NZ awards booked through *A harder to get recently?

[haydensydney]

Is it just me, or are awards on NZ getting harder and harder to get through their *A partners?

In years gone by, I was able to use my magic 35,000 SQ points for a J SYD-RAR-SYD journey - often a week out and with minimal fuss. At the best of times, I was lucky to book a SYD-AKL-SYD in J a few days out from departure.

Fast forward to now, and it seems that I am no longer afforded the luxury of leaving my awards bookings to the last minute: the last few times I've tried to check for availability (through ANA and once by calling SQ), there is simply no availability. Even a couple of weeks out, there is nothing.

Is anyone else noticing this? Do you think NZ cut available seats for *A awards?

 

[samh004]

I don’t use *A anymore, but could another reason be that there’s more and more frequent flyers every year, so the rewards are snapped up quicker than in the past?

 

[kamchatsky]

Could be another reason is that more and more knowledgeable people redeem South Pacific Awards these days?

But I also believe that as economy picks up again more people will fly J and thus reducing the available inventory.

 

[haydensydney]

All of these are very real possible reasons why, i'm sure.

Has anyone else noticed this though, or is this just me?

 

[tuppaware]

Its prob due to fools like me that book *A 8 months ahead of time!

 

[kamchatsky]

Its prob due to fools like me that book *A 8 months ahead of time!

I am with you as a fool on this one!

SE Pacific *A award is such a bargain I would be crazy not to redeem through here. Afterall, redemption in QF is not getting any lower.