QF Premium sales?? I'm my companion!

[MEL_Traveller]

They called me back. They said that there is a glitch with the QF website where the fares are not available when the stop over is added. She has been able to get it priced now for the cheaper price with the stop over, even cheaper than Webjet ($300) . She isn't charging me the service fee , so that's a bonus too

Webjet is generally a bad idea - their fees and charges are extraordinary... 'fare lock guarantee' rubbish and then booking fees. For no apparent benefit that I can see.

Glad QF have sorted it out and come to the party. The booking fees should be waived, good they did it without you having to fight for it.

 

[doczim]

Webjet is generally a bad idea - their fees and charges are extraordinary... 'fare lock guarantee' rubbish and then booking fees. For no apparent benefit that I can see.

Glad QF have sorted it out and come to the party. The booking fees should be waived, good they did it without you having to fight for it.

Yeah i wasn't going to book it on webjet. a friend of mine had some real issues with a booking recently. but when I told them they had that price for the stop over they thought it was strange so she offered to see what they could do. She was really good, much better than the QF webchat consultant. She acknowledged there was an issue with the website and said no fee to pay for booking, though I did get slugged $70 x 3 for credit card fees which is a rort.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

in premium economy. How much? $1,499 per person. What? This was the sale fare per person a few months back and you didn't need to 2 people to travel.

So I take it they do have premium sales come up for just single travellers then? If so, does that include domestic J?

Sorry for labouring on this subject, it's just that I've not been a regular QF flyer for many years and I have no idea but would like to take advantage of such sales if they exist. If they don't, I won't bother continuing to hold my breath! Can anyone confirm if domestic J sales for one pax happen and if so, about how often? Thanks.

 

[bam71]

The current sale is for premium cabins (F,J,W) internationally and domestic J.

and I'd wondered about a J comfort seat too as a way to take advantage of this (and have a spare seat to boot-handy on those pesky 737's - good question!)

My mistake!

 

[bsb]

So I take it they do have premium sales come up for just single travellers then? If so, does that include domestic J?.

Yes they do have these sales, not often and not predictably and sometimes on specific routes/regions like WA or Hamilton Island etc and the savings are highly variable. You just have to keep an eye out for them and be flexible as they exclude peak travel times. But they do come up.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Yes they do have these sales, not often and not predictably and sometimes on specific routes/regions like WA or Hamilton Island etc and the savings are highly variable. You just have to keep an eye out for them and be flexible as they exclude peak travel times. But they do come up.

Ok, so not to be relied upon, but possible. Keeping my eye out with QF will likely mean reading the plethora of rubbish emails they keep sending ... VA will be somewhat harder as they don't send me anything. I have to keep watch here on AFF to find out about their sales. I wonder how I can subscribe to AFF threads that don't exist yet! Future QF J sales and future VA J sales!

 

[Ansett]

Ok, so not to be relied upon, but possible. Keeping my eye out with QF will likely mean reading the plethora of rubbish emails they keep sending ... VA will be somewhat harder as they don't send me anything. I have to keep watch here on AFF to find out about their sales. I wonder how I can subscribe to AFF threads that don't exist yet! Future QF J sales and future VA J sales!

Often promoted in the Cheap Airfare Threads

Cheap International Airfares

 

[JohnK]

So I take it they do have premium sales come up for just single travellers then? If so, does that include domestic J?

Sorry for labouring on this subject, it's just that I've not been a regular QF flyer for many years and I have no idea but would like to take advantage of such sales if they exist. If they don't, I won't bother continuing to hold my breath! Can anyone confirm if domestic J sales for one pax happen and if so, about how often? Thanks.

I have seen domestic business on sale but not as regular as other sales. From memory last sale was in April during the double SC promotion.

 

[samh004]

I note the latest QF premium sale is a "companion" sale. I'd book a swag of their J BNE-CNS or VV for $399 if I didn't need a companion!

My question is why do they do this? Obviously, if I had a companion it would be ideal, but what about solo business travellers ... do they ever offer just a plain simple J sale?

Alternatively, can you purchase a J comfort seat and does a comfort seat = a companion? ("but this is not an empty seat, my imaginary friend is perfectly happy")

In case no one has replied, a comfort seat ticket is one that you book when you're essentially too wide to fit in the seat you have booked. In Economy this makes sense as they sit you further back where the armrests move (note: you cannot sit in front rows with immovable armrests if on one of these tickets) and simply lift one to make an extra wide double seat.

In Business, you have an immovable armrest usually... so unless you booked some weird Business class where they simply re-used Economy seats, you wouldn't be able to take advantage of the comfort seat.

Additionally, comfort seat is sold sans taxes, as the taxes apply to the passenger, and as there's only one of you, and you've already paid them, they aren't applicable again. Therefore, I would imagine you couldn't be your own companion in this circumstance as the fares would be priced differently. I don't even think you can book 2 seats in your name, that usually causes dramas. So essentially you're out of luck.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

In case no one has replied, a comfort seat ticket is one that you book when you're essentially too wide to fit in the seat you have booked. In Economy this makes sense as they sit you further back where the armrests move (note: you cannot sit in front rows with immovable armrests if on one of these tickets) and simply lift one to make an extra wide double seat.

In Business, you have an immovable armrest usually... so unless you booked some weird Business class where they simply re-used Economy seats, you wouldn't be able to take advantage of the comfort seat.

Sure you can (sit in the bulkhead row with immovable armrests)... if that's where you really wanna sit! An airline won't complain or bar you from sitting there. Many couple will book an extra seat in the middle for more space, a bulkhead then solves the recline issue as well.

An extra seat as a concept can be used for different purposes... comfort is one, but you can have them for extra cabin baggage or musical instruments. This would mean in business class you could have two seats together, single passenger + musical instrument, and be at a bulkhead!

From the QF website:

A bulky item can be carried in the cabin (except on Dash 8 services) provided that:

• it weighs no more than 7kgs;
• its dimensions do not exceed those set out in the table below;
• you purchase an extra seat;
• the item has a restraining point (handle) to allow it to be secured safely; and
• you notify us at the time of booking that the seat is for a bulky item.

For more information and to make your request call our Contact Centre on 13 13 13 within Australia. Outside Australia, contact your local Qantas Office.
Examples of bulky items: diplomatic or courier bags, larger musical instrument (eg. cello), an artwork or piece of technical equipment.
Maximum dimensions of a Bulky Item that can be carried when you purchase an extra seat:
[TABLE="class: layout, width: 718"][TR][TD]Cabin[/TD][TD="width: 20%, align: left"]Height[/TD][TD="width: 20%, align: left"]Width[/TD][TD="width: 20%, align: left"]Depth[/TD][TD="width: 20%, align: left"]Total linear dimensions[/TD][/TR][TR][TD="width: 20%"]First[/TD][TD="width: 20%"] 74cm (29in) [/TD][TD="width: 20%"]+ 51cm (20in) [/TD][TD="width: 20%"]+ 53cm (20.8in)[/TD][TD="width: 20%"]= 178cm(69.8in)[/TD][/TR][TR][TD="width: 20%"]Business [/TD][TD="width: 20%"] 71cm (28in) [/TD][TD="width: 20%"]+ 50cm (19.5in)[/TD][TD="width: 20%"]+ 48cm (19in) [/TD][TD="width: 20%"]= 169cm(66.5in)[/TD][/TR][TR="class: last"][TD="width: 20%"]Economy
[/TD][TD="width: 20%"] 71cm (28in) [/TD][TD="width: 20%"]+ 43cm (17in) [/TD][TD="width: 20%"]+ 44cm (17.5in) [/TD][TD="width: 20%"]= 158cm(62in)[/TD][/TR][/TABLE]larger dimensions may be considered and would require engineering approvals, contact 131313 to request.

I'm not sure however if the extra seat for baggage purposes is treated in the same way for earning points.

 

[kitkatff]

how does this offer actually work? I go to their promo page, see for ex. return J to Europe around $6-7K, go to select flights and end up on the usual booking engine where I get the usual J prices (ie. $6-7K one way ...). Do they apply the promo code at the end and cut the price just before you pay, or does the fare show as one of the types of fares (flex, sale, etc) and you have to check day by day until you find an available fare?

Pretty confusing for someone who's never done it before.

Edit: ok, found some sales fares that match the sale price - but you can find cheaper J on QR to Europe for the same dates, not to mention the Air Vietnam/Air France (on A350) combo which is around $8.5K to CDG in January for 2 people, ie. peak AU holiday time ... I know less/no SC earn and all that, but I'm already WP, so price comes into play.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

In case no one has replied, a comfort seat ticket is one that you book when you're essentially too wide to fit in the seat you have booked.

I agree that is probably the most likely use, but I'm not so sure they restrict it to that though. For me, I buy flex(i) seats primarily because work gives me a pretty reasonable travel budget and I do from time to time need the flexibility (especially as the dirt cheap fares with the three majors seem a thing of the past) due to weather, tribal, mechanical, plus a host of other Highland issues that turn a good day into cough! It also means whether I really want it or not, I get some kind of status (plat, plat + gold, 2 x gold, depending on how much I wish to top up my travel budget out of my pocket). What the concept is, of being so keen for J (if not a whole lot more expensive than flexi) is that I'd get the status for fewer flights which would then permit me to buy cheaper sale tix on the sectors not so important for flexibility and I've actually come out in front financially that way and get to fly J a whole lot more and (when I was with VA predominantly) row 3 on the bargain basement fares. I doubt it would make financial sense buying a J comfort seat (if such a thing exists) though, but if it were possible, I'd get 120SCs for $798 as opposed to 120SCs for $1114 buying full fare J or 120SCs for circa $1220 buying flex fares, however I'm wasting a seat each time which has to added into the whole deal. Single J sale for $399 would suit me down to the ground (VA's single J sale for $319 is still going with me ... I've only got 4 left so I'm looking for the next deal)!

 

[froggerADL]

Single J sale for $399 would suit me down to the ground (VA's single J sale for $319 is still going with me ... I've only got 4 left so I'm looking for the next deal)!

Single seats are still on sale, just not quite as cheap as two seats. BNE-CNS is $50 more for a single at $449. That still seems like a pretty good price to me. Also, reading the fare rules, it seems that if you buy a single seat the fare is fully refundable but if you buy two seats it is not.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Single seats are still on sale, just not quite as cheap as two seats. BNE-CNS is $50 more for a single at $449. That still seems like a pretty good price to me. Also, reading the fare rules, it seems that if you buy a single seat the fare is fully refundable but if you buy two seats it is not.

Wow, thanks. I didn't see that. I'd best spend some time tonight looking closely at it. 120SCs for $898 with all seats usable and would have been purchased anyway, so realistically in my mind I'd spend an extra (based only on two sectors) $290 more than flex, which would net me an additional 60SCs or $4.80 each. Pretty good for domestic flying.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Single seats are still on sale, just not quite as cheap as two seats. BNE-CNS is $50 more for a single at $449.

Any chance of a link. I can't see it on the QF site.

 

[froggerADL]

so realistically in my mind I'd spend an extra (based only on two sectors) $290 more than flex, which would net me an additional 60SCs or $4.80 each.

You also get to sit in business class!

 

[froggerADL]

Any chance of a link. I can't see it on the QF site.

I just did a search on the QF site for 3 May 2017 and that was the price.

I don't have a link.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

I just did a search on the QF site for 3 May 2017 and that was the price.

I don't have a link.

It looks like it's mirroring the companion dates. I just like to read the Ts&Cs so I don't spend thousands only to find out later they claim no SCs or points are earned or some such drivel (like the mongrels did with my status challenge).

 

[froggerADL]

It looks like it's mirroring the companion dates. I just like to read the Ts&Cs so I don't spend thousands only to find out later they claim no SCs or points are earned or some such drivel (like the mongrels did with my status challenge).

The Ts&Cs are standard business class except for:

Note: If this fare is booked as part of the Global Premium Companion Sale - Oct 2016, Business Companion Sale (Mar 2016), the fare is non-refundable, two or more passengers must be booked and travel together on the same itinerary in the same cabin, child discounts do not apply.

and:

Note: If this fare is booked as part of the Global Premium Companion Sale - Oct 2016, Business Companion Sale (Mar 2016), children discounts do not apply.

 

[trippin_the_rift]

It's basic market segmentation. They recognise that they can get business travellers to pay the higher prices so why offer a discount and impact yield.

Basic segmentation is more damaging than micro-segmentation for many companies.

Let me explain. Targeting companion sales instantly alienates a number of audience segments, the biggest being self-funded single travellers who buy on value and not price.

Qantas, like many airlines, know what pax have historically paid for a ticket, and have conducted very basic tests pricing tests on a large scale.
What they don't know about customers is the most damaging, especially as more and more generic campaigns are placed in the market.

Qantas holds very little intelligence on what each pax would pay for a particular flight.

For example, yo may have a bne-syd/syd-mel budget of $400/flight. If business class, available at this rate - great - You'll book that. Otherwise, it reverts to the cheapest possible ticket available which may be $180. Effectively meaning, if business isn't full - it's a $220 (difference in price) + $180* (re-selling the original ticket) = $400 (100% of opportunity cost to the airline). Extrapolate this further, and it explains why we see so many program splitters where the price can be a determining factor.

This is why airlines are rushing to do personalised pricing. So the price you see will be what the airline thinks you will pay, rather than a ridiculously crazy 'market rate' which is a turn-off to many audience segments.

Let's not get started on award tickets. Seriously under-performing segment for Qantas.