Good Bye Air New Zealand! ... Hello Qantas!
What small things can make people change their mind when traveling?
Why Trans-Tasman flights are different from the International flights at Air New Zealand?
Here is my story:
I am traveling a lot, because of my work. Malaysia, Japan, Thailand, Europe, Brazil and of course Australia just to name a few.
I am a member of Star Alliance's Frequent Traveller program and Air New Zealand is part of the Star Alliance. To be a member for any Frequent Traveller program, to keep and use the earned points for personal use is one of the many benefits of my company. That's why I kept Air NZ as a preferred company to flight with. To collect as many points I can and use it later for personal travel. But I am changing to Qantas now on Trans-Tasman flights. Why?
I am in the trap of my company's travel policy and Air NZ's strange idea of cheap Trans-Tasman tickets.
Somebody at Air NZ has decided to create a so called "smart saver" category sometime ago. This is the cheapest economy ticket at the moment and it is 83 dollar cheaper then the next category called "flexi saver". But with the "smart saver" you cannot earn Airpoints or miles for your Frequent Traveller membership. Doh! Unfortunately my company's travel policy clearly instructs the travel agency to book always the cheapest economy fare.
And here I am in the trap. I am travelling a lot nowadays to Australia, flying more then 2000kms there and 2000kms back and I don't earn nothing!! How "smart" they are! I mean Air New Zealand. I dont know if other companies do the same. At least I hope Qantas is not doing the same. Because I will fly with Qantas from now on and collect my points with them. Seems they appreciate their customers better. Or they just don't differentiate Trans-Tasman flights from International flights. Because this "smart saver" fare only exists on Trans-Tasman, Pacific and domestic flights at Air New Zealand.
This story is my story and others might have different opinions about it. I just wanted to share mine.
Finally some other thoughts about Air NZ:
- Thai fishcake and beef pie were pretty boring being the same choice for three consecutive weeks on NZ106 on Fridays evenings.
- If Singapore Air (and others) have already on-line check in a long time ago, why it is so hard to introduce this here on international flights? I know they have it on domestic ones. And they would save a lot of time at the check-in.
Tag(s):
More information
Other related posts:
Status update: where am I?
Earth Hour tomorrow! - Switch Off the Lights!!
How much food families are eating per week in the world. :)
Comment by CrispinMullins, on 9-Dec-2007 04:01 , user id: 25139)
Be careful. I'd check with Qantas to see what their current practice is. When I last flew with them 3-4 years ago, it was exactly the same. PLUS, all the stewardesses are named Bruce.
Comment by Glen Barnes, on 9-Dec-2007 08:25 , user id: )
Would you rather have a $100 flight with no Airpoints or a $180 flight with $18 worth of airpoints?
My advice? Take the cheaper flight and put $18 into a savings account for a trip at a later date. You are still $62 better off. The great thing about the Air NZ airpoints system is that you can use them just like cash on the flights with no blackouts and on any seat. This alone makes the system far better than any other frequent flyer program.
@Aloha: You do not sit in the same place if you have the cheaper seats. You get the worse seats on the plane. If you are paying more for your economy seats you sit further up the plane and can get the emergency exit, etc.
Comment by freitasm, on 9-Dec-2007 08:33 , user id: 206)
Oh, and not counting their horrible Air Dollars backend system... For example I flew back from Amsterdam: BMI (AMS LHR), NZ (LHR AKL WLG). Tickets were issued in full Premium Economy fare, with a Business upgrade. So far the only points earned were the AKL WLG segment.
Their system can't even recognise their own flights. The page where you claim points is not working for the NZ flights, and I will most likely have to send in the boarding passes to have the points added.
A loyalty system that asks me what I've done is a pain...
Comment by freitasm, on 9-Dec-2007 08:35 , user id: 206)
@Glen... I've bought a few cheaper seats and when doing my on-line check in I was able to get even seats in the first row, being the first out of the plane most of the times...
Comment by sbiddle, on 9-Dec-2007 09:48 , user id: 1387)
The concept of no Air Points on cheaper flights has always annoyed me as well since the program is supposed to be a loyalty program yet discourages loyalty because there is no incentive to choose Air NZ over another carrier if you're not earning points. Even if they offered you say 50% of the usual points for travelling on the cheapest fare it would still be better than nothing.
I did hear that the whole Air Points program is scheduled for another big overhaul and that there would be rewards for travelling on Air NZ on all flights so hopefully it's something they are aware of and looking to address.
Comment by freitasm, on 9-Dec-2007 10:17 , user id: 206)
And possibly fire the dumb committe that decided on no points for the cheaper fares?
Comment by Loftus, on 9-Dec-2007 14:17 , user id: 20935)
We have the same policy at our company, but we also have the policy that management prior-approval MUST be obtained for all travel... so I just delay the booking of the airfares until my approval form has snaked its way through the maze of upper management. Usually by this stage the "saver"-type fares have sold out and only the "flexi" or higher are left.
Full policy compliance = Everybody's happy :-)
Comment by Rob, on 9-Dec-2007 14:31 , user id: )
As a male Air NZ flight attendant, I'm wondering why the sex and appearance of the staff on a flight is relevant? Am I somehow of less value because I'm neither a female nor handsome? If so, how would you fare in your chosen field of work if appearance was a discriminating factor?
Comment by antoniosk, on 9-Dec-2007 16:43 , user id: 9158)
I too get annoyed that I don't earn airpoints on the cheapie flights, yet my statement every month shows a domestic flight every week.
But, the Qantas FF program just sucks, being a member of that as well. Try BOOKING anything useful with it - they discriminate the flights available to FF points, meaning you can't get anything half useful.
A lady I worked with at Palm Australasia had over 400k Qantas points and was a platinum member, but had never actually managed to spend what she'd earned.
A rethink on Air NZ's part might be nice, but that means even less cheaper flights...
Comment by hairy1, on 9-Dec-2007 17:25 , user id: 26650)
From memory I think the main reason the airpoints overhaul to airpoints dollars was to satisfy those that wanted cheaper fares. Just like flybuys, airpoints has a cost so it has to be built into the product somewhere.
You are right, it does create loyalty, but do those who buy the cheapest fares care about loyalty?
If your company is paying for your airfares then does it matter what airline you are flying on?
Disclosure: I work for Air NZ too!
Comment by freitasm, on 9-Dec-2007 18:19 , user id: 206)
I buy the cheaper tickets and I care about loyalty. I am a Gold member, Koru member and I hate not receiving a couple of points when I show my loyalty - even if I buy the cheaper tickets it's still me being loyal.
I fly more than ten times a year inside New Zealand, about five or more times to Australia and two or more to the U.S... I am a loyal Air NZ customer, but is Air NZ showing any "link love" to me?
Comment by antoniosk, on 9-Dec-2007 18:36 , user id: 9158)
MF
I'll bet you're not a typical NZ traveller either. 10x a year is a lot for any customer.... even one as well travelled as mr freitas here....
Comment by hairy1, on 9-Dec-2007 19:54 , user id: 26650)
Perhaps every fare should be linked to dollars spent rather than "miles flown". Then everyone would win!
Comment by freitasm, on 9-Dec-2007 20:12 , user id: 206)
I thought Air Dollars were already linked to how much you paid for the ticket?
Comment by PenultimateHop, on 10-Dec-2007 20:19 , user id: 30084)
I'm a reasonably frequent traveller - about 200K miles a year. I'm Air NZ Gold Elite, Qantas Silver (almost Gold) and United Silver (also almost Gold). My company and I also generally pay for the cheapest economy fares - although International is generally premium economy... but my travel profile does mean that the "cheapest" at time of booking is often full fare (I often only book 24 hours before departure).
Air NZ have lost my Tasman business because of the "Smart Saver" no-Airpoints nonsense - I was happy to pay their premium price over Qantas, but since I am getting nothing for that loyalty, why should I?
Generally speaking I prefer to fly NZ as their metal is generally better than the competition (increased seat pitch; better IFE; better food; better upgrade chances).
It is definitely a mistake by NZ - and one that I have pointed out to them on every single survey I have filled out. They re-introduced Airpoints earning on their cheapest International fares, hopefully they will re-introduce it on domestic and Tasman fares.
For the NZ people: If I travel 200,000 miles on Smart Saver fares on NZ, am I loyal to the company? Apparently not in your eyes, because I don't pay a premium.
As far as using points go, I have had no problem using my QF points, NZ air dollars, UA points, etc. A little bit of intelligence and practice at doing it makes it a reasonably easy thing to do. I personally am not a big fan of the NZ air dollars approach as it has totally eliminated the value from the rewards with the singular exception of upgrading to Business Class on longhaul flights. Trying to get a business class long haul award is now so prohibitively expensive (even with the "discount" awards) that it's not worthwhile... which is why I use UA Mileage Plus as well as NZ Airpoints, even though they're both in Star Alliance (and there's no point in earning beyond the Gold Elite amount in a year.)
Comment by freitasm, on 11-Dec-2007 12:37 , user id: 206)
Yesterday I had to print a letter and mail a request for points on a trip from London Heathrow to Auckland on Premium Economy (dully upgraded to business with some of my points)...
Their system didn't give me the points automatically, their on-line form told me they couldn't find my seat and I had to send a letter with the boarding pass.
Useless...
Comment by PenultimateHop, on 11-Dec-2007 12:55 , user id: 30084)
There are many problems with frequent flyer accrual unfortunately - sometimes it just doesn't work. Qantas' is exceptionally fast (the points are almost always in my account before I've landed at the destination) though.
As far as having to mail it to them, Mauricio, the Premium Airpoints team (looks after Gold/Gold Elite) can usually sort out the credits on the phone. I've not had to mail in any Air NZ boarding passes for years - give them the ticket number and they can usually do it within 30 seconds on the phone.
Comment by freitasm, on 17-Dec-2007 13:52 , user id: 206)
Regardless of some think, buying the cheap tickets doesn't land you in the back of the plane. I just came back from Auckland and bought the tickets a month before the flight - and completed the on-line check-in back then.
In both flights in and out of Auckland I was sitting on 1D (first row, aisle) and was out of the plane first. Can't complain.
But still haven't seen the points for my long haul journey from London to Wellington. Slow motion people...
Comment by freitasm, on 20-Dec-2007 08:03 , user id: 206)
Right... So after two weeks waiting for my points I called Air New Zealand and asked for them... Adn they credit the points immediately.
Comment by freitasm, on 1-Feb-2008 09:36 , user id: 206)
Arghh! Upgrades are not cumulative...
Comment by The Dude, on 20-Jul-2008 15:36 , user id: )
$30 per year Membership for NO benefit -
Just phoned AIRNZ as my Airpoints membership lapsed and just took up a Smart Saver flight - saving $100 - no airpounts but - paid the joining fee 3 years previous of $50 hard earned $ for the deep joy of being a member - now its an annual fee of $30 ( where did that come from ) - WHAT am I getting for $30 - the deep joy of belonging to a frequent flyer program - where if I pay another $100 per fight I earn air points on their flexi saver flights - and "AIR NZ WORDS " you gain absolutely nothing sir other than airpoints - therefore I could fly 365 days a year on smart saver being loyal to AirNZ and would earn " NOTHING "
Thanks AIRNZ for nothing - I paid my original $50 and you now have changed my contract to charge me another $30 per year or fly at least one flight paying at least a $100 more -
AIRNZ are you totally and utterly crazy - this is worst loyalty program I've ever heard of -
You have really upset a customer now who paid good money to yourselves so stick it AIRNZ - I'll be happy to pay more to go with Quantas / Emirates - but AIR NZ, please excuse my French - So far you SUCK.
Rick
Comment by urpal ash, on 25-Apr-2009 09:00 , user id: )
so this may be a stupid question but I would regret not asking... so I booked a ticket to Australia for $930 but now the tickets have gone down to a little over $500! Is there anyway I can ask Air New Zealand for any money back?! Thanks for your time.
Add a comment
Please note: comments that are inappropriate or promotional in nature will be deleted.
E-mail addresses are not displayed, but you must enter a valid e-mail address to confirm your comments.
Are you a registered Geekzone user? Login to have the fields below automatically filled in for you and to enable links in comments.
If you have (or qualify to have) a Geekzone Blog then your comment will be automatically confirmed and shown in this blog post.
Comment by freitasm, on 9-Dec-2007 00:04 , user id: 206)
I was meant to write about this sometime ago...
It is actually really unfair of Air New Zealand not to allow "saver" fares to earn Air Dollars. Since the program is all about loyalty, who is more loyal than the people who purchase the "saver" ticket that won't allow changes, cancellations, returns, etc?
It's sure money for Air New Zealand, but the company clearly doesn't treat the customer as a valued customer.
Seriously, why would I pay $80 more for a ticket to Auckland if there's an option to purchase a cheaper one, with the conditions that I can't change the booking and I can't ask for a refund?
Just because I accept these conditions it doesn't mean I am less loyal to Air New Zealand.
It really makes me sad when I look at my Air Dollar statement and see those flights with 0 points collected.
I am not a good customer for them - even though I fly two or more times a year to the US, plus another five or six times to Australia and even more to Auckland and othre local destinations - it doesn't matter for Air New Zealand doesn't think I am a loyal customer, deserving of the Air Dollar points when I choose a cheaper flight.