Flying Air New Zealand as Velocity Gold

[AnthFlyer]

A colleague commented that when flying across the ditch as Velocity Gold or Platinum, AirNZ treat you even better than Virgin. Sure enough, on my return flight to Oz, Air NZ had frozen the middle seat next to me for extra space. I'm Velocity Gold. Was much appreciated!

 

[cnosaj]

I've flown across the ditch on NZ as Velocity Gold in the last week, on a VA ticket. At check-in I was able to be assigned a Premium Economy seat on the outbound flight (77W) but not on the inbound flight (772) despite seats remaining unoccupied, though that may be because of the seat block for Works Deluxe passengers. Other than that I didn't receive any special treatment.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

OP, they might have just popped you into a Works Deluxe seat.

 

[rlarosa]

Had the same experience recently - I was totally suprised at how well I was treated as VA Plat. Blocked seats next to me (Virgin often tell me there is one but someone always ends up lobbing in to it), personal greetings, a comp second wine on a domestic flight. It's no wonder they just won best airline, I thought they were absolutely amazing.

 

[VA777]

Wanted to try out the ANZ J product as there was a possible trip to SFO (not happening any more).

Turned out to be a 787 on the AKL to SYD service which was a bonus.

The service was what I expected for a good airline in J class but no recognition as a VA Gold.

 

[rioter]

In my experience they seem to treat you better than they do on VA's own metal. Always frustrated me.

 

[SimonF]

In my experience they seem to treat you better than they do on VA's own metal. Always frustrated me.

Sounds the same as how oneworld elites get treated on Cathay.

 

[darv]

I'm a VA plat and my last flight back from Auckland flying with a VA ticket on NZ metal I was bumped at the gate to J. I was on a VA flexi fare.
This was the first time I've flown at a plat on NZ. Previously as a gold I had 3 exit row seats to myself. Never had the same treatment on the many time I've flown over the ditch with VA

 

[DaleS]

I had a quick business trip to DUD. On the way out I used points for a BNE-DUD direct flight. As a Plat I was in row 3 as usual but on those coughpy 737's you just get a fraction more legroom and the service is very basic but efficient. So for the return I booked an NZ works deluxe and had row 2 with extra legroom all to myself and received the meal, drinks and personal service from the cabin supervisor and "just let me know if you need anything else" All round just excellent. The 3 and a bit hour journey across the Tasman is just short enough to be bearable on VA - bring on the new cabin asap! - and perfectly pleasurable on NZ.

 

[atreides]

Better than my last SQ Y flight as VA WP flying SGN SIN where I was assigned a middle seat in the second last row, and when queried if there was another seat was given a stern no.

 

[newmarket]

Much better service on NZ! I very seldom get anything on VA as a platinum, but consistently do on Air NZ.

 

[TomVexille]

I didn't get any special treatment on my couple of flights on NZ since I hit VA Gold (other than the FF seat selection that I got already as a *G). I have another few flights coming up so I'll see if that changes.

 

[Denali]

Having just completed a NZ>Syd flight, saw the manifest sitting in the gallery and saw at least 60 pax listed as "Elite" with their corresponding FF status and seat aallocation. Not a lot of shadows, most FF sitting in Y but the FA was handing out Express passes to quite a few but not all.

 

[Keen]

Flew VA gold AUS->AKL->LAX return (and hit platinum after the first leg), got absolutely nothing. The ridiculously low status credits and points (i.e. 1629 points for AKL-LAX compared to SYD-LAX with Virgin 3748 or 9370 member/gold). Whilst it is quite convenient with the quick layover and good service, the only reason I booked it was the $1000 price difference between Air NZ and VA.

 

[TomVexille]

Flew VA gold AUS->AKL->LAX return (and hit platinum after the first leg), got absolutely nothing. The ridiculously low status credits and points (i.e. 1629 points for AKL-LAX compared to SYD-LAX with Virgin 3748 or 9370 member/gold). Whilst it is quite convenient with the quick layover and good service, the only reason I booked it was the $1000 price difference between Air NZ and VA.

Status Credits when flying NZ are exactly the same as flying VA... In fact you get more to North America because of the extra flight. But yes, fewer points.

 

[Demon_fan]

Had a few flights on AirNZ last month as VA Gold and wasn't treated any differently.

 

[quokka77]

Anyone tried to get NZ long haul J awards released as a VA platinum? Any success?

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

I am VA/VR PS, and would have earnt more if I had made my cross ditch flight with VA flying VA/NZ flight with a VA flight number, (Status Bonus), but VA tends to put me back to VA narrow 737, even if 737-8.
At least with my previous several flights with ANZ (booked on ANZ website) with an NZ flight number as a VR member, I have had the wide body plane, though NZ has swapped wide bodied planes to narrow several times.
Yah, earning FF points for VR member flying NZ should be the same as flying VA, but no, VR PS/VA SG/VA WP/VA P1 all earn at the lower rate flying NZ. Pity that. No status bonus.
Flying as a QF FF even on EK with a QF flight earns the same, ie, flying QF flight number on EK metal, or QFJetConnect.

 

[wannabeinvestmentbanker]

I am VA/VR PS, and would have earnt more if I had made my cross ditch flight with VA flying VA/NZ flight with a VA flight number, (Status Bonus), but VA tends to put me back to VA narrow 737, even if 737-8.

Yah, earning FF points for VR member flying NZ should be the same as flying VA, but no, VR PS/VA SG/VA WP/VA P1 all earn at the lower rate flying NZ.

First of all, VA does not have a P1 status level.
Second, you can still get on the wide body booking through the VA website by looking at the timing of the Air NZ flights with flight numbers in the 100s and then book the VA codeshare that leaves at that time.

 

[Justinf]

No special treatment because of Gold status, but I did pop my head into the galley towards the end of the flight and compliment the crew on their stellar work (very effecient, friendly) and received a complimentary bottle of Glaetzer Bishop shiraz as a thankyou for giving them complimetary feedback.
Nice drop, too.