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.