40,000 United Miles to burn tomorrow!

[brett-au]

Hi All

I am currently in the late stages (got the dates and the seats were free the last time I checked) of booking SYD to PPT (via AKL) in business class, before the points go up. I would have done it earlier but I completely forgot they were changing.

Questions
-What flexibility do you have with Air NZ and a United FF ticket. Could I ring AirNZ and ask them to change me to a later flight (AKL -> SYD) so I can have a day in Auckland - aka a stop over?
-Will air NZ allow any changes or does everything have to be done via united? (EG if I wanted to pay AirNZ a change fee, could I change the date?)
-What is business class like on the 767. How would it compare to star class (one end) and Singapore A380 Business class (other end of the scale)
-Any tips for tahiti (other than everything is very expensive, I need to learn french, and I should be going skiing in Japan instead)


Thanks

 

[MelUser]

I don't know and I suspect few others know.

Can you please do all you ask about and then report back to us as to how it went!

Happy New Year

 

[beardoc]

Will air NZ allow any changes or does everything have to be done via united? (EG if I wanted to pay AirNZ a change fee, could I change the date?)

I believe you do it all through United - but they have a 1800 number for Australia ( 1800025808 - that's what I used) and there are no charges for date and flight number changes as long as the routing remains the same.

 

[adrian]

I had exactly the same problem - 40000 miles to get rid of before the end of year. On NYE at about 6pm, I booked 2 economy class seats SYD-AKL-SYD for some time in October. I kept the routing fairly simple, as I am sure I will have to change the dates at some time.

Had to pay 2 x US$25 booking fees (plus taxes), as the booking couldn't be done using their automated systems as it was on Air NZ.

Changes to dates and flight numbers (but not routing) are free provided you give them at least 21 days notice. Otherwise the fees are fairly high at US$75-100

 

[brett-au]

Okay. Booked. I class for $139 + US$25 booking fee. Happy.

United to their credit are extremely fast. No waiting on hold, no messing around. It could be that no one else is redeeming points on NYE but I was happy with their service. (The phone number is 131777 option 2 - which is different from what is on the website).

I guess there is a bit of inconsistency with the operators. With a later attempt I was able to change one of my legs so I could have the day in Auckland. I plan to ring back in a few days to see if I can get the other leg shortened so I have less hours hanging around in the airport. United don't seem to have any problems doing simple changes, but date changes cost more money as you get closer to the departure date.

 

[trooper]

Seat pitch is 50" - seat feels plenty wide enough to me....... old style cradle seat. Probably a level above *class but well below the new SQ C seat (Isn't just about everything?:mrgreen: I had 11A on the 77w...)

I've only done SYD-AKL vv in that seat... not real sure I'd want to do AKL-HNL, LAX-RAR etc... but it's only - what? - 5 hours AKL-PPT? Should be comfortable for that long....

A refurb has just finished on these aircraft... the entertainment is now AVOD (gate to gate?) and I seem to recall the biz seats were to be redone in leather....

The other change - which won't affect you - is the introduction of "Space+"... First x rows of Y now have a 35" seat pitch - reserved for/free to NZ elites/*Gold/Koru club and full Y pax... UA take note!

I won't be seeing the new product till June evil so please tell us what you think of it!!!

P.S. I have always found the NZ cabin crews to be just fine... more casual than SQ/NH/OZ etc.. but I've never felt I wasn't being looked after...

P.P.S. If they offer ice cream... GRAB IT! (Hell.. if they don't offer it, ASK!)

Kiwi ice cream....

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!!!:mrgreen:

WHOOPS! NOTE.... When playing around with the Trans Tasman flights remember that C on the A320
is quite a different product.... only 42" pitch...... I tend to try to get the 767 on that route... but it isn't a deal breaker for me if I can't...

Just something to be aware of....