Air New Zealand's Retrograde premium step

[rgsaero]

Booking my trip to NZ on ANZ yesterday, fortunately on the 'phone as the internal flights were complicated, I had almost completed the details, including my usual Premium Economy (PE) seats on the long-hauls when I asked to reserve seating. It was then that I discovered that their 773s have been “refitted” and no longer have the wonderful “space seats” in PE. That section has now been “updated”(sic) with forward facing seats, eight across (against six across before), less leg room etc. For an aged person such as me, therefore there's no way now to avoid either climbing across people or being climbed across when needing to use the facilities during the long nights.

That's a deal-beaker for me, so I cancelled everything we had done. Sometime later family members insisted I should go, make it the last time, after every year (sometimes twice yearly) since 1983, and they are paying for Business. I would have booked for a second, later trip next year too but not again as it's not affordable.

As an ANZ Airpoints member they send me lots of emails and promotional stuff, but didn't mention this “upgrade” to eight across and no space seats! Surprise surprise!

Be warned, Air NZ Premium isn't as premium as it used to be.

[ExSp33db1rd]

Be warned, Air NZ Premium isn't as premium as it used to be.

Shirley, you must be wrong ???? Air NZ have just been voted Best Airline again. If your experience is with The Best, I shudder to think what the others are like ?

Best Airline ? Recently my wife was ticketed, boarding card issued, waiting in the departure lounge at around 9.30 pm when it was announced that the aircraft was u/s and the flight re-scheduled at 08.00 am next day, and no, my 79 yr. old wife was told, we are not providing you with hotel accom. you're not - quote- a Frequent Flyer, we'll bring in mattresses and you can doss down on the floor of this lounge. Meal vouchers were not issued until 10.15 pm, after the restaurant was closed at 10.00, so no food or refreshment of any kind until the next morning. Speaking to the cabin crew next day it was obvious that the delay was known to have been likely around 7.00 pm the previous evening, as the crew were told to delay their departure from home, so meal vouchers could have been prepared before the restaurants etc. closed at 10.00 pm. Gotcha !

After subsequent bitter letters were exchanged, my wife was 'awarded' 50 Air Points, but when she tried to use them for her next flight they were refused, as she didn't have enough to purchase the complete ticket, and part payment with Air Points was not allowed.

Hawaiian Airlines now fly to Auckland, so we have an alternative way to get to California, albeit with a stop-over in Hawaii ( how hard is that ! )

We have a choice.

Best Airline ? Yeah! Right !

[PAXboy]

Sounds like one of the remaining dominoes of the old school falling over...

[rgsaero]

Exspeedbird.... I've flown London - NZ return almost every year since 1983 or 4 with ANZ, often more than once and they've never let me down! The Premium E was excellent and really faultless; sorry about your wife - that treatment is unacceptable even for a loco.

and please don't call me Shirley - as the old joke goes!