Air NZ experience

[SilverShadow]

Hi all

Will be doing a flight to either San Fran or San Diego in July and wanting to try out Air NZ - as VA Gold I am wondering if anyone would be so kind as to share their experiences on this if you've done this sector... or even just Air NZ in general.

I've seen the cool looking air safety videos they have but know not much more than that.


oh and to all those in Melbourne atm, Happy Labour day!

cheers!!

 

[notzac]

What cabin are you flying? If you're looking at flying W or J, I'd recommend flying to LAX and making sure you end up on the 777-300; the new W seats are fantastic (as is J). If you're flying Y, the 747-400 to SFO is possibly more comfortable - both the 777-300 and the 747 are 10 across, but the 747 is of course wider. If you're flying W, you only want to be on the 777-300; the W product on their other planes is pitiful by comparison.

For MEL-AKL-MEL, do your best to get a flight with a widebody; the seat pitch on the A320 is *dire*.

AKL is a fairly convenient airport to transit. The lounge at AKL is fairly nice, but not outstanding. NZ staff have been uniformly excellent to deal with. I'd definitely recommend it, especially if flying W on the 777-300.

 

[Ricardo]

The Virgin/Air NZ Alliance only covers trans tasman flights so I don't think your Gold VA status will be of any use to the US on Air NZ.

 

[Fruitcake]

The Virgin/Air NZ Alliance only covers trans tasman flights so I don't think your Gold VA status will be of any use to the US on Air NZ.

Although VA/NZ only do revenue sharing trans-tasman, VA status pax still get recognition on NZ long haul. Published benefits are priority check-in, priority baggage, an additional checked baggage of one piece up to 23kg, and lounge access (ie Koru Clubs, not contract lounges in the case of Y pax). Velocity members still earn points and SCs flying NZ long haul.

 

[ataline]

Nothing dramatically new to add - definitely avoid the A320 to AKL if possible.
Staff are very good and dare I say it, better at recognizing VA status passengers compared with VA (whilst on board).
Also can attest to the fact that you get great recognition flying long-haul too - I was upgraded (free) on two legs (Y to Y+)

 

[notzac]

Recognition / delivery of bennies on long haul flights with NZ has been exactly as published for me. You may want to take a look at https://www.velocityrewards.com.au/content/Status/GoldStatus/index.htm - specifically:

TRAVEL BENEFITS: International airline partners

Air New Zealand (Non-Tasman - including NZ domestic and international**)

• Priority Check-in
• Priority Baggage
• Additional checked baggage of one piece up to 23kg^
• Lounge Access

[size=-2]**Excludes Pacific Island flights with Air New Zealand. Find out more.
^Excluding domestic itineraries where a 'Seat Only' fare has been purchased[/size]

 

[SilverShadow]

Hi all

Thanks heaps for the info - looks like some good tips there I will take into account.

I was going to book through the Air NZ website but am trying to see where it says what fare class it is and cannot seem to tell. Anyone know how or should I just do this over the phone?

 

[Fruitcake]

I was going to book through the Air NZ website but am trying to see where it says what fare class it is and cannot seem to tell. Anyone know how or should I just do this over the phone?

Once you have chosen flights and selected that you want to "proceed with regular payment," you can hover over a link in the "Itineary" box on the right hand side of the page. The hovering box then displays individual flight details, including the service class such as "Economy (M)" or "Economy (V)."

Not exactly intuitive!

 

[totd]

I'd recommend flying to LAX and making sure you end up on the 777-300

I was looking at flying to the US later in the year (July/August) via AKL so I could go direct to SFO. Is there any reason for recommending AKL-LAX other than getting a 773?

 

[bullerdude]

I was looking at flying to the US later in the year (July/August) via AKL so I could go direct to SFO. Is there any reason for recommending AKL-LAX other than getting a 773?

The Premium Economy product on the 777-300ER (the NZ space seat) is miles ahead of the old product on the 747 and 777-200 (basically economy with more recline and leg room). In addition to the seat, i've read that the service is also somewhat better given the new facilities on the newer plane

For me it would be pretty simple, if flying economy go direct to San Fran, if flying premium Economy go via LA on a 773.

 

[notzac]

I was looking at flying to the US later in the year (July/August) via AKL so I could go direct to SFO. Is there any reason for recommending AKL-LAX other than getting a 773?

That's pretty much the only reason

 

[totd]

That's pretty much the only reason

So would you choose VA SYD-LAX-SFO over Air NZ SYD-AKL-SFO ?

 

[greenfish]

I personally loathe LAX, so providing the connection times in AKL were acceptable I'd route via AKL.

I'm fairly sure you won't earn any status bonuses on NZ so I expect you'll earn more miles flying on VA.

 

[totd]

I'm fairly sure you won't earn any status bonuses on NZ so I expect you'll earn more miles flying on VA.

I know this is heresy, but I don't care so much about the points... As long as I get my SCs, I don't care. But avoiding LAX is definitely a good thing.

 

[Elbobbo]

I can second the quality of the PE product on the 773. Its a horror show down the back however with 10 across seating as opposed to the 9 across on the 772. I would avoid the back of the 773 at all costs.

 

[notzac]

So would you choose VA SYD-LAX-SFO over Air NZ SYD-AKL-SFO ?

If flying economy (heaven forfend!): much of a muchness; VA is probably on par with the NZ 747, but SYD-AKL-SFO does avoid LAX.
If flying premium economy: VA SYD-LAX-SFO due to NZ's miserable PE hard product on the 747.
If flying business: much of a muchness, but probably NZ SYD-AKL-SFO, especially if you can get a seat in the nose of the 747.

 

[kiwi2768]

I just booked and paid tonight for our trip in August. We're going PER-MEL with VA, stay overnight, then MEL-AKL-LAX with Air NZ. We did it this way because we really don't want to fly PER-AKL then have to sit in AKL all day. Coming back LAX-AKL with a 90 minute connection time (hope the flight from LAX is on time!) for our flight to SYD again with Air NZ. Staying there a few days and then back to PER, probably on VA. AKL-LAX-AKL is in PE at this stage unless they decide to have an impossible to ignore sale price on business class seats. As it is, the PE seats were a total of $829 cheaper than they were when I looked a few days ago. I'm hoping I'll get enough SCs to hang on to my VA gold status until the end of next year.

 

[totd]

Oooh. Cheap PE seats. Thanks! I've been hanging out to see if VA move their PE or J prices on SYD-LAX, but I'll have a look at Air NZ now.

FWIW I found NZ customs to be pretty efficient when I did SYD-AKL-SYD last month... Just make sure you have an ePassport so you can use the SmartGates. If you're in PE you won't beat the J pax off the AC, but you should be at the carousels before everyone in the zoo... Make sure your bags are tagged Priority, and ask if they forget at check-in.

 

[Boris spatsky]

The 777-300ER does do some flights as NZ8 to SFO. Just make sure you check when you book. NZ J product on the 777 is amazing, as good as QF or VA.

 

[Tim A]

I've done both, flying AirNZ to LAX last year and to SFO this year, both from MEL. The flights that connect to and from those flights (NZ123/124) were 773s both times and the second time, I was able to score a spaceseat, despite only paying economy fare (to and from MEL that is, I was still in Y from AKL to LAX/SFO). It has something to do with the way they sell those seats. A hint, any NZ flight number from Aus starting with 1 is a widebody and a 7 is an A320. I am Velocity Silver and the trans-Tasman alliance means you get a better rate of points MEL - AKL than AKL - LAX/SFO (which is only 0.5 poiunts per mile, depending on the fare class). I booked my flights through a travel agent as their price was cheaper than on the website. Economy on the 773 was bearable, despite the 10 across seating, but avoid the last few rows. Even though they onjly have pairs on the side, it's a lot more cramped than the same seats on the 744. The 773 is far better than the 744 (especially the IFE), but I hate LAX and much prefer arriving into SFO, despite the older plane (although I was through customs and immigration in only 30 min that time). So if you want the good plane, but horrible airport, chose LAX or the older plane, but good airport, chose SFO.