Krisflyer Redemption ticket - then bumped! AIR NZ Grrr

[phildo]

Planning a trip to the USA to join better half who is there on a work trip and figured the Krisflyer points from SG would be the best option.

Trying to get them redeemed for appropraite flight was bad enough and after about 8 calls over 3 weeks period, managed to get confirmation! YAY

BNE - AKL - LAX LAX - AKL - BNE

Then get a call from Krisflyer to tell me Air NZ took the AKL - BNE seat back and gave me LAX - AKL - BNE on a day earlier. No good to me as I will heading back to LAX from NYC on that day and can't make the flight.

Expressed my disappointment and Krisflyer and politely demanded they demand Air NZ to give my seat back. No response as yet. Phone numerous times and told someone will acll back -they don't. Email next to useless.

Anyone else had this occur and how did they get around it?

Regards

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

Were you ticketed when the changes happened, or just have a booking on hold?

Kris Flyer allows awards to be on hold - if not ticketed before the deadline they provide (and you need to contact them to confirm) then it is bad luck but a risk you take in not ticketing.

If already ticketed then Kris Flyer (since that is who you ticketed through) needs to either come up with alternative arrangements to your satisfaction or cancel the award and refund your points + taxes paid.

 

[phildo]

Well, I got an email "confirmation" that stated I had until July 12 to do the ticketing. So the deadline was July 12. We are only in May!

At no stage was I told or was it mentioned in correspondence that I needed to get back to them within any time period except the July 12.

After talking to Air NZ, Air NZ say that the booking must be confirmed and ticketed within 24 hours. Krisflyer just sympathise but no real effort to help out.

Krisflyer gripe #2 - In OZ they don't have a toll free number so it's always long distance call to check if seats available. Not many calls under 15 mins and ringing every day to check on seats.

Now no confirmed seats on 1 leg so ringing everyday to check.

 

[JohnK]

After talking to Air NZ, Air NZ say that the booking must be confirmed and ticketed within 24 hours. Krisflyer just sympathise but no real effort to help out.

Sorry to hear your troubles. My friend had KrisFlyer miles expiring and booked a SYD-AKL-CHC//AKL-SYD award with Air NZ back in June last year for travel in February. SQ put the booking on hold and he had until September to confirm and pay for the booking.

Krisflyer gripe #2 - In OZ they don't have a toll free number so it's always long distance call to check if seats available. Not many calls under 15 mins and ringing every day to check on seats.

I lost count of the number of times he had to ring Singapore and later Ireland to ticket the award booking but this is where international phone cards come in very handy.

Good luck!

 

[Keith009]

Just been through a similar experience, except mine was an LH award involving NZ segments ticketed in business. NZ's retiming of my return flight caused an illegal connection and chaos with availability on the appropriate flight. But I'd already had ticket numbers b4 all of it happened. LH weren't very helpful and insisted that nothing could be done to get NZ to open up a biz seat in I on the NZ flight operating later in the day. In the end I called NZ myself and once they understood the situation they pried open an I class seat for me on the flight I wanted/needed.