Oneworld Classic Flight Reward Discussion - The Definitive Thread

[Captain Halliday]

I have an award booked (very optimistically) for Jan ‘22 that includes JL.

The JL sector was added at ~1020 yesterday when seats were released. The assured me she would keep an eye to make sure it tickets.

I waited longer than I should have because things became busy. I called again around 0800 today. The agent told me “it should have been ticketed straight away with JL in there”... before assuring me she would fix it an have the ticket issued.

By 2000 tonight, still no ticket. So I made my third call and tonight agent said it would be sent to the priority queue and would be ticketed “within two hours.”

Even before @madrooster posted his warning I was watching this itinerary closely.

As appealing as it would be to be rebooked on a more direct service, or in a revenue fare bucket at QF expense, I suspect the hassle would dramatically outweigh any benefit.

Waiting... waiting.

 

[DC3]

... The JL sector was added at ~1020 yesterday when seats were released. The assured me she would keep an eye to make sure it tickets.

I waited longer than I should have because things became busy. I called again around 0800 today. The agent told me “it should have been ticketed straight away with JL in there”... before assuring me she would fix it an have the ticket issued.

... Waiting... waiting.

I have had numerous changes to oneworld award itineraries over the past two years. Too many QF glitches to recall in detail. Changes may be “walked through” if you get the right CSO. Without the updated eticket, what do I have?

 

[madrooster]

The JL sector was added at ~1020 yesterday when seats were released.

If it's a newly added JL segment where this segment has never been ticketed you would have months to issue a ticket assuming travel is ages away. My warning is specific to reissues where the segment was previously already ticketed - this is where you only get 1 hour.

 

[Captain Halliday]

If it's a newly added JL segment where this segment has never been ticketed you would have months to issue a ticket assuming travel is ages away. My warning is specific to reissues where the segment was previously already ticketed - this is where you only get 1 hour.

This is why my concern.

The original was: JL and CX

I dropped CX and added a second JL for better routing.

I don’t want to first JL sector to disappear... especially as a rookie agent deleted it by mistake previously. I’ve had to fight to get it back once already.

 

[kingzac]

OK I think I've got the plan down,

BNE-NRT
NRT-FRA
FRA-HEL
HEL-KEF
KEF-LHR-BFS
DUB-LHR-DOH
DOH-HKG
HKG-BNE

Potentially <24hours in DOH and HKG for the last two flights depending on flight availability but may be just over 24hrs.
From test runs early next year it looks like costs are around $1178.
26,078 Miles.
2x J PAX in Feb/March 2022.

Does anyone see any issues with this?
I can't test run the entire set so I've had to combine some legs and try different combos to get prices/flights.

 

[Guvner]

Why not DUB-DOH and skip backtracking to LHR?

 

[kingzac]

Why not DUB-DOH and skip backtracking to LHR?

Idea was to get on QR2 for QSuites.
If there's no QSuites then it will be the direct.

 

[Matt_01]

Surely it is QFs problem to "get back" the original flights if they're lost due to their stuff up though?

I have first hand experience in losing the original flights booked using QF points for flights booked with EK (F), MU (dom J) and QR (F). The EK and MU flights seem to come back without any issue. The QR flight was a little more problematic as I had changed from J to F over the phone and the agent advised that QF had to request the F seats from QR, which was approved within 24 hours. This is when the issues started, the QF agent had miscalculated both the additional points and taxes and I was only willing to pay in points and taxes that had been advised. Within a day or so both the original J bookings were gone as QR had replaced these with F, then the F bookings were lost as QF did not ticket within QRs timeframe. Long story short, after 2-3 weeks of back and forth with QF and QF going back and listening to the call records they acknowledged that the agent had made an error and I would only be required to pay the points and taxes difference as originally advised by the agent and they (QF) would sort this out. Sure enough within a few days the trip was ticketed in QR (F). To this day I have no idea of how QF sorted this out be it direct with QR or via OW and to be honest never really gave it a second thought. On all 3 occasions I do suspect that having P1 status may have helped.

 

[Sapz]

Looks like they have extended CFR cancellation fee waiver until 31/01/2022

 

[Danger]

The waiver is great. I think the bigger question, though, is whether or not people will be able to extend the validity of existing tickets yet again.

 

[Guvner]

Keep that screenshot handy somewhere for future reference..

 

[Daver6]

Keep that screenshot handy somewhere for future reference..

Email this morning from Qantas had the same info

 

[Matt_01]

I was going to ask a week or so back ‘out of interest and a question for those booking travel in early to first half of 2022 what level of confidence is there in flights going ahead and the connections being available’.

With the latest announcement that QF made in regard to fee waivers I am no longer concerned and I personally think this will be a great opportunity to book through to late 2023 without wasting any additional points. As I see it, I only need to book the cheapest one way classic reward booking to/from anywhere prior to 30 Apr and then as the international legs become available I can change the original booking and add in sectors as required. This can be rinsed and repeated through to 31 Jan 22 which means I will be able to book well into 2023.

 

[Guvner]

As I see it, I only need to book the cheapest one way classic reward booking to/from anywhere prior to 30 Apr and then as the international legs become available I can change the original booking and add in sectors as required. This can be rinsed and repeated through to 31 Jan 22 which means I will be able to book well into 2023.

Interesting strategy. I'd thought of doing this also, but I'm not confident I understand the rules well enough w.r.t modifying bookings for no penalty. Are "unlimited" changes allowed, or is only the first change penalty free?

 

[Matt_01]

Interesting strategy. I'd thought of doing this also, but I'm not confident I understand the rules well enough w.r.t modifying bookings for no penalty. Are "unlimited" changes allowed, or is only the first change penalty free?

I had discussed options with the VIP team a couple of weeks back before the latest announcement and again post announcement. The advice I was given is that unlimited changes are now available for all red-deals, previously only the first change was for free.

When discussing rewards I was advised that if I book prior to 30 Apr 21 I will be able to change these as many times as I want without incurring the 5000 points change fee and could cancel without incurring the 6000 points up until 31 Jan 22. I was open with the agent and informed her why I was asking about change waivers adding in sectors and what I was looking to achieve and was advised I will not be charged the 5000 points and any additional fees and taxes (cash component) associated with the booking would be payable and is was as I expected. What was interesting is that I would not be able to add additional PAX or name change the booking so I will have to create some dummy bookings for Mrs and MissM for future use.

The down side to my plan is that every change will most likely involve calling QF however this is not a big deal as I get through within minutes while others may have to wait for hours. As I have time on my side I plan to make any booking today and then change it, add a sector over the next couple of days to test the theory. If it all works I then make several rewards bookings for future use.

Note: I have done a general edit

 

[Guvner]

I had discussed options with the VIP team a couple of weeks back before the latest announcement and again post announcement. The advice I was given is that unlimited changes are available of all red-deals, this was previously only the first. When discussing rewards I was advised that I could change as many times as I want without fees up until 31 Jan 22. I was open with the agent and informed her why I was asking about change waivers adding in sectors and what I was looking to achieve and was advised I will be charged fees.

Are these two different use cases?

 

[DC3]

...and was advised that I will not be charged fees ..

So, is it will, or will not, be charged fees? There’s two different versions of the post quoted. Am I reading this right?

Edit: By the way, I had mixed experiences with the Call Centre, last year. The odd CSO wanted to charge the change fee when I knew that it was free at the time. On pushback, there was no fee charged.

 

[Matt_01]

Are these two different use cases?

No not 2 different use cases, changing a date, route or adding in sectors are essentially no different as they are all treated as a change.

Also, when re-reading my post I may have caused confusion as I interchanged words that could have been interpreted differently to my intent as an example from what you highlighted I realise I had made a typo and have now corrected the post. It should have read "I was open with the agent and informed her why I was asking about change waivers adding in sectors and what I was looking to achieve and was advised I will not be charged fees."

 

[Matt_01]

So, is it will, or will not, be charged fees? There’s two different versions of the post quoted. Am I reading this right?

I was writing the above post but then had to get on a couple of calls so it was a while between starting and posting. I have also edited the original post in an attempt to to make it easier understand. To answer your question I was advised the 5000 points change fee would not be payable however any additional fees and taxes (cash component) associated with the booking would be payable.

I am more focused on the points charges as this is per person per change and adds up.

 

[Matt_01]

Interesting strategy. I'd thought of doing this also, but I'm not confident I understand the rules well enough w.r.t modifying bookings for no penalty. Are "unlimited" changes allowed, or is only the first change penalty free?

I am testing my own theory, booked a classic reward for 8000 points and $38 in fees and taxes, tomorrow I will change it and a day or 2 later I will change it again to see what happens.