Stacking RUs from different years
 

Somebody asked me a question today that I simply didn't know the answer to (and had never actually considered previously!) so maybe somebody can help answer it.

Does Air NZ allow stacking upgrades from different years? Ie silver member lodges a single RU to go to PE and then when their year rolls over can the new RU be applied for a double upgrade?

In short, no.

When a UG request is made, an SSRCERT is added to the PNR against the applicable sector. A unique 086 number is issued for this certificate. This certificate can only be removed (not amended) with the cancellation of the sector (such as a flight amendment) or by a person with the relevant system permissions. As you can imagine, anything to do with upgrades are heavily audited.

For example, an AKL-LAX upgrade would look like:

SSRCERTAKLLAX086123456789/YU-1.1 (for E -> PE)
SSRCERTAKLLAX086123456789/YC-1.1 (for E -> BP)
SSRCERTAKLLAX086123456789/UC-1.1 (for PE -> BP)

In plain English, the above reads as:

(SSR)(CERT)(AKLLAX)(086123456789)/(YU)-(1.1)

(Special Service Request)(Upgrade Certificate)(Sector Requested)(Certificate Number)(Class Requested)(Passenger Name Number)

So I assume that record can only be created once and then not subsequently modified which also prevents somebody from double dipping and say lodging an APD upgrade and then later trying to add a RU to it?

Yes, that's right. A CERT can't be modified. Only deleted and re-entered.

As soon as the upgrade is requested, the CERT is created which also creates a record in the member's AP account. If another upgrade is requested for the same sector, the system will reject it as a CERT already exists. The only way around this is to delete the CERT and have a new one applied. In the case of a Silver member, this still won't allow stacking as the recognition upgrades need to be available in the AP account for a CERT to be created.

Essentially, the process is:

1. Member requests an upgrade
2. Carina validates the request against the AP account
3. If the requisite points/recognition upgrades are available, a SSRCERT is created in the PNR against the relevant sector
4. The points/recognition upgrades are removed from the AP account with a record of the CERT number and service class requested

Thanks for the great explanation!

Thanks to “Carina” also.

LyingFlat How are double recognition upgrades Y-BP treated in terms of being prioritised against PE-BP recognition upgrades?
Specifically, do PE-BP RUs get processed ahead of Y-BP? Or are all upgrades to BP processed irrespective of single/double? (all other things being the same - status, date lodged etc) .

If a double RU is lodged Y-BP, it seems a pax needs to closely liaise with lounge/gate staff if a single RU Y-PE would be acceptable. Pity it cannot be automated as an alternate.

From a 'system' perspective if PE looks a better bet for a single RU than a double RU to BP, is one at a disadvantage by initially aiming for a double RU and in some way being excluded from the initial sweep of Y-PE upgrades?

Upgrade priorities are quite a complex beast.

Basically, the priorities are:

1. Status
2. Original booking class
3. Date lodged
4. Tenure

It's important to note that the airport does override the above depending on the flight. This can be due to many factors such as oversales, how many people have requested upgrades (they try to accommodate as many people as possible), whether there are any pax with 'discretionary' upgrades etc.

All things being equal, a PE-BP upgrade is higher than a Y-BP upgrade.

Yes, the reason for not automating this is that some members may not want to use their upgrades for a single class. If someone with a double upgrade is happy with a single, they will need to let the staff know so that this can be accommodated.

Essentially yes. NZ will assume that you are wanting the double upgrade, not a single (as outlined above). You will need to let the checkin/lounge staff know that you would be happy with PE. This will then need to be communicated with service control (who, among other things, control upgrades at the airport).

This could also be automated haha