Info on Premium Economy expansion - read this if you're booked
Jun 30, 2007, 5:16 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: This is a personal account and my views and opinions DON'T represent those of my employer.
Posts: 450
Info on Premium Economy expansion - read this if you're booked
Hi all,
As most of you know, our 744 aircraft are being reconfigured to add another 8 Y+ seats aft of door 2R.
Once 4 aircraft have been done, these will be dedicated in the main to NZ1/2 with other priority routes such as 38/39 rolling out as aircraft become available.
Current config: C/C 46, U/C 31, Y/C 309 - Total: 386
New config: C/C 46, U/C 39, Y/C 294 - Total: 379
One consequence of this reconfiguration is that the Upper Deck right-hand side seating will be re-lettered from JK to HK. I'd assume that the NZ systems will automatically change passengers seated in 'J' to 'H', but the possibility exists that problems will crop up with PNRs created through travel agents or other airline - therefore, I would recommend that if you're booked in Y+ during the changeover period (27 Aug - 07 Oct), you call around a week prior to the flight to check your seating is still OK. (This is a personal suggestion from me and I've received no indication from Air NZ that there could be problems).
Key dates (perhaps KiwiFlyer can add to the dates sticky)
27 August: First aircraft scheduled to re-enter service, operating as required.
14 September: Reconfigured aircraft dedicated to NZ1/2
21 September: Reconfigured aircraft dedicated to NZ1/2 and 38/39.
07 October: All aircraft scheduled to be operating in new configuration.
Naturally nothing goes 100% as planned, and no doubt some aircraft will end up on routes other than where they should be. The published recovery plan for any Y+ passengers affected by this is (in order of priority).
* Upgraded to C if available
* Moved to alternative flight
* Downgraded and compensated.
As most of you know, our 744 aircraft are being reconfigured to add another 8 Y+ seats aft of door 2R.
Once 4 aircraft have been done, these will be dedicated in the main to NZ1/2 with other priority routes such as 38/39 rolling out as aircraft become available.
Current config: C/C 46, U/C 31, Y/C 309 - Total: 386
New config: C/C 46, U/C 39, Y/C 294 - Total: 379
One consequence of this reconfiguration is that the Upper Deck right-hand side seating will be re-lettered from JK to HK. I'd assume that the NZ systems will automatically change passengers seated in 'J' to 'H', but the possibility exists that problems will crop up with PNRs created through travel agents or other airline - therefore, I would recommend that if you're booked in Y+ during the changeover period (27 Aug - 07 Oct), you call around a week prior to the flight to check your seating is still OK. (This is a personal suggestion from me and I've received no indication from Air NZ that there could be problems).
Key dates (perhaps KiwiFlyer can add to the dates sticky)
27 August: First aircraft scheduled to re-enter service, operating as required.
14 September: Reconfigured aircraft dedicated to NZ1/2
21 September: Reconfigured aircraft dedicated to NZ1/2 and 38/39.
07 October: All aircraft scheduled to be operating in new configuration.
Naturally nothing goes 100% as planned, and no doubt some aircraft will end up on routes other than where they should be. The published recovery plan for any Y+ passengers affected by this is (in order of priority).
* Upgraded to C if available
* Moved to alternative flight
* Downgraded and compensated.
Jun 30, 2007, 10:34 pm
#3
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 6,338
Thanks verra much!
We are flying out on NZ 2 on Tues Oct 2.... seat request in for 23 J/K...
Will call as you suggest... just to make sure.... I suspect no problems at that relatively "late" stage in the changeover...
Although....."Upgraded to C if available".... If I was flying earlier in the transition period - and alone - I might have been tempted to request one of the new main deck Starboard Y+ seats (31-34 HK???)..... and take the gamble on:
1. Old config = no Y+ seat
2. C available!!!
Took me a minute to even work out WHY they need to change the UD seating designation at all.. but I suppose it DOES make sense....
We are flying out on NZ 2 on Tues Oct 2.... seat request in for 23 J/K...
Will call as you suggest... just to make sure.... I suspect no problems at that relatively "late" stage in the changeover...
Although....."Upgraded to C if available".... If I was flying earlier in the transition period - and alone - I might have been tempted to request one of the new main deck Starboard Y+ seats (31-34 HK???)..... and take the gamble on:
1. Old config = no Y+ seat
2. C available!!!
Took me a minute to even work out WHY they need to change the UD seating designation at all.. but I suppose it DOES make sense....