You and your customers may have further questions around the New Fare Structure, here are some Q&A's to assist you.
What is Seats to Suit Domestic?
From 29 November customers purchasing our grabaseat fares will be able to choose either a Seat fare, or for $10 more a Seat+Bag fare.
When does Seats to Suit Domestic come into effect?
For sale from Tuesday 29 November 2011, for travel immediately.
Why is Air New Zealand introducing Seats to Suit Domestic fares?
To remain competitive and to offer leisure customers more choice.
Why is Seats to Suit only available on grabaseat fares?
Air New Zealand will continue to offer a variety of fare types to our Domestic customers. We have a large number of Domestic customers who value the benefits associated with our Smart Saver and Flexi Plus fare types so it is important that we make it as simple as possible for customers to still choose to purchase these fare types. Had Smart Savers and Flexi Plus fares also included the opportunity to purchase a Seat or Seat+Bag fare we believe that customers would have been confronted with too many fare choices.
As per today Smart Saver fares will entitle customers to one free checked bag and Flexi Plus fares will entitle customers to two free checked bags. We believe this is fair as customers who pay more will receive more.
How will Fares change?
As part of the introduction of Seats to Suit Domestic Air New Zealand has reviewed fares on all Domestic markets. On the vast majority of markets our lead-in fares will be reduced with the introduction of a Seat fare level.
For example, our current lead-in fare on CHC-WLG will reduce from $69 to $59 Seat/$69 Seat+Bag while on a regional market such as AKL-PMR the lead-in fare will reduce from $94 to $89 Seat/$99 Seat+Bag.
Does Seats to Suit apply to the whole domestic network?
Yes, including our regional (Link) services.
How will Air New Zealand's domestic fares be advertised?
From 29 November Air New Zealand will promote two fare choices: Seat or Seat+Bag for our lowest grabaseat fares only.
What will happen to grabaseat 'greenlight' deals?
All grabaseat greenlight fares will be offered as Seat and Seat + Bag.For example, a $1 greenlight fare will be Seat, and a Seat+Bag fare will be $11.
What are the baggage rules for customers who have a grabaseat booking issued prior to 29 November?
Customers' existing baggage allowance will remain for those ticketed prior to 29 November.
Will customers be charged per sector for a bag? E.g. AKL-CHC-IVC?
No, as long as fare rules allow a transit, each bag will be charged through as origin/ destination.
Will Air New Zealand continue to offer free baggage allowance for items such as infant strollers and car seats?
Yes. In addition to other allowances, when travelling on a Seat fare, infant strollers and car seats are permitted free of charge when accompanied with an infant.
Is there any change to the inflight product i.e. complimentary snacks or the Koru Hour offering?
No, the inflight service remains for all passengers as it is today.
Will there be any change to seating on board such as Space+ entitlements?
There will be no change to current seating entitlements - Airpoints Gold, Gold Elite and Koru members who have purchased a Seat fare will be entitled to Space.
What are the rules relating to FastBag?
Airpoints Gold, Gold Elite and Koru members who have purchased a Seat+Bag fare continue to be entitled to a maximum of 2 bags - each weighing less than 15kg.
Airpoints Gold, Gold Elite and Koru members cannot take advantage of FastBag when travelling on Seat fares.
Will Airpoints Gold, Gold Elite and Koru members get a baggage allowance if they book a Seat fare?
When travelling on a Seat fare Airpoints Gold and Gold Elite members can take an additional carry-on bag up to 7kg but no checked baggage
When travelling on a Seat + Bag fare, Airpoints Gold, Gold Elite and Koru members can take an additional checked bag up to 23kg, but cannot take a checked bag when travelling on Seat fares.
Will Starfish discounts be offered to Starfish customers travelling on a Seat or Seat + Bag fare?
Yes
Will Starfish discounts be offered to Starfish customers travelling on a Seat or Seat + Bag fare when ticketed through the GDS?
Yes, however Seat bookings made in your GDS will not attract the discount at this point so will need to be made through the agent portal for your customer.
Will the fare basis change?
Yes, only for grabaseat fares - P class has been reintroduced for the grabaseat + bag level
| Old fare class | New fare class |
| P | N/A / PBGRAB |
| K | KSGRAB/ KBGRAB |
| X | XSGRAB/ XBGRAB |
| G | GSGRAB/GBGRAB |
Will customers be able to ‘pick and mix’ different fare types on one booking reference?
Yes, for example, one customer in the booking could buy Seat and one could buy Seat + Bag.
Will the cheapest Seat+Bag [P class] fare be available online only?
Air New Zealand will offer P class Seat+Bag fares to agents. The cheapest Seat fare will be available online only as is our lowest fare today.
Can a travel agent upgrade a Seat fare to include a bag post ticketing? If so, will there be a change fee?
Travel agents can reissue the ticket FOC in their GDS without rebooking as long as there is no change to the flight detail and this will be managed through the fare audit process.
With the introduction of Seat fares for agents, does this mean we can now offer agents Seat fares for travel on Tasman and Pacific Islands routes through their GDS?
No, the GDS solution is an interim one and does not allow for bundling, therefore Tasman and Pacific Islands travel is not affected in this domestic launch.
Will the kiosks be amended to reflect the new Seat and Seat+Bag fares?
Yes the kiosk will automatically check the customer in and their baggage if they are entitled to it.
What will appear on the boarding pass?
If a Seat fare has been purchased, the boarding pass will indicate “Seat”. If the passenger is entitled to a bag, the boarding pass will remain as it is today.
Can travel agents sell Seat fares?
Yes, we have filed Seat fares as Passenger Type Code (PCC) fares for access through their GDS. Alternatively fares can be booked through the agent portal.
How will I access and quote the Seat fares in my GDS?
The Passenger Type Code (PTC) code is CMM. More information regarding PTC codes can be found in the Help section of your GDS.
An example of entries you can enter to access the Seat fares in your system are shown:
| Fare display | Price itin | |
| Sabre | FQAKLWLG¥PCMM | WPPCMM |
| Galileo | FDAKLHLZ*CMM | FQ*CMM/CNZ |
| Amadeus | No special entry required - standard entry shows both public and private e.g. FQDAKLHLZ/10DEC/ANZ | FXP/RCMM then select the required fare e.g. FXT2 |
