Does the QF designation depend on the booking agency?

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angella44

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I am going to Rome and would like to book SYD-FCO-SYD, which is on Emirates through Dubai.

If I book through Qantas, the four sectors have QF numbers (so credits should apply), but if I book through another agency with cheaper fares, the European sectors do not have QF numbers. Does this mean that I have to book through Qantas to get the QF number? They are the same flights:
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I was on this route earlier in the year and received credits for all four sectors, but I would like to make sure.
Thank you for any information on this.
 

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Yes and no :)

The QF designator is not based on the agency where you buy it, rather on the price or fare you pay. Same flights, same aircraft, but the seat is offered by different airlines.

Even the Qantas(.com) flights you've listed are not on Qantas aircraft - they are all operated by Emirates - as you can see by the four-digit flight number. Both trip.com and Qantas are selling this same space operated by Emirates aircraft.

So if you want your status credits, you can book either of the trip.com or Qantas offerings.

Expedia will probably also offer something similar, but it might be more expensive.
 
Thank you. I'm still not quite sure. Are you saying that to get the status credits, I need to see the QF number? That is, the Expedia booking (with EK numbers only) would not offer the credits?
In this version, the trip.com and Qantas options both have all AF numbers, but the prices are different. Are they offering different fare types? In this example, would I get credits only for the second two offerings?

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Thank you.
 
Sorry I can't be of more assistance. I'm neither an Emirates or Qantas frequent flyer, so don't want to give you any incorrect advice regarding the ins and outs of flying the QF flights on Emirates. From what I understand, you should be ok choosing the QF flight numbers to get status credits. Any business class revenue fare should be eligible for your status credits (as opposed to awards, which aren't applicable here).

Buying through trip(.com) shouldn't be an issue. They are a huge travel agency with - as far as I know - good customer service.

If you have any other questions, hopefully an AFFer with more experience can help out.
 
Confirming that if you book the flights with a QF flight number, you get Qantas status credits if your QFF number is in the booking. But if you book the EK flight numbers on any sector you don’t get QFF status credits for that sector. Also, SYD-DXB-FCO and back will earn you about 37,000 SCs on the QF flight numbers if the booking class is treated as discount business, and you only get 26,000 or so QFF points booking on the EK flights.

Can’t comment on trip.com; never booked with them.

Cheers skip
 
As anove - nothing to do with the agency selling the tickets except the QF booking engine is weighted to offer QF flights/codes ahead of others, while your OTA's are iased towards lowest price. You may find the QF codeshare flights are slightly higher, as QF does add a premium (it used to be around $50 or so per but that may have changed) above the EK pricing for the "benefit" of the codeshare (where offered, which is only selected routes beyond DXB). So, an OTA will show EK flights first because they will most likely be slightly cheaper.

However either using a TA, or specifiying QF as the airline at one's OTA of choice (eg expedia, webjet whatever) should then offer the codeshares.
 
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Normally the QF/EK code selection makes no difference to the price. However, there are periods of round 7-14 days, a couple of times of the year, where that logic doesn’t apply and the cheapest fares will be QF out and EK back (or vice versa). That persists for a little while, and then it all returns to normal. In the GDS display, you’ll see the airline yield system block the availability for the return on the carrier you want, which would be there if you search for it independently.

Rather frustrating. But then you end up on QR, so not all bad.
 
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