Oneworld Classic Flight Reward Discussion - The Definitive Thread

[ozflier]

A similar and equally frustrating example to back this up.

I tried to book BNExSYD-ZQN.

A basic search for BNE-ZQN returned no QF results.

Searches for both BNE-SYD and SYD-ZQN displayed plenty of availability.

So I tried the multi-city, which allowed it right up to the booking page before throwing up an error.

Phoned and the agent also couldn’t make it work searching BNE-ZQN and said they system won’t allow a multi-city where the city pair is served by a direct service.

In the end she made it work. I’m unsure how.

A further point to note is that BNE-ZQN was showing JQ availability, so I wonder if that’s been coded in as a block too?

I am regularly amazed at how some agents are able to make things "work".
Very impressive.

 

[Mr H]

Phoned and the agent also couldn’t make it work searching BNE-ZQN and said they system won’t allow a multi-city where the city pair is served by a direct service.

That is clearly a nonsense - any search for awards throws up multiple options for routes with stops, even where there is also an option of a direct flight. Why fly direct when you could connect?

 

[Inuniform]

What exactly is this "too good" and when was this "too long" period you speak of?

A OWA is one of the best use of points for a QFF, would you not agree? It makes sense that QF would try to extract some of that value away from the customer in their time of need. Raise points required, raise taxes, take away availability. All of a sudden it becomes too hard and I’m buying a toaster from the QF gift shop.

 

[Mr H]

A OWA is one of the best use of points for a QFF, would you not agree? It makes sense that QF would try to extract some of that value away from the customer in their time of need. Raise points required, raise taxes, take away availability. All of a sudden it becomes too hard and I’m buying a toaster from the QF gift shop.

I would argue that OWAs are a bloody good way to get people flying. If the planes were going to be flying anyway, and you want to increase demand, normalise flying, and reduce the stockpile of FF points, then OWAs is a good way to do it. Right now I can see wide availability like I have never seen it before.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

That got me thinking whether some other cases of "my system's not showing me availability on that flight, sir" are actually a deliberate construct by QF to restrict access to award seats for people booking OWAs.

It's not just OWAs... looking at business class awards CVG (Cincinnati) to Heathrow throws up a dozen or so combinations... often via ORD or DFW, with the TATL in economy only. Yet use the multi-city tool with a forced connection in New York and you can fly business on both sectors. When you do get the flights via JFK, BA is featured prominently (huge fuel surcharges), AA almost hidden.

 

[Captain Halliday]

That is clearly a nonsense - any search for awards throws up multiple options for routes with stops, even where there is also an option of a direct flight. Why fly direct when you could connect?

I agree entirely. There are plenty of examples. So what I was told could be nonsense.

But it's also possible that for seasonal and high-demand routes, QF is blocking indirect options and/or funnelling redemptions onto JQ to maximise revenue.
HNL springs to mind. Or in my case ZQN in both school holidays and peak ski season.

 

[vetrade]

It's not just OWAs... looking at business class awards CVG (Cincinnati) to Heathrow throws up a dozen or so combinations... often via ORD or DFW, with the TATL in economy only. Yet use the multi-city tool with a forced connection in New York and you can fly business on both sectors. When you do get the flights via JFK, BA is featured prominently (huge fuel surcharges), AA almost hidden.

Yes, agree that sometimes you have to jump through hoops to find availability even for standard classic reward redemptions, although my example was to highlight that even when availability is readily visible online, QF might still attempt to deny you access to it.

 

[Noah Count]

although my example was to highlight that even when availability is readily visible online, QF might still attempt to deny you access to it.

This may not be the case and to the best of my knowledge, QF domestic, QF International and QF rewards are all separate entities and there is most likely different availability and internal chargeback rates. If this is the case IMO this is no different from seeing availability across airlines but will accept it causes confusion as it is under the QF brand. In the past I have requested QF domestic seat release to connect to/ from QF and other OW carriers that have not been available via the international flights.

 

[Danger]

A OWA is one of the best use of points for a QFF, would you not agree? It makes sense that QF would try to extract some of that value away from the customer in their time of need. Raise points required, raise taxes, take away availability. All of a sudden it becomes too hard and I’m buying a toaster from the QF gift shop.

I feel Qantas classic oneworld award can provide reasonable valid but (a) that's not how I read your post and (b) Qantas taxes are routinely extortionate, even on this product, which reduces the value.

 

[Mr H]

JAL apparently only release the good seats to elites ahead of check in. I am not elite but wanted business class window seats. I had a brainwave - how about finding an elite FF number and adding it to the booking? So I searched Google Images until I found an emerald number and added it to my booking. I then opened the booking to see whether I had access to the forbidden seats. Unfortunately I didn't, and there was an error message saying my FF number was invalid. So now I know that trick doesn't work

 

[GaryLG]

Just looking at booking flights including one that goes LHR-KUL-PER that QF offered in a search for LHR-PER. There is about 1 hour 40 minutes between the flights.

How easy will it be getting from one flight to the other? Anyone familiar with the airport?

It'll be a mum and bub doing it with hand luggage on their own.

Thanks

 

[Mr H]

Just looking at booking flights including one that goes LHR-KUL-PER that QF offered in a search for LHR-PER. There is about 1 hour 40 minutes between the flights.

How easy will it be getting from one flight to the other? Anyone familiar with the airport?

It'll be a mum and bub doing it with hand luggage on their own.

Thanks

Intl to Intl - should be fine provided your arrival flight is on time. And so long as you are through ticketed, if you miss the connection due to late arrival you will be looked after. The ticketing only allows flights that comply with Minimum Connection Time.

 

[GaryLG]

Intl to Intl - should be fine provided your arrival flight is on time. And so long as you are through ticketed, if you miss the connection due to late arrival you will be looked after. The ticketing only allows flights that comply with Minimum Connection Time.

Thanks. I was hoping that would be the case.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Just looking at booking flights including one that goes LHR-KUL-PER that QF offered in a search for LHR-PER. There is about 1 hour 40 minutes between the flights.

How easy will it be getting from one flight to the other? Anyone familiar with the airport?

It'll be a mum and bub doing it with hand luggage on their own.

Thanks

It's potentially a bit of a trade-off. As Mr H says, worst case scenario and the flight is missed they will reaccommodate you. But that could be next day. While 1hr40 was fine pre-covid, there could be delays ex LHR with covid screening, delays on arrival with covid screening, and transfer delays for checking onward documents (for example that you meet the eligibility requirements for Australia).

Will MH be flying to PER next year? They have taken a huge financial hit due to covid, have had cash injections from the State, and could look to restructure their route network.

The alternative would be longer - to take QF right through to MEL or SYD, and then connect from there to PER. Any problems with late flights and (a) there are regular flights MEL/SYD-PER rather than just one KUL-PER, (b) you are in Australia already and much easier to deal with any problems or delays.

 

[GaryLG]

It's potentially a bit of a trade-off. As Mr H says, worst case scenario and the flight is missed they will reaccommodate you. But that could be next day. While 1hr40 was fine pre-covid, there could be delays ex LHR with covid screening, delays on arrival with covid screening, and transfer delays for checking onward documents (for example that you meet the eligibility requirements for Australia).

Sounds like part of that is addressed by an early arrival at LHR not great for a 1100 dep but doable and hopefully by April WA will let all Australians into the State!

Will MH be flying to PER next year? They have taken a huge financial hit due to covid, have had cash injections from the State, and could look to restructure their route network.

That's scary.

The alternative would be longer - to take QF right through to MEL or SYD, and then connect from there to PER. Any problems with late flights and (a) there are regular flights MEL/SYD-PER rather than just one KUL-PER, (b) you are in Australia already and much easier to deal with any problems or delays.

True though a lot longer and more tedious but I'll have to think about it. Thanks for all this.

 

[Mr H]

If MH pulls the route then you would get on the phone to QF to arrange an alternative routing. Never done this with QF, but it has happened with other network reward bookings and they have been able to open revenue seats for the award booking.

 

[GaryLG]

If MH pulls the route then you would get on the phone to QF to arrange an alternative routing. Never done this with QF, but it has happened with other network reward bookings and they have been able to open revenue seats for the award booking.

Fair enough. Has anyone else had experience with this?

Another question - in looking at MEL_Traveller's suggestion I get QF10 LHR-MEL which actually stops in PER but I cannot get it to show up as a Classic Reward for LHR-PER, why? And what to do?

Hop on the phone? Will that help?

 

[GaryLG]

Looks like the LHR-MEL-PER isn't practical as the flight from London arrives too late to allow sufficient transit time so you end up waiting a day which is not okay.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Fair enough. Has anyone else had experience with this?

Another question - in looking at MEL_Traveller's suggestion I get QF10 LHR-MEL which actually stops in PER but I cannot get it to show up as a Classic Reward for LHR-PER, why? And what to do?

Hop on the phone? Will that help?

Yeah - it can't hurt to get on the phone and ask. See what they suggest, mention you are travelling with a toddler.

If MH pulls out of PER there is absolutely no guarantee that QF will simply create award seats for you to get home another way. The alternative flights could be full, or could have a list of top-tiers waiting to get on.

If you were flying on a Qantas operated flight award and Qantas cancelled I'd expect them to create seats for you, but the same expectation can't be there for partner airlines.

The issue with delays exLHR is not so much that *you* are early, it could be that others aren't. Read a couple of trip reports lately where delays of 30-60 minutes are happening because of all the document checks. Hopefully that will be ironed out at some stage.

 

[GaryLG]

Yeah - it can't hurt to get on the phone and ask. See what they suggest, mention you are travelling with a toddler.

Thanks