"oneworld" award (132.4K/249.6K/318K/455K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

[Mr H]

Looks like it's happening to a lot of people and maybe they started doing audits?
I just hope it wasn't someone who brought it up to their attention. it should be the same rule as error fares...

With respect, many airlines do not honour error fares and anyone who manages to get an error fare ticketed would be nuts to make changes to the booking.

 

[Warragul]

Just completed booking and ticketing a OWA for Aug-Oct next year ( 2 people in Business Class), approx $1800 fees/taxes pp

CBR-SYD-AKL-JFK (QF) - Stop 1
JFK-CMN (AT) - Stop 2
CMN-BCN-AMM (AT/RJ) - Stop 3
AMM-FRA (RJ) - Stop 4
FRA-NRT (JL) - Stop 5
ITM-HND-SYD (surface between TYO-OSA)

Will try to add the SYD-CBR Dash 8 dash later, but not too fussed if they play silly buggers and I need a separate redemption for that - or heaven forbid a commercial Y fare.

I enrolled in JL Freqeunt Flyer for the search capability and ultimately never used, is there any benefit in adding the JMB number to the JL booking site instead of the QF number (I'm QF Gold)?

Having read through this thread prior to starting the booking process, it was a great assistance - thank you to all contributors. Things I noticed and picked up along the way -

• Lots of availibilty for 1 seat in J, 2 seats a bit tricky especially on AT and RJ.
• The number of times I was told that I couldn't add to an award booking noticable reduced over time (started booking early Sept, finished yesterday). Knowledge and experience seems to be improving, the operator yesterday (Fiji I think), looked at my booking and mentioned that I had a OW Classic award booking.
• I tried to book within a day or two of availability showing on the website, quite often it seemed that there was a slight delay before the call centre could see this. This did happen with a HBA operator as well as elsewhere, how I fluked that connection I don't know.
• Very much a lottery as to whether the operator (from most locales) had the knowledge/skill to complete the booking request. All very polite in saying can't be done. I just said thank you very much and called again. Having the prior knowledge that this would be an issue made this much easier to cope with and to stay calm and above all polite. I could sense the relaxation on the voice at the other of the phone by asking how they are etc.
• The biggest drama seemed to be with re ticketing after each booking change. Some call centre staff said its all good just go on the queue, most did try to expediate it and said it would be done in around 90 minutes (wishful thinking). Uusually a follow up call the next day required. Having the Royal Air Maroc bookings disaappear due to this maybe makes it seem more dramatic to me. That was resolved the same day as them dropping off and my ringing up saying HELP. My last booking took two calls to get the reticketing done. The last operator, very helpful and persistant, saw that the auto cancel was going to happen and said we have to get this done now and contacted the ticketing 'department', where she was number 50 in the queue. 90 minutes later (and my phone dropped out - she called me back), the tickets were re-issued. My take is the ticketing 'department' is under the pump.

Ultimately a successful although slightly stressful experience which I probably wouldn't do for Y class, but knowiing what I know now it would be that much easier next time - unlikely as getting the number of points took a very long time. I'll be watching the bookings like a hawk to catch any changes for reticketing.

I did join Award Nexus, which was not that helpful as I was generally booking as soon as availability was on the QF website which pretty much matched theaward nexus (or sometimes QF showed more). I have some leftover credit, which I'm happy to use to do some searches for people in need of information, as I don't see me needing it. PM me about that

Cheers.

 

[levelnine]

I enrolled in JL Freqeunt Flyer for the search capability and ultimately never used, is there any benefit in adding that to the JL booking site instead of the QF number (I'm QF Gold)?

A somewhat similar trip to one I have planned for next year.

To answer your question, if you mean adding the flights to your JL profile, there's no benefit.

What I have done with my booking is add it to the CheckMyTrip app on my iPhone as it often alerts me to flight changes before Qantas does.

 

[Kerrodt]

I just hope it wasn't someone who brought it up to their attention. it should be the same rule as error fares..

....errrr like al the people here now talking about it, bringing it to their attention.....

 

[Warragul]

To answer your question, if you mean adding the flights to your JL profile, there's no benefit.

Not my profile, my personal info on the booking as shown on the jal website. Currently has my QF number. Given I will still have gold status and travelling in J class, I'm guessing there is no benefit in having my JL number there.

Have the CMT app and the apps for QF,JL,AT and RJ with notifications turned on. Funnily enough first schedule change received this morning for one of the QF flights, the eticket came an hour later.

 

[levelnine]

Currently has my QF number. Given I will still have gold status and travelling in J class, I'm guessing there is no benen fit in having myy JL number there.

No benefit. I would keep my Qantas number in there because Gold will confer some marginal benefits over J benefits (eg extra baggage allowance).

 

[SydneySwan]

Today;

11.05 CMT alerted me to a timing change on QF41 (first flight of my OWA) on 01/08/23. Departure moved back 10 mins.
11.25 Qantas email advising me of change, telling me I don't need to do anything and an updated ticket is on its way.
11.34 Qantas new e-ticket arrives.

Qantas admin improving?

 

[am0985]

I was just reading this thread the last few days about QF refunding or not charging points on OWA booking.
I have an old booking still at 280k for 2 pax. I did multiple changes early 2021 and saw them only charging me for 1 pax, even thought they send through a eTicket for 2pax.
I was close to using it December 2021 to fly OWA but 5 days before departure I decided to book another trip to Thailand instead at the time (covid spike).

Now, I have made more changes since then and they have never corrected the points until today - They just deducted 280,000 from me last booking change I made was 21/09/22.

Looks like it's happening to a lot of people and maybe they started doing audits?
I just hope it wasn't someone who brought it up to their attention. it should be the same rule as error fares...

Edit add-on ***

View attachment 303982
It wasn't even a Cancel / Add... they just took the 280,000 which had the error since beginning of 2021. I'm starting to wonder if they would still take this 280k if I had already did my travel back in Dec 21.
Maybe they would have, I should've just transferred all my points to my partners account. HAHA

Also, before you start saying I should pay for what is due... I am just frustrated at QF and I wanted to take this as a WIN for all the time I have wasted with their call center staff + all the stress, which I am still going through right now on another OWA departing 22 Dec this year.

It's completely fair for them to take this. As I said I've booked a OWA which seems to have been accidentally refunded 318,000 points meaning 0 points booking, but if Qantas take the points from my account at any time before now and departure I'll be disappointed on a personal level but can't complain. Will keep the 318,000 points in my account just in case.

If this is how they resolve the problem rather than canceling the entire ticket, then no harm done.

 

[blu]

11.34 Qantas new e-ticket arrives.
Qantas admin improving?

I've had two minor schedule changes for QF8, today was 20 mins. But no advisory emails, just an alert in MMB with no option to accept. First noticed it with CMT. Guess they haven't required reticketing.
However, I can open MMB on Qatar website where there is an option to "acknowledge" the QF schedule change. Inconsistent?

 

[Mr H]

I've had two minor schedule changes for QF8, today was 20 mins. But no advisory emails, just an alert in MMB with no option to accept. First noticed it with CMT. Guess they haven't required reticketing.
However, I can open MMB on Qatar website where there is an option to "acknowledge" the QF schedule change. Inconsistent?

Do not trust MMB ever. CMT is the source of truth. Check on CMT that all your flights still have ticket numbers.

 

[cjd600]

QF12 45min change departure time
CMT email 8.54am
QF email 9.28am
Had to accept change (did so in afternoon)
QF re-issue tickets 6pm

 

[k_sheep]

For reference as a gold:
I had 4 flights disappear from the middle of my booking (AY PRG-HEL, HEL-WAW, QR WAW-DOH, DOH-DEL). They were bookings over xmas, so of course there was no availability. Luckily - I was actually planning on pushing the date of these flights out anyway. If not I'd be a very unhappy camper.

Phone call 1, answered in 45 seconds, I _think_ Fiji. 10 ish minutes poking around my booking, said 'I can see this flight was cancelled on 11th august, and this one' ... hung up on me halfway through sentence.

Phone call 2, answered immediately. Couldn't pick the accent and didn't ask. Very difficult to hear with sound cutting in and out. We confused each other a lot. She said she had reinstated it all but in economy and was talking about the date changes for the first flight (which I absolutely did NOT want changed). I thought about hanging up at this stage but persevered. Eventually got her to understand I had found availability for other dates, and we went through them. Then at the end she was talking about ticketing, and I was on hold for over an hour. She actually popped back on partway through to reassure me she was still there. Then she uttered the dreaded 'I'll call you back in about an hour'. I had nothing to lose so agreed.

She DID call back! Immediately put me on hold for 20 mins though, not sure what the point of that was. Anyway, it seems she got it sorted, and I just had to pay $48 extra in taxes (no availability for a MEL-MCY flight so had to go via SYD so not really surprising). Happily handed over my CC.

About 18 hours later, updated itinerary in my email, new ticket number in CMT. Cautious optimism! First flight is in less than 3 weeks ...

 

[Danger]

...
I just hope it wasn't someone who brought it up to their attention. it should be the same rule as error fares...

...

What's the rule for so-called "error fares"?

 

[am0985]

Thought I’d post my OWA. All in J of course. Taxes about $1500, LHR added on a fair bit of course but family are in U.K. and didn’t want to piss around going through other airports!

I did have to cheat a bit on this one though…

MEL - NRT
HND - JFK
JFK - GRU - GIG (cheated - LATAM with 85k points + 55 AUD)
GRU - LHR
LHR - CMB
CMB - MEL

Going in August and September next year. Not many great OW options from N America to S America (or through S America at all thanks to LATAM joining SkyTeam).

JFK - GRU is on a Sunday, researched it means I get LATAM’s new 1-2-1 Business Class rather than their 2-2-2. Also GRU - LHR should be in BA’s new Club Suite.

Hoping Sri Lanka situation is relatively stable, wanted to go to Malaysia then instead but sadly MH availability disappeared around late Sep 2023 despite being pretty available before then. Might be a bit rainy in SL but I’ve read can still have a good time there.

 

[Mr H]

Might be a bit rainy in SL but I’ve read can still have a good time there.

The two sides of Sri Lanka have different Monsoon periods - so choose your destination within Sri Lanka carefully. In September I would be looking at the less fashionable north east coast (Trincomalee?).

 

[levelnine]

What's the rule for so-called "error fares"?

There is no such rule. Each airline treats them differently.

 

[Mr H]

There is no such rule. Each airline treats them differently.

And often on a case by case basis - factoring in the number of bookings, scale of the error, potential for good or bad publicity, etc.

 

[cjd600]

What's the rule for so-called "error fares"?

Assume its "Do not talk about it"

 

[jeza]

I've flown the first half of my J OWA, the itinerary & some of my experiences so far below.

Flown
PER-BKK MH Stop
BKK-MAD QR Stop
BER-SIN QR Stop

Still to (hopefully) fly in May 23
BKK-CDG AY Stop
CDG-DOH QR Stop
DOH-ADL QR

• Managed to book online in early June 22 via the multi city option with the first flight in early September 22 & given ticketing issues others were experiencing didn't try to add sectors to fill in the gaps.
• Prior to flying when timing changes occurred I was able to accept on QF website & new ticket was reissued automatically, did take a few hours though
• 1st flight out of PER was delayed for over an hour which caused me to miss my tight connection KUL-BKK
• MH at the airport booked another J flight for later the same day, they were very helpful & easy to deal with. Maybe if having to book tight connections try to get on a route that has multiple flight to the same destination on that same day.
• This flight has it's own separate ticket number to the rest of the itinerary
• Whilst in Spain AY issued a notice of change to a different flight on the HEL-CDG leg due to changes to the timing of the BKK-HEL leg.
• QR a couple of weeks later sent notice of timing change which got me a bit nervous with their propensity to cancel.
• WiFi call to get ticket reissued with Capetown. Found the agent very helpful & did the change of flight but as seems to often be the case it was an issue for them to get through to ticketing. I had to leave the call as I had something on & it took a few hours but ticket did reissue. Very grateful to the Capetown agent for following through
• Reissued ticket initially came in the form of the Amadeus E-Ticket & is in 3 separate parts or emails with 3 different ticket numbers under the one PNR.
• One for before any flights were flown, one for the MH KUL-BKK leg & one that shows the remaining flights after the AY & QR changes & this only has from BER-SIN flights onwards listed. On AY under Passenger Details-> E-Ticket & Document numbers you can see this information
• It has taken a while to catch up but AY will now issue all 3 parts in PDF form with the corresponding ticket numbers whilst QF PDF lists all the flights showing which segments have been flown but does not show any ticket number details at all.
• MH hard product was average but service was friendly
• QR 787 window seats (A&K) I found a bit squishy with a small footwell, I'm around 175cms tall. A380 liked the seat felt more spacious & A350 backward facing 5K seat is great! Service was consistently good on all flights.

Just under 200 days until my next flight just hope I can keep the ticket alive!

 

[ozflier]

I rece

Just completed booking and ticketing a OWA for Aug-Oct next year ( 2 people in Business Class), approx $1800 fees/taxes pp

CBR-SYD-AKL-JFK (QF) - Stop 1
JFK-CMN (AT) - Stop 2
CMN-BCN-AMM (AT/RJ) - Stop 3
AMM-FRA (RJ) - Stop 4
FRA-NRT (JL) - Stop 5
ITM-HND-SYD (surface between TYO-OSA)

Will try to add the SYD-CBR Dash 8 dash later, but not too fussed if they play silly buggers and I need a separate redemption for that - or heaven forbid a commercial Y fare.

I enrolled in JL Freqeunt Flyer for the search capability and ultimately never used, is there any benefit in adding the JMB number to the JL booking site instead of the QF number (I'm QF Gold)?

Having read through this thread prior to starting the booking process, it was a great assistance - thank you to all contributors. Things I noticed and picked up along the way -

• Lots of availibilty for 1 seat in J, 2 seats a bit tricky especially on AT and RJ.
• The number of times I was told that I couldn't add to an award booking noticable reduced over time (started booking early Sept, finished yesterday). Knowledge and experience seems to be improving, the operator yesterday (Fiji I think), looked at my booking and mentioned that I had a OW Classic award booking.
• I tried to book within a day or two of availability showing on the website, quite often it seemed that there was a slight delay before the call centre could see this. This did happen with a HBA operator as well as elsewhere, how I fluked that connection I don't know.
• Very much a lottery as to whether the operator (from most locales) had the knowledge/skill to complete the booking request. All very polite in saying can't be done. I just said thank you very much and called again. Having the prior knowledge that this would be an issue made this much easier to cope with and to stay calm and above all polite. I could sense the relaxation on the voice at the other of the phone by asking how they are etc.
• The biggest drama seemed to be with re ticketing after each booking change. Some call centre staff said its all good just go on the queue, most did try to expediate it and said it would be done in around 90 minutes (wishful thinking). Uusually a follow up call the next day required. Having the Royal Air Maroc bookings disaappear due to this maybe makes it seem more dramatic to me. That was resolved the same day as them dropping off and my ringing up saying HELP. My last booking took two calls to get the reticketing done. The last operator, very helpful and persistant, saw that the auto cancel was going to happen and said we have to get this done now and contacted the ticketing 'department', where she was number 50 in the queue. 90 minutes later (and my phone dropped out - she called me back), the tickets were re-issued. My take is the ticketing 'department' is under the pump.

Ultimately a successful although slightly stressful experience which I probably wouldn't do for Y class, but knowiing what I know now it would be that much easier next time - unlikely as getting the number of points took a very long time. I'll be watching the bookings like a hawk to catch any changes for reticketing.

I did join Award Nexus, which was not that helpful as I was generally booking as soon as availability was on the QF website which pretty much matched theaward nexus (or sometimes QF showed more). I have some leftover credit, which I'm happy to use to do some searches for people in need of information, as I don't see me needing it. PM me about that

Cheers.

I recently flew similar sectors on Royal Air Maroc and Jordanian and have to say they were very impressive .
I flew JFK to CMM and was gobsmacked by the quality of the food and wine and the comfortable seats on AT.