Immigration New Zealand has stuck a deal with China Southern Airlines to fast-track the visitor visa applications of the airline's gold and silver frequent flyer cardholders.
The deal was outlined in a leaked memo from June which shows the visitors would be able to "avoid the necessity to answer questions relating to financial backing and employment history and provide evidence of these".
I find these types of deals very concerning, just because they have status with an airline, shouldn't give them a route to easy access. They all deserve the same treatment as the once a year flyer.
Could this new FF deal give China Southern an extra reason to launch more NZL flights?
Lufthansa From Christmas Island, joined May 1999, 3075 posts, RR: 10 Reply 1, posted (6 months 1 week 4 days 4 hours ago) and read 341 times:
Talk about a punch in the face to NZ's hong kong flights! While this may be true a genuine concern
for frequent travellers, some kind of fast track program/multiple entry visa for everybody regardless of carrier
flown is the appropriate way to deal with this.
777ER From New Zealand, joined Dec 2003, 11318 posts, RR: 17 Reply 2, posted (6 months 1 week 4 days 2 hours ago) and read 341 times:
AIRLINERS.NET CREW FORUM MODERATOR
Australia has an exit at Customs for "invite only", where some FFs are given a card which they give to the Customs officer which enables them to fast track throu Customs without waiting inline. That system is better and safer instead of this deal with China Southern and NZL Customs
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From New Zealand, joined Dec 2003, 11318 posts, 
From Christmas Island, joined May 1999, 3075 posts, 
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