Air NZ adding more Economy Class inclusions across the Tasman + new flexi fares

[NZflygirl]

"The Works" is what was the final nail in the coffin and made me abandon NZ a decade ago (I was "Elite" with Airpoints).

My biggest bugbear was having no opportunity to purchase seat, F&B and entertainment without paying for a bag.

I do not generally check bags so don't want to pay for one.

With hope I checked the article ... nup ... still unchanged in this respect, so no ...

Moot point now but you could buy the seat and just purchase IFE and F&B (Not the tray meal) onboard separately. Just swipe your card at the seat. But it could potentially work out to the same as seat + bag depending on how much you ate. With lounge access it's pretty easy to skip food on board and take your water bottle etc on board

QF's onboard food and drink don't come close to making up for their abominably cramped seating in comparison to the legroom offered by NZ. NZ is leaps and bounds ahead when it comes to the seat comfort.

I only use them as a last resort, I'm out of SYD, but even having the F lounge for pre-flight doesn't make up for the seats.

I tend to think NZ's seating is more comfy than Qantas also, but I was suckered in to the program by Emirates on the Tasman and some regional QF flights. Actually I don't mind 737 business. I dislike the economy seating and lack of wifi internationally. I'm sure I'd notice the seating less in economy if I had wifi as a distraction!

After seeing this I called up (3x pax travelling in Sep, I have Star Gold through AC) and the agent was agreeable and did it for me.

For the transTasman MEL-AKL we're on the exCX 77W with the F cabin (my wife is booked separately in J and I may take the upsell to get her in an F seat), so he moved us from 63 on the side to 41 in the middle bank. He said it's extra-legroom but I looked at the seat maps online and it's not clear that it is? In any event there's definitely an upcharge so I guess I should hold onto them and see if something better at the same price point becomes available.

For the domestic AKL-CHC he got us moved from row 16 to row 3, which seems like an improvement even if there's no extra legroom.

Have you tried this via social media? I've managed to get seat allocations with a few messages via social media. Just type talk to an agent to get around the bot. Tell them your booking details etc and what seat you want to be moved to based on what you see online. I've sent them screen shots before. Sometimes the phone is good for slightly more complicated questions but for a seat request social media seems less irritating than a phone call.

 

[henrus]

For the transTasman MEL-AKL we're on the exCX 77W with the F cabin (my wife is booked separately in J and I may take the upsell to get her in an F seat), so he moved us from 63 on the side to 41 in the middle bank. He said it's extra-legroom but I looked at the seat maps online and it's not clear that it is? In any event there's definitely an upcharge so I guess I should hold onto them and see if something better at the same price point becomes available.

No extra legroom but 41 is closer to the front.

For the domestic AKL-CHC he got us moved from row 16 to row 3, which seems like an improvement even if there's no extra legroom.

Domestically it's a big improvement on the A320s. Row 3 ABC has 33.86 in of pitch and 3 DEF has 34.65 in.

Down the back in all rows after the exit row it's only 30.71 in of pitch. The extra 8-10cm of legroom is noticeable!

 

[gaz0303]

Yes - you should be able to get a frequent flyer seat allocation in advance by calling NZ and explaining you have Star Alliance Gold. Doesn’t work on their website.

Tried without luck via Facebook messenger. I’ll just wait and try my luck at check-in.

 

[NZflygirl]

Tried without luck via Facebook messenger. I’ll just wait and try my luck at check-in.

did they not answer? or did they decline?

 

[gaz0303]

did they not answer? or did they decline?

Declined

“I admire all the broad efforts you have put in throughout the conversation, and I hope for your kindest understanding on this matter. Your feedback is highly appreciated, and we'll improve our processes in the future. Star Alliance does provide certain seating benefits to elite members, but these benefits can vary depending on the specific airline within the alliance and the status of the member If you have any other queries, please do not hesitate to reach us again. ^JR”

 

[NZflygirl]

Oh wow that’s truly awful! At the bare minimum I’d expect some sort of frequent flyer seating. That to me is more important than anything else on offer as you typically spend more time on the plane than anywhere else! So comfort makes a difference.

If you choose to ask at the airport or even call up and try it would be interesting to see if you get a different answer about what’s possible.

I once called Singapore to select a seat in business and the agent gave me 40 something. I asked if that was a business seat because it sounded really far back. She corrected herself and gave me another seat so it’s possible you had a junior burger agent? I hope that’s the case anyway as I don’t want to believe NZ won’t allocate *A seating

 

[gaz0303]

Just returned from NZ. A flight delay out of CHC meant a chance of a missed connection. I was able to make a last minute flight change at the priority desk, but ended up in row 27. Just glad to be on the flight and rear stairs helped make a quick exit. Not sure if the free change was due to status or NZ just limiting potential problems.

At least I got use my status getting through AKL immigration and into the lounge. Row 12 for flight to SYD.

 

[prelude]

Re. non-NZ *G FF seating, I've had luck by not selecting any seats while booking, and letting Air NZ automatically allocate seats before OLCI opens. I have without fail been allocated preferred seating (single digit row numbers) for around a dozen or so TT and domestic flights over the past few years. This worked for me as late as early 2024.

 

[FlyingKangaroo]

Re. non-NZ *G FF seating, I've had luck by not selecting any seats while booking, and letting Air NZ automatically allocate seats before OLCI opens. I have without fail been allocated preferred seating (single digit row numbers) for around a dozen or so TT and domestic flights over the past few years. This worked for me as late as early 2024.

Have also done this, though on a recent trip the flight was already looking quite full so I just paid the extra stupid $20. That flight was then subsequently changed a day or so before departure from an A320neo to 787, but with no mention even when I checked in 24 hours ahead. After checking in for what the system showed as 2A on an A320neo, the app just spat out 40A as my seat. After a brief moment of shock, I realised 40A doesn't exist on the A320 or A321neos at all, so I assumed it was an equip change.

Online chat for NZ absolutely useless. The person couldn't understand what I was asking about even after I effectively spoon-fed to them what appeared to have happened. Called up and it took the agent 20 minutes to confirm the equip change, by which point I'd already figured out it was a 787 per ExpertFlyer while sitting on hold (and at least still a preferred seat).

Ultimately that didn't matter, as the equipment-swap-to-787 flight was cancelled altogether and I was rebooked to a later flight automatically but at least issued a preferred seat (albeit not as good as what I'd originally booked).

Couldn't be bothered to follow up so just considered myself lucky to get to Auckland only 2 hours late, but the lack of Star Gold seating benefits on NZ is a shame, especially as this existed pre-Covid. As my luck has it, NZ and UA are who I find myself on the most when flying Star Alliance, and neither offers the benefit, and in return I never go out of my way to book with either.

 

[prelude]

To be fair, NZ and UA are far from the only Star Alliance airlines that don't provide FF seating privileges for generic *G - SQ, BR, OZ, and LH/LX don't either (and those are only the ones I've had experience with). NZ removed it around end of 2020 I think (it as never a published benefit), there was a brief period where some flights let you seat select at flight purchase and some not.

 

[FlyingKangaroo]

To be fair, NZ and UA are far from the only Star Alliance airlines that don't provide FF seating privileges for generic *G - SQ, BR, OZ, and LH/LX don't either (and those are only the ones I've had experience with). NZ removed it around end of 2020 I think (it as never a published benefit), there was a brief period where some flights let you seat select at flight purchase and some not.

Yes, fair point. By far the worst of the big 3 alliances these days. And to be even more fair, QF doesn't offer much to even their own on their own metal.

 

[Mattg]

Yes, fair point. By far the worst of the big 3 alliances these days.

Some of the folks with ITA Airways status might disagree with you