"oneworld" award (132.4K/249.6K/318K/455K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

[cambriamarsh]

Thanks for the insight.

Just confused as dotted through this thread people mention being able to change after the first leg has been flown. But when I drilled into the T&C's it confused me. The ticket reissuing thing is what has me stumped. I don't really know what would warrant a ticket to be 're-issued'. Surely changing dates etc would cause that? (I am new to this so not sure).
Your story on the BA change worries me, but maybe if it were a date change on exact same flight number and time then maybe a reissue wouldnt be required?

I understand about not expecting the availability to be there if we do want to change, but the option if its there would be nice. We will be away for around 9 months and our plans are very fluid.

Anyone else have any anecdotal evidence on making changes after the first leg has been flown?

Thanks

Yes, I've changed Y to J on a couple of legs after flying the first few legs. Flight and airline didn't change though.

 

[gilldo]

Just a short note re the useless coughs at JAL:

Booked an increasing OW RTW itinerary using QF/AA/JL, flying JL LAX-NRT-SYD coming home.

As part of their expansion into HND, JL have moved many of their US flights and their SYD flights from NRT to HND. In the case of LAX-NRT flights, they remain, but they've introduced a second service from LAX-HND. Plenty of capacity.

Great for Tokyo visitors, increased capacity from LAX - fantastic overall!

But not for us!

Our NRT-SYD flight was moved today to HND-SYD, but our LAX-NRT flight was left as is. Part of their logic for this is the introduction of a second service from LAX to HND, and our original flight to NRT still existed. This left us with a potential 150 min transfer between NRT and HND in Friday night peak hour, plus customs, immigration, security, etc - and an 80km+ trip estimated to take over an hour! No way!

I called QF and requested assistance, and they confirmed there were no published options available. Upon explaining the situation, I asked the consultant (SA call centre) to contact JAL to see what they could do, given they created the problem in the first place (completely expecting they'd just move us on to the LAX-HND flight).

JAL's response - "We're sorry, but there's nothing we can do"

No further explanation. An appalling level of response given they created the problem. I've had to wait until today to be able to act on this, as the SYD flights weren't officially moved until today by JAL.

After some discussion with QF, they agreed to put us on the NRT-MEL service on the same night and then on to ADL (despite there being no award capacity on NRT-MEL). Now that's service!

Many thanks QF (but I'll get more excited when it reflects in my bookings list)

 

[DC3]

.... After some discussion with QF, they agreed to put us on the NRT-MEL service on the same night and then on to ADL (despite there being no award capacity on NRT-MEL). Now that's service!

Many thanks QF (but I'll get more excited when it reflects in my bookings list)

Good that you eventually got a solution that will work.

I’ve found that new/changed QF bookings usually show on their website while I’m still on the phone with them. You probably have the e-ticket by now, anyway.

 

[Oubline]

Just a short note re the useless coughs at JAL:

Booked an increasing OW RTW itinerary using QF/AA/JL, flying JL LAX-NRT-SYD coming home.

As part of their expansion into HND, JL have moved many of their US flights and their SYD flights from NRT to HND. In the case of LAX-NRT flights, they remain, but they've introduced a second service from LAX-HND. Plenty of capacity.

Great for Tokyo visitors, increased capacity from LAX - fantastic overall!

But not for us!

Our NRT-SYD flight was moved today to HND-SYD, but our LAX-NRT flight was left as is. Part of their logic for this is the introduction of a second service from LAX to HND, and our original flight to NRT still existed. This left us with a potential 150 min transfer between NRT and HND in Friday night peak hour, plus customs, immigration, security, etc - and an 80km+ trip estimated to take over an hour! No way!

I called QF and requested assistance, and they confirmed there were no published options available. Upon explaining the situation, I asked the consultant (SA call centre) to contact JAL to see what they could do, given they created the problem in the first place (completely expecting they'd just move us on to the LAX-HND flight).

JAL's response - "We're sorry, but there's nothing we can do"

No further explanation. An appalling level of response given they created the problem. I've had to wait until today to be able to act on this, as the SYD flights weren't officially moved until today by JAL.

After some discussion with QF, they agreed to put us on the NRT-MEL service on the same night and then on to ADL (despite there being no award capacity on NRT-MEL). Now that's service!

Many thanks QF (but I'll get more excited when it reflects in my bookings list)

Just make sure Qantas ticket the new itinerary ASAP! So that other flights on your itinerary don’t drop off in the meantime.

 

[DC3]

Just make sure Qantas ticket the new itinerary ASAP! So that other flights on your itinerary don’t drop off in the meantime.

Yes, taking your eye off the ball and you lose segments.

30 minutes for e-ticket is the maximum waiting time for me. Otherwise, I’m back on the phone again. Sometimes they find a glitch and then ‘walk it through’. Then it arrives within about five minutes.

Gilldo is on top of this sort of thing, from memory.

 

[gilldo]

Just make sure Qantas ticket the new itinerary ASAP! So that other flights on your itinerary don’t drop off in the meantime.

Thanks all, and the bookings did appear on my profile last night before I made it home.

I'm trying to determine how I know that it's been ticketed (as opposed to booked), as I've received no email yet(with a revised itinerary), nor any change in taxes.

 

[motef]

Thanks all, and the bookings did appear on my profile last night before I made it home.

I'm trying to determine how I know that it's been ticketed (as opposed to booked), as I've received no email yet(with a revised itinerary), nor any change in taxes.

If you haven't received an email then it hasn't been ticketed

A nice trick is go to Malaysia Airlines website or app and go to Manage My Booking enter your QF PNR and Surname and the ticket number is shown at the top along with the names of the people travelling.

You can then compare the ticket number there to your existing ticket number

In my experience it updates on Malaysia Airlines website immediately after QF ticket it

Keep in mind the golden rule, never hang up until its ticketed and the new ticket number has been given to you verbally. You sometimes need to be very persistent with this. I find saying " i will stay on the line until this PNR is reticketed and you give me the ticket number as it has many flights in it that i dont want to lose" works.

 

[motef]

Has anybody ever had any luck recently getting award availability on Finnair around Europe or domestic flights in Finland?
I have been looking at EDI - HEL as well as every other port that flies to HEL on AY for 353 days out and nothing at all for any day or month around this.
It’s the same for HEL - KTT and HEL - RVN for domestic flights

 

[Kangol]

Thanks all, and the bookings did appear on my profile last night before I made it home.

I'm trying to determine how I know that it's been ticketed (as opposed to booked), as I've received no email yet(with a revised itinerary), nor any change in taxes.

Log in to your booking on the AA site and it will tell you the ticket status and the ticketing date (if ticketed).

I wonder if the NRT-HND connection was an illegal one, not meeting MCT.
It's probably not a common thing to do, however.

 

[gilldo]

If you haven't received an email then it hasn't been ticketed

It was ticketed Wednesday afternoon, 24 hours after the original booking. Wouldn't have been done if I didn't call either.

Thanks to all for the advice!

 

[gilldo]

I wonder if the NRT-HND connection was an illegal one, not meeting MCT.
It's probably not a common thing to do, however.

Wasn't of our making, but only came about when JAL moved a large number of flights from NRT to new slots opened up at HND.

Our inbound flight didn't move, but our outbound did. JAL could have helped, but did nothing!

QF/VA & ANA all got some slots as well, so expect other flights to move at a later date.

 

[Kangol]

Wasn't of our making, but only came about when JAL moved a large number of flights from NRT to new slots opened up at HND.

Our inbound flight didn't move, but our outbound did. JAL could have helped, but did nothing!

QF/VA & ANA all got some slots as well, so expect other flights to move at a later date.

Yeah I know all about the airline changes and that it wasn't instigated by you.
Was more wondering if you had to transit between airports, if the system would allow you to book a "legal" 2.5 hr connection in the first place.

Connection Information - JAL Domestic Flights

Found out that they recommend 3 hours so maybe not.
Either way, it's the ticketing carrier's responsibility.

 

[gilldo]

Tried to make the final bookings for our OW RTW award, and it appears that QF are having some issues both online and in their call centres with the relevant systems that calculate taxes.

End result was most callers this morning weren't able to finalise their bookings this morning.

 

[DC3]

..it appears that QF are having some issues both online and in their call centres with the relevant systems that calculate taxes.

End result was most callers this morning weren't able to finalise their bookings this morning.

Wouldn’t be South Africa by any chance?

 

[exceladdict]

For those following along at home to see how a refund goes for a php-priced, swapped into USD, 280k redemption for 2pax: after being advised a four to six week wait, two weeks later I've been credited only one lot of the 280k points and two USD refund amounts that don't match either the original amount paid in PHP (hundreds of dollars out) or the USD amount the rep said I should be refunded.

Requested an update this week and am no more certain of anything other than if it doesn't settle I'll have to follow up in another week.

 

[gilldo]

Wouldn’t be South Africa by any chance?

Problems were being experienced in all call centres.

They weren't able to process the request properly until around 5pm Thursday (and I made the initial changes at 730pm). To their credit they kept in contact a couple of times, advising that the problems were ongoing and would get back to me as soon as they could.

 

[geoffb78]

(Hopefully) A quick question about cancellation of a OneWorld award:

Am I right to interpret the T&Cs as requiring a full refund of points if ticket is cancelled until the day before departure, and no refund of points at all if cancelled on the day of departure or after travel has commenced?

Has anyone had any experience of a more flexible or generous application of the T&Cs when cancelling after travel has commenced?

Thanks for any insights.

 

[Jacques Vert]

Cancellation is 6,000 points per person before travel has commenced. After travel has commenced, all points are forfeited but you do get a refund of unused taxes and surcharges.

We had to cancel the remainder of a Oneworld Classic Award (2 x 280k points) after +1 became ill. Unused taxes were refunded but points forfeited. However, we were able to claim reinstatement of our points on our travel insurance and we earned points and status credits on our repatriation flights! Would have much prefered to complete our trip but overall the outcome wasn't that bad.

 

[Kerrodt]

Cancellation is 6,000 points per person before travel has commenced. After travel has commenced, all points are forfeited but you do get a refund of unused taxes and surcharges.

We had to cancel the remainder of a Oneworld Classic Award (2 x 280k points) after +1 became ill. Unused taxes were refunded but points forfeited. However, we were able to claim reinstatement of our points on our travel insurance and we earned points and status credits on our repatriation flights! Would have much prefered to complete our trip but overall the outcome wasn't that bad.

@Jacques Vert would you care to share how you claimed reinstatement of Points on your travel insurance? That would be something worth knowing about. Thanks.

 

[Jacques Vert]

@Jacques Vert would you care to share how you claimed reinstatement of Points on your travel insurance? That would be something worth knowing about. Thanks.

Well, it wlll depend on your travel insurance policy and the terms & conditions.

In our case, our policy was an annual multi-trip policy with QBE purchased through Qantas Assure. There was a specific clause in relation to bookings made on points.

I've seen similar clauses in other policies, on occasion; BUT, not all policies will cover reimbursement of points.