Oneworld Classic Flight Reward Discussion - The Definitive Thread

[madrooster]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

So a number of people have been mentioning QR cancelling segments out of an award PNR recently. I've now had this occur to one of my PNRs... and I think QR has set a new record.

(times below are in zulu time from the Amadeus PNR history)

Setting up the ticket exchange was completed at 19:45
QR came in and cancelled the segments at 20:12

It only took them 27 mins to come in and cancel !!!

They even left me this message in the PNR:

SSR OTHS 1A AUTO-CANCELED DUE TO LACK OF VALID TICKET

Definitely a QR issue... hardly QF's fault!

Just a follow up on this - QR reinstated the seats in my PNR at 10am this morning and have left a message in my PNR that I have until 9th Sept to issue a ticket which is about the norm for QR.

 

[roomer]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

There's many times where QF phone reservations can see seats that the QF website can't. There's many examples where I've found QR award availability to be more favourable via QF phone reservations than the QF website or the BA website.

Just thought I'd add my two cents worth here ( as the other side of the coin) as my post Äre we there yet Mr QFF" is now closed.

I rang 131131 to double check the process about how a RTW is done, and was told that if you have sufficient points in hand, you can book the whole RTW trip on points using the Multi Citi option without phoning the QF reservations at all, and that any points over the 280K will be credited back. The KEY thing, for my planned trip, is that the first two legs must be with two different one world airlines.

In my case, I was going from ADL - HKG and thence to Rome but as both these legs would normally ( and most conveniently) be via Cathay, I was told I could only book the ADL - HKG online via the Muti City option and that I would have to ring up Qantas for them to book the next two legs of the trip ie HKG - Rome and Paris - Houston, for it to be then deemed as a RTW ie complying with the "two different one world airlines requirement. In my case this would have meant waiting for about 4 to 5 weeks before I could have booked the HKG - Rome leg that was occuring 2 days after the ADL-HKG booking!

But if I went to ADL - HKG via KUL (transit) flying Malaysian from ADL and Cathay from KUL, then this satisfied the "two different one world airlines. I was told I could then make the rest of the bookings using the Multi-City options and once done it would be calculated overall as a RTW trip.

Now this is my understanding after chatting to Qantas, I''d very much appreciate feedback from those who have actually done a booking as I had described because this was a different slant on what I had thought had to be done. I'm so glad I took the AFF members advice to play around with the bookings and do the dummy rums... The booking proper begins next month in earnest !

PS apologies if this is not quite the right section for posting

 

[fairbasa]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

Anyone else successfully got seats on AY5 or AY7 before?

Waiting until moment of release and only one J award seat on any flight appears on the BA site, if at all. AA shows availability but not qty. QF site seems to back up BA site that only one J award seat available.

Pretty poor of Finnair if so!

 

[Youfah Mizzum]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

You can't connect an american carrier on international to QF domestically on JFK-LAX (or LAX-JFK). This is why AA doesn't codeshare (because they can't) just on QF's LAX-JFK and JFK-LAX services. AA do codeshare on SYD-JFK and JFK-SYD as a single direct flight though.

Just wondering...I've been doing some test itinteraries on the multi-city and I can never get any AA flights whatsoever anywhere in USA. I specifically want to go LAX to HNL.
Would this have anything to do with some AA codeshare arrangement or some other reason?

I have rang the QFF peeps a few times & they can't do it either - even though they're supposed to have access to more than we have on the QF website.

My last phone call was only 2 days ago & the issue persists. During that phone call I finally made the bookings, aside from the LAX to HNL leg. I may just need to get those tix via cash .

 

[Youfah Mizzum]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

if you have sufficient points in hand, you can book the whole RTW trip on points using the Multi Citi option without phoning the QF reservations at all

Correct

The KEY thing here is that the first two legs must be with two different one world airlines.

Pretty sure that's not right. The key thing is that the whole itinerary must be on 3 different OW airlines, one of them must be your home country airline. Doesn't matter what the first two legs are. That's my understanding anyway and has always worked for me when doing dummy itineraries on QF website. Not that I really check what each leg's carrier is, just that I need 3 different carriers.

 

[fairbasa]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

I'm not sure of any agreements. But have you tried looking on the AA site? You don't need to log in. Just tick the Rewards box when searching and make sure to only look for the saver fares. However, if QF can't do it via phone I'd say you're out of luck.

 

[Doctore1003]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

Correct



Pretty sure that's not right. The key thing is that the whole itinerary must be on 3 different OW airlines, one of them must be your home country airline. Doesn't matter what the first two legs are. That's my understanding anyway and has always worked for me when doing dummy itineraries on QF website. Not that I really check what each leg's carrier is, just that I need 3 different carriers.

You only need two OW airlines other than Qantas in your itinerary (not necessarily the first two flights). You don't need to fly Qantas at all if you don't want to.

 

[roomer]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

Correct



Pretty sure that's not right. The key thing is that the whole itinerary must be on 3 different OW airlines, one of them must be your home country airline. Doesn't matter what the first two legs are. That's my understanding anyway and has always worked for me when doing dummy itineraries on QF website. Not that I really check what each leg's carrier is, just that I need 3 different carriers.

Sory Danster, I meant for my planned trip that if I booked just Cathay for ADL - HKG, it wouldnt trigger the RTW whereas flying Malaysian / Cathay to get from ADL - HKG and thence HKG - Rome somehow would. If the HKG - Rome leg was with Cathay again after a direct ADL - HKG Cathay flight then that still would not meet the criteria of the RTW. But as I said, this is my understanding of the conversation, ie it was a KEY part for my trip being able to be booked as a RTW using muti trip. Hopefully someone can better define what it is I am describing

 

[madrooster]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

Just wondering...I've been doing some test itinteraries on the multi-city and I can never get any AA flights whatsoever anywhere in USA. I specifically want to go LAX to HNL.Would this have anything to do with some AA codeshare arrangement or some other reason?

AA very very very rarely releases any award seats on that route and the same goes with QF for SYD-HNL and back too.

 

[travelislife]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

That's not quite right. I have put some info in bold within your quote below.

Just thought I'd add my two cents worth here ( as the other side of the coin) as my post Äre we there yet Mr QFF" is now closed.

I rang 131131 to double check the process about how a RTW is done, and was told that if you have sufficient points in hand, you can book the whole RTW trip on points using the Multi Citi option without phoning the QF reservations at all, and that any points over the 280K will be credited back. The KEY thing, for my planned trip, is that the first two legs must be with two different one world airlines.

Yes you can book it in one hit online using the multi-city. But then you would have to wait for the availability for your whole itinerary which means you could miss out. So I would advise against this.

KEY Thing: This is not correct. There is no stipulation the first 2 legs need to be on different OneWorld Airlines.

In my case, I was going from ADL - HKG and thence to Rome but as both these legs would normally ( and most conveniently) be via Cathay, I was told I could only book the ADL - HKG online via the Muti City option and that I would have to ring up Qantas for them to book the next two legs of the trip ie HKG - Rome and Paris - Houston, for it to be then deemed as a RTW ie complying with the "two different one world airlines requirement. In my case this would have meant waiting for about 4 to 5 weeks before I could have booked the HKG - Rome leg that was occuring 2 days after the ADL-HKG booking!

I think they have confused you here. As this is incorrect. You most definitely can book ADL-HKG. Stopover. HKG-FCO in one go using the multicity tool. It will price as a normal one way ticket for that itinerary. When you then call up and add your other legs it will reprice the itinerary and 'max out' at the 280,000 miles as long as you meet the requirements.

But if I went to ADL - HKG via KUL (transit) flying Malaysian from ADL and Cathay from KUL, then this satisfied the "two different one world airlines. I was told I could then make the rest of the bookings using the Multi-City options and once done it would be calculated overall as a RTW trip.

You can't add further flights online. Has to be done over the phone. And it doesn't matter at all what your current flights are if the changes you make to itinerary meet the conditions it will reprice at the max 280k.

Now this is my understanding after chatting to Qantas, I''d very much appreciate feedback from those who have actually done a booking as I had described because this was a different slant on what I had thought had to be done. I'm so glad I took the AFF members advice to play around with the bookings and do the dummy rums... The booking proper begins next month in earnest !

When I booked my OneWorld Award (don't call it a RTW cause it isn't) I booked MEL-HKG. Stopover. HKG-MXP all on Cathay Pacific online using the multicity tool as my starting point. Then when my next flights became available I called up and added them at a cost of 3500 points per person. You can add as many flights as you like during that phone call for the flat rate of 3500 points.

PS apologies if this is not quite the right section for posting

This is the right spot! Though sometimes posts can get lost just due to the size of the thread.

 

[madrooster]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

In my case, I was going from ADL - HKG and thence to Rome but as both these legs would normally ( and most conveniently) be via Cathay, I was told I could only book the ADL - HKG online via the Muti City option and that I would have to ring up Qantas for them to book the next two legs of the trip ie HKG - Rome and Paris - Houston, for it to be then deemed as a RTW ie complying with the "two different one world airlines requirement. In my case this would have meant waiting for about 4 to 5 weeks before I could have booked the HKG - Rome leg that was occuring 2 days after the ADL-HKG booking!

Is HKG your first stop? If it's not your first stop then you must book it as ADL-FCO in the multi city tool otherwise it'll error out when you go to the payment stage. You can book ADL-FCO online first, and then add sectors as you go.

 

[roomer]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

That's not quite right. I have put some info in bold within your quote below.

Thanks Travelislife,

I'll have to ring Qantas again to get this clear because I do recall you saying you do the first part on the Multi -City and then ring up, but this chap, Connor, went away and came back and said, provided you have the points you can book the whole trip on multi city if of course you fly with two other carriers than Qantas. I was under the impression you could do it in stages because I said I didnt want to wait 5 weeks before i could book the HKG - Rome leg when the ADL-HKG was only 2 days before, and that was his suggestion to make the bookings in the manner I described.

Be interested to hear from Danster and his experience though as he agreed that you can use multi city for the whole booking.

Just when I thought it was becoming relatively easier...

And I am confused with not being able to cal it RTW , thats what the Freqent Flyer solutions is calling it and it is the one with the 280,000 points to fly business class. What is the difference between that and the One World Award please? maybe I was talking about a different animal...

 

[roomer]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

Is HKG your first stop? If it's not your first stop then you must book it as ADL-FCO in the multi city tool otherwise it'll error out when you go to the payment stage. You can book ADL-FCO online first, and then add sectors as you go.

Yes HKG is the first stop, couple of days there and then onto FCO

 

[Youfah Mizzum]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

AA very very very rarely releases any award seats on that route and the same goes with QF for SYD-HNL and back too.

Ahhh, that would explain it then. Particularly with a triple very!

I must've gotten lucky, coz I booked HNL to SYD on QF4 for 4 pax, the last leg of the One World Award trip of a lifetime. Been saving up points for nearly 10 years to do this trip with the family!

 

[fairbasa]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

Thanks Travelislife,

I'll have to ring Qantas again to get this clear because I do recall you saying you do the first part on the Multi -City and then ring up, but this chap, Connor, went away and came back and said, provided you have the points you can book the whole trip on multi city if of course you fly with two other carriers than Qantas. I was under the impression you could do it in stages because I said I didnt want to wait 5 weeks before i could book the HKG - Rome leg when the ADL-HKG was only 2 days before, and that was his suggestion to make the bookings in the manner I described.

Be interested to hear from Danster and his experience though as he agreed that you can use multi city for the whole booking.

Just when I thought it was becoming relatively easier...

And I am confused with not being able to cal it RTW , thats what the Freqent Flyer solutions is calling it and it is the one with the 280,000 points to fly business class. What is the difference between that and the One World Award please? maybe I was talking about a different animal...

Connor is right....if all the flights are available at the time you want to book, you can book it all online via the multicity tool. Risk is, if you wait until all the flights are available, often the first few flights have no availability left. That's why everyone books the first couple legs as soon as they're available online, then rings up to add each leg as soon as they're available. There's no way to add segments to an existing booking online.

It's not a RTW, pretty sure that's a cash fare. If Frequent Flyer are calling it that, it's not correct, but probably done so for simplicity.

 

[travelislife]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

Thanks Travelislife,

I'll have to ring Qantas again to get this clear because I do recall you saying you do the first part on the Multi -City and then ring up, but this chap, Connor, went away and came back and said, provided you have the points you can book the whole trip on multi city if of course you fly with two other carriers than Qantas. I was under the impression you could do it in stages because I said I didnt want to wait 5 weeks before i could book the HKG - Rome leg when the ADL-HKG was only 2 days before, and that was his suggestion to make the bookings in the manner I described.

You can do it in stages. Online first. ADL-HKG//HKG-FCO all in one booking. Then over the phone to add the other flights.

Be interested to hear from Danster and his experience though as he agreed that you can use multi city for the whole booking.

You can book the whole thing online using the multi city. But only in one go. I.e. All segments at once. You can't add segments later online.

Just when I thought it was becoming relatively easier...

And I am confused with not being able to cal it RTW , thats what the Freqent Flyer solutions is calling it and it is the one with the 280,000 points to fly business class. What is the difference between that and the One World Award please? maybe I was talking about a different animal...

Some other responses above to your queries (sorry don't know how to bold on the app).

It doesn't have to go around the world. There is no stipulation on direction of travel. You could pretty much go round in circles in Asia up to 35000 miles of you liked. But yes the 280k award.

 

[Youfah Mizzum]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

I'll have to ring Qantas again to get this clear because I do recall you saying you do the first part on the Multi -City and then ring up, but this chap, Connor, went away and came back and said, provided you have the points you can book the whole trip on multi city if of course you fly with two other carriers than Qantas.

Be interested to hear from Danster and his experience though as he agreed that you can use multi city for the whole booking.

As other have mentioned, you'd do the first part of the booking on line because you don't want to lose those choice seats by waiting for availability of the later, especially if booking business class, coz that is the most demanded. Then you ring up and pay the 3,500 points to add further legs.

I was able to do the whole booking online via multi-city because I booked Y. Availability is a tad better. Some flights I wanted I couldn't get though - I had indeed left it too late (I waited until every leg including the last was 353 days future, my risk!). My itinerary was not too complicated.

You can't "do it in stages" if you mean retrieving the booking online & adding segments. Gotta be in one hit.
When I rang a few times to enquire, I also called it RTW, OneWorld Award and all else so the consultant was 100% sure of the deal I was talking about.

 

[Ultan Lankford]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

Anyone see usual award flights disappear from the QF website. I noticed that some LAN flights disappeared, then around 4 days ago, the usual QR flights that have appeared like clockwork every day no longer show. No idea if a CSR within qantas can see them. Its just odd. Maybe QF are having website issues.

 

[roomer]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

Thanks Travelislife,

I'll have to ring Qantas again to get this clear because I do recall you saying you do the first part on the Multi -City and then ring up, but this chap, Connor, went away and came back and said, provided you have the points you can book the whole trip on multi city if of course you fly with two other carriers than Qantas. I was under the impression you could do it in stages because I said I didnt want to wait 5 weeks before i could book the HKG - Rome leg when the ADL-HKG was only 2 days before, and that was his suggestion to make the bookings in the manner I described.

Be interested to hear from Danster and his experience though as he agreed that you can use multi city for the whole booking.

Just when I thought it was becoming relatively easier...

And I am confused with not being able to cal it RTW , thats what the Freqent Flyer solutions is calling it and it is the one with the 280,000 points to fly business class. What is the difference between that and the One World Award please? maybe I was talking about a different animal...

OK rang Qantas again, and I can see now I must have misunderstood Connor, in that he must have been talking about booking it all in one hit ( as others had pointed out afterwards as well) and by chance the points might be under 280,000 but its not the holy grail of the Business Class oneworld award !

Today in speaking with Rebecca, she confirmed what you all had been saying ie book the first leg/s using Multi-City, then when other legs become available, ring up and book those, letting Qantas know of your earlier Multi City booking and they will merge everything and make sure that (provided it meets with the requirements of max 35K miles, max 5 stopovers and at least 2 oneworld member airline other than Qantas ) it will be no more than 280,000 points. Qantas will charge 3500 points everytime you ring up to make that booking.

Thanks again all for steering me back on track...

 

[Ultan Lankford]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

So had a more detailed look. It seems that there are no new QR flights since the 23rd of August. They should be offering flights on the 28th by now I think. Anyone else seeing QR availability post the 23rd of August on the Qantas website?
I would ring up and ask but don't fancy spending an hour waiting on the phone.