No Classic Reward availability from Sydney to NZ from 10 Dec 2021 - 9 Jan 2022?

[TMBHL]

Any idea why Qantas would have a block out period for Classic Reward flights from Sydney to all New Zealand cities from 10 December 2021 - 9 January 2022? There is plenty of availability both before and after these dates, but all NZ cities have this blackout with no classic reward availability for that month period. I haven't seen it before, and we were able to book classic reward flights for the same period last year (well actually January 2021...which of course covid meant we were unable to use).

 

[Matt_01]

School holidays?

 

[TMBHL]

They don't usually block out a whole period like this. I have been able to book other years.

 

[Matt_01]

If you have WP status or above call up and see if they will release seats for you. I could not see any availability WLG-Mel for the Sep school holidays but QF released 3 seats.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

They don't usually block out a whole period like this. I have been able to book other years.

I would say next Christmas is going to be a 'big one' in terms of people wanting to go to and from NZ, as they weren't really able to do so this last Christmas. I know lots of NZ people patiently waiting to 'go home' to see family and friends. Probably not likely that we'll be seeing any freedoms to travel until around September/October.

Award seats are generally only seats the airline doesn't think it is going to be able to sell... so that makes sense for the minute to block out any award seats. Potentially closer to the time once they get a better understanding of the demand they might open up some seats.