Oneworld Classic Flight Reward Discussion - The Definitive Thread

[Familyman1]

Thanks for the taxes and fees info Danger.

I have finally received my E-Tickets for flights I booked for my family over a period of about 6 months. What a relief after many dramas with several examples of flights disappearing from my bookings between making changes and ticket reissuing. Luckily I got them all back with the exception of a CX BNE to HKG flight but Qantas made award seats available for us to fly on a QF flight (which was a preferred daytime flight anyway). My daughter will be flying economy and my wife is in business. My wife and I were originally under one booking number but I could only get 1 business class seat on the CMB-KUL-BNE flights so I had to be split out to take the economy seats. Here is our itinerary (a summer in the UK and Norway and a winter holiday in Germany, Austria & Sri Lanka):

June/July: BNE-HKG-LHR(S, surface)-BGO-HEL-SIN(S)-
December/January: HEL(S, surface)-MUC-DOH-CMB(S)-KUL-BNE (34,579 miles)

We'll pay for an economy SIN-BNE flight in July & BNE-SIN flight in December (or maybe use Scoot to/from the Gold Coast).

The only remaining problem we have is that the total $ amount for taxes and fees that Qantas have charged us over several installments as we have added flights to this booking is more than the final "Ticket Total". My daughter's economy flights came to a total of $1,235.61 (very similar to what Danger calculated for me in a post yesterday), but Qantas have charged us $1,442.61 in total. My wife and I have also been overcharged about $120 each. I suspect this stems from a particularly incompetent Qantas rep based in South Africa who didn't know what he was doing.

What is the best way to complain to Qantas about these sorts of issues. I would like to give details on the individual payments that qantas have made to my credit card and maybe send credit card statements to prove my point. Is there an email address that can be used for complicated issues like this?

 

[Kangol]

This was recently discussed in this thread - Qantas' South African call centre is an embarrassment

Basically, the South African call centre is more likely to pick up if (a) you don't enter your frequent flyer number, (b) you select the German/French/Italian language options, or (c) you call during the Australian night/early in the morning.

Even for WP? I've had the NZ call centre when calling at night.

 

[Kangol]

I asked this in another thread without much help, however is the GC map method of calculating distance the same one that QF uses? I'm cutting it very fine with the 35k mile limit by one mile and wanted to make sure it was accurate. Thanks!

 

[rock86]

I asked this in another thread without much help, however is the GC map method of calculating distance the same one that QF uses? I'm cutting it very fine with the 35k mile limit by one mile and wanted to make sure it was accurate. Thanks!

No it is not.

Fairly sure QF use GDS (someone please correct me here if I'm wrong) which throws out slightly different distances then on GC Map.

 

[There'sOnlyOneJimmy]

I asked this in another thread without much help, however is the GC map method of calculating distance the same one that QF uses? I'm cutting it very fine with the 35k mile limit by one mile and wanted to make sure it was accurate. Thanks!

Despite being a good guide, It’s definitely not the same.

The ‘official’ QF map distances vary from GC map distances on about 75% of all sectors that I’ve checked. Usually the difference isn’t much (<10km), but when you’re getting close to the edge of the envelope every Km counts...

Keep in mind that the differences do go both ways; some of the QF distances are less than the GC map distances.
Fingers crossed, good luck.

 

[Kangol]

Despite being a good guide, It’s definitely not the same.

The ‘official’ QF map distances vary from GC map distances on about 75% of all sectors that I’ve checked. Usually the difference isn’t much (<10km), but when you’re getting close to the edge of the envelope every Km counts...

Keep in mind that the differences do go both ways; some of the QF distances are less than the GC map distances.
Fingers crossed, good luck.

Thanks. Is there a way to calculate the distances myself? Or is it a matter of just do it, then find out...

 

[Captain Halliday]

Thanks. Is there a way to calculate the distances myself? Or is it a matter of just do it, then find out...

Two options:

If you post your routing and ask REALLY nicely there’s a member or two with GDS access.

Or call QF and ask them to give you the total miles.

 

[Kangol]

Two options:

If you post your routing and ask REALLY nicely there’s a member or two with GDS access.

Or call QF and ask them to give you the total miles.

Thanks, I double checked my intended itinerary and I missed a leg, making it at least 100 miles over. Back to the drawing board!

 

[Captain Halliday]

Thanks, I double checked my intended itinerary and I missed a leg, making it at least 100 miles over. Back to the drawing board!

Can you book a cash/revenue fare for one of the short sectors to get you under 35,000?

 

[Aus ATC]

Can you book a cash/revenue fare for one of the short sectors to get you under 35,000?

The miles will still count (for the revenue fare distance - though might be less if some "backtracking" is involved), and it will probably add a stopover which may take @Kangol over that limit.

 

[Kangol]

Can you book a cash/revenue fare for one of the short sectors to get you under 35,000?

I've been looking at that option as well. It's for getting to BNA from TYO, then back to LAX.
Oddly enough after trying different routings, NRT-ORD-BNA, then BNA-LAX (or BNA-DFW-LAX pending availability) works.
Difficulty is the JL NRT-ORD segment. F availability looks to be scarce.
I originally had HND-SFO-DFW-BNA getting there. That just pushed me over the limit. Connecting through JFK was definitely too far.
A west cost connection would only work if I go as far as DFW, then book separate DFW-BNA-DFW.
Best option is if the NRT-ORD availability comes up around the dates I want.
Just checked and for the entire calendar there are only a few F award seats for each North American destination in both directions.
Uh oh.

 

[blu]

Best I could do on my last return was back to CNS (BNE was over). Had to buy a domestic CNS-SYD. Did have a mileage difference with GCM.

 

[flyingchicken]

Hey guys,

Struggling to find J class tickets with Cathay SYD-HKG-DEL in January 2020. The first available tickets I can see are on Jan 15th. This is the first leg of my travels.

I am looking at buying tickets over a period of 6 weeks, so by the time my last flights open up, the Cathay ones are gone. For those who have tried it - is it worth calling up and booking the J Cathay tix on their own in order to secure them, and then call to add the remaining flights a little later?

Kyah

 

[11sjw]

Hey guys,

Struggling to find J class tickets with Cathay SYD-HKG-DEL in January 2020. The first available tickets I can see are on Jan 15th. This is the first leg of my travels.

I am looking at buying tickets over a period of 6 weeks, so by the time my last flights open up, the Cathay ones are gone. For those who have tried it - is it worth calling up and booking the J Cathay tix on their own in order to secure them, and then call to add the remaining flights a little later?

Kyah

Yes. Recently did this (ex PER). Seats disappear very quickly. It will cost you 5k points to change your original booking but i found it is the only way. Just ensure you stay on the phone until the new itinerary is ticketed (see earlier posts re CX flights disappearing after booking changes).

 

[ellen10]

Hey guys,

Struggling to find J class tickets with Cathay SYD-HKG-DEL in January 2020. The first available tickets I can see are on Jan 15th. This is the first leg of my travels.

I am looking at buying tickets over a period of 6 weeks, so by the time my last flights open up, the Cathay ones are gone. For those who have tried it - is it worth calling up and booking the J Cathay tix on their own in order to secure them, and then call to add the remaining flights a little later?

Kyah

Yes definitely book these flights now. This is what I did and then added the other flights at a later date.
Lock them in.

 

[flyingchicken]

Yes. Recently did this (ex PER). Seats disappear very quickly. It will cost you 5k points to change your original booking but i found it is the only way. Just ensure you stay on the phone until the new itinerary is ticketed (see earlier posts re CX flights disappearing after booking changes).

Thanks 11sjw and ellen10.

I have been successful at loading in a fair few of my initial flights (about half) into the online multi-tool. I've got enough of the trip in there to trigger the oneworld award points-price of 280k. Does anyone see an issue with me booking it initially via this method, and making my changes via phone later to add the remaining flights when they open up? Or is it too risky to rely on the online multi-tool (I.e. saying there is availability when there is none etc).

If multi-tool is the way to go I will go for it asap to reserve those flights online, and save my patience for what sounds to be a frustrating adjustment process in the later stages.

 

[Familyman1]

Yes. You should go ahead with booking your first flights online. That's what I did and it worked well.

 

[Kangol]

Thanks 11sjw and ellen10.

I have been successful at loading in a fair few of my initial flights (about half) into the online multi-tool. I've got enough of the trip in there to trigger the oneworld award points-price of 280k. Does anyone see an issue with me booking it initially via this method, and making my changes via phone later to add the remaining flights when they open up? Or is it too risky to rely on the online multi-tool (I.e. saying there is availability when there is none etc).

If multi-tool is the way to go I will go for it asap to reserve those flights online, and save my patience for what sounds to be a frustrating adjustment process in the later stages.

I'm surprised it's not in the wiki given this question is asked on a regular basis.
Yes, book your long hauls first (online or otherwise) so they don't get taken by others, then call to make changes as subsequent flights are available.
The 5k change fee is better than missing out. Even if it doesn't price as 280k/420k originally, once you get to the zone 10 band it will. Provided it follows the rules of course.

 

[Dave G]

Yep - Agree with booking flights as soon as you find them -
And my experience with adding them wasnt too painful at all

 

[Captain Halliday]

Thanks 11sjw and ellen10.

I have been successful at loading in a fair few of my initial flights (about half) into the online multi-tool. I've got enough of the trip in there to trigger the oneworld award points-price of 280k. Does anyone see an issue with me booking it initially via this method, and making my changes via phone later to add the remaining flights when they open up? Or is it too risky to rely on the online multi-tool (I.e. saying there is availability when there is none etc).

If multi-tool is the way to go I will go for it asap to reserve those flights online, and save my patience for what sounds to be a frustrating adjustment process in the later stages.

As others have said... you’ve reached your Hawaii Five-0 moment.