Star alliance gold benefits on Air New Zealand

[cdp88]

I’m looking at flying to NZ next year. I usually fly VA but might mix it up and take Air New Zealand for one leg and use my *A gold status.

Would I be correct in assuming that even on a seat only fare I should get:
Free checked bag;
Priority checkin and boarding;
Lounge access.

I imagine that other perks such as preferred seating would be limited to people with status in the ANZ program as opposed to Star Alliance.

Does anyone have any trouble accessing the star alliance benefits?

Thanks in advance.

 

[henrus]

Air NZ are quite good in regards to honouring *G status (and go above and beyond in some benefits compared to Star Alliance requirements).

After booking all Star Gold's (from any airline) are entitled to upfront or extra leg room seating, just make sure you have your *G number in the booking and this benefit also applies to up to 8 people in the same booking regardless of status (this is above and beyond *A policy).

At the airport you can get priority check in (pointless at most airports with kiosks), priority baggage, an additional bag of 23kg (except if you've booked a seat only ticket in which case no additional bag) and you'll receive "Gold Track" if the airport has it (BNE, SYD, MEL, ADL - this will be printed automatically on your boarding pass as well as everyone else in your booking for the express path lane).

Anyone with *G status also gets an additional carry on bag (two bags = 14kg total however one bag can be up to 10kg) (this is above and beyond *A policy).

Lounge access is standard (with the 1 guest) however *G doesn't get lounge access on the Gold Coast (only Air NZ Gold can use the Qantas Club) or in Cairns (no lounge for anyone).

 

[cdp88]

Air NZ are quite good in regards to honouring *G status (and go above and beyond in some benefits compared to Star Alliance requirements).

After booking all Star Gold's (from any airline) are entitled to upfront or extra leg room seating, just make sure you have your *G number in the booking and this benefit also applies to up to 8 people in the same booking regardless of status (this is above and beyond *A policy).

At the airport you can get priority check in (pointless at most airports with kiosks), priority baggage, an additional bag of 23kg (except if you've booked a seat only ticket in which case no additional bag) and you'll receive "Gold Track" if the airport has it (BNE, SYD, MEL, ADL - this will be printed automatically on your boarding pass as well as everyone else in your booking for the express path lane).

Anyone with *G status also gets an additional carry on bag (two bags = 14kg total however one bag can be up to 10kg) (this is above and beyond *A policy).

Lounge access is standard (with the 1 guest) however *G doesn't get lounge access on the Gold Coast (only Air NZ Gold can use the Qantas Club) or in Cairns (no lounge for anyone).

Thanks Henrus, appreciate the prompt reply.

 

[Mattg]

As henrus said, Air NZ is pretty good and they've treated me well while I've had UA status. The main catch is that you don't get a free checked bag if you're on a Seat-only fare. There is a specific exception about this mentioned even on the Star Alliance website.

Extra Baggage Allowance
You can take an extra 20 kg (44 pounds) where the weight concept applies or an extra piece where the piece concept applies.

Some airlines do not offer this benefit on individual flights but only on connecting Star Alliance flights. Within Europe on "Light" fares offered by Lufthansa, Austrian & SWISS, "Check&Go" fares offered by Brussels Airlines and “Go light” fares offered by SAS as well as on “Seat” fares offered by Air New Zealand, the extra baggage allowance is not offered.

 

[Kiwi_Flyer]

Preferred seating is also available to *G. The main catches are (1) as noted above no free checked bag on seat only fares, and (2) no guest lounge access at regional koru clubs (these are the ones serving smaller airports).

 

[henrus]

and (2) no guest lounge access at regional koru clubs (these are the ones serving smaller airports).

Where does this apply (and to who)?

I've never had an issue at regional lounges (only WLG and ZQN) but the Christchurch Koru express is a different story (fully automated, so each boarding pass needs access). That being said I've had Virgin status then Air NZ status so are Star Gold's are treated differently?

 

[Kiwi_Flyer]

*G can access but can't guarantee they can bring a guest (lounge attendant might allow it but they don't have to).

The regional lounges are at IVC, NSN, ZQN, DUD, PMR, NPE, NPL, HLZ, TRG. Plus AKL and WLG have a regional lounge landslide in addition to koru club airside domestic.