Air New Zealand is now selling additional flexibility on its domestic tickets with two new options to go along with the old 'seat only' or 'seat + bag' fares.
The new domestic options are:
Flexirefund
The most expensive option, with which customers have maximum flexibility to change the date, time, destination or origin right up until departure without incurring a change fee. They can also receive a refund should they choose not to travel. No fare difference applies if the time of the flight is changed on the day of travel.
Flexichange
This option gives customers enhanced flexibility through the waiving of change fees for date, route and time of travel changes right up until departure, but a full refund isn't offered. If customers want to change the time of flight on the day of travel, they can do this for free with no fare difference.
Seat and seat+bag
These are the lowest cost options and most suited to customers who are sure of their travel plans. Enhanced flexibility will now allow customers to change the time or date of the flight on the day of travel with applicable fees, whereas previously these changes had to be made before the travel date.
Air NZ's chief customer and sales officer Leanne Geraghty says the new structure is intended to give clarity around a ticket's flexibility, making it really clear as to what ticket a customer is purchasing.
"When we first introduced the fare options, flexibility and choice were some of the main drivers. Today, that's still important and with ongoing uncertainty due to COVID-19, we wanted to give customers the option to buy more flexibility should they want it," she said.
"These changes provide greater flexibility, while also providing clear descriptions around what each fare type allows customers to do."
The airline's current domestic COVID-19 flexibility policy is in place for travel up until 31 October 2021, with its international flexibility policy extended to February 28.
Customers with existing bookings made through Air NZ under the old product names will automatically have these changed to reflect the new flexibility options (flexitime will become flexichange and flexidate will become flexirefund).
For those who have booked through a travel agent, the new flexibility options will apply to existing tickets and customers can continue to make changes through their agents.
Air NZ also says it has significantly reduced the cost of adding baggage to trips at the airport and there is now a single price for each additional piece. Eligible customers will continue to be able to access discounted rates on up to two additional pieces by purchasing prepaid pieces ahead of time.
Domestic at-airport extra baggage pricing:
First bag
- Current: $80
- New: $45
Second bag
- Current: $120
- New: $45
Third bag
- Current: $170
- New: $45
