Oneworld Classic Flight Reward Discussion - The Definitive Thread

[Ross Pringle]

Hi all

Just booked my first OWA after several dummy runs, begins in May and ends in September. $1298 in fees etc.

SYD-BLR(transit 18 hrs)-LHR Stop QF and BA
LHR-IST Stop BA
FRA-HEL Stop AY
HEL_HKG Stop AY but really 2 day transit due to flight availability
HKG-PER CX end.

Received my e-ticket pdf and can see my booking on each airline. So hopefully OK.


Ross

 

[TomYagher]

I have never had a flight reinstated via the One World desk - only if a flight has come back into award inventory.

And turned out me being hopeful was a silly idea. UL 'offered' me a flight the next day...but it wasn't really an offer because as you said, the award space was open and searchable for everyone on the new flight.

Thankfully I had already sorted out another routing which Hobart managed to calculate taxes on and ticket within an hour of me calling. Annoyingly added another 250 dollars, however does mean I get a different transit in a city I haven't visited yet. Win some, lose some.

Agent still thought it was strange UL and MH cancelled 8 of my segments so quickly. She said usually happens if the ticket isn't reissued within a couple of days, but for me it was less than an hour.

8 days to go...

 

[encryptededdy]

but for me it was less than an hour.

I wonder if the first agent actually made a mistake and cancelled them

 

[TomYagher]

I wonder if the first agent actually made a mistake and cancelled them

I don't think so, somehow I lucked out and had the same two agents dealing with it from Hobart, they seemed to know what they were doing. I remember telling the second agent the name of the first one and he said she was sitting next to him so he just asked her what was going on.

Original agent had confirmed all the flights with me before putting it in the ticketing queue, I think it was just UL and MH trying to be annoying/possibly even using the system to get award seats back for revenue sales.

 

[Mr H]

Agent still thought it was strange UL and MH cancelled 8 of my segments so quickly. She said usually happens if the ticket isn't reissued within a couple of days, but for me it was less than an hour.

I lost MH flights within four hours of a ticketed flight being changed. It may have been even sooner but I have no way of knowing.

 

[Maybloomer]

Hi all

Just booked my first OWA after several dummy runs, begins in May and ends in September. $1298 in fees etc.

SYD-BLR(transit 18 hrs)-LHR Stop QF and BA
LHR-IST Stop BA
FRA-HEL Stop AY
HEL_HKG Stop AY but really 2 day transit due to flight availability
HKG-PER CX end.

Received my e-ticket pdf and can see my booking on each airline. So hopefully OK.


Ross

Qantas and Cathay should allow you to pick your seats on their respective websites using your Booking Ref No. Not sure about AY, no go with BA.

 

[turnipapple]

Is this correct - once a OWA journey begins it's not possible to change it?

What would you do if you needed to change one of your flights for whatever reason? Just lose the rest of the itinerary?

 

[Warragul]

Is this correct - once a OWA journey begins it's not possible to change it?

What would you do if you needed to change one of your flights for whatever reason? Just lose the rest of the itinerary?

It depends.... I think. My understanding is no changes at least on partner carriers after commencement of travel. Have a read of section 14.7 of Qantas Frequent Flyer Terms & Conditions and see where your scenario fits.
https://www.qantas.com/au/en/freque...ms-and-conditions.html#classic-flight-rewards

 

[Jacques Vert]

Is this correct - once a OWA journey begins it's not possible to change it?

What would you do if you needed to change one of your flights for whatever reason? Just lose the rest of the itinerary?

Can only change date and/or time of a flight.

 

[cambriamarsh]

Can only change date and/or time of a flight.

And class, eg Y to J

 

[Jacques Vert]

And class, eg Y to J

Where does it say that?

14.7.8a would suggest not.

 

[turnipapple]

It depends.... I think. My understanding is no changes at least on partner carriers after commencement of travel. Have a read of section 14.7 of Qantas Frequent Flyer Terms & Conditions and see where your scenario fits.
https://www.qantas.com/au/en/freque...ms-and-conditions.html#classic-flight-rewards

Thank you! I'll have a read of this

Can only change date and/or time of a flight.

That's great, thank you

 

[cambriamarsh]

Where does it say that?

14.7.8a would suggest not.

I've done it NAP to LGW

 

[Warragul]

I've done it NAP to LGW

Of course what is in the terms and conditions appears not to be consistently applied by QF call centre, which can be a plus or a minus.

 

[PaulyB]

I'd appreciate some input about splitting a J OWA into two trips. I want to make a decision before the current offer of a free change until Dec 31 ends because getting out of Tokyo and back to Sydney is proving to be a Jenga of flights with one leg in Prem Econ.

If I make the split, Part 1 would end in Tokyo in October, next year and we would pay to return back to Sydney - probably with JL in Prem Ec.

I would then pick up the second leg from somewhere in the region outside Australia, about June/July 2024, making sure I was back by Aug 11 which is when we left.

Are there any traps, pitfalls or challenges in dealing with managing this? We will have enough miles

Thanks!

 

[Kangol]

I'd appreciate some input about splitting a J OWA into two trips. I want to make a decision before the current offer of a free change until Dec 31 ends because getting out of Tokyo and back to Sydney is proving to be a Jenga of flights with one leg in Prem Econ.

If I make the split, Part 1 would end in Tokyo in October, next year and we would pay to return back to Sydney - probably with JL in Prem Ec.

I would then pick up the second leg from somewhere in the region outside Australia, about June/July 2024, making sure I was back by Aug 11 which is when we left.

Are there any traps, pitfalls or challenges in dealing with managing this? We will have enough miles

Thanks!

Where exactly do you want to go?
I've done a few from: Australia-Europe-Asia (HKG or SIN usually, sometimes NRT/HND), then use a different ticket to get home.
Position back to Asia and picking up the same ticket from Asia-US-Australia.
The challenges include availability - back then CX and JL had good award space. Most of mine were F though, not J.
Making changes once you've flown at least one leg of the ticket can also be an issue.
I suppose it all depends on what your intended plans are.

 

[PaulyB]

Where exactly do you want to go?
I've done a few from: Australia-Europe-Asia (HKG or SIN usually, sometimes NRT/HND), then use a different ticket to get home.
Position back to Asia and picking up the same ticket from Asia-US-Australia.
The challenges include availability - back then CX and JL had good award space. Most of mine were F though, not J.
Making changes once you've flown at least one leg of the ticket can also be an issue.
I suppose it all depends on what your intended plans are.

Thanks for this.
For some background - the first part is Syd - LHR via BLR and and return to NRT., Dep Aug 11 2023 and getting to NRT, Oct 20.
The second could well be AKL - BKK and back to SYD. We would have to be bak in SYD by Aug 10

But I think the most important part of this is "

Making changes once you've flown at least one leg of the ticket can also be an issue.

I'd forgotten that. I would actually be able to create the new itinerary before leaving on the first leg in Aug 2023 although it would obviously be better to book something for June/July as I am a lowly Bronze. It will cost points to add.

Given that, are there any other forseeable challenges/worse case scenario apart from availabliltiy and uninformed staff??!

 

[aikman]

I'd appreciate some input about splitting a J OWA into two trips. I want to make a decision before the current offer of a free change until Dec 31 ends because getting out of Tokyo and back to Sydney is proving to be a Jenga of flights with one leg in Prem Econ.

If I make the split, Part 1 would end in Tokyo in October, next year and we would pay to return back to Sydney - probably with JL in Prem Ec.

I would then pick up the second leg from somewhere in the region outside Australia, about June/July 2024, making sure I was back by Aug 11 which is when we left.

Are there any traps, pitfalls or challenges in dealing with managing this? We will have enough miles

Thanks!

More trouble than it's worth in my opinion.

So to get from Trip 1 and connect to Trip 2, you'd have to book separate tickets NRT-SYD-Asia. Whatever you are spending on that separate ticket, you might as well use as your Trip 2 in 2024 ie. SYD-Asia-SYD. Same total cost in the end but it's a lot cleaner - you end up with two standalone trips with the flexibility to change plans on Trip 2.

 

[Mr H]

More trouble than it's worth in my opinion.

So to get from Trip 1 and connect to Trip 2, you'd have to book separate tickets NRT-SYD-Asia. Whatever you are spending on that separate ticket, you might as well use as your Trip 2 in 2024 ie. SYD-Asia-SYD. Same total cost in the end but it's a lot cleaner - you end up with two standalone trips with the flexibility to change plans on Trip 2.

Pauly's problem is that he can't easily get a redemption into/out of Australia - a common problem - but is finding availability on non-Australian routes. Having a nested revenue return to Australia seems like a neat solution if it is affordable, although getting back from Trip 2 is still going to be an issue.

 

[PaulyB]

All good input. Thank you.

Having a nested revenue return to Australia seems like a neat solution if it is affordable, although getting back from Trip 2 is still going to be an issue.

The current return journey from Tokyo is meandering; HND-MNL-HKG-SYD and the overnight last leg is in Prem Econ which is the last thing we want, with CX. I guess the question is, do I take my chances with the possibility of more flight options, the fact that it isn't quite a peak season plus maybe the staff will be better?

As Aikman says,

Same total cost in the end but it's a lot cleaner - you end up with two standalone trips with the flexibility to change plans on Trip 2.

the cost is probably pretty equal and a new paid flight with more options ultimately, provides greater flexibility.

I'm not too sure how many more multiple searches I can do with my fingers and hand on the QANTAS search engine before Dec 31 to escape the points-fee change. I feel I am getting RSI, all the repeat searches, a few times a day.