Air New Zealand points frozen?

[sandiefran]

Friday (22/01/10) I had an email from my travel agent - a very, very experienced lady - she said:

"I tried to redeem flights on Air New Zealand and was told couldn’t as their redemptions are frozen at the moment, try back in about a month!
Very interesting! I wonder if they are going to leave the alliance."

Does anyone have any info on this? Any whispers in the industry?

 

[samh004]

TG might be able to shed some light on this after he’s had a try himself. Seems a bit odd, I wouldn’t expect them to be going anywhere myself.

 

[trooper]

Wonder if it is related to Monday/Tuesdays announcements of the new 777 cabins?

Perhaps seat number reductions???

No idea - heard nothing...... and I'm Gold Elite with NZ!:mrgreen:

P.S. I seem to be able to redeem......

 

[NM]

I think th ebit about "leaving the alliance" is a big jump from the first peice of information. I would expect that being part of Star Alliance is a major benefit for NZ wich they would cherish and not want to end.

 

[oz_mark]

I would have thought that if redemptions were frozen there would be more in the media about it than the silence that seems to be there.

 

[Keith009]

What sector and class did your TA try to redeem on? If it's Business Premier transpacific or HKG/LHR, I'm not surprised as award availability tends to be extremely limited on those sectors. Apart from 355 days (or whenever their flights are bookable) when an initial release of award seats is done, award availability on these flights is pretty much nil until 30 days before departure.

Much easier to China and Japan.

 

[drewbles]

Wonder if it is related to Monday/Tuesdays announcements of the new 777 cabins?

Perhaps seat number reductions???

No idea - heard nothing...... and I'm Gold Elite with NZ!:mrgreen:

P.S. I seem to be able to redeem......

I'll put my vote in with this. It's possible certain routes are on hold until the announcement that's supposedly going to 'revolutionise' travel (and allow Y pax to sleep? I can't wait to see this). I'd also say you're going to have to be pretty short to be able to sleep (seeing as if you're over 6' you can have problems sleeping in J)

 

[NM]

I'll put my vote in with this. It's possible certain routes are on hold until the announcement that's supposedly going to 'revolutionise' travel (and allow Y pax to sleep? I can't wait to see this). I'd also say you're going to have to be pretty short to be able to sleep (seeing as if you're over 6' you can have problems sleeping in J)

Yes, its quite possible there is a linkage. Makes for more sense than the alternative suggested earlier in this thread.

http://www.frequentflyer.com.au/community/travel-news/airline-to-unveil-seating-revamp-21327.html

 

[sandiefran]

Heard back from my TA - this is what she wrote:

I was redeeming Syd-Christchurch, plenty of availability, but could not physically redeem them, as redemptions were frozen on NZ.
Any further ideas now we have clarified this?:?:

 

[Bundy Bear]

Heard back from my TA - this is what she wrote:

I was redeeming Syd-Christchurch, plenty of availability, but could not physically redeem them, as redemptions were frozen on NZ.
Any further ideas now we have clarified this?:?:

Are you using Airpoints dollars or some other method of redeeming flights.

Cheap Flights, Airfares & Holidays - Air New Zealand Official Site - Australia and select the flights you want then continue using airpoint dollars then log in.

If you don't have your password just ring Air NZ in Australia; very friendly.
Airpoints™ Help
Tel: 1800 803 298
or


Sales and Reservations
Tel: 13 24 76

 

[dajop]

Heard back from my TA - this is what she wrote:

I was redeeming Syd-Christchurch, plenty of availability, but could not physically redeem them, as redemptions were frozen on NZ.
Any further ideas now we have clarified this?:?:

It sounds too me like they were using partner airline FF points to redeem on NZ and NOT Air NZ airpoints. The way airpoints work is simple, they are used instead of cash, so I can't see Airpoints "being frozen", unless NZ were having serious liquidity problems.