LyingFlat

If you are planning to do a One Up on 1 sector and a APU/RU on another, then yes, what you have been advised by Air NZ is correct.

There has been a longstanding technical issue which, as far as I'm aware, still hasn't been properly resolved after all these years. This issue prevents a passenger (or even Air NZ staff in QikSilver) from entering a One Up request against a sector after an APU/RU has been entered into the PNR (against an entirely different sector/passenger).

Thai-Kiwi

Why would the sequencing as described by supra99 actually matter? And why would the lodging sequence be reversed only for GE members?

This makes no sense to me, glitch or not….

LyingFlat

I don't profess to be an expert on the technical issue itself. However, AFAIK, the issue relates to not being able to combine an APU/RU with a OU on the same sector (people wanted to 'game' the UG system to give themselves the better odds and to try and double-UG from Y-J). I personally have never used OU, but I think it's still managed/provided by Plusgrade, with the issue being somewhere between Carina and Plusgrade. When OU detects a APU/RU in the PNR, it thinks that the user is attempting to put a OU against the same sector even if that isn't the case.

As for the issue being the reverse for Elite compared to Gold/Silver, I don't know if this is true or not. It used to be the same for all tiers so something may have changed over the years.

supra99

I managed to get one really good consultant which helped me placed my RU on that particular leg. Whether it's approved or not, I did try. I've dealt with different airNZ consultants in different queries before and yes I agree the degree of knowledge each of those consultant varies. Just have to keep trying I guess. Thank you all for your help and got me to have the courage to get hold of any consultant. Didn't want to be silly asking for something when I clearly dont know the rules.

raznz

good luck! hope it works out!

CHCflyer

I am trying to upgrade a family member using my recognition upgrades and the upgrade pages are showing a message that the upgrade system isn't working just now but to try again soon. Been a few hours like this. The process takes me through to the confirm page then the error message appears.

delfindo

So a question here. Elite member called Air NZ to lodge 2XRU for a flight with R class availability for a passenger (me) on their gifting register. Air NZ has processed this as a "upgrade pending, review 7 days before flight", but as a giftee with R class, shouldn't the upgrade be confirmed right away? That is the case with elites if it was their booking, so is it not the case with an elite using their RU on a giftee's flight (not travelling with Elite member) when there is R class available and Air NZ has confirmed this? Thanks!

NZJuniorDoc

It clears immediately if (a) there is R class available and (b) if the Elite is travelling on the same PNR

If the elite has gifted you the RU, but they aren't travelling with you, then you clear as per your own status

delfindo

thank you

sbiddle

Exactly this.. It would be incredibly unfair if Elite's could gift RU's to somebody and them automatically clear into R class if the giftee has no status.

fleet7

The system seemed to be down yesterday as I received the same message. I phoned the call centre and they lodged it for me - and told me I was the 8th person to call that evening for an upgrade request!

delfindo

Unsure. It's award inventory so up for grabs. Elite could validate RUs in advance on non-status passenger and then cancel their ticket for the standard $150 fee on global saver, assuming RU would hold up, so always a way around it. Anyway thanks for your view.

Thai-Kiwi

Under the Airpoints program only Elites (and higher) can have upgrades clear in advance - and then only if R/A classes are released. Others must wait until no earlier than 7 days prior before being considered.

‘Gaming the system’ as you describe might not yield the results hoped for. When the Elite went to cancel their ticket, first AirNZ would probably need to spilt the PNR and things may fall apart at that point.

sbiddle

And of course the giftee would also be paying for a global saver fare which could easily double the cost of a fare. I can't see too many people spending an extra $1800 on top of an $1800 return economy fare from AKL to LAX just to scam the system and get a confirmed PE upgrade . Depending on current pricing you could just buy PE for the same price.

And as pointed out splitting a PNR to do this is a manual process.

taupo

I'm NZ Elite until November 10th when I soft land to Gold unless I happen to fly NZ a few times between now and then.

I'll be flying my five kids (aged 18-22, so adult sized) to NZ for Xmas, while I have a dislike for NZ's (mis)management they do have the best kid friendly (as in Dad won't pay for business class) product between SkyCouch and PE (much nicer than AC's) and better PE fares than AC.
Flights will be mid December to early January, so after my soft landing to Gold.

Think of putting the four shortest (5'5" to 5'9") in two SkyCouches and the 6'4" in PE.
If I apply for upgrades using RUs and APD's while still Elite but the actual flights occur once I've dropped to Gold, will the upgrades go through assuming space available?