Oneworld Classic Flight Reward Discussion - The Definitive Thread

[vetrade]

Pottsy, I think the one over-riding issue in your case is that RJ would have met its obligation by offering you the flight on the 17th because, in doing so, they would have got you to FCO well before your next OW flight departing from DOH. What travels you intended to do between FCO and DOH is really irrelevant in the context of the OWA booking. Therefore, because there was no immediate imperative from RJ's (or QF's) perspective to get you to Rome, that offer to get you to Casablanca did seem unlikely to stick. I'd still be annoyed if I was misled like that though.

Regarding the fees and points they wanted to charge, given the obligation to get you to Rome, I'd be quite indignant if they tried to hit you up for extras. We've done several (4) J OWAs and have had a few unexpected flight changes after our trips had commenced due to cancellations or mechanical problems, On each occasion the operating airline has arranged accommodation (where necessary) and new flights - with never any suggestion of extra fees or points, even if a non OW carrier was the only reasonable option to get us to our next destination.

 

[pottsy]

Pottsy, I think the one over-riding issue in your case is that RJ would have met its obligation by offering you the flight on the 17th because, in doing so, they would have got you to FCO well before your next OW flight departing from DOH. What travels you intended to do between FCO and DOH is really irrelevant in the context of the OWA booking. Therefore, because there was no immediate imperative from RJ's (or QF's) perspective to get you to Rome, that offer to get you to Casablanca did seem unlikely to stick. I'd still be annoyed if I was misled like that though.

Regarding the fees and points they wanted to charge, given the obligation to get you to Rome, I'd be quite indignant if they tried to hit you up for extras. We've done several (4) J OWAs and have had a few unexpected flight changes after our trips had commenced due to cancellations or mechanical problems, On each occasion the operating airline has arranged accommodation (where necessary) and new flights - with never any suggestion of extra fees or points, even if a non OW carrier was the only reasonable option to get us to our next destination.

Thanks for that info, for future ref (re: fees & points.) 'I too shall be indignant if it happens in the future'! It helps, thankyou to know my rights and what is the norm. By the way the 17th RJ flight was cancelled as well but I suppose as you say, their only obligation is to get me to Rome prior to Doha flight?! Out of interest 'vertrade' when you have been held up due to cancellations or mechanical problems and the operating airline has arranged flights and accommodation, did you deal direct with the particular airline OR through Qantas??

 

[cambriamarsh]

Thank you very much, this gives hope.

It can be painful to use tho, sometimes the response times are great other times not so much. Good luck

 

[vetrade]

Thanks for that info, for future ref (re: fees & points.) 'I too shall be indignant if it happens in the future'! It helps, thankyou to know my rights and what is the norm. By the way the 17th RJ flight was cancelled as well but I suppose as you say, their only obligation is to get me to Rome prior to Doha flight?! Out of interest 'vertrade' when you have been held up due to cancellations or mechanical problems and the operating airline has arranged flights and accommodation, did you deal direct with the particular airline OR through Qantas??

Almost exclusively we have dealt with the operating airline and our experience is that they automatically take responsibility to get you where you are going without question. We've only needed to ring QF once from OS when IB said they didn't even have a record of our flight with them which mysteriously vanished from our itinerary. I know Corona virus is beyond RJ's control but I wonder how much effort they made to find a way of getting you to Rome. Our one experience with RJ was actually so undewhelming that we wouldn't fly with them again.

 

[Ktan89]

Almost exclusively we have dealt with the operating airline and our experience is that they automatically take responsibility to get you where you are going without question.

Hey @vetrade can you clarify if your past experiences with cancellations was at the airport before your flight or did they notify you for a future date cancellation?

I have called up JL before (getting no where with QF) and they have always pushed me away saying that since my booking was ticked by QF it needs to be QF who solves the issue. QF then can contact JL to see what can be done.

I've also read and heard people say: if the flight was delayed or cancelled at the airport, then the carrier who cancelled the flight is responsible to get you to your next destination to continue the OWA itinerary.

 

[vetrade]

Hey @vetrade can you clarify if your past experiences with cancellations was at the airport before your flight or did they notify you for a future date cancellation?............................

We have only experienced cancellations at the airport (due to mechanical or weather problems), rather than being notified of them in advance. There has been a handful of times we have been notified of departure time or flight schedule changes well in advance of travel (nothing unusual about that), which have required a bit of a re-jig of our itinerary - usually where we've had connecting flights affected because transit times couldn't cope with the change. We've never been materially inconvenienced by such changes, though, or experienced the rather unique circumstances like what pottsy has faced.

FWIW, the comment I made about an IB flight vanishing from our booking had played out for several months and we never got an explanation for it. In the 6 months before travel we needed to get QF to re-instate an IB flight from MIA - MAD several times (sadly, a sector they have since discontinued). On each occasion QF call staff fixed it quickly and we hadn't had any probs in the 6 weeks or so before our trip, but then that flight had disappeared again when I tried to check-in online. We were in CUN at that time and it was unsettling because we just couldn't get through to the QF call centre ( a problem with Mexican telecomms). We only got it sorted when I emailed my sister in MEL who rang QF on our behalf.

 

[pottsy]

Almost exclusively we have dealt with the operating airline and our experience is that they automatically take responsibility to get you where you are going without question. We've only needed to ring QF once from OS when IB said they didn't even have a record of our flight with them which mysteriously vanished from our itinerary. I know Corona virus is beyond RJ's control but I wonder how much effort they made to find a way of getting you to Rome. Our one experience with RJ was actually so undewhelming that we wouldn't fly with them again.

ONCE AGAIN, thanks for your insight. I, in my ignorance, thought I had to deal with Qantas frequent flyer call centre... I have one more flight with RJ on this booking, fingers crossed. (Obviously they made, no effort to get me to Rome!) In future I shall follow your example, appreciate reply.

 

[pottsy]

ALRIGHT MY HELPFUL COMMUNITY FRIENDS. My (latest) flight CONCERN is that as part of my OWA I am 'supposed' to fly with RJ TLV-AMM on 15/3. I am already in Israel and have just been informed that all foreigners are to be made to leave country probably on Thursday. If I cannot take the assigned flight on Saturday 15th I am concerned it will be deemed as a 'no show' and impact the rest of my OWA flights. Main concern is this potential impact. (I would like to take the flight but obviously am unsure if I will be able to, it is a changing situation here.) Any advice on what to tell Qantas (via sms) to ensure the rest of my OWA! Be extremely grateful for your help please? Jane

 

[DC3]

…. I am already in Israel and have just been informed that all foreigners are to be made to leave country probably on Thursday. If I cannot take the assigned flight on Saturday 15th I am concerned it will be deemed as a 'no show' and impact the rest of my OWA flights. Main concern is this potential impact. (I would like to take the flight but obviously am unsure if I will be able to, it is a changing situation here.) Any advice on what to tell Qantas (via sms) to ensure the rest of my OWA! Be extremely grateful for your help please?

'... made to leave …". What, force-marched through the desert? Is that what will happen?

Tourists will need to leave Israel as part of new travel restrictions

Health Ministry says international travelers will be given time to depart 'in an orderly manner in the coming days,' without specifying a deadline

www.timesofisrael.com

" ... the Health Ministry said tourists now in the country would “be given time to leave Israel in an orderly manner in the coming days.” " … It did not specify a date they must leave by … " (according to The Times of Israel, today).

Anyway, it shouldn't be a no-show if you have advised the next carrier (RJ) of any issues. My understanding is that once your trip itinerary has commenced, the next carrier (RJ in this case) is responsible for arranging your onward movement to the next destination.

So, you could contact RJ. QF probably will not be able to help at this stage, I would expect, unless you are able to talk to a QF CSO who is prepared to phone RJ to sort something out for you.

Anyway, that's how I see it. Other AFFers may have more to offer.

Edit: Just coming up to 9.00am on Tuesday in Tel Aviv. Plenty of time. . Interestingly, according to the above article, no leave-by date has been specified

 

[DC3]

Well, in another hour or so, it will be sunset in Tel Aviv.

Anyone near Israel who could do a welfare check on pottsy?

 

[pottsy]

Well, in another hour or so, it will be sunset in Tel Aviv.

Anyone near Israel who could do a welfare check on pottsy?

Hilarious! Thanks so much for the laugh. I am surviving....I think... (until I read my next aurkine email)

 

[pottsy]

'... made to leave …". What, force-marched through the desert? Is that what will happen?

Tourists will need to leave Israel as part of new travel restrictions

Health Ministry says international travelers will be given time to depart 'in an orderly manner in the coming days,' without specifying a deadline

www.timesofisrael.com

" ... the Health Ministry said tourists now in the country would “be given time to leave Israel in an orderly manner in the coming days.” " … It did not specify a date they must leave by … " (according to The Times of Israel, today).

Anyway, it shouldn't be a no-show if you have advised the next carrier (RJ) of any issues. My understanding is that once your trip itinerary has commenced, the next carrier (RJ in this case) is responsible for arranging your onward movement to the next destination.

So, you could contact RJ. QF probably will not be able to help at this stage, I would expect, unless you are able to talk to a QF CSO who is prepared to phone RJ to sort something out for you.

Anyway, that's how I see it. Other AFFers may have more to offer.

Edit: Just coming up to 9.00am on Tuesday in Tel Aviv. Plenty of time. . Interestingly, according to the above article, no leave-by date has been specified

Thanks, all tour agents in Israel meeting with govt either yesterday or today. Concern is as tourists banned from entering (and current ones told to leave) that empty arrival flights will cancel and therefore "not depart")

 

[Daver6]

This is probably a half decent source of information about the current situation there - COVID-19 Information | U.S. Embassy in Israel

 

[pottsy]

This is probably a half decent source of information about the current situation there - COVID-19 Information | U.S. Embassy in Israel

Thanks very much, very helpful, appreciated. (Nice to see accurate info!)

 

[Ktan89]

Need help. Does any one have an answer to these points:
- Is change of currency allowed? Original first flight is from Singapore. Proposed change will leave from Manila instead. SGD to PHP

- My first booking which generated the PNR was in May 2019. First flight to be taken in April 2020. If i haven't taken the flight can i push the flight back to February 2021 or will the PNR be expired?

- I'm using the OWA to complete two trips. April 2020 and December 2020. I want to know my options if i can keep my December 2020 plans and move April 2020 to February 2021.

 

[motef]

Need help. Does any one have an answer to these points:
- Is change of currency allowed? Original first flight is from Singapore. Proposed change will leave from Manila instead. SGD to PHP

Yes, my first leg I booked was from SIN and was charged in SGD, I changed that to NTL and was subsequently charged in AUD

 

[AL10]

Need help. Does any one have an answer to these points:
- Is change of currency allowed? Original first flight is from Singapore. Proposed change will leave from Manila instead. SGD to PHP

- My first booking which generated the PNR was in May 2019. First flight to be taken in April 2020. If i haven't taken the flight can i push the flight back to February 2021 or will the PNR be expired?

- I'm using the OWA to complete two trips. April 2020 and December 2020. I want to know my options if i can keep my December 2020 plans and move April 2020 to February 2021.

I don't have any answer for you, but re your third point, I'm contemplating a similar change, or just postponing my two trips to next year.

 

[AL10]

Like many others, I had split my OWA into 2 'trips', first to the US and then to Europe, with a 'long stop' in Asia (where I was flying separately back home to Australia). Given the current situation worldwide, I'm now thinking of re-arranging my trips, so that I go to Europe first, and then US, and now commencing in Asia.

Does anyone see any issues with SIN-DOH-VIE- (stop) - MUC-DOH-HKG-MEL- (stop) - LAX-(stop) SFO-TYO-SIN ?

By my calculations, I can still add another stopover.

 

[DC3]

Need help. Does any one have an answer to these points:
- Is change of currency allowed? Original first flight is from Singapore. Proposed change will leave from Manila instead ...

You can add any flights to your booking, as long as you stay within the rules. You may start from anywhere (including Manila),flight availability permitting.

 

[exceladdict]

hange of currency allowed? Original first flight is from Singapore. Proposed change will leave from Manila instead. SGD to PHP

- My first booking which generated the PNR was in May 2019. First flight to be taken in April 2020. If i haven't taken the flight can i push the flight back to February 2021 or will the PNR be expired?

- I'm using the OWA to complete two trips. April 2020 and December 2020. I want to know my options if i can keep my December 2020 plans and move April 2020 to February 2021.

Would you mind sharing your total tax cost and itinerary (don't need dates) before and after your changes? Would be very interested in what happens to your taxes.