Air NZ website lameness, the sequel (connecting segments on other carriers)
Dec 26, 2019, 8:39 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Auckland NZ
Programs: NZ Gold Elite, AS, AC, QF
Posts: 748
Air NZ website lameness, the sequel (connecting segments on other carriers)
Am travelling to Connecticut (BDL) in February and ran into issues doing so. Despite the NZ website offering 3 return segments, the booking crapped out at payment 4 times. I finally rang the reservation line and they explained that on non-NZ segments, the booking engine doesn't check availability on other carriers. Turns out that all the connections ex BDL that day are hooped by the sole UA segment to ORD that connects to NZ's ORD/IAH/SFO/LAX flights.
In the 21st century I expect an airline's online booking engine to check for availability when offering segments. Or, at the very least, having a substantive/precise message WHY a booking is crapping out.
Countdown to the Air NZ apologists in 3....2.....1
In the 21st century I expect an airline's online booking engine to check for availability when offering segments. Or, at the very least, having a substantive/precise message WHY a booking is crapping out.
Countdown to the Air NZ apologists in 3....2.....1
Dec 27, 2019, 12:18 am
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: MEL CHC
Posts: 21,022
Air NZ system is from the 1970's CARINA (ex NAC). 75% sure they still use that
https://discoverywall.nz/album/2476/2656
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/26115769-post3.html
https://discoverywall.nz/album/2476/2656
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/26115769-post3.html
Air New Zealand doesn't use either, they use there own system called Carina.
You should be able to check-in online on the Air New Zealand website for the NZ flight number sectors, provided you have got the PNR from Air New Zealand. You're Air New Zealand PNR will always end with H.
If connecting to Air New Zealand from another airline, they should be able to check you in online depending on there system.
I recently flew Swiss/Air New Zealand on FCO-ZHR-PVG-AKL and Swiss was able to online check me into AKL.
Note that in the transit point NZ will make you have you're boarding pass re-issued, and if you don't do so they will probably page you to the gate for this to be done.
You should be able to check-in online on the Air New Zealand website for the NZ flight number sectors, provided you have got the PNR from Air New Zealand. You're Air New Zealand PNR will always end with H.
If connecting to Air New Zealand from another airline, they should be able to check you in online depending on there system.
I recently flew Swiss/Air New Zealand on FCO-ZHR-PVG-AKL and Swiss was able to online check me into AKL.
Note that in the transit point NZ will make you have you're boarding pass re-issued, and if you don't do so they will probably page you to the gate for this to be done.
Dec 27, 2019, 12:18 pm
#4
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: New Zealand (most of the time)
Programs: Air NZ Elite *G, Honors Gold, IHG Platinum Elite
Posts: 6,118
The limitations of CARINA are many - I would have had probably 10 trips in recent years that have all had similar issues where some (but not all) partner flights can't be confirmed at the time of booking. The error messages generated are pathetic but there are no resources being put into fixing some of these limitations because they occur across a very small percentage of the total flights booked. It is also worth noting though that not all issues where this occurs are because of CARINA, some are because of GDS limitations of some 3rd party carriers.
Having said all of that there are many that believe CARINA is still one of the biggest advantages Air NZ has. Their ability to customise their core booking system exactly how they want has given them the ability to bring products to market quickly such as S2S which would not have been possible at the time with other GDS platforms, and likewise their dynamic pricing which they're about to trial this year is also not possible in traditional GDS systems.
Having said all of that there are many that believe CARINA is still one of the biggest advantages Air NZ has. Their ability to customise their core booking system exactly how they want has given them the ability to bring products to market quickly such as S2S which would not have been possible at the time with other GDS platforms, and likewise their dynamic pricing which they're about to trial this year is also not possible in traditional GDS systems.