FlyerTalk Forums - Parents stuck in AKL

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Quote:

Originally Posted by bce1 (Post 30868167)

Several years ago I was flying NZ1 ex LHR in J - aircraft was delayed 24 hours due to a technical issue.
Expected and happy to stay another night, but on getting to front of line was told they had rebooked me - was VS to HKG and then CX to AKL - arrived home 3 hours latter than planned. Only seemed to be doing this for J.

Your comparison (and a few above) share little in common with the OPs issue IMHO

There are a number of different ways to get to LHR from Auckland on airlines that NZ have a relationship with.

Getting to ORD is very different - NZ are the only carrier with a direct flight that's not daily, and rerouting via LAX, IAH or SFO is space dependant.

The offer was there to get them a few hours later in economy, but that was obviously declined. It's then a waiting game for space in BP.

Agree, I understand that - it was in response to the comment NZ is unlikely to use a different airline to get you there - they do - UA and AA both have options ex-AKL to US. I not saying they should in the OP case - I think NZ have been fair - just that they clearly do at times.

Quote:

Originally Posted by llbean (Post 30862933)

HI All

Air NZ couldnt book them on the next flight to via LAX as there was no business. They told them to fly economy which they declined so Air NZ put them up in a hotel.

We booked a cottage from them this weekend that they will now miss and is nonrefundable.

Air NZ could book them, just not in the comfort they had paid for and wanted.

The two sentences above sum it up. They could have aesily made it there for the weekend, just not in the comfort they desired.
In turning down Air NZ's offer of an economy seat on a flight that would have got there in time, your parents made the choice of (possibly) foregoing the cottage in place of travelling in comfort.

Air NZ offered them hotels, presumedly meals as well, alternate flights, not sure what else one could realistically expect.

This is the downside to flying J all the time. We get soft. I know under most circumstances I'd hold out for J, haha. And actually, now that I know travel insurance will probably cover it, I'll use the tip of just cancelling and rebooking on a different airline.

And are they still sitting in NZ ?

Quote:

Originally Posted by kiwifrequentflyer (Post 30874933)

That's a bold assumption assuming your policy will allow cancelling and rebooking. What policy do you have? That's not something most will cover.

I have a friend who has a policy in NZ through a broker that allows him to basically get somewhere via any means possible - this would allow rebooking via another airline to get to the destination but still had some catches. When I was discussing this with him a couple of years ago he paid an extra $1000 or so per year extra on top of his base policy just for this clause.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sbiddle (Post 30875006)

I don't assume anything at all, I was just listening and replying to others on this thread who said they used travel insurance to rebook. Good advice to throw into the ring that if they can do it, it may be because they have unusually lenient policies.

I actually did make sure with my travel insurance that my policy would cover me for J, my old credit card policy I relied on only covered me for economy. It would be good to check for this specific clause this.

In situations like this, I would always try and call the insurance company to check if I didn't want to pay OOP.