AKL-ORD NZ26/27 thoughts
Dec 11, 22, 8:27 pm
#16
Join Date: May 2008
Location: AKL
Programs: NZ Elite, QF Plat, DL PM
Posts: 1,737
Great thread team! Really helpful as I'm based mainly in MSP these days so ORD means a much shorter domestic hop than JFK/LAX/IAH and will be using it a lot going forward - plus I've generally always had a quick immigration experience at ORD in the past
Dec 12, 22, 12:51 am
#17
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: New Zealand (most of the time)
Programs: Air NZ Elite *G, Honors Gold, IHG Platinum Elite
Posts: 5,630
But I've noticed the same thing ex-YVR: sending out empty seats in Skycouch, PE or J when there are upgrade bids made. In one instance it meant my husband left in Y despite a solid big for PE (with the seat next to me empty). In November it was my own bid for a Skycouch and two of those went out empty.
They did trial them up until the gate on a few flights but I don't think that happens now.
Dec 12, 22, 4:28 pm
#18
Join Date: Dec 2013
Programs: NZ Airpoints GE, Qantas Platinum, Accor Diamond, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 729
I have heard that NZ is deliberately leaving seats empty over December through the holiday season (but I don't know how long before departure) to accommodate misconnects and other contingencies. Flights are so heavily booked that there is no slack in the system to reaccommodate delayed or disrupted passengers across the Pacific.
Dec 12, 22, 5:24 pm
#19
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: WLG/BKK
Programs: TG*G, NZ*GE, QF G, Accor Gold
Posts: 9,002
I have heard that NZ is deliberately leaving seats empty over December through the holiday season (but I don't know how long before departure) to accommodate misconnects and other contingencies. Flights are so heavily booked that there is no slack in the system to reaccommodate delayed or disrupted passengers across the Pacific.
For international flights, this would make no sense at all?
