A reliable source has commented that Air NZ staff have been told not to allow arrivals access to the KC (as an unpublished benefit) for NZ*GE and (perhaps?) NZ*G.

I don't have any personal experience of this - and can vaguely recall grumbles when NZ ceased something like 'non-flying access to the KC' a few years ago. Again, wasn't applicable to me at the time, so this may not be right.

Any experiences or comment of the use of the KC as a domestic arrivals lounge?

Cheers

Last week I flew up to Hamilton and back (to WLG) on the same day, and the staff just waved me back in iti the WLG KC on my return (as I wanted to grab a shower and lunch before heading back to work. However, I don't know about their official position...

This move makes perfect sense, because Air New Zealand is clearly incurring many millions of dollars in direct cost by allowing their top tier flyers to access their lounges for a few minutes on arrival, as they proceed to drink the bar dry, eat all the food and use hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of loo paper.

What makes this all the more galling is that, even if this were the case (which for the avoidance of doubt, it is not), is that the new guest policy that has just been announced will result in more crowding and consumption of variable costs than the odd arrivals access ever has.

Even more to the point, this implies that someone is being paid to think up devaluations to the value proposition to the airline's top customers.

goooordoooo, I think arrivals access on same day returns is a different question as flying WLG HLZ WLG, one technically departs from both airports.

Luckily, most front-line staff (to their credit) have a vastly superior understanding of long-term customer value and relationship based business, than to strictly follow some of the more dopey corporate policies would suggest.

From a Koru membership only perspective -

From memory, the last members guide (post 2002, the one with the stone carving on it) was written in such a way that it could easily be construed on ordinary construction as permitting arrivals access.

The more recent one (the latest graphical scheme), which makes it sound like guests of Koru members are welcome in regional lounges, from memory does not have the same ambiguity. But it had never been a problem to use it on arrival, and this is well known.

I read it that gooooordooooo used the KC on arrival at WLG at the completion of his/her journey, having flown WLG-HLZ-WLG.

I have, on a few trips since becoming gold one year ago, gone to the Wellington KClub after landing and have been told "*sigh* this is a departure lounge only". I only really wanted to use the lav, but was very abruptly told to make it quick.

So now I don't bother.

If I'm flying AKL-WLG-AKL on a SDR, would be be wrong to nip into the lounge after landing to have breakie?

Would have to be an early flight and quick turn-around to make b/fast!

When I goto WLG on a SDR I usually take NZ401 (0600), wich doesn't really give you time to grab breakie at AKL. I'm thinking since I would have a ticket ex-wlg that day, could I get into the lounge to grab something before I leave for the city?

Oh sorry, thought you meant when you got back to AKL. You should be fine, you will get your return BP at check-in and just scan it at the WLG KC.

Sweet, Yea ive always got the return boarding passes at AKL, just never been checky enough to try getting into the lounge!

I do it once a month going to AKL. I get to AKL just in time for the start of lunch service and eat there before heading for a full afternoon of meeting, ending at 7pm for a dash to the airport to catch the 8 pm flight back to WLG.
No problems with me doing this.

duplicated

AFAIK, the departures only rule has been documented for at least the last few years (since I have been a member).

Although, I have been able to obtain arrivals acces by pleasantly asking and with reason, it seems from the OP this rule is now more likely to be enforced.