Air New Zealand's new Grabaseat Gotta Getaway club will offer cheap airfares to those who pay to join, but there are concerns it devalues the loyalty of long-serving members of the airline's Airpoints programme.
The launch of the new club was first reported on Wednesday by Stuff, but is yet to be confirmed by the airline.
For an annual fee of $95, members would get access to last minute discount airfares - some cut by as much as 50 percent.
But Newshub has been contacted by Gold and Gold Elite Airpoints members who aren't happy about what the Grabaseat Gotta Getaway club does to their existing membership.
"I remember when being Gold Elite actually came with benefits," a member who didn't want to be identified told Newshub.
"The upgrades are a joke when we can't fly anywhere, now we get free Koru membership and that's about it."
A Gold member said the only benefit of being a frequent flyer when flying domestically is the Fast Bag service, which was ditched when the COVID-19 pandemic began.
Airpoints Gold and Gold Elite members currently get access to Koru Lounges, frequent flyer seating, priority check-in and boarding as well as additional baggage allowances. However, all of these benefits are also available to members of the airline's Koru Club.
The Grabaseat Gotta Getaway club gives its members access to cheap airfares for an annual fee of $95. Members of the Koru Club, which has a joining fee of $255 and an annual fee of $629, will not get access to those discounts unless they also pay the extra $95.
In recognition of the pandemic's effect on global travel, Air NZ did provide all Koru Club members as of March 31, 2020 with an additional six months of free membership.
Newshub has approached Air NZ for comment.
