What time does flexichange become available?
 

I haven't needed to use flexichange before but do tomorrow. Does the ability to change a flight without any fee or fare difference start at midnight the same day? Or is it a different threshold? the site says "No charge to change to an earlier or later flight on same day, same route. Subject to availability. Changes can be made online or at the airport." so I was assuming it's midnight NZ time, but wanted to check so that I maximize my shot at getting a different seat tomorrow.

thanks :D

The ability to change to another flight free of charge on a flexichange/flexirefund ticket on the same day opens midnight NZ time, not T-24 as some are lead to believe.

I’ve waited til 12:01am several times and changed my flights in the app. It’s a super easy process, it just brings up the usual flight change option but all flights on the same day for the same routing are “change from $0”. Hope that helps :)

ah perfect, thanks. as I suspected but wanted to check before staying up to 12:01 haha

Perfect handle for this advice! I have done this many times.

I have in a couple of cases where bookings are very heavy, paid for a FlexiRefund on the preferred flight just to cover that flight being completely sold and being unable to move my cheaper FlexiTime/Refund. If the target flight is fully sold, then just after midnight I cancel and release 1 seat, which I then acquire with the free change from the other Flexi. Of course, you have to allow AirNZ to hold up to $450-ish for a few days until the refund shows. But this has worked well over a couple of Christmas periods.

I hadn't realised you could do this. If it does work, wouldn't it work just as well to make the change in the morning (anytime before the 1st flight) rather than having to stay up after midnight?

It has worked for me when I have needed it - probably twice in the past 10 years. I don't think there is any automatic system that scoops up cancelled bookings into a waitlist.

My preference is to ensure I am on the flight I want soonest, and also it is just 'good form' to release the 'held' seat as soon as possible so another pax could access it.

In a stroke of bad luck I made my change to an earlier flight at 12:01 AM, and then in the morning that flight was cancelled after we boarded (hydraulic leak). I was rebooked ... on a later flight than the one I originally paid for. What can you do.... ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Oh dear - that is just bad luck.

Did you ask about changing the rebooked flight? Or was that first available after deplaning and collecting bags etc…?

Yeah, I tried swapping to an earlier one but there were no seats available (the lady ahead of me in line got the very last unexpected seat due to a no-show on the flight I was originally booked on, in fact). Bad luck but I am remembering my frequent flier zen-like state from my days of hopping across the pacific every few weeks.... things are often out of one's control, so at least I had a nice place to sit and read with a coffee, with a lovely view of the ocean and the WLG runway.

Change to earlier flight within T-30
 

Today I got to CHC at 1206 for my scheduled 1300 departure to AKL. Arriving I noted my flight was delayed and the 1200 was showing delayed till 1240 so hand luggage only figured I would try to get on the earlier flight. However, its busy so there was no agent who could help so I realised I would miss the 30 minute cut off but was planning to ask in the lounge where I arrived about 1215.

The agent refused to even try to move me because he said I was within the 30 minute window. I may be imagining this but I feel like this has not been a problem in the past where at the Koru lounge they have moved me to earlier flights within the 30 minutes (the earlier flight had plenty of seats)

Is this something that can be done if they can be bothered or it is really a strict deadline?

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I have been moved after checkin closing, but I was on a waitlist before check-in closing. (Was in the system properly as got the SMS, email before the PA to go to desk). As I walk away from desk overheard the lounge agent saying to the other one can do a waitlist for a Flexi as was a Gold or Above.

Also the above is a delay and checkin would have closed at original time of 11.30. it is likely the paperwork, etc would have already been produced for the flight. If flight was already late doubt they will want to mess with it anymore. Additionally they may have also known if it was full or not. Was it showing as available option when selected change flight? Flexis at the moment aren't helpful a lot of time as planes are full.

I didnt check the app as I assumed it would use the original time. Re space being available I asked the Koru agent who said there were seats.

Your point about waitlisting (which seems to be another very grey area) is something I don't understand especially given that flights are full.

Since they don't know until T-30 if there any no shows, and they dont have any clear standby system, this must lead to lower loads especially on the trunk routes where they could presumably carry more pax on a busy day and therefore increase revenue as they would be able to fill every seat.

I know have in the past forgotten to cancel my flexis (and had to pay a fee) not to be obnoxious as I know given the above this can cause someone else to miss out but just genuinely forgot. If they had standby this would be much better. I know I would use it a lot and thereby free up seats on later flights

They have a standby system. Just no customer facing front end. Use it for IRROPs & for Flexi people when ask with enough lead time.

thats interesting, I have always been told there is no standby. I always travel flexi so will try this next time I get to the airport early

Was a situation where all flights full between now and scheduled flight and asked at lounge. Overheard as walked away something about being ok as I was gold or above.