Air New Zealand is to launch a new invitation-only Priority One loyalty programme, aimed at the carrier's "top individual spending travellers", as part of a revamp of ANZ's Airpoints scheme.
The new elite programme will launch in early 2014, with eligible travellers receiving "a personal invitation from chief executive officer Christopher Luxon".
No further details are given at this stage, but the new programme is part of a raft of changes to ANZ's Airpoints loyalty scheme.
Other changes include an additional short-haul recognition upgrade for Gold members, an improved frequent flyer website, the ability to see the number of Airpoints Dollars and Status Points a member will earn at the time of booking their flight, and the speeding up of the time it takes members to receive their membership cards once they reach a new tier status.
Changes have also been made to earning rates on some routes, and the carrier says that the earning structure for flights taken with partner airlines has now been simplified. More details on the revamp can been seen here.
Finally ANZ says it is "planning a significant overhaul of the Auckland International lounge” next year, and is “investigating the addition of a new regional express lounge at Auckland Domestic, along with upgrading our Sydney and Brisbane lounges".
The carrier unveiled its new Star Alliance lounge at Los Angeles airport’s revamped and expanded Tom Bradley International Terminal in September, although ANZ will not actually move into the terminal until next year (see news, September 23).
Mark Caswell
