Global airline Cathay Pacific has introduced three new booking levels for its economy class.
Its new Light, Essential and Flex fares are somewhat similar to Air New Zealand's domestic and Tasman flexible ticket system which allows customers to book anything from just a seat to a full service with a fully refundable ticket.
The new Cathay Pacific Economy fares, which are being introduced into New Zealand and Australia, will offer different luggage allowances and levels of flexibility to travellers booking seats in its economy class.
"Each fare offers increasingly more control and greater benefits, from enhanced baggage allowances to flexible rebooking and upgrade options," the airline said in a statement.
"Light fares enable customers to enjoy great value when they are travelling light - perfect for those jetting off for a weekend getaway.
"Essential fares offer the perfect balance of everything customers need, such as extra luggage and seat pre-selection, making them great for those travelling with family or heading off on a longer trip.
"Flex fares give customers complete flexibility for their next business trip or holiday, with full control over their travel plans for maximum convenience and protection."
To check the difference in price for each booking level, Newshub created a booking on the Cathay Pacific website for a one-way Auckland to Hong Kong flight leaving June 1.
Here's what we found:
Light: NZ$692
Preselection of your seat would cost extra
Cabin baggage would be limited to one piece weighing no more than 7kg
Check-in baggage would be limited to one piece weighing no more than 23kg
Flight change fee would cost NZ$50, plus any fare difference, the cancellation fee or a no show fee would be NZ$300, and there would be no flexibility to be put on stand-by for an earlier flight
Essential: NZ$827.24
Preselection of your seat would be free, but limited to regular economy seats
Cabin baggage would be limited to one piece weighing no more than 7kg
Check-in baggage would be limited to two pieces weighing no more than 23kg each
Flight change fee would cost NZ$50, plus any fare difference, the cancellation fee or a no show fee would be NZ$300, and there would be no flexibility to be put on stand-by for an earlier flight
Flex: NZ$982.24
Preselection of your seat would be free and you would have access to seats with extra legroom
Cabin baggage would be limited to one piece weighing no more than 7kg
Check-in baggage would be limited to two pieces weighing no more than 23kg each
Flight changes would be waived, but any fare difference would need to be covered.
Cancellation would be free, but the no show fee would be NZ$300
You are eligible for being moved to an earlier flight.
In case you were wondering, the cost to book premium economy on the same flight was $1382.24 and Business Class was NZD$3342.24. However, Business Class only appeared to be available on the Air New Zealand operated codeshare flight earlier in the day.
