Qantas - Emirates Award flight Discussion

[k1s3k1]

The question is what is the issue?

There’s no blanket block of EK F/J seats bookable via QF because some are still showing eg SYD-CHC (out to June 2026), PER-DXB-Euro, SIN-DXB etc.

But a definite lack of SYD/MEL-DXB-XYZ from around March 2026….

Read this

Qantas Actively Blocking Some Emirates First Class Awards?

Is Qantas blocking Emirates First Class awards? Since 5 August, some Emirates First seats on routes not touching Australia have vanished. See our findings.

flighthacks.com.au

 

[Noah Count]

it's just strange it happened coincidentally at the same time as the qantas devaluation.

Yep and no idea why. I had posted up thread I booked BRU-DXB in F just prior to the changes, my booking was not made due to the devaluation rather I could see the F options drying up and routes such as LHR-DXB or CDG-DXB had already vanished in F and J and I will assume someone else had booked these and the rewards seats were just gone. I still have the same search in the cache and post 5 August no availability in F from any EU/UK location to DXB. For the second leg DXB-HND/HKG/ and AU port or any other Asian port that would be reasonable to get back to AU dried up and was Y only. This seems to have rectified itself and J is available on most but not all flights, F is still MIA. Edit MIA = Missing in Action not Miami.

 

[SYD]

Read this

Qantas Actively Blocking Some Emirates First Class Awards?

Is Qantas blocking Emirates First Class awards? Since 5 August, some Emirates First seats on routes not touching Australia have vanished. See our findings.

flighthacks.com.au

I did and they’re none the wiser. Pure speculation and no definitive answer why there’s an issue.

 

[SYD]

I still have the same search in the cache and post 5 August no availability in F from any EU/UK location to DXB.

Here’s one…


But may the weirdness continue. What’s going on here???

 

[k1s3k1]

Here’s one…
View attachment 464071

But may the weirdness continue. What’s going on here???

View attachment 464072

EU/UK location to DXB.
You searched Europe to Australia.

The F class between DXB and FRA on the same date will not be available, even though the flight from Aus is showing available.
Emirates has blocked booking individual segments from DXB to Europe in F class.

 

[SYD]

EU/UK location to DXB.
You searched Europe to Australia.

The F class between DXB and FRA on the same date will not be available, even though the flight from Aus is showing available.
Emirates has blocked booking individual segments from DXB to Europe in F class.

Which seems to be one issue. “Married segments”.

 

[k1s3k1]

Which seems to be one issue. “Married segments”.

Before August 5th, the F class seats between dxb and fra or other european destinations were all bookable on Qantas

 

[SYD]

Before August 5th, the F class seats between dxb and fra or other european destinations were all bookable on Qantas

Yes, amongst others. The shift in moving EK to the cheaper QF classic reward table seems to have created random issues (see my other example above).

But there were other things MIA even before 5 Aug.

 

[Noah Count]

@SYD your search is for Aug 25, most of the chat and banter in thread seems to be for flights in 2026. The EK released dates are around T-330? At the time of the QF changes 5 Aug 25 I was looking for Jun 26 and the F rewards just up and vanished like a fart in the wind.

 

[SYD]

@SYD your search is for Aug 25, most of the chat and banter in thread seems to be for flights in 2026. The EK released dates are around T-330? At the time of the QF changes 5 Aug 25 I was looking for Jun 26 and the F rewards just up and vanished like a fart in the wind.

Yet, as mentioned before, there’s tonnes of these.


But not others… It’s all a bit weird…

 

[Noah Count]

@SYD yep it is all a little strange. Some time in July I was able to book EK F HND-DXB-LHR and it had to made by calling QF. I posted up thread that getting back was hit and miss as flights would appear and then vanish a day later. For EK F back to anyplace in Asia was working like clock work until 11 Jun 26, post this date flights disappeared for around 4 days and then reappeared to around 18/19 Jun 26 then they all disappeared again. As I posted the EK agent stated that they have not released F seats for their own members let alone partners. All the posts and articles on what is happening and who is blocking what is just speculation.

 

[badbed]

@SYD yep it is all a little strange. Some time in July I was able to book EK F HND-DXB-LHR and it had to made by calling QF. I posted up thread that getting back was hit and miss as flights would appear and then vanish a day later. For EK F back to anyplace in Asia was working like clock work until 11 Jun 26, post this date flights disappeared for around 4 days and then reappeared to around 18/19 Jun 26 then they all disappeared again. As I posted the EK agent stated that they have not released F seats for their own members let alone partners. All the posts and articles on what is happening and who is blocking what is just speculation.

I believe you are talking about flight between Dubai and Tokyo? And yes, I had noticed the flight to and from Tokyo was a surprising exception last week. You can take a look flights to other Asian cities like KIX, KUL, ICN, HKG, PVG, BKK etc. and you will understand where the problem is. This problem had been checked and confirmed by Qantas rewards ticket team.

 

[badbed]

@SYD yep it is all a little strange. Some time in July I was able to book EK F HND-DXB-LHR and it had to made by calling QF. I posted up thread that getting back was hit and miss as flights would appear and then vanish a day later. For EK F back to anyplace in Asia was working like clock work until 11 Jun 26, post this date flights disappeared for around 4 days and then reappeared to around 18/19 Jun 26 then they all disappeared again. As I posted the EK agent stated that they have not released F seats for their own members let alone partners. All the posts and articles on what is happening and who is blocking what is just speculation.

It's not only affecting F seat, all Economy, Business and First class seats are vanishing on the website but these seats are sitting in their system. This can be proved by using multi-city search, as long as you add a segment from or to an Aus city.

 

[Noah Count]

It's not only affecting F seat, all Economy, Business and First class seats are vanishing on the website but these seats are sitting in their system. This can be proved by using multi-city search, as long as you add a segment from or to an Aus city.

I am not sure why you think it is necessary to add a segment to/from AU. My search in the multi city was HEL-DXB, DXB-HND. Even the standard search DXB-HND will return J.

 

[k1s3k1]

I am not sure why you think it is necessary to add a segment to/from AU. My search in the multi city was HEL-DXB, DXB-HND. Even the standard search DXB-HND will return J.View attachment 464119

I think if you add a segment DXB-AUS, it can unlock the F seat rewards.

badbed seems to indicate that F seat rewards can be unlocked if we add a DXB-AUS segment to a multi-city booking

 

[badbed]

I am not sure why you think it is necessary to add a segment to/from AU. My search in the multi city was HEL-DXB, DXB-HND. Even the standard search DXB-HND will return J.View attachment 464119

I said Tokyo is an EXCEPTION, try other cities.

 

[Noah Count]

I said Tokyo is an EXCEPTION, try other cities.

I have been able to book DXB-HND in J. I did try your theory and it does not seem to return F for my search, same search but for flight 2 also searched HKG and ICN
es

 

[badbed]

I think if you add a segment DXB-AUS, it can unlock the F seat rewards.

badbed seems to indicate that F seat rewards can be unlocked if we add a DXB-AUS segment to a multi-city booking

Economy and business will be unlocked but F seat still cannot be seen. On 26th Aug, F seat is available if you search LHR-PER, but when you use multi-city LHR-DXB DXB-PER, it doesn't show up.

I have been able to book DXB-HND in J. I did try your theory and it does not seem to return F for my search, same search but for flight 2 also searched HKG and ICN
View attachment 464120View attachment 464121View attachment 464122View attachment 464123View attachment 464124es

Read my reply to @k1s3k1 above.

 

[badbed]

I have been able to book DXB-HND in J. I did try your theory and it does not seem to return F for my search, same search but for flight 2 also searched HKG and ICN
View attachment 464120View attachment 464121View attachment 464122View attachment 464123View attachment 464124es

EXCEPTION means DXB-HND/NRT is searchable as single segment, BUT DXB-OTHER Asian cities are not searchable.

 

[lovestotravel]

Still no update even to a media outlet.. No reply to my complaint either still.

Qantas Actively Blocking Some Emirates First Class Awards?

Is Qantas blocking Emirates First Class awards? Since 5 August, some Emirates First seats on routes not touching Australia have vanished. See our findings.

flighthacks.com.au

Initial response from QF "Thanks! I've just got a response from the QF media team who confirmed no change in policy on first awards with EK. They also pointed out that award space is controlled by EK. Still waiting on EK to respond but I'm starting to think this is a tech glitch when they updated on the 5th."

EK "Still following up with EK, so far they've only said to check with QF so I've asked again if there's any policy change from their side."