Qantas no longer providing UL flight bookings on major routes

[Jester38]

I have been trying to do a points booking on Qantas for MEL-CMB direct on UL and could not work out why I could only get MEL-SIN-CMB with a joint QF/UL flights. Previously, it has been possible to make bookings on all UL flights on the Qantas website. I rang Qantas and they eventually told me that they no longer have an arrangement with SriLankan Air to sell key UL flights. I know that UL is in a bad financial shape and saw some other comments that they could go bankrupt. Also saw on ExpertFlyer that there are flights scheduled for every day in April/May when we want to go but there is an identical plan of minimal seat bookings day after day which seems to suggest there are no forward bookings. Can anyone shed any light on this? Feeling like there is less risk in simply flying Singapore Airlines via SIN to MLE even though I pass up on lounge/other member benefits.......

 

[aikman]

Screenshot from a random search. May 5.

 

[Jester38]

I have tried repeatedly for my preferred dates (27 April outbound) and it simply would not come up. And when I rang the FF site, they told me they could not get it? Dumb question but can you tell me you did this (assume look at flight booking, select use points, fill out the details and this comes up??) And thank you for the response....

 

[aikman]

I remember reading from one of the AFF newsletters that for whatever reason SriLankan was only releasing 1 business award seat per flight and 0 economy award seats. Which doesn't help if you need more than 1 seat.

Maybe some else can comment on whether a 2nd seat will become available after you book the 1st one.

 

[Mattg]

I remember reading from one of the AFF newsletters that for whatever reason SriLankan was only releasing 1 business award seat per flight and 0 economy award seats. Which doesn't help if you need more than 1 seat.

Maybe some else can comment on whether a 2nd seat will become available after you book the 1st one.

They are also only releasing seats from MEL to CMB, not from CMB to MEL. And yes, only one seat per flight (more don't become available if you book it). It's weird.

Great SriLankan Airlines Award Availability from Australia

Finding Business Class award availability out of Australia on Oneworld airlines is often a challenge. But if you'd like to redeem your Qantas points to

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

I rang Qantas and they eventually told me that they no longer have an arrangement with SriLankan Air to sell key UL flights

Unfortunately you need to take anything you hear from the Qantas call centre (especially if it's one of the outsourced ones) with a grain of salt. Some of the overseas-based staff are clueless and just make stuff up.

In any case, I suspect this comment is to do with commercial airfare codeshares on routes like SIN-CMB. Qantas can still sell UL award seats as UL is a Oneworld airline.

 

[Jester38]

Agree. Tried some random dates in May and still could not get the UL option - everything via SIN. Ah, can do a mixed class fare on Singapore with only one stop so think I will stick with that. Much more reliable.

 

[AIRwin]

Another one to add to this thread:

Incorrect information you've been given by Qantas Contact Centre

As Qantas continues to outsource its contact centres, with more and more calls being answered in Manila & Cape Town, myself and many others have noticed a severe deterioration in the quality of the service provided. It's become so bad, in fact, that I've decided not to re-qualify for Qantas...

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Agree. Tried some random dates in May and still could not get the UL option - everything via SIN. Ah, can do a mixed class fare on Singapore with only one stop so think I will stick with that. Much more reliable.

Make sure you select ‘classic award’. I found the flight on May 5 indicated above, also May7. And also other days with full business class via SIN, KUL or DEL (using qantas or other carriers and connecting in each of those to UL)