Award flights ex-BKK - card verification

[hopefulQFF]

Hi all,

I am trying to book a Classic Partner Award seat (J) from BKK to LHR. There is availability for the dates I want but before I book I need to check something - when I submit the dates and before the available seats page comes up the interim page states;

Important Information
After you have completed your booking you will need to visit our office below within two working days for credit card and signature verification. Your ticket will be issued once your credit card has been sighted.
Bangkok Office
21st Floor, Charn Issara Tower I, 942/162 Rama 4 Road, Silom, Bangrak
Open hours: 8.30am-5pm Mon to Fri
Phone: +66 (2) 632 6611
#Qantas representative

Obviously I cannot show my credit card to the BKK office within two days - so does that mean this booking is impossible? Or do I have to call QFF and it costs me extra to do this?

Thanks for your advice.

 

[AIRwin]

That message put me off when I was researching into some award flights. But if you can fly from HKG, they do accept credit card verification upon airport check-in (rather than at the town office within 2 days of booking)...

 

[hopefulQFF]

Thanks for that - yes, I've previously done my trip via HKG and will do again if this can't be overcome easily. I did however really want to stay at The Banyan Tree in Bangkok....

 

[Archphoto]

Welcome to Thailand! You could try giving them a call and asking if you can fax your CC details to them, signed in addition to the copy and see if that is acceptable.

It is annoying for those of us who live here too - especially if you have to make an urgent booking outside of business hrs and the flight is before they reopen (think late Friday for a Sunday flight!).

I think you can call the QF AU office after booking, but the price may be more as their exchange rate, can be awful. (I have had to do this for a change of flight booking, but beware - they may also want to slug you for a "phone assisted booking" - which you may have to argue politely to be removed.)

 

[gypsyinabigtown]

Welcome to Thailand! You could try giving them a call and asking if you can fax your CC details to them, signed in addition to the copy and see if that is acceptable.
It is annoying for those of us who live here too - especially if you have to make an urgent booking outside of business hrs and the flight is before they reopen (think late Friday for a Sunday flight!).
I think you can call the QF AU office after booking, but the price may be more as their exchange rate, can be awful. (I have had to do this for a change of flight booking, but beware - they may also want to slug you for a "phone assisted booking" - which you may have to argue politely to be removed.)

I agree - I live in BKK at the moment and had to book an award tix to LON. The only way was to pay $60 assisted booking fee on the phone, or show up in person in their BKK office.
Their office is centrally located in BKK central district but can be a pain to get to even so - with only opening during business hours, week days. Absolute hassle.
No other airline in Bangkok has this absolutely ridiculous requirement - it is simply a sign of overwhelming ineptitude and incompetence on part of Qantas Bangkok, and total lack of interest in the inconvenience to its customers on part of Qantas Corporate.
For your interest - http://www.australianfrequentflyer....attention-red-roo-resolution-award-45880.html deals with this issue in greater detail, almost half a year ago. No one bothered to do anything about it.
The only way I've found to deal with this was to avoid Qantas like plague for booking any revenue flights with out of BKK. I know it doesn't solve the problem for award flights however.

 

[AIRwin]

I recently booked an award flight out of DXB and the ticketing process there required a "Mail Order Form" (provided by the local QF office via email) to be completed and signed, and returned to them with a copy of a valid identification (eg drivers license). Still it took 1 week, a few emails and an international phone call to them after emailing the documents back before they finally issued the ticket in time for my flight...

 

[GalaxyNexus]

Same thing for flights ex-CGK too (paid or award). Absolute hassle.

Other airlines does not have this kind of requirement for ex-CGK flight (e.g. JetStar or SQ). Guess why.

 

[moa999]

No other airline in Bangkok has this absolutely ridiculous requirement -

Per at least a couple of other posts on this topic I am pretty sure there are other airlines that do this,
and it seems to do with different interpretations on some Thai laws (very common for things not to be black or white)

 

[Archphoto]

Per at least a couple of other posts on this topic I am pretty sure there are other airlines that do this,
and it seems to do with different interpretations on some Thai laws (very common for things not to be black or white)

Some other airlines do require CC verification - the difference is, this can be done at the airport upon checking in. A much better solution, that allows for odd things like not being able to get to the office because it's closed. . . . . .

Have had to do this with both CX and PG - as long as you show the CC if requested, you'll be given your boarding pass. If not, no boarding pass issued and you'll have to purchase another ticket. Almost caught out with CX on that once - a colleague's PA had booked our tickets with her CC. A bit of a shock at check-in, thankfully she was travelling back to AU and had gone to the airport with us, otherwise it would have been a different story.

 

[Chesty]

I booked an award flight yesterday ex DBX with CX and just need to show my credit card upon check in. Makes the most sense...