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-   -   Pay up from RTW fare (M) to Y/B on NZ (https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/star-alliance/825325-pay-up-rtw-fare-m-y-b-nz.html)

davidcito May 19, 2008 4:05 am
Pay up from RTW fare (M) to Y/B on NZ
 
Hi,

I am currently booked on a RTW ticket, flying NZ 90 from NRT to AKL.
Upon requesting a star alliance upgrade (out of my Lufthansa M&M account) I found out that only booking classes Y and B (and Eco plus) are upgradeable.

Can I pay the fare difference from M to B and then request an upgrade?

Alternatively, is there any chance that NZ would be willing to do the upgrade with M&M Miles at the gate?

Thanks for any insights you have.
David

DownUnderFlyer May 19, 2008 5:45 am
I don't think there is a way to pay up to another fare class on NZ but the Kiwis here might know more.
Even when booked in Y, NZ will not let you upgrade with LH miles at the gate. Isn't this a day flight anyway? Might not be so bad on their 777.

Kiwi Flyer May 19, 2008 2:08 pm
A YRWSTARx fare cannot be upgraded to a higher booking class for just one flight. You can upgrade to a CRWSTARx (will cost a lot and no discount if you are already half way through your RTW), but I don't think that is what you want.

I think you are stuck in Y unless you get lucky with a rare op-up.

Reason077 May 19, 2008 6:33 pm
Originally Posted by Kiwi Flyer (Post 9748063)
A YRWSTARx fare cannot be upgraded to a higher booking class for just one flight.
Not entirely true in the case of NZ:
NZ PACIFIC PREMIUM ECONOMY CLASS UPGRADE SURCHARGE ON- AKL - LON/LAX/SFO/YVR V.V. AKL/CHC - NRT V.V. AKL - HKG V.V. AKL/CHC - KIX V.V. LAX/HKG - LON V.V. AKL - SHA AKL - SYD/MEL/BNE NZ PACIFIC PREMIUM ECONOMY IS AVAILABLE FOR PASSENGERS PAYING ECONOMY CLASS RTW FARES THE FOLLOWING SURCHARGES USD 125 FOR AKL-SYD/MEL/BNE AND USD 350 FOR ALL OTHER SECTORS BOOKED IN E CLASS USD 170 FOR AKL- SYD/MEL/BNE AND USD 500 FOR ALL OTHER SECTORS BOOKED IN U CLASS.
So you should be able to pay to upgrade your RTW sector to premium economy, then use your M&M Star Alliance upgrade from there.

Kiwi Flyer May 19, 2008 10:05 pm
Originally Posted by Reason077 (Post 9749286)
Not entirely true in the case of NZ:
NZ PACIFIC PREMIUM ECONOMY CLASS UPGRADE SURCHARGE ON- AKL - LON/LAX/SFO/YVR V.V. AKL/CHC - NRT V.V. AKL - HKG V.V. AKL/CHC - KIX V.V. LAX/HKG - LON V.V. AKL - SHA AKL - SYD/MEL/BNE NZ PACIFIC PREMIUM ECONOMY IS AVAILABLE FOR PASSENGERS PAYING ECONOMY CLASS RTW FARES THE FOLLOWING SURCHARGES USD 125 FOR AKL-SYD/MEL/BNE AND USD 350 FOR ALL OTHER SECTORS BOOKED IN E CLASS USD 170 FOR AKL- SYD/MEL/BNE AND USD 500 FOR ALL OTHER SECTORS BOOKED IN U CLASS.
So you should be able to pay to upgrade your RTW sector to premium economy, then use your M&M Star Alliance upgrade from there.
That should work (subject to availability in both the relevant premium economy booking class and the business class upgrades booking class). According to Miles & More

An upgrade is possible from Business Class booking classes C, D (and also J with ANA and Singapore Airlines and Z with ANA), as well as from the Economy booking classes Y and B, and also E, O, U with NZ. Upgrades with SAS are only possible from booking classes Y, B, S.
As for the other question - NZ won't process the upgrade at the gate as they'd have no assurance they would be paid by miles and more.

DownUnderFlyer May 19, 2008 10:11 pm
Originally Posted by Reason077 (Post 9749286)
So you should be able to pay to upgrade your RTW sector to premium economy, then use your M&M Star Alliance upgrade from there.
Good thought!

davidcito May 20, 2008 12:36 pm
Great idea, I'll check with NZ and M&M!
Thanks!
David

davidcito May 21, 2008 1:28 pm
After being referred from NZ call center to LH, from SEN Line to NZ and back to SEN Line I ended up with LH's RTW desk, who upgraded me into E class.

So I'm waiting for the ticketing now and try to secure an upgrade from Premium Eco on the NRT-AKL segment of my RTW.

Any experiences of someone on *A Upgrade Certs on that route? Just noted that there's only a total of 26 C seats in a 777, so assume chances are slim.

Thanks anyway for pointing me to this.
DAvid

Kiwi Flyer May 21, 2008 4:15 pm
Asia (excl HKG) is usually not too bad. What date is your flight?

davidcito May 21, 2008 11:32 pm
it's mid-August

Kiwi Flyer May 22, 2008 1:22 pm
is it a Friday through Monday (busiest travel days) or mid-week?

davidcito May 25, 2008 1:42 pm
I'm flying out on a Sunday.

Kiwi Flyer May 25, 2008 2:53 pm
Currently good availability in both premium economy and business class. Looking at some upcoming Sunday flights it seems still good availability in business class even at short notice. Of course there is no guarantee.

davidcito May 26, 2008 5:23 am
Thanks KiwiFlyer

davidcito May 30, 2008 5:35 am
After calling M&M Service Hotline they requested an upgrade from my Premium Eco ticket to Business. Cost is 30k for the NRT-AKL leg per person.

However, it seems that when you request those upgrades and they don't go through immediately, there's now waitlist and you'd have to start that process all over again.

I have talked to 2 different agents now and wasn't successful in making sure I get the upgrade when/if availability opens up, instead of having to call every other day.

Does someone know if one can waitlist for *A Upgrade Awards on NZ with LH M&M miles?
Thanks.

David


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