Appalling discrimination
 

I posted this earlier on the Air NZ forum, but as my concerns are equally important to how Star operates, I would like to get opinions from this forum.


I am planning a trip in 18 days from Auckland to Dunedin and back. The dead lowest fare on the AirNZ.com website is NZ$908.00.

When I told friends in Auckland about this, they went to the AirNZ.co.nz website and found a return fare of NZ$375 -- but only for New Zealand residents. What is this all about? Is there a special fare for white people, too? This wouldn't bother me so much if AirNZ chose to stand alone in this world. But they are part of the Star Alliance, and this type of discriminatory treatment should be forbidden among Alliance members.

I understand local fares, as in the case of Hawaii. But those fares are for residents of the islands to get off them occasionally and visit the mainland. To the best of my knowledge, residents of Hawaii pay the same intra-island fares that the rest of planet Earth pays.

When I telephoned AirNZ tonight, the phone agent told me that if friends of mine book my ticket on AirNZ.co.nz from their home in Auckland, then I would qualify for the resident fare. This makes no sense and I don't believe it.

She also said that if I could successfully book the lower fare from outside NZ on the website, it would not be challenged. Problem is, the booking process makes you swear that you are a NZ resident, something I could never state in good faith.

So, at present it looks like I am stuck with a choice between lying (which I will not do) and extortion (which I will not pay).

Has anyone else, particularly a Star Gold member, been in this predicament with AirNZ, and how did you handle it? What are others' thoughts?

Thanks!

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~ Friends don't let friends fly coach ~

You actually need look no further than to the airline on which you are a 1K member to find similar "discrimination." Many of their promotions are "open to US/Canadian residents only with tickets purchased in these locations." The airline on which you are a Platinum member have different rules for mileage accrual depending on your country of residence. Discrimination or targetted marketing? I don't know, I have mixed feelings about the issue.

Yes, but as a non US resident who just got UA credit for a "US residents only" promotion shows that you can indeed get them. If I didn't get the promo miles, well no biggie - after all the rules say US citizens. I think in this case, you would get away with booking it - heck an authorised NZ agent has basically told you to do it! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif

I know many people used to book Ansett tickets off their website because their cheap webfares were far cheaper than what you could get outside of the country. It's all revenue. I understand you feel a bit funny about it, but to be honest NZ needs all the money it can get from paying pax.

Have you tried qantas.co.nz? they might not have that restriction (not sure if they fly to Dunedin though).


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RichardMEL, UA 1K
A Star Alliance Member.

Hagbard, I see a big difference between a promotion that states "Earn 5,000 bonus miles in paid First and Business across the Atlantic. Offer open to residents of Transylvania only" and one that effectively states, "Pay 60% less than everyone else, all the time. Just show your US or Canadian passport!"


In the first case, the airline is trying to nudge travelers to buy a product (at the same price as everyone else) because numbers are low in a particular class of service for people traveling in a particular direction, etc.

I would be shocked if United ever made the second offer, and would protest it as strongly as a US citizen as I would as an EU citizen.




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~ Friends don't let friends fly coach ~

Many tickets that I buy ask for my specific Non-nativ-passports and my Non-Nativ-origin (example: Visit USA fares/discounts, Visit Australia passes on Qantas, etc, etc,) or my proof of age (UA Silver Wings senior discounts).

Other Frequent Flier programs 'discriminate' (or favour - the terminology depends on which side of the 'fence' you are) depending on where you live (or in which country you register). Example miles&more asks German residents for 150'000 status miles to become Senator - only 100'000 for non-german-residents.

[This message has been edited by Rudi (edited 06-10-2002).]

Without much checking I assume what you came across is a "SITI-only" fare. This is a pretty common fare-restriction in many parts of the world that basically means that this fare must be sold and the ticket must be issued inside the departing country ("Sold Inside/Ticketed Inside" departing country).

I've seen this many times before, e.g. SKs last-minute specials out of AMS or BRU carry that restriction as well, making it a little harder for residents of other countries than NL or B to purchase these fares. Also, many of LH's cheap fares out of Germany carry this restriction (the W-class ones mostly).

So I guess the "residents of NZ" only clause was ment regarding the point of sale/ticketing only, and the answer of the ticketing-agent suggesting your friend purchase the ticket on your behalf supports that IMHO. So it's not about your citizenship, but about the point of sale of the ticket.

Greetings - Dirk

Have a NZ based travel agent book it for you - and pay a fee for the service + mailing.

for several MEL-SYD return trips in january 2000 on Ansett (RIP) I booked SITI fares online (direct from Ansett) as e-tickets and had no problem to get my Swiss credit card accepted.

As local (MEL) adress and telefon-number I entered the guest-house I had a confirmed reservation with already.

Discrimination... hum...

What about Varig having a cheapo ticket (75% or less compared to Brazilian fares) for US residents ?! And in order to enforce the US residency tickets are valid to be bought by holders of US credit cards with an address in the US to send the paper ticket ?!

You're 100% correct! It is discrimination.

Is this any different than hotels which charge local nationals far less than us visitors? Or offering special fares for students, or seniors>

It is one of those facts of commercial life in countries with weak currencies, and I have no objection to such practices [though my currency isn't among the strongest]. Anyone who can afford to travel into these parts of the world from the "North/G8" can well afford any fare differential. In most cases, locals earn far less than we do, and are taxed at higher rates. Incentives such as these also encourage them to vacation in their own country, thus stemming the flow of currency out of the country.

Since TE/NZ offers an air pass to those non-locals who plan to visit many parts of the islands, I cannot see any problem with charging a high price for a single return journey like yours. Add a second or third destination to your itinerary and benefit from buying an air pass.

It may be discrimination under certain US or EC laws, but not necessarily so under commercial trading practices and legislation found in most countries of the world.

From reading your "No Subsidies Here" boast, it seems to me you are a rampant Free Trader, so all I can say is, if the marketplace can bear this tarrif, then so let it be. Otherwise, you might wish to take your complaint to the GATT or IATA and see how they respond to this claim of discrimination.

[This message has been edited by Shareholder (edited 06-11-2002).]

See my reply on the Air NZ forum. It's important

I've met Horizons several times, and realise he would not lie on the web application on principle, but cannot see how ticketing via a NZ travel agent would be lying? Might cost $US20 extra, but seems like a win-win? They should be able to mail Registered or courier the ticket to your first hotel in NZ?

I recently asked Vietnam Airlines in SYD the cost of a Hanoi-Hue ticket on their own airline. The figure asked also looked high, but what can you do? I KNOW they sell the same route to locals for about 20% of the figure. I asked a Hanoi based TA if he could discount it, and he came back offering it at HALF what the airline themselves wanted, and it was issued in our names etc, and tickets delivered to our hotel. And we needed tell no fibs or untruths to get the price. So SITI seems to be the answer many times. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

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~ Glen ~

Thanks to all for your replies here. You all make excellent points.

I think the way to go, as thefaregurusuggests, is to go through a site like travel.co.nz. The one spot I kept getting hung up on in the AirNA.co.nz site was the point before ticketing where they make you aver that you are a NZ citizen/resident. And as this is part of the Terms and COnditions of ticketing & travel, technically AirNZ could deny you boarding and any refund. Too risky.




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~ Friends don't let friends fly coach ~