AIR - Air NZ.

[Baa_Baa]

Divi tomorrow.

[theace]

Should the divi have hit the bank a/c today? ... nothing yet (ASB)

[Derain]

The payment is made today, but I think you will not see these until tonight/Monday as that is when the bank processes their payment.

[BlackPeter]

Interesting article on NBR: http://www.nbr.co.nz/opinion/opinion...0Last%2520Call

They say that Air New Zealand suddenly and unexpectedly dumped BNZ as partner for their air point credit cards - forcing roughly 100.000 customers to either change their bank within the next 6 weeks (the new elected bank apparently is Westpac), or alternatively cease to earn Air New Zealand air points by using their credit card. Just wondering: if I would be one of these customers - maybe I would just change the airline instead?

From personal experience - unless you need to travel within NZ, there are many better alternatives to Air NZ around, like e.g. Singapore Airlines or Emirates. Admittedly - there are as well inferior options (like Qantas), but at least they didn't dump their air point partners.

Seriously - can anybody of the on this thread resident fans explain how it can be good for Air New Zealand to annoy 100.000 loyal customers for no good reason?

Discl: frequent flyer with Singapore Airlines, Emirates, Qantas and Air New Zealand, though latter was due to their contract with my previous company.

[Beagle]

Hi BP,

Poorly research article which does little more than outline people's resistance to change.
If the author had done his homework he would have learned that this change is a major benefit to customers with a significantly higher Airpoints earning rate per $100 spent.

See link below. In summary at present on a standard credit card, (rewards vary with Gold, Platinum and business cards but in all cases are superior for customers with the enhanced Westpac arrangement)
- BNZ Globalplus Classic Credit Card presently gives 1 airpoint for every $150 spent
- Westpac standard credit card will give 1 airpoint for every $120 spent (It should be noted that the annual credit card fee is the same $55 for the above two cards).

Airpoint rewards are a big deal for a lot of people so AIR has been working on this enhancement to its credit card rewards programme for customers benefit. The author suggests in complete ignorance that this is another cut-back. P.S. Jetstar's domestic and Tasman aircraft have the very tightest seating in the aviation industry with an incredibly cramped 29 inch pitch.
Anyone over 6 ft tall or 100 kg's is in for a world of hurt...its actually physically painful flying on their aircraft, I'm 6 ft and my knees were jammed so hard into the seat-back in front it was quite painful.
You want cut-backs, try flying Jetstar.

Those who are too lazy to change from the National Australia bank, (used correct name for the bank because this Australian owned bank masquerades as the Bank of New Zealand whereas Air New Zealand really is New Zealand owned), will enjoy whatever rewards system the NAB propose.

With any change there is always a level of resistance but it should be noted first and foremost that this change is aimed at significantly improving the reward rate for customers who enjoy their credit card airpoints system. AIr new Zealand also have credit card partnership programmes with Kiwibank, (a genuine N.Z. owned bank), American Express and ANZ.

http://www.airnewzealand.co.nz/airpo...0319_Airpoints

P.S. Mate no offence intended but most Kiwi's that are born and bred here enjoy showing some parochial favouritism to AIR New Zealand simply because they've known the airline all their lives, they trust flying on their aircraft and know its New Zealand owned.

[BlackPeter]

Hi BP,

Poorly research article which does little more than outline people's resistance to change.
If the author had done his homework he would have learned that this change is a major benefit to customers with a significantly higher Airpoints earning rate per $100 spent.

See link below. In summary at present on a standard credit card, (rewards vary with Gold, Platinum and business cards but in all cases are superior for customers with the enhanced Westpac arrangement)
- BNZ Globalplus Classic Credit Card presently gives 1 airpoint for every $150 spent
- Westpac standard credit card will give 1 airpoint for every $120 spent (It should be noted that the annual credit card fee is the same $55 for the above two cards).

Airpoint rewards are a big deal for a lot of people so AIR has been working on this enhancement to its credit card rewards programme for customers benefit. The author suggests in complete ignorance that this is another cut-back. P.S. Jetstar's domestic and Tasman aircraft have the very tightest seating in the aviation industry with an incredibly cramped 29 inch pitch.
Anyone over 6 ft tall or 100 kg's is in for a world of hurt...its actually physically painful flying on their aircraft, I'm 6 ft and my knees were jammed so hard into the seat-back in front it was quite painful.
You want cut-backs, try flying Jetstar.

Those who are too lazy to change from the National Australia bank, (used correct name for the bank because this Australian owned bank masquerades as the Bank of New Zealand whereas Air New Zealand really is New Zealand owned), will enjoy whatever rewards system the NAB propose.

With any change there is always a level of resistance but it should be noted first and foremost that this change is aimed at significantly improving the reward rate for customers who enjoy their credit card airpoints system. AIr new Zealand also have credit card partnership programmes with Kiwibank, (a genuine N.Z. owned bank), American Express and ANZ.

http://www.airnewzealand.co.nz/airpo...0319_Airpoints

P.S. Mate no offence intended but most Kiwi's that are born and bred here enjoy showing some parochial favouritism to AIR New Zealand simply because they've known the airline all their lives, they trust flying on their aircraft and know its New Zealand owned.

Hi Roger, Thanks for this clarification - I am sure you would have done a much better job than the professional communication managers at Air New Zealand. Unfortunately - it looks like they didn't do their job and ruffled some feathers with some customers, but time will tell. Not really my concern - though I am still sitting on some Air NZ air point / dollar account ....

Apologies for proposing on this thread that there might possibly be better airlines than Air New Zealand, but believe me, if you circled the globe as often as I did, than comfort, good service and good connections do count. In terms of comfort and service have I seen Air NZ sometimes as better and sometimes as worse than others, and yes, I agree - any carrier I know beats Jetstar (well, I haven't yet tried some of these Russian and Central African airliners, and to be honest - some of the local US carriers come close ...).

In terms of connections do I try to avoid any carrier which forces me to go through Heathrow into Europe, which excludes Air New Zealand. Lost already too much time at this hostile and highly chaotic place - and life is too short for that. Funny thing is - 2 decades ago Air New Zealand was able to fly to other European airports as well (at least they offered code shared flights to a number of European centers). Does not seem to work anymore (well, not last time I asked - maybe 2 years ago).

OK - I don't want to rain too much into the party - so I leave you to it. Just thought it might be interesting for AIR share holders to learn, that there are still some things other carriers do better than their company. Might be an opportunity to improve?

[percy]

My divie is in my bank.

[mikeybycrikey]

Either Air NZ or BNZ has dropped the ball here, and I'm guessing that it's Air NZ.


I find this all a little odd. Cards that earn Airpoints are currently issued by American Express, Kiwibank and ANZ (I think). So why has the dropping of BNZ been so closely linked to the addition of Westpac, by Air NZ?


This doesn't make any sense apart from Air NZ getting their PR of this change completely wrong. Customers change their airline much readily than their credit card, except in domestic where there is no competition.

For most people this will be forgotten pretty quickly, unless you're one of the 100,000 card holders. Many of them will likely think twice about booking Air NZ if there are other options.

[Harvey Specter]

My take on this is Westpac wanted it, so offered AIR a lot of money. To get benefit though they needed the opportunity to steal BNZ customers. So they paid more to AIR to ditch BNZ and even more to blind side them as any warning would give them time to put in place another attractive scheme.

[iceman]

I agree with this HS. I think this is the real reason. Don't forget that BNZ has always been able to offer GlobalPlus home loans so people get Airpoints with their mortgages. No doubt Westpac will do the same so this is more than just about credit cards.
I changed my card from ANZ Visa Platinum to Air NZ (issued by Kiwi Bank) Mastercard Platinum a few months ago and get more Airpoints and Status Points than I did before and a same annual fee. If you are making a decision on credit card solely to earn Airpoints, forget Westpac and go to the Air NZ (Kiwi Bank) card !

My take on this is Westpac wanted it, so offered AIR a lot of money. To get benefit though they needed the opportunity to steal BNZ customers. So they paid more to AIR to ditch BNZ and even more to blind side them as any warning would give them time to put in place another attractive scheme.