Hey Folks,

I have been noticing more and more on the ANA tool that J award seats on NZ seem to be nonexistent. I've been looking on LAX/SFO/YVR-AKL, and haven't seen a single J seat. I know they're in high demand, but even SQ releases some F seats. Are they being snagged so quickly, or is NZ basically making their awards non-existent? Would be very sad since I really love NZ, both the country and the airline.

Thanks!

Sells out on those routes, and as business fares are highest between NZ & USA (higher even than to Europe) awards are in high demand (plus better product than UA or QF so demand for Australia through pax also). What dates are you looking at?

I was looking at this coming June and July. I'm not sure whether I'm booking to late or whether they're just not out there, although I'd love to hear that they're just sold out and not gone forever.

Way too late and likely you are running into school holidays.

With NZ business class awards best to check no later than 9-11 months out (11 months for Dec-Feb period, perhaps 9 months for rest of year). While awards may be found closer to departure (eg pax release awards they've held, or NZ decides bookings low enough to warrant some extra award seats) it is not predictable enough to count on this.

If you have specific dates in mind check you can get a clue from looking at availability tools for the paid fare classes. NZ has C D J and Z. If no J or Z then most unlikely any more awards will be released (except maybe a few days before departure). If they are all showing 4s then keep checking (especially if UEO premium economy booking classes also have availability).

Usual thing to avoid school holidays, avoid Fri through Mon (peak business travel dates), etc.

NZ key dates - school holidays are 5-20 July 2008.

I just searched every single day for every single route from NA to AKL (SFO/LAX/YVR/HNL-AKL) for the months of September, October, November, Decemebr, and as far as one can go in January (the 6th) and didn't find a single J seat. Come on, something's going on here!

NZ Airpoints can look further out than Jan 6th

OK, but that doesn't help those using miles from other Star Alliance carriers... so are you agreeing that it's virtually impossible to use Star Alliance partner miles on NZ between NA and AKL?

Yes. It is also virtually impossible using NZ airpoints. Those routes routinely sell out (as in people buying paid business class).

PS HNL-AKL (old business class) might have more availability, and also LAX-TBU/APW/RAR-AKL.

No, this is strange indeed.

I wouldn't say that NZ used to be generous in making long haul business class awards available to their *A partners.

But they didn't used to be all that bad, in my experience. Have frequently found the seats I was looking for, especially in June/July.

It really does seem like something has changed given that I don't see business class availability either, at all (though I only checked a broad range of dates for LAX).

Highly unusual.

Exactly my thought, gleff. In the past NZ awards LAX-AKL were by no means easy but definitely possible. I'm hoping that this is temporary and not a permanent change.

Sorry to piggy-back a little bit on this thread, but I was checking out some ANA availability also, and finding similar problems. Ideally, I'd like my itinerary to be LAX-APW-TBU-AKL-RAR-LAX, with a stopover at RAR on the way back. ANA won't even show me LAX-APW or LAX-TBU. Anyone ever had success in booking these flights as a *A award? Is it a problem to have two transfers on the incoming flight?

Chris

Hmm, I might be wrong, but didn't NZ discountinue those routes?

Just LAX-NAN as far as I know.

Chris

I guess if I checked out the proper day that these flights go out (only on Tuesdays) that'd probably help. Lucky, you might take a look at routing through these then. The one flight I checked out from LAX-TBU had business availability on ANA.

Chris

Further thought. NZ has just released new schedule for northern summer 2008, so perhaps they put a hold on new awards while they work out any required rebookings?

Main impacts on USA <-> NZ route are extra HNL-AKL flight, less flights LAX-RAR-AKL