Oneworld Classic Flight Reward Discussion - The Definitive Thread

[flyingchicken]

I've been trying to book this OWA since 2018 - so I've got a very detailed spreadsheet with all of my previous routes, changes, planning and two alternative routes already here in front of me ready to go.

I always go in prepared because each experience with the call centres I've had during these years has been the same (traumatic). But I also agree with what was said earlier re hearing what the operator has to say before proposing my idea.

UPDATE: After three operators, several drop outs and many hours I finally got my chosen alternative with call centre last night confirmed and paid for. But refused to ticket.

After waiting overnight I decided to start calling again to push the ticket in fear that some QR flights would disappear if not confirmed.

When I received my eticket at lunch (after another three calls beginning at 6am) I see that the lady who made the changes last night, and VERBALLY CONFIRMED every single flight with me before proceeding, has simply deleted one of my key connecting flights in error, stranding me in KUL.

I've already had one attempt (and 3.5hrs) trying to get it fixed with them today, ultimately being hung up on again with no resolution. There's 100% no other availability now, and no similar re-routing options as she deleted my flight less than a month out. On hold again currently.

Am at my wits end...

 

[Mr H]

UPDATE: After three operators, several drop outs and many hours I finally got my chosen alternative with call centre last night confirmed and paid for. But refused to ticket.

After waiting overnight I decided to start calling again to push the ticket in fear that some QR flights would disappear if not confirmed.

When I received my eticket at lunch (after another three calls beginning at 6am) I see that the lady who made the changes last night, and VERBALLY CONFIRMED every single flight with me before proceeding, has simply deleted one of my key connecting flights in error, stranding me in KUL.

I've already had one attempt (and 3.5hrs) trying to get it fixed with them today, ultimately being hung up on again with no resolution. There's 100% no other availability now, and no similar re-routing options as she deleted my flight less than a month out. On hold again currently.

Am at my wits end...

If only you had Check My Trip you could have verified the new itinerary before the end of the call.

 

[flyingchicken]

If only you had Check My Trip you could have verified the new itinerary before the end of the call.

I verbally confirmed every flight, number, carrier and time with the CSR on the phone before confirming and paying fees.

So I didn't think it was too crazy of me to assume that this was then what I was actually getting and paying for. I don't know anything about the Check My Trip system, host or how quickly it actually updates data from Amadeus. But it seems a bit haphazard to use it as a primary source of truth over Qantas directly? Especially when she's literally on the call with me reading me out the itinerary flight by flight.

 

[Mr H]

I don't know anything about the Check My Trip system, host or how quickly it actually updates data from Amadeus. But it seems a bit haphazard to use it as a primary source of truth over Qantas directly?

Your experience suggests otherwise, though.

 

[djkelly69]

As an aside, as a bronze, rj doesn't work for me.

That is weird, don't think status should effect it.

You could try manage my booking on basically all OW airline's websites and it should work.

 

[Oubline]

Anyone know how to work out how to track what and why QF are charging in fees and taxes after the fact?

Just got another charge from them and not sure why.

Someone mentioned ordering an e-ticket receipt through the Finnair Manage Booking page. This does have a breakdown of sorts for taxes in the email that arrives.

 

[GaryLG]

Someone mentioned ordering an e-ticket receipt through the Finnair Manage Booking page. This does have a breakdown of sorts for taxes in the email that arrives.

I'll give that a try though I've been paying for 3 different tickets so may not help.

 

[gfraser]

I have a OWA trip for later this year in Business using Japan Airlines and Iberia.
I have reserved seats on Japan but don’t seem to be able to reserve seats on Iberia. Any hints?

 

[Danger]

With the rerouting of PER-LHR to DRW-LHR, Qantas put me on DRW-PER to connect, adding a sector to my J oneworld award. At the time of speaking with Qantas to confirm that change, I changed my routing slightly. With the addition of DRW-PER, I now have 17 sectors - one too many. Qantas's solution has been to put the final MEL-PER on a separate ticket at my own expense (i.e. 41.5K). So far I'm not having much luck convincing QF to compromise on that.

 

[Mr H]

With the rerouting of PER-LHR to DRW-LHR, Qantas put me on DRW-PER to connect, adding a sector to my J oneworld award. At the time of speaking with Qantas to confirm that change, I changed my routing slightly. With the addition of DRW-PER, I now have 17 sectors - one too many. Qantas's solution has been to put the final MEL-PER on a separate ticket at my own expense (i.e. 41.5K). So far I'm not having much luck convincing QF to compromise on that.

If you have 17 sectors now then some of them are bound to be short. Perhaps some don’t even have proper J (e.g. European flights). Could you drop one and do it as a cheap cash flight at your own expense instead of blowing a stack of points on an Australian domestic flight?

 

[vetrade]

I have a OWA trip for later this year in Business using Japan Airlines and Iberia.
I have reserved seats on Japan but don’t seem to be able to reserve seats on Iberia. Any hints?

Read post 10,880

 

[gfraser]

Read post 10,880

I have the IB booking reference but I can’t see where on the IB site I can reserve seats

 

[Lynda2475]

My flight number and time changed for my GLA-LHR leg, previously I ahd been abel to select seat for this leg via QF, but not at the moment so I went into BA website using the QF booking Ref, BA says I can select a seat for free but when I go into the select seats screen there are only 8 euro class seats on the map and all are showing as unavailable. Weird, given its a very short flight, wonder if they are holding seat selection until close to departure incase higehr status BA customers book later. I dont really care which seast i end up in on this leg as its the shortest one on my trip.

While I was there I notice BA allows you to select seats for AA legs whereas QF does not. When I clicked on the AA leg, BA showed me the AA reference number (why QF doesnt do this is beyond me), so instead of choosing AA seats via BA, I just used the BA ref to connect to AA and chose primo seats there.

I have the IB booking reference but I can’t see where on the IB site I can reserve seats

Try using you QF ref to log into BA and see if you can choose from there.

 

[vetrade]

I have the IB booking reference but I can’t see where on the IB site I can reserve seats

At the IB website go to Your Flights -> Early Seat Booking in the LHS column

 

[Inuniform]

I assume it's CFU, not CRF - the itinerary looks OK. You would be doing two transits and one stop in Tokyo so that should be OK. So long as the transit OKA-HND-SYD is less than 24 hours it should be compliant with the rules. So that looks like either a married sector issue or a problem with the agent.

The only other possibility is an issue with flight classes - from memory JL's business class domestic offering (Class J) does not sit neatly within the normal system and you might need to take Y.

Below is the J Class flight I am trying to add to my existing OWA booking as explained earlier. I have spoken to 3 separate CSR's from the Fiji call centre and none have been able to assist, stating that JL won't allow it. I am at a loss to explain why this is happening other than it's too complicated and the CSR's in Fiji, too inexperienced. I am on the verge of giving up, however it is extremely frustrating to have to pay for a segment that is available to be booked under the rules of the reward.

 

[gfraser]

At the IB website go to Your Flights -> Early Seat Booking in the LHS column

Even though the seats are in Business , Iberia won’t allow and I tried BA and they showed the seats can only be allocated at check- in

 

[Captain Halliday]

At the IB website go to Your Flights -> Early Seat Booking in the LHS column

Even though the seats are in Business , Iberia won’t allow and I tried BA and they showed the seats can only be allocated at check- in

All the seat selection questions and discussion over the last couple of days would be better addressed in the Seat allocation help desk.

You’re more likely to find members there with thr specific knowledge to assist you.

Keeping this thread on topic would just be a bonus.

 

[Noah Count]

@Captain Halliday agree with your comments re seat selection. When I book OW rewards I ask the QF agent to do my seat selection at the time of booking, when adding flights or making a change. It takes away the need to call back, get other carriers PNRs and log into different carriers web sites etc. Maybe I am the exception rather than the norm but when I make changes or add to OW rewards flights I have already worked out (generally) what aircraft type I will be on and what the seat map looks like. There are heaps of tools out there to help you with this process e.g. EF, seat guru etc.

 

[Noah Count]

I assume it's CFU, not CRF - the itinerary looks OK. You would be doing two transits and one stop in Tokyo so that should be OK. So long as the transit OKA-HND-SYD is less than 24 hours it should be compliant with the rules. So that looks like either a married sector issue or a problem with the agent.

The only other possibility is an issue with flight classes - from memory JL's business class domestic offering (Class J) does not sit neatly within the normal system and you might need to take Y.

Agree

Below is the J Class flight I am trying to add to my existing OWA booking as explained earlier. I have spoken to 3 separate CSR's from the Fiji call centre and none have been able to assist, stating that JL won't allow it. I am at a loss to explain why this is happening other than it's too complicated and the CSR's in Fiji, too inexperienced. I am on the verge of giving up, however it is extremely frustrating to have to pay for a segment that is available to be booked under the rules of the reward.

J Class in the JL system is not what we in AU would consider business. For domestic JL travel there is F, economy and J class. J class is Y at the front end of the economy section maybe with some more leg room. There is no additional food service if any at all. I would also suggest that what the agents can see and book is consistent with what can(not) be booked under the fare rules. I recall going through the same frustration a few years back and ended up booking revenue fares for JL domestic flights. What JL do is not too dissimilar to US F/J or MU F/J and there will be other carriers who do the same thing. As far as I'm aware there is no international standard for fare buckets other than F,J and Y.

 

[GaryLG]

All this talk about domestic JL seats have made me realise my booking on a ITM-HND flight is no longer listed on my ticket!!!

Qantas and JL didn't say anything to me and it must have happened in the last fortnight though. I guess until we know for sure we can travel in Japan it is a moot point but still!!