From 1 August 2019, Members who hold Gold or Elite Membership Tier Status and who are caring for a baby, may apply to have their Airpoints™ Membership Tier held ("Status Hold - Parental") for a period of 12 months ("Hold Period"). At the expiry of the Hold Period, the Member's Tier Status will be retained for a further period of 12 months.
To be eligible for the Status Hold - Parental, Members must:
Currently hold Gold or Elite Membership Tier Status;
Be the primary caregiver of a child under 12 months of age, or within the next 6 months be the primary caregiver of a child under 12 months of age
Where a Member has or will become a caregiver of a child through adoption or foster care, the age requirement set out in clause 2(b) shall not apply and instead the child must be under six (6) years of age at the date of the application for the Status Hold - Parental.
A maximum of two (2) caregivers can be on a Status Hold - Parental at any one time, for the same child.
Members who have received nominated Gold or Elite Membership Tier Status are not eligible for the Status Hold - Parental.
To apply for Status Hold - Parental, Members must meet the requirements set out in section 2 above, and:
Complete and submit the online form within the Benefits section of their online profile on Air New Zealand's website; and
Upload at least one piece of supporting documentation to verify the information set out in section 2(b) above (and which also states the name of the Member, as recorded on the Member's Airpoints Account), which may include:
Signed and dated letter (on doctor's practice letterhead) from a medical doctor, or signed and dated letter from midwife;
Signed and dated letter from Member's employer that Member is currently on or has been approved for parental leave (provided that the employer is independent of the Member);
Child's birth certificate; or
Adoption or foster parent documentation
Once all of the information set out in paragraph 6 above has been provided, Air New Zealand will access the application and will make a decision (at its sole discretion) whether or not the Status Hold - Parental has been granted. Members will be contacted with the outcome of the application, at their contact details set out in their Airpoints Account. Documentation contained in rejected applications will be held for 30 days following rejection to allow for reapplication by a Member, and then automatically deleted. Where an application is granted, any specific details will be noted for reference, and then the documentation is automatically deleted. Please refer to Air New Zealand's privacy statement at regarding the collection, use, disclosure and storage of personal information.
The Hold Period shall begin on the date that the Member's application was granted by Air New Zealand, and shall expire on the earlier of:
twelve (12) months following the date that the Status Hold - Parental was granted by Air New Zealand;
the date following a request by the Member to end the Status Hold - Parental and such request being processed by Air New Zealand (if applicable); or
the date which the Member's Airpoints Membership Tier is upgraded (if applicable)
If, during the Hold Period, a Member earns sufficient Status Points to upgrade from Gold to Elite Tier Status, the Member shall be upgraded to the Elite Membership Tier and the Status Hold - Parental will automatically end. In such case, the Member's Elite Tier Status shall commence the following day and the Member may reapply for Status Hold - Parental for the same child, provided that all other criteria of the Status Hold - Parental are met.
Shall not be entitled to any benefits in addition to those held by him or her at the time of application for Status Hold - Parental, for example:
No new Recognition Upgrades will be issued, however current Recognition Upgrades already held by the Member will remain available in account for use during the Hold Period;
No new Elite Partner cards will be issued, however the Member's current Elite Partner (if applicable) will remain active until the current card expiry (i.e. the card will not be extended and no new card will be issued). Members may nominate a new Elite Partner at the end of the Hold Period; and
No new eVouchers (i.e. Elite Parking vouchers) will be issued, however current eVouchers will remain valid until the current expiry and will not be extended;
Will be eligible for Loyalty Upgrades using their Airpoints Dollars, Banked Years, Elite gifts, Elite Experiences and focus groups
Status Points earned during the Hold Period will expire in accordance with the Airpoints Terms and Conditions.
Following the expiry or cancellation of the Hold Period, the Member shall retain their Tier Status for a further 12 months ("Retained Status Period") and the Member's next end of tier date will be 12 months following the end of the Hold Period. In order to retain their Membership Tier Status, they will need to have earned the full amount of Status Points required to retain the tier. For example, if the Status Hold - Parental ends on 31 August 2024, the Retained Status Period shall be 1 September 2024 - 31 August 2025. To retain their Tier Status beyond 31 August 2025, the Member must have earned the full amount of Status Points to retain that Tier Status during 1 September 2024 - 31 August 2025 (i.e. 810 Status Points to retain Gold Tier Status or 1,350 Status Points to retain Elite Tier Status).
Subject to all other criteria being met, there is no maximum number of Status Hold - Parentals that a Member is entitled to, provided that:
A Member may not apply for any additional Status Hold - Parental until the Retained Status Period for his or her most recent Status Hold - Parental has expired; and
The Member must have earned at least 810 Status Points in the 12 months prior to an application being made for an additional Status Hold - Parental
Air New Zealand may, at any time and in its sole discretion, reject any application for Status Hold - Parental or remove any Member from Status Hold - Parental.