Air New Zealand

Air New Zealand has compassionate fares to those needing to travel to Christchurch, oneway for $50 domestic (on standby basis until 31 March 2011) and other confirmable fares for those travelling to funeral or memorial services.  They are available by calling Air NZ.  In addition those with existing bookings to Christchurch for travel until 31 March 2011 have change fees waived – tickets can be rebooked to later date (fare difference may apply), an earlier date or another destination (fare difference will apply).

For more information please refer to Air NZ Christchurch update page.

Emirates

Emirates Christchurch disruption notice

Passengers flying to Christchurch are asked to provide proof of living in Christchurch or onward travel arrangements.  Failure to do so will result in denied boarding.

Fees are waived for cancellation or changes of travel booked to Christchurch up to 10 March 2011.  Change of dates is limited to 7 days.

Singapore Airlines

Period for rebooking waivers has passed. Normal terms & conditions apply.

Qantas

Qantas Christchurch disruption notice.

Travel between 1 March and 25 March 2011 can be rebooked to a later date, rerouted or held as a credit withouth change fees – no refunds.

Jetstar

There has been some media criticism of Jetstar’s handling of customers seeking rebooking.

Jetstar Christchurch disruption notice. 

Travel between 3 March and 25 March 2011 can be rebooked to a later date, rerouted or held as a credit withouth change fees – no refunds.  All changes must be made within 14 days.

Pacific Blue

Pacific Blue Christchurch disruption notice.

Travel until 25 March 2011 can be rebooked to any date up to 30 June 2011, or cancelled (for a credit not a refund) without fee.

Air Asia X

First flight to Christchurch is still due 1 April 2011.  I’ll update if this changes.

A short note on accommodation

Most inner city hotels are within the cordon and are closed until further notice, and some have suffered major damage.  There is a significant accommodation shortfall due to emergency personnel and displaced residents.  For travel to Christchurch in the next month or so, please check if your accommodation is available and strongly suggest to stay outside the city.

Latest information on flights to Christchurch by airlines other than Air NZ.  For Air NZ Christchurch information please see the separate post.

Emirates

Emirates Christchurch disruption notice

Passengers flying to Christchurch are asked to provide proof of living in Christchurch or onward travel arrangements.  Failure to do so will result in denied boarding.

Fees are waived for cancellation or changes of travel booked to Christchurch up to 10 March 2011.  Change of dates is limited to 7 days.

Singapore Airlines

SQ Christchurch disruption notice

Until 3 March 2011 (ex-Singapore and 4 March ex-Christchurch), flights are operating via Auckland and a new schedule applies.

Fees to change dates or destination (to Auckland), or for cancellation are waived until 6 March 2011.  Singapore’s Christchurch ticket office is located in the CBD and is closed until further notice.

Qantas

Qantas Christchurch disruption notice.

Travel until 28 February 2011 can be rebooked, rerouted or cancelled without change/cancellation fees subject to conditions.  Travel between 1 March and 25 March 2011 can be rebooked to a later date, rerouted or held as a credit withouth change fees – no refunds.

Jetstar

Jetstar Christchurch disruption notice. 

Travel until 28 February 2011 can be rebooked, rerouted or cancelled without change/cancellation fees subject to conditions.

Travel between 1 March and 25 March 2011 can be rebooked to a later date, rerouted or held as a credit withouth change fees – no refunds.  All changes must be made within 14 days.

Most flights to & from Christchurch on the afternoon of 22 February 2011 and on 23 February 2011 were cancelled.

Pacific Blue

Pacific Blue Christchurch disruption notice.

Travel until 15 March 2011 can be rebooked or cancelled (for a credit not a refund) without fee.

Air Asia X

First flight to Christchurch is still due 1 April 2011.  I’ll update if this changes.

There are some airlines serving NZ for the first time in 2011, ahead of the rugby world cup (and also some airlines returning after years of absence).  Announcements to date include:

• China Airlines – from Taipei to Auckland via Brisbane starting January
• Low cost airline Jetstar Asia – from Singapore to Auckland starting March
• Skyteam member China Southern Airlines – from Guangzhou to Auckland via Melbourne starting March
• Low cost airline Air Asia X – from Kuala Lumpur to Christchurch starting April
• Star Alliance member United Airlines (Continental) – from Houston to Auckland starting November (maybe)

The trans-Tasman flights will, as usual, have 5th freedom rights meaning they can be bought standalone.  Typically there is good award availability on these “tag” flights, and fares in premium cabins are low as the airlines try to win customers off more well-known competition (Air New Zealand, Qantas/Jetstar, Emirates and Pacific Blue).

A little over a year since Qantas withdrew from the New Zealand domestic market in favour of their low cost subsidiary Jetstar, comes news that Pacific Blue is also pulling out (source NZ Herald).  The last flights are on October 17, less than 3 years after they commenced domestic flights in NZ.  It isn’t an unexpected moved as Pacific Blue has been in a difficult market position – worse frequencies and fewer routes than Air New Zealand thus difficult to win over business travellers, and more expensive than Jetstar for the most price sensitive flyers.

Passengers with bookings are being rebooked on Air New Zealand.  Pacific Blue’s flights between Australia and New Zealand will have a modest increase in frequency.

I flew on the very first Pacific Blue domestic flight in New Zealand, and the last Qantas flight. I’m tempted to fly the last flight too – the reduction in competition cannot be good for travellers.

Wendy Perrin of Perrin Post recently put a reader question from Steve Belkin (you may recall my posts on his Competitours personal amazing race offering) to Richard Branson about the possibility of a future Virgin Alliance – you can see Richard talking about a Virgin alliance here.  Last week Gary Leff commented on which non-Virgin airlines might be interested in joining Virgin in a fourth major airline alliance.

For those who may be unfamiliar, the Virgin airlines are:

• Virgin Atlantic (51% owned by Virgin Group)
• Virgin Blue (26% owned by Virgin Group) – plus subsidiaries Pacific Blue (operates within NZ and across South Pacific), Polynesian Blue (operates to & from Samoa), and V Australia (operates longhaul)
• Virgin America (25% owned by Virgin Group)
• Air Nigeria (49% owned by Virgin Group)
• Air Asia X (20% owned by Virgin Group)
• Virgin Galactic (100% owned by Virgin Group) – not yet operating commercial service

The route network of these airlines together is fairly impressive (see below), although far short of the 3 main airline alliances (Star Alliance, Oneworld, Sky Team).

(map courtesy of Great Circle Mapper)

If Singapore Airlines (49% owner of Virgin Atlantic) was added, the network is even better as seen below.  (Note Virgin Blue domestic flights not shown due to clutter.)

(map courtesy of Great Circle Mapper)

It has taken the 3 main Virgin airlines (Atlantic, Blue and America) a long time to do something as basic as offer earning and redemption on each other’s flights, and this still isn’t complete – see Virgin earning on other Virgin expands but not perfect.  Thus I’m not holding out hope of a Virgin Alliance any time soon.

In the meantime we are currently waiting on reviews by competition authorities in both Australia and New Zealand on the proposed alliance between Virgin Blue and Air NZ, which is a limited alliance restricted to co-operation on trans-Tasman routes only.

Last month Air New Zealand announced sweeping changes to their shorthaul product on most flights between New Zealand and Australia plus the South Pacific.  The changes, due to commence from August on a trial route and November for other routes, are intended to help Air New Zealand compete with low cost carriers Jetstar and Pacific Blue whilst also retaining full service options for passengers who want them.  Already business class has been removed from sale on A320 flights from the relevant dates onwards.

Nearly 3 weeks on, there is considerable confusion over some details of high interest to frequent flyers.  Poorly written communications with their Airpoints and Koru Club members contradict other information such as posted on the Air NZ website, and also imply some benefits taken for granted may be removed (such as Star Alliance gold free extra luggage allowance if travelling on the cheapest fares).

There is a bright spot, however.  Thanks to customer feedback Air NZ has reversed their decision to remove space+, although the current proposal is weaker than the existing space+ seating (much fewer seats & less legroom for most of these).  I notice the date from which the new product will be available for sale has been quietly pushed back to May (from April), presumably to allow more time to iron out some of the kinks already identified.

Once we get a bit more detail, I’ll explain the implications and options available for people with existing and future bookings.  Hint: business class and star alliance gold passengers on these routes seem to come off worst with the changes, so hopefully Air New Zealand still has some tricks up their sleeves to retain these high yielding passengers.

When Virgin America launched their frequent flyer program eleVAte a significant criticism was the lack of earning and redemption on other Virgin airlines.

Finally, eleVATe members can now earn points when flying Virgin Blue, Pacific Blue, Polynesian Blue and V Australia. No redemptions are yet possible, and no word on when earning and redemption of frequent flyer miles will be possible on Virgin Atlantic.

In the other direction, neither Virgin Blue Velocity Rewards nor Virgin Atlantic Flying Club allows earning or redemption on Virgin America.

Confused? The following summary may help. VX is Virgin America, VS is Virgin Atlantic and DJ/VA is Virgin Blue, Pacific Blue, Polynesian Blue and V Australia.

• VX members can now earn points on DJ/VA flights. No redemptions.
• DJ/VA members can earn points, earn status credits and redeem on VS flights.
• VS members can earn miles (but not tier points) and redeem on DJ/VA flights.
• DJ/VA and VS members cannot earn or redeem on VX flights.

The downward spiral of fares and services on most Tasman and South Pacific routes continues with news from Air New Zealand of a radical overhaul of their fares and service offerings.

The longer shorthaul routes (Auckland to Perth, Auckland to Tahiti/Papeete and Sydney to Rarotonga) are unaffected by the changes but for the rest there are significant changes.  Economy service will differ according to fare at 4 different levels, as outlined in the table below.

* Business class replaces Works Deluxe on 767, 777 & 747 flights only, and empty adjacent seat does not apply in business class. 

Air NZ has stated they intend that Works is equivalent to current fares, Works Deluxe is a heavily discounted business fare and the cheaper fares are more in line with low cost competition (ie Jetstar and Pacific Blue).  We’ll see if that is so when they release fare information later.

As alluded to, this means A320 aircraft are losing business class, business class seating and also space+ seating. Space+ seats at the front of economy are regular seats but with an extra few inches of legroom and are very popular with elite frequent flyers and high fare passengers who can select them currently.

As a result of the changes, on some trans-Tasman routes Air NZ will have regular economy seats, space+ seats (on 767 aircraft), current premium economy seats (until refurbishment of 777 and 747 is completed next year), new premium economy seats (initially only on 77W aircraft), old business class seats (767 only) and business premier seats (777 and 747 aircraft) - 6 completely different seats, 2 different levels of onboard service and 4 different levels of on the ground services.  Managing customer expectations will be tricky in this environment!

The changes start with Christchurch to Sydney on 18 August (for sale from 29 April) and roll out to other routes in November (for sale from September).

Air NZ hasn’t yet provided details on many aspects (treatment of elite passengers, longhaul connecting passengers, those who booked flights while the current services were promised, etc). This is causing some angst on the Air NZ forum of Flyer Talk, but it is refreshing an Air NZer was quickly posting responses to questions (purportedly the GM of Shorthaul himself). 

On the information provided so far it looks like Air NZ is providing more choice and not really taking stuff away except for those who only buy sale fares, but the devil is in the details.

Updated to add

Existing bookings for travel after the switch to the new offering will be treated as Works if economy fare and Works Deluxe if business class fare.

Lost in all the other changes, but check in kiosks will be progressively added for flights to Australia from June 2010.

The shorthaul service changes are finally up on Air NZ’s website, although there is no new or additional information.