Oneworld Classic Flight Reward Discussion - The Definitive Thread

[Captain Halliday]

They are accessible on the Qantas site

This thread is about the Qantas One World Classic Flight Award and neither one the airlines you names are members of One World.

Therefore, they can not be included in a OneWorld Classic Flight Award.

 

[gfraser]

This thread is about the Qantas One World Classic Flight Award and neither one the airlines you names are members of One World.

Therefore, they can not be included in a OneWorld Classic Flight Award.

My apologies.

 

[Captain Halliday]

My apologies.

No apology required.

The OWA is a complex redemption and this is now a very long thread, so keeping the information clear and accurate helps all AFF members.

 

[Oubline]

No apology required.

The OWA is a complex redemption and this is now a very long thread, so keeping the information clear and accurate helps all AFF members.

Agreed! I appreciate anyone who attempts to add to our collective knowledge on this award! It’s tough for anyone, including Qantas staff a lot of the time, to get their head around it.

 

[Captain Halliday]

If you end a OWA in a city that is different from your origin, is it considered a stopover, a transit, or the end?

In this example...

SINxLHR-AMS <stop 1>
FRAxHKGxNRT-BNE <stop 2>
BNExSYD-HND <stop3>
NRTxHKG-BNE<end>

If I end the trip in BNE is it considered the end, in which case I just include the miles back to SIN?

Or is it considered a stopover and therefore the itinerary is invalid?

 

[There'sOnlyOneJimmy]

If you end a OWA in a city that is different from your origin, is it considered a stopover, a transit, or the end?

In this example...

SINxLHR-AMS <stop 1>
FRAxHKGxNRT-BNE <stop 2>
BNExSYD-HND <stop3>
NRTxHKG-BNE<end>

If I end the trip in BNE is it considered the end, in which case I just include the miles back to SIN?

Or is it considered a stopover and therefore the itinerary is invalid?

From the Book of Rules:

14.5.3 A one way oneworld Classic Flight Reward Itinerary will be charged as a return Itinerary. oneworld Classic Flight Reward Itineraries finishing in a port other than the port of origin must include the distance to return directly to the port of origin when calculating the number of Qantas Points required to redeem the Flight Reward and the maximum distance for the Itinerary. (My bolding)

My recollection from prior experience is that it only consumes the extra miles, not any of the stops or transits. And that’s the way the rule reads too - the itinerary finishes in the last flown port, and then the extra milage is added.

 

[Captain Halliday]

From the Book of Rules:

14.5.3 A one way oneworld Classic Flight Reward Itinerary will be charged as a return Itinerary. oneworld Classic Flight Reward Itineraries finishing in a port other than the port of origin must include the distance to return directly to the port of origin when calculating the number of Qantas Points required to redeem the Flight Reward and the maximum distance for the Itinerary. (My bolding)

My recollection from prior experience is that it only consumes the extra miles, not any of the stops or transits. And that’s the way the rule reads too - the itinerary finishes in the last flown port, and then the extra milage is added.

I can now confirm this interpretation, having just made a change to my booking.

 

[algae]

I'm leaning towards the Malaysia flight since the taxes are $120 less but would Qantas be worth the extra cost? Will be travelling with someone on a day flight.

I'd lean towards Malaysia because the A330 business product is consistent and quite solid.

Qantas A380s on the other hand are currently undergoing refurbishments for the new cabin. If you get a new one, this is better than malaysia. If you get the old business class, this isnt so great. If the seat config is 2-2-2 its the old one. If its 1-2-1 its the new one. They plan to complete all the refurbs by end of 2020.

 

[algae]

Hi AFF,
I'm looking at avaliability for next Feb for a rtw trip (I'm QF gold).
3x of the legs have plenty of business avaliability with oneworld partners BA, Cathay and JAL (ie. lax to moscow, moscow to bangkok and bangkok to perth). But i'm having issues with the first two legs.

Funnily enough the only leg i wanted to fly with qantas (PER to SCL - Santiago, Chile) has absolutely no avaliability.

https://imgur.com/a/nLyET86

Likewise SCL to LAX i would have expected some american or latam avaliability. And while there are latam seats, theyre all economy and mostly in Jan.

Any idea why this is the case? In particular the PER to SCL qantas flight?

 

[exceladdict]

My understanding is that SYD-SCL is quite rare in terms of award availability. Not much you can do if there's nothing listed, other than try to find alternative routes (via DOH?) Try searching the component routes (PER>SYD, SYD-SCL for example) rather than PER-SCL.

Also, you may run into issues as LATAM will no longer be in oneworld on your travel dates. Are there options on AA?

 

[11sjw]

Hi AFF,
I'm looking at avaliability for next Feb for a rtw trip (I'm QF gold).
3x of the legs have plenty of business avaliability with oneworld partners BA, Cathay and JAL (ie. lax to moscow, moscow to bangkok and bangkok to perth). But i'm having issues with the first two legs.

Funnily enough the only leg i wanted to fly with qantas (PER to SCL - Santiago, Chile) has absolutely no avaliability.

https://imgur.com/a/nLyET86

Likewise SCL to LAX i would have expected some american or latam avaliability. And while there are latam seats, theyre all economy and mostly in Jan.

Any idea why this is the case? In particular the PER to SCL qantas flight?

Per @exceladdict's reply, can you look at alternate routes to SCL? CX HKG-AKL/LAX-SCL (Last leg with other airlines). Might blow your mileage and stops past the limits though.

 

[algae]

Try searching the component routes (PER>SYD, SYD-SCL for example) rather than PER-SCL.

Thanks for the replies guys. I did try the component routes as well, likewise, nothing in Feb.

The fact that Feb is completely empty (as per previous screenshot) is why i'm confused.
For example checking PER>SCL in sept, oct, nov this year there are a couple days with business avaliability plus plenty of economy seats.
Feb being completely empty leads me to suspect Qantas hasnt released these seats yet. And i cant imagine why.

Also, you may run into issues as LATAM will no longer be in oneworld on your travel dates. Are there options on AA?

Nothing on AA at all.
The only airline in Feb with avaliability on SCL>LAX in any class is BA (which is silly to go via the UK). I imagine this is just because Latam/AA seats havent been released yet for feb. Probaby an 11 month release i presume. So i'm less worried about this.

As far as latam leaving, my understanding is you can still book tickets well into 2021 as normal and they'll be honored. Only once the 1 May 2020 date comes and they leave, will bookings no longer be possible.

Might blow your mileage

Hit the nail on the head!

 

[Ktan89]

Will i have to cancel a whole PNR if I want to change my departure city? Say from SIN to MNL.

 

[Jacques Vert]

The fact that Feb is completely empty (as per previous screenshot) is why i'm confused.

LATAM only release seats 330 days in advance: that is, up until 25/1/21. Even then, seats on that route (either QF or LA) are quite limited.

 

[Captain Halliday]

LATAM only release seats 330 days in advance: that is, up until 25/1/21. Even then, seats on that route (either QF or LA) are quite limited.

With LATAM leaving One World, the already limited number of award seats on that route that can be used for a One World Classic Flight Award is effectively being halved.

Post automatically merged: Mar 1, 2020

Will i have to cancel a whole PNR if I want to change my departure city? Say from SIN to MNL.

No. But it will be repriced for that point of origin.

 

[Ktan89]

No. But it will be repriced for that point of origin.

Thanks @Captain Halliday
I've used this to book two April 2020 & December 2020. Looking to postpone the April trip to next year.
Is there an expiry date or something with PNR/bookings? This booking was created May last year.

 

[Captain Halliday]

Thanks @Captain Halliday
I've used this to book two April 2020 & December 2020. Looking to postpone the April trip to next year.
Is there an expiry date or something with PNR/bookings? This booking was created May last year.

The rules say 12 months from the date of first departure.

Some QF agents will tell you it’s 12 months from the PNR creation date.

But I can confirm I’ve had PNRs that have been greater than 12 months from PNR creation to final sector flown.

 

[algae]

LATAM only release seats 330 days in advance: that is, up until 25/1/21. Even then, seats on that route (either QF or LA) are quite limited.

Cool, that makes sense for LATAM on the SCL to LAX route. Thanks for that!

But my main source of confusion was the lack of any avaliability for the QF flight to SCL.
Guess i'll just have to wait. Maybe they only release them at 10 months or something...

 

[pottsy]

HELP PLEASE! Sorry this is long winded but I am in panic mode! I am part way through my OWA. I 'was' supposed to fly with Royal Air Jordan on the 15th March, Amman-Rome. (Then recommence the OWA from Rome on 22nd April.) I have received notification that this flight is canx and I have been put on a flight on the 17th March instead. I have connections (not part of my OWA) and hotels booked for 15th onwards, from Rome. Therefore my question is: Can I ditch the '17th' Amman-Rome leg of the OWA and make my own arrangements (with another airline)? Then still recommence the OWA from Rome at a later date (as originally planned)? In a nutshell, am I penalised for not flying this booked leg, even though it is the airline that has canx the flight (on the 15th)?? WILL THE REST OF MY OWA FLIGHTS STILL STAND?? (I think I have read that if you miss a leg the whole OWA is null and void??)

Mel-Adl-Doh-Amm(stop)-Tlv-Amm-Fco(stop) Fco-Doh-Sin(stop) Sin-Lhr(stop) Lhr-Hnd(stop) Nrt-Mel

 

[vetrade]

Pottsy, in actual fact you will not be missing your flight because you can't board a flight which no longer exists due to cancellation. The real problem here for you is that RJ doesn't have a suitable alternative until 2 days later. Even non OW alternate airlines have no direct flights for the date you are booked to travel.
My experience is that where a OWA is disrupted for whatever reason beyond the passenger's control (weather / mechanical / cancellation), there is never any suggestion the rest of the itinerary is at risk.

This is the relevant rule:
14.3.9 If a Member fails to board a Flight Segment of an itinerary containing only Classic Award Flight Segments, the remaining Segments will be cancelled. The cancelled Segments will only be reinstated if Classic Award seats are available. If any Segments are reinstated, the Reinstatement Fee will apply (see the Fee Schedule). In addition the Points required for the entire Itinerary including both travelled and reinstated Segments will be recalculated and any additional Points required will be deducted from the Member's account.