Booking NZ flights on VA

[NZflygirl]

Hi all, just a few questions...

1) can you book a mixed class fare? PE Akl-MEL then econ MEL - PER same PNR? Presumably that's a phone call to VA. Will they charge a call centre fee?

2) if you booked economy the whole way, can you pay the fare difference to business and change the booking online without calling VA? I have a distant memory of being told I could but then it didn't look like it on the website.

3) are there additional charges for changing an economy fare to business? QF it's free if you do it on the same day you booked (or within 24hr of making booking, can't remember which, and Air NZ seems to waive the fee). What is VAs policy on this?

4) for the NZ direct flight Perth - AKL, I can't find a PE fare - only econ or business...and J is $400 more than the NZ website! I'm guessing that's a phone call to VA to book PE?

5) Can I use the VA lounge in terminal 1 if flying international on NZ in PE?? As per a previous thread, I probably wouldn't have access to the Qantas lounge where NZ sends its customers with VA silver status. I'll hit gold later, does that make a difference to QF lounge access on the NZ flight? Or given that it seems to be some sort of contract lounge...if NZ would allow VA gold access to an NZ lounge, does this QF lounge then abide by NZs rules? And would VA let me use my silver pass into terminal 1 lounge?? (Possibly a stretch) or with my NZ card.

Your insights would be appreciated.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

VA does not sell PE on NZ flights, its either Y or J only.
You can play around the VA website ie make dummy bookings.

 

[Vel]

With #2 I don't think you can do that. Even the VA bidding doesn't work when you book a codeshare. All you get are the 'saver lite' 'saver' 'flexi' options when you book, and if you take a look on the VA website, you can do little to no changes.

I did a codeshare last month, and next time I'd probably just book via the NZ website- you can't even pick a seat or add it to your Air NZ account.

I'm also only on Red status, so not sure if having status would change anything.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Was on ipod earlier, but on laptop now.
WorksDeluxe lost access to any lounges, and I believe its the same with PE, no lounge access.
Only lounge access now is flying VA/NZ J.
VA does not have any international lounges, so at PER T1, it will be a pain to go through Australian domestic airport security just to use the VA domestic T1 lounge, (assuming you have VA SG/NZ SG/Koru member to access it), (as I mentioned PE no lounge access), and then jump across to T1 international to get onto the plane back to NZ.
https://airnz.custhelp.com/app/answ...-premium-economy-entitle-me-to-lounge-access?
NZ J and Koru get sent to the QF lounge in PER international as a contract arrangement.

 

[NZflygirl]

Thanks Pooch and Vel.

I had no idea VA didn't sell PE - seems crazy!! But I guess they only have Y and J themselves (apart from longhaul) and they probably want to force people to buy J rather than offer PE??

Vel did you call VA and get the NZ ref then call NZ to choose a seat? You could go through the NZ website and make a dummy booking to see which seats were still available?

Seems like lots of 737s flying out of PER on my dates so I haven't been terribly keen on flying VA back. There might be one flight schedule that will get me home before the NZ direct flight.... long day though.

Vel I think at red tier it doesn't matter who you book through either NZ or VA as you can change your frequent flyer number to VA or NZ at the airport. Once you hit silver then the bonus points kick in which are only available via VA bookings. Otherwise I'd go through the cheaper booking site as I've noticed sometimes there are differences. Although I look at the nz NZ site rather than Oz NZ site. I think the advantage of booking through NZ otherwise is that you get your flights on the app! If you don't have an up to date iphone for the VA app.

EDIT: Actually you just need to book through VA for at least 2 eligible sectors to get silver, 4 for gold etc

Hmmm... options aren't pretty then, was hoping for VA's A330's but only 737s and can only book NZ for PE or J as VA's advertised price is $400 above NZ's and I can't justify that. Bonus points are going to be tough for me to get in this programme.

Does anyone have any answers for Question 3??

 

[Vel]

I tried to use the PNR that I got from VA, but it didn't work with the NZ website, I tried it and so did one of my friends. So I had no access to seats until I was checking in at SYD.
The sad thing was if I waited around 2 days or so, I would've had the same cheaper fare from booking on the NZ site!

 

[williamsf1]

VA does not sell PE on NZ flights, its either Y or J only.
You can play around the VA website ie make dummy bookings.

You will find you can now book PY with VA flight numbers operated by NZ ...

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Ohh, Williamsf1 ta for that.
My dummy bookings on the VA website did not bring that one up.
Re VA's change from Y to J, I did it once online, VA charged $80 on top of fare difference, and also the fare difference.
I flew ADL - BNE with it, from Y to J.
If you have the 737 booking, you can do a domestic bid upgrade from Y to J, I paid $350 PER - SYD on the 330, left PER 17.00 got to SYD 23.00 one Dec a few years ago.

 

[NZflygirl]

duplicate....

 

[NZflygirl]

The A330s disappear on the wknd, they're there on Friday but I can't fly Fri. Even then they connect to NZ 763s. But wknd or at least Sat is 737s.

I could see PE on the east coast flights but not PER-AKL. An oversight on VAs booking system??

 

[NZflygirl]

Ohh, Williamsf1 ta for that.
My dummy bookings on the VA website did not bring that one up.
Re VA's change from Y to J, I did it once online, VA charged $80 on top of fare difference, and also the fare difference.
I flew ADL - BNE with it, from Y to J.
If you have the 737 booking, you can do a domestic bid upgrade from Y to J, I paid $350 PER - SYD on the 330, left PER 17.00 got to SYD 23.00 one Dec a few years ago.

The sc earn on VA is maximal if transiting MEL for this route which is easily done on the way over with a 777 and A330 but not so on the way back. Youre paying for 737s and 763s on my dates! Leaning towards taking the direct flight home but I will be getting home on Sun instead of Sat

 

[davidsilver]

I didn't know the NZ sold Y+ on these flights? I last flew 15 months ago and could only book into Y but because of my status (SG at the time) I was able to select a Y+ seat but was only Y service?

 

[NZflygirl]

I didn't know the NZ sold Y+ on these flights? I last flew 15 months ago and could only book into Y but because of my status (SG at the time) I was able to select a Y+ seat but was only Y service?

Just changed in October 2015. Used to be able to book Y but seat select to Y+ on east coast flights TT but now you need to pay or one up or do other forms of upgrade.

Y+ just doesn't show up on AKL-per direct though which is weird. Only Y and J. I never did call VA about that.

 

[AviationNZ]

Y+ just doesn't show up on AKL-per direct though which is weird. Only Y and J. I never did call VA about that.

Are you definitely looking at a flight operated by the 787? The normal daily PER-AKL flight is on a 787 but NZ have operated some of the extra services by a 767 (no Y+). I believe this changes later this year when 100% of PER-AKL and PER-CHC flights are 787.

 

[NZflygirl]

Are you definitely looking at a flight operated by the 787? The normal daily PER-AKL flight is on a 787 but NZ have operated some of the extra services by a 767 (no Y+). I believe this changes later this year when 100% of PER-AKL and PER-CHC flights are 787.

I think chc-per is seasonal as is the 767 from AKL. On my way over I can't even get the 787 from AKL! I believe it drops off to 5x a week off season. My dates are May (very much off season). In peak season having the other 2 flights to choose from for time tabling will be nice.

Just called VA out of interest and the guy was a bit surprised too that it didn't show. It's on his system though. But it's a bit more expensive than the NZ site.

I've ended up making my bookings via the NZ site for both ease and $$ saved but it was just an interesting find there was no PE advertised on that route when it's offered.

 

[AviationNZ]

I think chc-per is seasonal as is the 767 from AKL. On my way over I can't even get the 787 from AKL! I believe it drops off to 5x a week off season. My dates are May (very much off season). In peak season having the other 2 flights to choose from for time tabling will be nice.

Sorry, I should've explained it better. Yes, the PER-CHC is seasonal and has been a 767 in the past, but is moving to a 787 for the next summer season. The PER-AKL is usually daily (does drop down to 5 weekly in really soft months as you've said), but it also went up to 10 weekly in peaks to add better North America connections. These extra 3 flights a week were in a 767, but like PER-CHC, are going to 787 this next peak season. PER as a gateway will then be 100% 787 for Air NZ.