Oneworld Classic Flight Reward Discussion - The Definitive Thread

[Aus ATC]

I have been watching the lack of J award seats returning from Europe to Sydney for next year (looking in September at the moment but I want flights in October, so just trying to work out any pattern).

I have been finding the same (limited J availability), so today I made my first "change" to our 2019 booking, to get part of the way home. Taking advantage of Qatar's release of seats at 360 days, I added a 2nd October CDG-DOH-SIN leg to my existing booking (as well as an intra Europe flight VCE-MAD-GVA on IB). There did not appear to be any QR availability from DOH to AUS at this stage. Taxes and fuel fines for these flights were very high at a total of $877 each (on top of the $500ish each already paid to get to Europe in August).

A further change will be required to finalise our intra EU itinerary (probably add a side trip somewhere) and also get back to BNE, but for the moment I was happy to burn the extra 2 x 5000 points to at least be assured of J class to Asia!!

Our itinerary so far (fairly simple as Mrs Aus ATC is not into convoluted itineraries):

BNE-HKG-LHR. Stopover.
LGW-GOA. Stopover. Cinqueterre, Florence, Cruise ex Venice.
VCE-MAD-GVA. Stopover. Independent travel around France.
CDG-DOH-SIN. Stopover or transit. This last leg could actually change totally, subject to better options to get home becoming available.

 

[rock86]

I have been finding the same (limited J availability), so today I made my first "change" to our 2019 booking, to get part of the way home. Taking advantage of Qatar's release of seats at 360 days, I added a 2nd October CDG-DOH-SIN leg to my existing booking (as well as an intra Europe flight VCE-MAD-GVA on IB). There did not appear to be any QR availability from DOH to AUS at this stage. Taxes and fuel fines for these flights were very high at a total of $877 each (on top of the $500ish each already paid to get to Europe in August).

A further change will be required to finalise our intra EU itinerary (probably add a side trip somewhere) and also get back to BNE, but for the moment I was happy to burn the extra 2 x 5000 points to at least be assured of J class to Asia!!

Our itinerary so far (fairly simple as Mrs Aus ATC is not into convoluted itineraries):

BNE-HKG-LHR. Stopover.
LGW-GOA. Stopover. Cinqueterre, Florence, Cruise ex Venice.
VCE-MAD-GVA. Stopover. Independent travel around France.
CDG-DOH-SIN. Stopover or transit. This last leg could actually change totally, subject to better options to get home becoming available.

Just a question about the VCE-MAD-GVA leg, ever consider to train? The trains are around the 7hr mark, so you'll be their pretty much in the same amount of time as you are flying and I assume you'd get some nice scenery, especially from past Milan as you travel into the alps past Lake Maggiore.

 

[Aus ATC]

Just a question about the VCE-MAD-GVA leg, ever consider to train? The trains are around the 7hr mark, so you'll be their pretty much in the same amount of time as you are flying and I assume you'd get some nice scenery, especially from past Milan as you travel into the alps past Lake Maggiore.

I did look at the train, but the flight timings work better for us (train doesn't arrive till a few hours later, and in "town") - albeit with an early start to get out to VCE from the island. We will pick up a car on the French side of GVA (after arriving around 1.30pm) and then drive up to the Alsace region of France (about 4 hours). We are travelling with another couple who may well take the train and we will pick them up in Bern in the afternoon (having all departed from Venice that morning) on the way through.

Ideally we would have picked up a hire car in Venice (for drop off in France) but the one way surcharge is exhorbitant (~EUR1000). Doing it this way saves the one way surcharge - one way car hires within France are generally surcharge free (or low cost).

 

[ellen10]

I have been finding the same (limited J availability), so today I made my first "change" to our 2019 booking, to get part of the way home. Taking advantage of Qatar's release of seats at 360 days, I added a 2nd October CDG-DOH-SIN leg to my existing booking (as well as an intra Europe flight VCE-MAD-GVA on IB). There did not appear to be any QR availability from DOH to AUS at this stage. Taxes and fuel fines for these flights were very high at a total of $877 each (on top of the $500ish each already paid to get to Europe in August).

A further change will be required to finalise our intra EU itinerary (probably add a side trip somewhere) and also get back to BNE, but for the moment I was happy to burn the extra 2 x 5000 points to at least be assured of J class to Asia!!

Our itinerary so far (fairly simple as Mrs Aus ATC is not into convoluted itineraries):

BNE-HKG-LHR. Stopover.
LGW-GOA. Stopover. Cinqueterre, Florence, Cruise ex Venice.
VCE-MAD-GVA. Stopover. Independent travel around France.
CDG-DOH-SIN. Stopover or transit. This last leg could actually change totally, subject to better options to get home becoming available.

I have only booked my flights over. I have been nervously watching my inter Europe legs for availability. I may even be like you and add them before my final flights. I haven't been looking at the return to Aus availability for a week as I have been away. Can you end your J ticket in Asia? And then just buy a separate ticket home (even economy)?
I will need to get my return flights in about two weeks time.

In regards to your arriving in Geneva and hiring a car on the French side we did similar last year and drove around France for a month, loved it. But you may have to check in driving it into Switzerland if you are thinking of picking them up in Bern. We have visited Alsace on two separate occasions and loved it where are you staying? September is a great time to visit, wine harvest time.

 

[Jacques Vert]

Can you end your J ticket in Asia?

Yes you can; but you have to include the mileage from your last port back to your origin.
JV

 

[cjd600]

From the Terms & Conditions page:

14.5.1 A oneworld Classic Flight Reward is a Classic Flight Reward Itinerary that includes travel on at least two oneworld Alliance Airlines other than Qantas and does not include any travel on any airline that is not a oneworld Alliance Airline.​

Link to OneWorld page listing valid OneWorld carriers:
Giving You Access to More Destinations Around the World

I confirm that I have successfully included Air Nostrum in OWA itineraries.

After an hour on hold, calling immediately on award release this morning, QF advised I was unable to have NCE-MAD-JFK added to my award due to NCE-MAD being on Air Nostrum......could clearly have booked NCE-MAD-JFK online myself if I wanted but he was unable to add it to my existing J award over the phone.....as the tickets disappeared before my eyes from 6 released down to 2, I need 4). Will have to reassess and switch to FCO-MAD-JFK which is all IB metal, tomorrow. Dread the wait time on the phone hoping the seats don't disappear before I can have them added

 

[Aus ATC]

I have only booked my flights over. I have been nervously watching my inter Europe legs for availability. I may even be like you and add them before my final flights. I haven't been looking at the return to Aus availability for a week as I have been away. Can you end your J ticket in Asia? And then just buy a separate ticket home (even economy)?
I will need to get my return flights in about two weeks time.

In regards to your arriving in Geneva and hiring a car on the French side we did similar last year and drove around France for a month, loved it. But you may have to check in driving it into Switzerland if you are thinking of picking them up in Bern. We have visited Alsace on two separate occasions and loved it where are you staying? September is a great time to visit, wine harvest time.

The ticket can end in Asia (or anywhere) as JV says. There should be no need to buy a separate ticket home - worst case would be an economy flight for the last leg within the One World Award booking. Or some creative routing to find business class seats (say via HKG) if there are flights available.

No trouble driving in Switzerland - only catch is we might need to buy a Vignette for the motorways - but that is not much difference than the tolls in France for the same trip. Hopefully we will get a hire car that already has one. We have been to Alsace a few times - we have stayed with a lovely family who own a vineyard in Orschwiller 3 times, but most recently we stayed in Ribeauville in a lovely gite within the old town - we plan to stay in the same place this time too.

 

[ellen10]

The ticket can end in Asia (or anywhere) as JV says. There should be no need to buy a separate ticket home - worst case would be an economy flight for the last leg within the One World Award booking. Or some creative routing to find business class seats (say via HKG) if there are flights available.

No trouble driving in Switzerland - only catch is we might need to buy a Vignette for the motorways - but that is not much difference than the tolls in France for the same trip. Hopefully we will get a hire car that already has one. We have been to Alsace a few times - we have stayed with a lovely family who own a vineyard in Orschwiller 3 times, but most recently we stayed in Ribeauville in a lovely gite within the old town - we plan to stay in the same place this time too.

Thanks JV and Aus ATC, I am learning new things about the "oneworld" ticket all the time. I though it would all have to be booked into J.

We stayed in Ribeauville and also Riquewihr, love the area.

 

[There'sOnlyOneJimmy]

After an hour on hold, calling immediately on award release this morning, QF advised I was unable to have NCE-MAD-JFK added to my award due to NCE-MAD being on Air Nostrum......could clearly have booked NCE-MAD-JFK online myself if I wanted but he was unable to add it to my existing J award over the phone.....as the tickets disappeared before my eyes from 6 released down to 2, I need 4). Will have to reassess and switch to FCO-MAD-JFK which is all IB metal, tomorrow. Dread the wait time on the phone hoping the seats don't disappear before I can have them added

I can confirm that I have had at least 2 OWCA itineraries that include sectors on Air Nostrum.

 

[cjd600]

I can confirm that I have had at least 2 OWCA itineraries that include sectors on Air Nostrum.

I don’t doubt that. I’m just adding my data point.
My clown didn’t know what he was doing, and the flights went before I could waste another hour on hold trying to get someone else...

 

[ellen10]

Waiting on hold whilst the flights disappear is my biggest fear!

 

[rock86]

Waiting on hold whilst the flights disappear is my biggest fear!

Silly question, but do you always need to change the bookings over the phone once you've initiated the original booking?

 

[cjd600]

Silly question, but do you always need to change the bookings over the phone once you've initiated the original booking?

Yeah, thats the problem....you can only do the initial leg(s) online in one go, then every change/addition must be over the phone...

edit to add * or via online chat if you can get that to pop up

 

[cjd600]

Waiting on hold whilst the flights disappear is my biggest fear!

The guy triumphantly told me after not being able to add the IB codeshare piece "theres only 2 J to JFK anyway and you want 4, so it doesn't matter".
"Yes mate, there is now, but there were 6 released an hour ago and I've been on hold since then trying to get through"

 

[exceladdict]

Having some trouble getting AY HEL-ORD on the QF website, despite avail on BA. Has anyone had this issue with AY before?

 

[ellen10]

Yeah, thats the problem....you can only do the initial leg(s) online in one go, then every change/addition must be over the phone...

edit to add * or via online chat if you can get that to pop up

I didn't realise that the online chat can book your flights. Do they still charge points?

 

[cjd600]

I didn't realise that the online chat can book your flights. Do they still charge points?

Yes, I've done it a couple of times. Usual 5k points charge pp for award change (no assistance fee on J anyway, but would apply for Y). They have a secure c/card payment form you can complete and submit to pay the extra ++ surcharges for the added legs)

 

[cjd600]

Having some trouble getting AY HEL-ORD on the QF website, despite avail on BA. Has anyone had this issue with AY before?

Not having any probs with AY HEL-JFK which is my current Plan B for EUR-USA

 

[Danger]

After an hour on hold, calling immediately on award release this morning, QF advised I was unable to have NCE-MAD-JFK added to my award due to NCE-MAD being on Air Nostrum......could clearly have booked NCE-MAD-JFK online myself if I wanted but he was unable to add it to my existing J award over the phone.....as the tickets disappeared before my eyes from 6 released down to 2, I need 4). Will have to reassess and switch to FCO-MAD-JFK which is all IB metal, tomorrow. Dread the wait time on the phone hoping the seats don't disappear before I can have them added

I hope you got the agent's name because you need to file a complaint. As TheresOnlyOneJimmy pointed out (and as it appears you're aware), there should be no issue with Air Nostrum flights. This is what happens when companies make the rules so ridiculously complicated that even the staff don't understand. In the dying days of the ex-Maputo oneworld Explorer fares for a fraction of the prices being charged ex-every other destination, Qantas wouldn't allow me to fly Maputo-Doha-Casablanca because Morocco is in Africa and I'd already left the continent. Yes, it is. But according to the oneworld rule sheet, for the purposes of this fare (which, to be clear, is not the topic of discussion here), it's in Europe/Middle East. The passenger shouldn't need to educate the staff. It's pathetic.

 

[cjd600]

I hope you got the agent's name because you need to file a complaint. As TheresOnlyOneJimmy pointed out (and as it appears you're aware), there should be no issue with Air Nostrum flights. This is what happens when companies make the rules so ridiculously complicated that even the staff don't understand. In the dying days of the ex-Maputo oneworld Explorer fares for a fraction of the prices being charged ex-every other destination, Qantas wouldn't allow me to fly Maputo-Doha-Casablanca because Morocco is in Africa and I'd already left the continent. Yes, it is. But according to the oneworld rule sheet, for the purposes of this fare (which, to be clear, is not the topic of discussion here), it's in Europe/Middle East. The passenger shouldn't need to educate the staff. It's pathetic.

Ok, so I tried again today, 11.01am SYD time after again multiple (IB 6+) MAD-JFK J were released, and this time Iberia Express (not Nostrum) was connecting for me NCE-MAD still with at least 4 J to make the NCE-MAD-JFK IB booking look easily attainable online. An hour + wait time, thankfully the flights didnt disappear before my eyes this time. This time, the agent said they could not access the Iberia Express flights NCE-MAD (todays release was 8/10/19, but could only 'access' about 5 October. I asked about just MAD-JFK to add to my booking as the EUR-USA was my key requirement. Still no good. "Maybe try later, it's 'blocked'". Um, I've spent 3 hours on hold and 2 hours on calls the last 2 days......yesterdays MAD-JFK allotment have disappeared now, so somebody is getting them (even if not QF). Gave up and called again this evening. Try again, deep breath. Only 40mins on hold. Still full availability for NCE-MAD-JFK J on 8/10, "No, the system is blocking it."
But I can clearly book it online, I am staring right at it, I say. A bit of investigation, and the response comes back that IB are blocking these releases for dropping into existing bookings, and only allowing allocation for new bookings. I seem to remember a similar comment not too far back in this thread, maybe for AA or some other airline. Anyway, already having lost a day from my planned EUR-USA, I didnt want to argue the toss too much longer, far too many hours wasted on hold to be answered, or on hold while they 'investigated'. I saw 4 J same date on AY HEL-JFK, so ended up locking them in. BA would be a given releasing in a weeks time, but c$1k extra in ++charges for the 4 of us on this leg alone (even without LON APD) meant try to avoid if possible. So, AY HEL-JFK it is. And will work out NCE-HEL with either BA via LON, or AY if they release (not currently). Glad to have locked in the trans-atlantic leg....4xJ as NB cant look a gift horse in the mouth for too long! We are getting there