R class not available Singapore to Auckland?
#31
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: New Zealand (most of the time)
Programs: Air NZ Elite *G, Honors Gold, IHG Platinum Elite
Posts: 6,100
But when you can simply buy APD the Elite APD upgrades become incredibly valuable when you can lodge them for anybody even if you're not flying with them. It's really not surprising that something had to eventually give, although you'd think they'd just limit purchasing APD first).
#32
Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 366
I think the end is here for guaranteed upgrades in advance. I suspect the changes are because NZ would like it's Elite to actually pay for J and too many would seek to fly J using only R class.
So far confirmed availablity is nil on flights to SIN, PVG, and now most of NA. Sounds like we are out of luck.
So far confirmed availablity is nil on flights to SIN, PVG, and now most of NA. Sounds like we are out of luck.
The NZ pricing for long haul J often exceeds others by thousands even during a sale and their long haul connections aren’t always ideal and will be worse with the demise of LHR. Even now looking at booking some European cities brings up routes which include non *A options that earn no APD/SP despite expensive fares - e.g. CX HKG-LHR. While flights which leave New Zealand or arrive here generally earn, many connecting/onward flights don’t which makes staying Elite harder for many. The loss of LAX-LHR will likely exacerbate this if the ‘Qualifying Partner’ list isn’t expanded. Aside from the security travelling on one PNR provides in case of delay of previous flight, if one is covered by appropriate insurance it will be tempting to book flights from/to NZ which earn, then onward/preceding flights with another alliance/program so one actually earns recognition - paying high fares for little or no recognition/benefits is not a great option. If it all gets too hard Elites will leave and not bother maintaining status. I think once they leave it will be hard for NZ to get them back.
The quality of NZ Business Hard product is far below some cheaper alternatives and I think they will lose many Elites if they remove confirmed upgrades and don’t address the loss of LHR/connections in terms of increasing the list of Qualifying Partners.
Last edited by drajknox; Jan 5, 2020 at 11:31 pm
#33
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Wellington, NZ
Programs: NZ *Gold
Posts: 1,371
I think the end is here for guaranteed upgrades in advance. I suspect the changes are because NZ would like it's Elite to actually pay for J and too many would seek to fly J using only R class.
So far confirmed availablity is nil on flights to SIN, PVG, and now most of NA. Sounds like we are out of luck.
So far confirmed availablity is nil on flights to SIN, PVG, and now most of NA. Sounds like we are out of luck.
#34
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: NZNS/YBBN
Programs: Air New Zealand f/f, QF f/f Silver. Emirates Skywards
Posts: 77
It makes me smile when I read the posts on this thread, talking about R Class. That used to be the booking class for the BA Concorde back in the 70's in the BA Boadicea automated reservations system.
Cheers to you all.
Cheers to you all.
#35
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: AKL
Programs: NZ Elite (*G), IHG Spire Elite, Accor ALL Gold
Posts: 214
Booked today - two pax WLG to LAX and return PE sale fares plus elite APD upgrades to Business on AKL>LAX and LAX>AKL legs. First choice of dates available for confirmed upgrade, as was second choice of dates (day later out and back). This is for last week in September, usually pretty busy as evidenced by these dates always being excluded from any economy sale. Elite and non-status elite partner.
#36
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: JER
Programs: NZ Elite *G, QF Gold, Accor+ Diamond
Posts: 157
I think you're right. My recent R class bookings have all been on 777s. So I phoned NZ to check for R class on various dates between September and December on 787 flights between Auckland and Singapore, Seoul, Narita, and New York. It didn't take too long but I calculated that we covered a total of 240 individual flights: 106 morning flights to Singapore, 54 night flights to Singapore, 14 flights to Seoul, 20 flights from Narita, 23 flights to New York, and 23 flights from New York. There was only 1 R class available across all of these 787 flights - on 1 October to Seoul!
#37
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: AKL
Programs: NZ Elite (*G), IHG Spire Elite, Accor ALL Gold
Posts: 214
Okay. I'm starting to think this could be because of the current 787 woes. Maybe they will release R class seats once the situation becomes more clear as they don't want to risk having to honour R class bookings if they downgauge plane types.
#38
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: New Zealand (most of the time)
Programs: Air NZ Elite *G, Honors Gold, IHG Platinum Elite
Posts: 6,100
There does seem to be something going on here though..
#39
Join Date: Jul 2017
Programs: NZ Elite, QF Platinum, HH Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, Accor Diamond
Posts: 147
Maybe anticipating ongoing 787 trouble and having to use/dry lease/wet lease CX/SQ/AC. Sounds low chance but consider the HKG flights are now CX operated you may find NZ have to pay CX for J space and so only want pax who've paid full whack
#40
Join Date: May 2008
Location: MSP
Programs: DL Plat, NZ Elite, QF Plat
Posts: 1,776
Here’s something else strange. I applied for 2x Elite APD upgrades for a flight that had A7. The upgrade didn’t confirm straight away. Called NZ and asked for them to push it through and they said they can’t as now there is an automated system that checks daily and allocates the upgrades. I’ll hang up and call again but not a great sign.
#41
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: New Zealand (most of the time)
Programs: Air NZ Elite *G, Honors Gold, IHG Platinum Elite
Posts: 6,100
I wonder if that means PE upgrades will now clear automatically in situations where A (or R as well) isn't available at the time of booking but is subsequently?
Historically when A class hasn't been available at time of booking but becomes available at a later date you've had to call to get upgrades clear.
Historically when A class hasn't been available at time of booking but becomes available at a later date you've had to call to get upgrades clear.
#42
Join Date: May 2008
Location: MSP
Programs: DL Plat, NZ Elite, QF Plat
Posts: 1,776
I wonder if that means PE upgrades will now clear automatically in situations where A (or R as well) isn't available at the time of booking but is subsequently?
Historically when A class hasn't been available at time of booking but becomes available at a later date you've had to call to get upgrades clear.
Historically when A class hasn't been available at time of booking but becomes available at a later date you've had to call to get upgrades clear.
#43
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: New Zealand (most of the time)
Programs: Air NZ Elite *G, Honors Gold, IHG Platinum Elite
Posts: 6,100
Seems strange that it didn’t clear automatically when there were 7 seats available in A for that flight. As a point of reference, today I also used an RU to go to Business and there was R available and it was confirmed upon application as is expected. Yet the Elite APD upgrade didn’t...
What do you see as PE booking class if you try a dummy booking with that flight?
#44
Join Date: May 2008
Location: MSP
Programs: DL Plat, NZ Elite, QF Plat
Posts: 1,776
#45
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: New Zealand (most of the time)
Programs: Air NZ Elite *G, Honors Gold, IHG Platinum Elite
Posts: 6,100
In my experience not all PE upgrades will clear just because A is showing as a promo fare. I've had times where it has, and other times (such as my saga I posted about last year where A class kept appearing overnight every night for 5 days and then kept disappearing) where I lodged upgrades that didn't clear immediately that I then called and they were cleared manually.
In both cases CSRs couldn't understand how I could see there was A class availability just by looking on the Air NZ website.
In both cases CSRs couldn't understand how I could see there was A class availability just by looking on the Air NZ website.