Oneworld Classic Flight Reward Discussion - The Definitive Thread

[PointsTraveller!]

The 5k change fee is normal.
You are referring to the service fee which is waived for J/F awards.

Yes, you’d be charged this even if you could do it online. What you shouldn’t be charged is the 7700 points “International Reward Assistance Fee”.

Thanks. Just booked last leg just booked and this is the first time they’ve charged this. Lucky me I guess.

 

[Mr H]

Thanks. Just booked last leg just booked and this is the first time they’ve charged this. Lucky me I guess.

It was suspended during Covid. Reintroduced for new bookings from September 2022 and for old bookings for changes made after 1 January 2023 IIRC.

 

[Kangol]

Thanks. Just booked last leg just booked and this is the first time they’ve charged this. Lucky me I guess.

Note that this charge is only when it's re-ticketed.
You could make multiple changes and be charged for it once, if there was a delay in reissuing the ticket after the first change - and you made a subsequent change.

 

[MelbFlyer]

Sorry another question from me again!

For my upcoming classic rewards booking, my 1st and 2nd legs were as per below:

(Tuesday) Leg 1 - Melbourne to Hong Kong on CX in Economy w/ an intentional layover in HK for 37hrs
(Wednesday) Leg 2 - Hong Kong to Paris via Helsinki on AY in Business

I then called up Qantas to change the 1st leg to business on CX as I could see seats and it was successfully changed.

So now, the first 2 legs are as per below:

(Tuesday) Leg 1 - Melbourne to Hong Kong on CX in Business w/ an intentional layover in HK for 22hrs
(Wednesday) Leg 2 - Hong Kong to Paris via Helsinki on AY in Business

My itinerary has now seemed to "merge" the above 2 flights as "Melbourne to Paris", rather than Melbourne to HK and then HK to Paris. The only difference is the flight number (later the same day) and travel class from Economy to Business - no other changes.

I'm assuming that when we check in at Melbourne Airport, we just say our destination is actually HK first, and thus our luggage is then only checked to HK instead of all the way to Paris?

Not a big issue to me if it's checked all the way through to Paris as we'd have less stuff to haul around to and from the hotel during our 1 day/night in HK, we'd just have to load our carry ons with an additional change of clothes.

More so just concerned if it will affect the rest of our trip if we didn't have our luggage checked through to Paris initially as the booking says "Your flight to Paris is in xx_ days".

Oh and also, Check My Trip also says Melbourne - Paris now, instead of Melbourne to Hong Kong.

 

[Kangol]

Sorry another question from me again!

For my upcoming classic rewards booking, my 1st and 2nd legs were as per below:

(Tuesday) Leg 1 - Melbourne to Hong Kong on CX in Economy w/ an intentional layover in HK for 37hrs
(Wednesday) Leg 2 - Hong Kong to Paris via Helsinki on AY in Business

I then called up Qantas to change the 1st leg to business on CX as I could see seats and it was successfully changed.

So now, the first 2 legs are as per below:

(Tuesday) Leg 1 - Melbourne to Hong Kong on CX in Business w/ an intentional layover in HK for 22hrs
(Wednesday) Leg 2 - Hong Kong to Paris via Helsinki on AY in Business

My itinerary has now seemed to "merge" the above 2 flights as "Melbourne to Paris", rather than Melbourne to HK and then HK to Paris. The only difference is the flight number (later the same day) and travel class from Economy to Business - no other changes.

I'm assuming that when we check in at Melbourne Airport, we just say our destination is actually HK first, and thus our luggage is then only checked to HK instead of all the way to Paris?

Not a big issue to me if it's checked all the way through to Paris as we'd have less stuff to haul around to and from the hotel during our 1 day/night in HK, we'd just have to load our carry ons with an additional change of clothes.

More so just concerned if it will affect the rest of our trip if we didn't have our luggage checked through to Paris initially as the booking says "Your flight to Paris is in xx_ days".

Oh and also, Check My Trip also says Melbourne - Paris now, instead of Melbourne to Hong Kong.

A 22 hour layover is a transit (<24 hours), not a stop. The original 37 hour layover was considered a stop (>24 hours).

"Melbourne to Paris" is correct, because you are only transiting in HKG and HEL on the way to Paris.

You can ask them to check luggage to HKG only if you wish.

 

[djkelly69]

Mr H, think you may have missed the itinerary change MelbFlyer mentioned, being that the stay in HK is now 22 hours rather than 37.

MelbFlyer, this makes it a transit rather than a stopover (less than 24 hours being the distinction), which is why it has now 'merged' your itinerary. Assuming it is all on one PNR, it also means you should be able to check your bags through to CDG.

At check-in I would just say you are flying to Paris via HK and Helsinki, to avoid any misunderstanding.

 

[Mr H]

Mr H, think you may have missed the itinerary change MelbFlyer mentioned, being that the stay in HK is now 22 hours rather than 37.

MelbFlyer, this makes it a transit rather than a stopover (less than 24 hours being the distinction), which is why it has now 'merged' your itinerary. Assuming it is all on one PNR, it also means you should be able to check your bags through to CDG.

Correct - I have deleted my entire post as it was garbage.

 

[MelbFlyer]

A 22 hour layover is a transit (<24 hours), not a stop. The original 37 hour layover was considered a stop (>24 hours).

"Melbourne to Paris" is correct, because you are only transiting in HKG and HEL on the way to Paris.

You can ask them to check luggage to HKG only if you wish.

MelbFlyer, this makes it a transit rather than a stopover (less than 24 hours being the distinction), which is why it has now 'merged' your itinerary. Assuming it is all on one PNR, it also means you should be able to check your bags through to CDG.

At check-in I would just say you are flying to Paris via HK and Helsinki, to avoid any misunderstanding.

Thankyou for the clarification! Makes sense now.

From my end though, I intentionally want to stop in HK hence I entered 2 legs in the booking:
1. Melbourne to HK
2. HK to Paris

Regarding luggage, being on business class we can bring an additional bag, so I'd actually be okay to have my luggage checked all the way to Paris in that case.

However, we will make the call on whether to have our checked baggage only to HK, or all the way to Paris closer to the date. Of course if the ground crew / airport staff say that we have to check it all the way to Paris, then we'll just follow.

As long as it doesn't cause an issue for the subsequent legs after that, then I'm cool with either

 

[Rich]

Checkmytrip will auto merge the display

@Mr H I have a merged AA trip on CMT. Would this explain why I cant get it to display my e-ticket number for that seperate booking that sits in the middle of the QF itinerary of my first booking?

 

[Mr H]

@Mr H I have a merged AA trip on CMT. Would this explain why I cant get it to display my e-ticket number for that seperate booking that sits in the middle of the QF itinerary of my first booking?

I'm not an expert, but no, I think if there are parts of the itinerary without a ticket number then the flights are not ticketed.

 

[There'sOnlyOneJimmy]

I'm not an expert, but no, I think if there are parts of the itinerary without a ticket number then the flights are not ticketed.

Is it possible that AA don’t use the Amadeus system? If so, then that might be the reason.

 

[Warragul]

Is it possible that AA don’t use the Amadeus system? If so, then that might be the reason.

AA RES & DCS is hosted by Sabre - they developed it and spun it off. So maybe that is the cause. Having said that, I have a VA itinerary (who are also hosted on Sabre) in CMT and that did automatically pick a timing change on it.

Most Global Distribution Systems (GDS), eg Amadeus/Sabre, will have airline schedules and prices from airlines not hosted by themselves in their databases to enable travel agents/sites sales who use one system (eg Amadeus) to sell seats on carriers hosted elsewhere. They even have IATA carrier codes assigned - Amadeus - 1A,Sabre - 1S, Navitaire - 1N etc.

 

[Rich]

AA RES & DCS is hosted by Sabre - they developed it and spun it off. So maybe that is the cause. Having said that, I have a VA itinerary (who are also hosted on Sabre) in CMT and that did automatically pick a timing change on it.

Most Global Distribution Systems (GDS), eg Amadeus/Sabre, will have airline schedules and prices from airlines not hosted by themselves in their databases to enable travel agents/sites sales who use one system (eg Amadeus) to sell seats on carriers hosted elsewhere. They even have IATA carrier codes assigned - Amadeus - 1A,Sabre - 1S, Navitaire - 1N etc.

I looked again. It is a QF award. The old QF itinerary had e ticket numbers but AA have since moved us to a different flight and now the QF itinerary is missing e ticket numbers. So looks like it is not ticketed. I don't know how I missed it. At least AA don't cancel the booking straight away and it's been over a month. Call Centre time. (Dread)
Thanks @Mr H

 

[There'sOnlyOneJimmy]

At least AA don't cancel the booking straight away

I don’t know what other carriers you have in your itinerary, but keep in mind that it’s not only the flight that changes that’s affected by a delay in re-ticketing; all sectors are in jeopardy.


You may already know this… but just in case you don’t.

 

[Lynda2475]

Two calls today and another email to the escalation team and still no ticket for me.

I seem to only be able to get Manilla or Fiji; i just want to talk to HBA and have my ticket. At this point I'm even prepared to live with 1 incorrect flight (right cities wrong time) to just have confidence I'll be flying.

 

[Wolf creek]

What a cough show, classic seat qantas show extravaganza today @11 am,site in error most of time got to credit card section 6 times every time it crashed and burned….luckily I got thru to qantas and complained and got 2 Syd-LHR business seats for November ….2 hrs not wasted a little win for the plebs

 

[Wolf creek]

For those that are interested I will cancelling my 2 BA biz flight one way SYD-LHR on Nov 8 after yesterdays success of getting 2 QF classic rewards seats.
Apparently better biz class seats.
Will notify on this page when every thing is is in order,will give a weeks notice.

 

[Lynda2475]

Ah the stress of an OWA. Im hold with an agent, she admitted it hadnt been reticketed because the previous couple of agents made mistakes and didnt deduct extra points which I knew and had told last 2 agents.

She has corrected my itinerary (one flight was wrong number), taken credit card again for the same but now Im seeing the original points refunded in my activity statement



I feel ill, she was supposed to deduct 101,200 extra points, not refund the 216,800 already paid. And the final $50 isnt showing in my amex statement.

I swear this is ageing me.

In 2019 I did my first OWA booking zero dramas, all done with help of a lovely Hobart based agent in about 35 mins (didnt get to fly it though because well 2020 was the year of covid). In 21/22 I had the stress of several changes on my second OWA (the first one I ever actually flew) but all was good in the end. Now 2023 is almost killing me.

 

[Mr H]

Ah the stress of an OWA. Im hold with an agent, she admitted it hadnt been reticketed because the previous couple of agents made mistakes and didnt deduct extra points which I knew and had told last 2 agents.

She has corrected my itinerary (one flight was wrong number), taken credit card again for the same but now Im seeing the original points refunded in my activity statement

View attachment 317461

I feel ill, she was supposed to deduct 101,200 extra points, not refund the 216,800 already paid. And the final $50 isnt showing in my amex statement.

So so stressful.

The points refund is normal. They refund all the previous points and at some future juncture long after ticketing they will deduct the new points.

 

[Lynda2475]

But shouldnt I also be able to see the taxes as pending on my Amex (they no longer are)?

Worries me intensely to see the word "cancelled"next to the point refund I did not cancel the PNR.

** Edited possible progress taxes now showing in Amex. Interesting now $75 when were $58 and only chnage was tiem of the flight from 10am to 1pm departure, sames airline, same route.