Oneworld Classic Flight Reward Discussion - The Definitive Thread

[AL10]

Thanks

 

[ozflier]

Just has 2 separate QF flights from US in mid 2022 cancelled. Waiting for call back said 1 to 2 hours. So far over 3 hours wait.

If you had a ticketed booking ,and QF have cancelled the flight , then you should expect to be given a suitable alternative!

 

[flapper]

What route flapper?

SFO-SYD Monday flights have been cancelled.

 

[Familyman1]

The rules for these oneworld award bookings state: "only one Stopover is permitted in any one city in the Itinerary". But would I be allowed a stopover in both HND and NRT?

 

[Mr H]

The rules for these oneworld award bookings state: "only one Stopover is permitted in any one city in the Itinerary". But would I be allowed a stopover in both HND and NRT?

HND and NRT are in the same city so according to the rules this would not be allowed.

 

[ozflier]

HND and NRT are in the same city so according to the rules this would not be allowed.

You could fly to an airport say Kansai and train it from there to say HND. Depending on how many segments and stopover you have left.

 

[AL10]

Just realised you cannot at the moment enter Japan and transfer from NRT to HND. That takes out a few options from Europe.

Looks like I'll be returning on AY

 

[AL10]

With all this uncertainty, currently deciding whether to book a one world trip for mid next year (Australia - Europe - US - Europe - Australia), or perhaps take a more expensive but maybe(?) more flexible option with award tickets return to Europe (one way using QFF, one way using AA) and then separate tickets between Europe and US (either lifemiles or BA Avios or cash). Not sure I want to get stuck commencing a one world award and then having to change and potentially waste it.

 

[Mr H]

Just realised you cannot at the moment enter Japan and transfer from NRT to HND. That takes out a few options from Europe.

Looks like I'll be returning on AY

I have a booking for September/October that does this. I am more than 50-50 that this will not go ahead. Just not sure when to pull the pin and settle for a week in Fiji instead.

 

[Stusipad]

I'm starting to get nervous on a oneworld award booking l booked (pre Omicron) for April this year.

Melbourne-Tokyo (Qantas)
Toyko-Helnsinki-Rome (Finnair)
Surface Sector
London-Washington (BA)
Washington-Orlando (AA)
Orlando-Charlotte-Las Vegas (AA)
Las Vegas-LAX (AA - Booked separately)
LAX-Tokyo-Sydney (JL)
Sydney-Melbourne (Qantas)

Nothing has been cancelled (yet), but what are the chances of this coming off the rails? What happens if say Finnair decide they aren't going to fly those flights? Is my trip going to turn into chaos trying to find availability on other flights?

Stu

 

[Mattg]

I'm starting to get nervous on a oneworld award booking l booked (pre Omicron) for April this year.

Melbourne-Tokyo (Qantas)
Toyko-Helnsinki-Rome (Finnair)
Surface Sector
London-Washington (BA)
Washington-Orlando (AA)
Orlando-Charlotte-Las Vegas (AA)
Las Vegas-LAX (AA - Booked separately)
LAX-Tokyo-Sydney (JL)
Sydney-Melbourne (Qantas)

Nothing has been cancelled (yet), but what are the chances of this coming off the rails? What happens if say Finnair decide they aren't going to fly those flights? Is my trip going to turn into chaos trying to find availability on other flights?

Stu

I'd be most nervous about the MEL-HND flight on Qantas getting cancelled and Japan's border being open by April. I think the rest might be OK.

Worst case scenario, can you skip Tokyo and find another way to get to Rome? E.g. MEL-SIN on Qantas and SIN-HEL-FCO on Finnair, or MEL-NRT-HEL-FCO on JL and AY with just a transit in Narita instead of a stopover?

 

[Mr H]

I'm starting to get nervous on a oneworld award booking l booked (pre Omicron) for April this year.

...

Nothing has been cancelled (yet), but what are the chances of this coming off the rails? What happens if say Finnair decide they aren't going to fly those flights? Is my trip going to turn into chaos trying to find availability on other flights?

There is the risk of flights being cancelled, but there are other risks too - requirements for Covid testing can change suddenly; borders can close or become restricted (e.g. France has banned transit for non EU nationals); quarantine could be introduced. The really big risk, of course, is that you catch Covid and get sent to Covid-jail while the rest of your itinerary evaporates. Plus, even if it does go ahead, will you find yourself having to wear masks all the time.

 

[DC3]

Before anything else, I’d be looking at a NRT(?) transit (with JL from Oz). Japan is not looking good for allowing tourists in, for quite some time yet (staying airside is okay currently).

 

[BillW]

I'm trying to put together an itinerary a bit out of the ordinary. I want to go to the UK/Ireland and remain there for an extended period.
Re-reading the "How to fly around the World.." guide, I noticed what I hadn't before. That is the example of a long stopover mid trip. This potentially allows me to spread the trip into two years. Is that permissible?
This would allow me to leave Europe midwinter and return once more in the northern spring by flying, say, to Singapore, travelling home via Sydney on a separate ticket, return then to Singapore and back to Europe. It seems a prime case of maximising points.
Then my main concern is how many miles a selected itinerary would be amassing. How can I keep a check on that?

 

[DC3]

… my main concern is how many miles a selected itinerary would be amassing. How can I keep a check on that?

Have you looked at Great Circle Mapper?

Great Circle Mapper

 

[Mattg]

I'm trying to put together an itinerary a bit out of the ordinary. I want to go to the UK/Ireland and remain there for an extended period.
Re-reading the "How to fly around the World.." guide, I noticed what I hadn't before. That is the example of a long stopover mid trip. This potentially allows me to spread the trip into two years. Is that permissible?
This would allow me to leave Europe midwinter and return once more in the northern spring by flying, say, to Singapore, travelling home via Sydney on a separate ticket, return then to Singapore and back to Europe. It seems a prime case of maximising points.
Then my main concern is how many miles a selected itinerary would be amassing. How can I keep a check on that?

This is potentially possible for under 35,000 miles (see example which I put together using Great Circle Mapper). Keep in mind that you need to complete the trip within 12 months.

 

[Stusipad]

I'd be most nervous about the MEL-HND flight on Qantas getting cancelled and Japan's border being open by April. I think the rest might be OK.

Worst case scenario, can you skip Tokyo and find another way to get to Rome? E.g. MEL-SIN on Qantas and SIN-HEL-FCO on Finnair, or MEL-NRT-HEL-FCO on JL and AY with just a transit in Narita instead of a stopover?

Thanks for the feedback, Matt.

As it turns out the Tokyo part of the trip is just a layover, but l broke it up due to different carriers. I should have written it like this:

Melbourne-Tokyo-Helnsinki-Rome (Qantas & Finnair)

If a cancellation by a carrier occurs, do they, (or Qantas) try and reschedule you to another flight? Or does the onus lay on me to choose a different route (and possibly carrier) to keep the trip on the rails?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Thanks for the feedback, Matt.

As it turns out the Tokyo part of the trip is just a layover, but l broke it up due to different carriers. I should have written it like this:

Melbourne-Tokyo-Helnsinki-Rome (Qantas & Finnair)

If a cancellation by a carrier occurs, do they, (or Qantas) try and reschedule you to another flight? Or does the onus lay on me to choose a different route (and possibly carrier) to keep the trip on the rails?

The carrier cancelling a flight will usually put you onto another one of their services... but that service may or may not connect with other flights in your itinerary. For example Qantas cancelled their flight to San Francisco and sent me to LAX instead. But the connecting flights were all out of SFO. Changing the flights out of SFO was the problem and were no longer available in the class originally booked. The passenger is free to find better connections, but they will usually be dependent on award availability.

 

[BillW]

This is potentially possible for under 35,000 miles (see example which I put together using Great Circle Mapper). Keep in mind that you need to complete the trip within 12 months.

View attachment 268180

Thanks Matt. This occurred to me just after my post.
Are there workable strategies to extend?
I realise that no flights can be booked now beyond that timeframe. But, can the trip be changed later, into a second year?

 

[Danger]

There is the risk of flights being cancelled, but there are other risks too - requirements for Covid testing can change suddenly; borders can close or become restricted (e.g. France has banned transit for non EU nationals); quarantine could be introduced. The really big risk, of course, is that you catch Covid and get sent to Covid-jail while the rest of your itinerary evaporates. Plus, even if it does go ahead, will you find yourself having to wear masks all the time.

Where are you getting information that France has banned transit for non-EU nationals?