7, 2019, 1:20 pm
#22
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Christchurch, New Zealand
Programs: NZ Elite; QF Platinum; CZ Gold; MU Platinum; Marriott Titanium; Accor Platinum
Posts: 1,467
My two gripes are:
priority boarding, why cant they manage that properly? Qantas seem to be able to manage it on their domestic flights. Its not about feeling important or anything just purely practical. If they want to make this more practical, limit it to Star Gold and above (i.e. not Koru)
And I get frustrated by the endless negotiation over when you do or don't have to pay a fee to use their phone service. Quite often there are situations when you cant do something online, and you have to ask/ negotiate to waive the fee. I don't see why they cant just waive phone service fees for Elites? Simple change and surely wouldn't be that much of a revenue hit?
priority boarding, why cant they manage that properly? Qantas seem to be able to manage it on their domestic flights. Its not about feeling important or anything just purely practical. If they want to make this more practical, limit it to Star Gold and above (i.e. not Koru)
And I get frustrated by the endless negotiation over when you do or don't have to pay a fee to use their phone service. Quite often there are situations when you cant do something online, and you have to ask/ negotiate to waive the fee. I don't see why they cant just waive phone service fees for Elites? Simple change and surely wouldn't be that much of a revenue hit?
Mar 7, 2019, 2:54 pm
#23
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2012
Programs: NZ GE, QF
Posts: 390
My two gripes are:
priority boarding, why cant they manage that properly? Qantas seem to be able to manage it on their domestic flights. Its not about feeling important or anything just purely practical. If they want to make this more practical, limit it to Star Gold and above (i.e. not Koru)
And I get frustrated by the endless negotiation over when you do or don't have to pay a fee to use their phone service. Quite often there are situations when you cant do something online, and you have to ask/ negotiate to waive the fee. I don't see why they cant just waive phone service fees for Elites? Simple change and surely wouldn't be that much of a revenue hit?
priority boarding, why cant they manage that properly? Qantas seem to be able to manage it on their domestic flights. Its not about feeling important or anything just purely practical. If they want to make this more practical, limit it to Star Gold and above (i.e. not Koru)
And I get frustrated by the endless negotiation over when you do or don't have to pay a fee to use their phone service. Quite often there are situations when you cant do something online, and you have to ask/ negotiate to waive the fee. I don't see why they cant just waive phone service fees for Elites? Simple change and surely wouldn't be that much of a revenue hit?
The reason for asking the number of Elites in the first place was that I was comparing benefits with a QF Plat colleague and he asked me how many Elites there were. I had to say I had no idea.
Mar 7, 2019, 3:04 pm
#24
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: New Zealand (when I'm home!)
Programs: Air NZ Elite
Posts: 1,218
We worked it out before. I think we figured out that you get QF Platinum faster than Elite via flying, although with credit cards it evens the gap. The difference of course with QF Plat is that they have their own dedicated lounges. In another thread we were wistfully talked about elite only lounges but that is not going to happen unless Star Alliance forces it 
I have stepped foot in a QF Platinum lounge once and only once but it was amazing 🤩
I have stepped foot in a QF Platinum lounge once and only once but it was amazing 🤩
Mar 7, 2019, 4:08 pm
#25
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Sun Peaks, Taupo.
Programs: NZ Elite, AC SE100K, Westjet Teal, Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite, Nexus, Global Entry
Posts: 6,135
. Despite the rules a number of airlines have processes to expedite the process for their top tier elites. My comment was simply in reference to an NZ staff member saying they only have CBP permission to expidite clearance for a couple of passengers per flight - it’s still clearance, it’s just expedited. If you have 15 elites that will never work - if you have 1-2 passengers it might. My only point.
Quite sure NZ could have a similar arrangement at LHR for business class pax and/or GE's.
It has nothng to do with circumventing CPB, ICE or TSA, it's all about a faster and smoother journey through the acronyms. Much like Priority Check In, Priority Boarding, Priorirty Phone Answering etc, no circumvention, just looking for a more efficient and expeditious process.
Mar 7, 2019, 5:08 pm
#27
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: bne
Programs: Velocity Gold, AIRNZ Elite, Qantas Silver ,Hilton Diamond
Posts: 1,320
Mar 7, 2019, 8:12 pm
#28
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Christchurch, New Zealand
Programs: NZ Elite; QF Platinum; CZ Gold; MU Platinum; Marriott Titanium; Accor Platinum
Posts: 1,467
They just did it to me right now. Stuck in hideous traffic so missing my flight from AKL. App said 'your booking cannot be changed online "
Flexi ticket. The agent made a point about telling me as an exception they would waive the service fee
Flexi ticket. The agent made a point about telling me as an exception they would waive the service fee
Mar 7, 2019, 8:19 pm
#29
Join Date: May 2008
Location: MSP
Programs: DL Plat, NZ Elite, QF Plat
Posts: 1,776
Yep that’s a bug bear for me as well. And NZ have obviously tightened up to gain extra revenue. A few years ago if you said you’d tried online and it didn’t work they’d waive the fee without you even asking. Now you have to push back with the agents quite hard in these cases where you can’t make a change online. Seems like they were told charge these fees unless the customer pushes back and doesn’t accept
Mar 7, 2019, 9:32 pm
#30
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Sun Peaks, Taupo.
Programs: NZ Elite, AC SE100K, Westjet Teal, Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite, Nexus, Global Entry
Posts: 6,135
The call centre has waived fees for me in such a manner, without any patronising comments or tone, it goes a long way.