unpland

Hi All
Thoughts re best approach on following :
I have my return flight from US at end July SFO-AKL booked. It currently has an APD Y=>PE lodged but not cleared which was done when I was Elite. I have now dropped to Gold but now have 2 RU's.
EF showing PE seats available.
Should I :

1. Cancel my APD request and submit a double RU ?
2. Wait till closer to flight and see what happens ? how far out should I wait
3. ?

Thai-Kiwi

1. May as well cancel the $APD upgrade (why spend money).
2. As a Gold nothing clears until T-7 days unless special circumstances.
3. My experience when Gold was that 3/4 double RU attempts failed.
4. I think my odds at clearing would have been better using a single RU to PE.
5. If a double RU fails, it seems to fail with no offer of a single RU to PE
6. There is no automatic process to be offered a single RU to PE, it is all manual

So, having been through this (and if I were Gold) I’d do the following in descending order:

- use an RU Y->PE and hope that clears, or
- fly in PE, and use an RU to BP and hope that clears, or
- try a double RU and really hope that clears

Disclaimer. I can sleep well in the PE seat, which obviously influences my preferences.

Of course, if Elite then you can call ahead for R class availability, and if available book and then lodge a double RU that will clear immediately.

unpland

Thanks for that - was wondering whether a double RU failure would automatically change to single RU or not. We did secure Double RU clearing immediately for the flights over.
On the existing APD upgrade that was lodged as Elite - would this carry any stronger weighting than a single RU ?

Thai-Kiwi

I assume that now you are Gold it�ll be considered according to your current Gold status (so no earlier than T-7 days), and not as an Elite - fair enough in my view.

ClanJ

My experience as gold of late is RUs generally fail. None cleared in my last year and went in the bin and the 2 I have this year look to be going the same way.

Beano

My experience as Elite of late is RUs generally go through but at the lounge (NYC flight). All have cleared to something in my last year but one in the lounge they gave the option of PE or nothing (as RU had expired) ! This year I will ask before I book to see if R class is available to avoid going the same way.

codyc1515

Not sure why NZ don't just make an option online when booking for "guaranteed upgrade". Surely having people call to check for R or to search through manually is not a good use of anyones time.

drajknox

I discussed this with �Air NZ Manager High Value customer Programmes - Airpoints� last year and suggested it would save a lot of call centre time if Elites didn�t need to enquire about �R� class availability. I was told that �If we cannot deliver these enhancements shortly, as I hope we will, I will keep you updated on our progress.� but unfortunately that was late August 2022 and I have heard any update.

Thai-Kiwi

Imagine a system that when you are logged in as an Elite and that when you search for flights, available upgrade classes show as available with a simple visual cue alongside the revenue fare.