Cathay Pacific booking classes

[JohnK]

I am looking at booking BNE-HKG return in discount economy for travel next year for 3 of us.

It would appear that we can earn 4500 Asia miles each but we don't travel Cathay much and it looks to be a pain to transfer between accounts with $cost per 10,000 Asia miles transferred.

Looking at Qantas it would appear that Discount Economy are classes ML and this particular trip would earn 3700 Qantas points each.

Only problem is that Economy Light is booking class N which does not appear to earn on QFF. I am not if it's a bug but Essential is also showing as booking class N. And then to top it off Flexible is also showing as booking class N.

Economy Light prices out to $2700 return and I suspect is one of booking classes V, S, N, Q and O while Essential prices out to $3400 and I suspect is one booking classes M, L but cost of Essential is too high and not worth the effort for Qantas points. We don't need SCs.

Anyone able to confirm booking classes from existing booking as website appears to have glitches? Seat selection appears to be free on Economy Light travelling with 10 year old so perhaps just earn Asia Miles and don't worry about Qantas points.

 

[markis10]

Most of the economy fare are non earning on QF, what they are called is irrelevant, it’s the class that matters, depending on destination economy light can be in L for instance

 

[Thibault]

I'd suggest calling them with your routing.
I was able to book my preferred fare class letter over the phone and was able to get it ticketed in less than 20 minutes.
The website kept assigning me a low fare class letter that was non-accruing to QR.

https://flights.cathaypacific.com/en_AU/fare-classes.html - Cathay assigns any fare classes to any of their fare categories online.
https://www.qantas.com/au/en/freque...bles/earn-category-tables.html#cathay-pacific (M - L / B - H - K / Y - E) are earnable for QFF.

To get the agent to understand your request, ask for the cost of Economy Light then Essential then Flex and the associated fare class as below - I suggest having a notebook so you can write down all the fares to compare and book.

Essential was cheaper for us on our NA trip than Eco Light on a multi-city booking somehow.

Economy Light
Fare Class M - L - B - H - K - Y - E
Economy Essential
Fare Class M - L - B - H - K - Y - E
Economy Flex
Fare Class M - L - B - H - K - Y - E

 

[LionKing]

The only way where you can book a status credit earning Cathay Pacific economy class tickets is where you Whatsapp Cathay Pacific at 2747 2747

 

[markis10]

The only way where you can book a status credit earning Cathay Pacific economy class tickets is where you Whatsapp Cathay Pacific at 2747 2747

Or go to your local ta

 

[JohnK]

Oh dear. Thanks guys.

The cost saving of $400 is way more important than earning ~11100 Qantas points.

Next snag to figure out is lounge access as Oneworld Sapphire guesting wife and 10 year old daughter would be a problem. Most reports suggest no dice as any child >2 years old is considered a guest.

 

[Mwenenzi]

<snip>
Next snag to figure out is lounge access as Oneworld Sapphire guesting wife and 10 year old daughter would be a problem. Most reports suggest no dice as any child >2 years old is considered a guest.

Qantas owned and operated lounges have a generous children access policy. Far more than most (all?) others

https://www.qantas.com/au/en/qantas-experience/at-the-airport/airport-lounges/qantas-lounge-access-eligibility.html?wcmmode=disabled#child-access

 

[elanshin]

Qantas owned and operated lounges have a generous children access policy. Far more than most (all?) others

https://www.qantas.com/au/en/qantas-experience/at-the-airport/airport-lounges/qantas-lounge-access-eligibility.html?wcmmode=disabled#child-access

​

Oh dear. Thanks guys.

The cost saving of $400 is way more important than earning ~11100 Qantas points.

Next snag to figure out is lounge access as Oneworld Sapphire guesting wife and 10 year old daughter would be a problem. Most reports suggest no dice as any child >2 years old is considered a guest.

I think you'll be stuck unless you have a very nice QF doorman.

QF (and AA) is more generous in their own lounges when flying themselves, when flying partners they also tend to be stricter as children aren't included for other OW partners. But you could get lucky. I suspect its that the partners do not want to pay for the cost.

Luckily HKG is a great airport that even if you are missing out on a great lounge, there's loads of space and even stuff for the kids to do.

 

[JohnK]

Luckily HKG is a great airport that even if you are missing out on a great lounge, there's loads of space and even stuff for the kids to do.

True. At this stage it would appear only a few hours in each HKG transit.

We should be OK in BNE using Qantas lounge, we should be ok in SYD using Qantas lounge on return flight transit. We should be OK in HKG using Qantas lounge. Only issue would be in BKK.

Note I will still try to get access to Cathay lounges. If no go we can move on or I can try getting wife/daughter into lounge and I sit out. I don't mind.

 

[elanshin]

True. At this stage it would appear only a few hours in each HKG transit.

We should be OK in BNE using Qantas lounge, we should be ok in SYD using Qantas lounge on return flight transit. We should be OK in HKG using Qantas lounge. Only issue would be in BKK.

I think it would be safer to assume you would NOT be ok at QF lounge because you're flying CX which is what I was I meant. QF/AA/JQ @ the QF lounge would be fine but OW would be up to the lounge staff since I believe that reverts to just status holder +1 guest.

 

[JohnK]

I think it would be safer to assume you would NOT be ok at QF lounge because you're flying CX which is what I was I meant. QF/AA/JQ @ the QF lounge would be fine but OW would be up to the lounge staff since I believe that reverts to just status holder +1 guest.

Oh ok. Not the end of the end of the world. I think we'll take the $400 airfare saving.

 

[oz_mark]

https://flights.cathaypacific.com/en_AU/fare-classes.html - Cathay assigns any fare classes to any of their fare categories online.

Economy Light
Fare Class M - L - B - H - K - Y - E
Economy Essential
Fare Class M - L - B - H - K - Y - E
Economy Flex
Fare Class M - L - B - H - K - Y - E

More and more airlines are doing this, but partner earn charts are stuck in the old ways

 

[tanahflyer]

More and more airlines are doing this, but partner earn charts are stuck in the old ways

I don’t get the logic of having fare buckets with zero SC earn when crediting to partners.

Is this objective to get flyers to credit to the operating carriers FFP? With the unintended consequence of pushing flyers to outside the alliance/LLCs since this would fragment points and SC earn?

 

[markis10]

don’t get the logic of having fare buckets with zero SC earn when crediting to partners.

You need to look at the long term relationship between CX and QF which has been fragile to say the least:
CX were very proactive in stopping the setup of Jetstar Hong Kong
CX used to be a partner in the Ansett FFP prior to their demise

 

[tanahflyer]

You need to look at the long term relationship between CX and QF which has been fragile to say the least:
CX were very proactive in stopping the setup of Jetstar Hong Kong
CX used to be a partner in the Ansett FFP prior to their demise

Fair enough, but this is also a trend i’ve observed in other alliances/agreements. I suppose there’s always some bilateral animosity everywhere.