QF codeshare or just AA

[legroom]

Friends

I just realised that it looks like I had been dudded by selecting QF codeshare AA flights (LAX-DFW, DFW-DCA).

I did not realise at the time but here it goes according to Mileage Monkey:

QF flight numbered 'business" trips: 140 SCs

AA flight numbered 'first' trips: 210 SCs

On the same seat of the same AA flights, it looks like I will lose out 70 SCs !!!

Is Mileage Monkey correct or I am still even with the QF flight numbers ?

Thank you

 

[dfcatch]

You are correct.

In Business you are better to select AA flight numbers as two-class AA aircraft sit you in First.

When traveling economy - QF flight numbers are better on short haul due to the higher minimum points guarantee.

 

[legroom]

Well, my PA would certainly not understand why I would like to change the "flights" to AA when it is the same departure time etc...

So, I will probably let QF 'win" on this occasion then.

On the way back, I had changed to AA flights to get better connection times (and get more SCs from the same route).

Slightly off topic, QF codeshare booking offers a very limited choice compared to what you can get from AA.com.

Coupled with the SC loss, I could see no reason to use QF multi-city booking engine next time around.

Thank you

You are correct.

In Business you are better to select AA flight numbers as two-class AA aircraft sit you in First.

When traveling economy - QF flight numbers are better on short haul due to the higher minimum points guarantee.

 

[Keelan]

Good intel, thanks!

 

[doctork]

So there's no benefit at all in booking into QF D/I/J rather than AA F/A class?
I thought the points earn would be different, but checked the earning tables, and it's not.
Then I thought the SG/WP points bonus would only apply to QF - nope, applies to AA as well.
I seem to recall that when booking VA vs DL, using a VA flight number gets one into the Delta lounge, where DL does not (unless you're a member).
Irrelevant for oneworld sapphire and above, but maybe this is true for QF and AA?
I'm going to try to reassign my booking (not yet ticketed) off the codeshare. Trouble is, it may be much more expensive, and I've already re-qualed this year with no hope of 'extra privileges' regardless.

 

[legroom]

So there's no benefit at all in booking into QF D/I/J rather than AA F/A class?
I thought the points earn would be different, but checked the earning tables, and it's not.
Then I thought the SG/WP points bonus would only apply to QF - nope, applies to AA as well.
I seem to recall that when booking VA vs DL, using a VA flight number gets one into the Delta lounge, where DL does not (unless you're a member).
Irrelevant for oneworld sapphire and above, but maybe this is true for QF and AA?
I'm going to try to reassign my booking (not yet ticketed) off the codeshare. Trouble is, it may be much more expensive, and I've already re-qualed this year with no hope of 'extra privileges' regardless.

Oneworld Emerald (QF Plat) would allow you access to Admiral / Flagship Clubs flying AA, no need for QF flight numbers.

In my own case, it worked out to be about $1,000 cheaper (AND with an extra 140 SCs both ways).

Like you, I won't need those extra SCs at that time for requal due to other bookings but it is a royal P.I.T.A. to think about it now when I have to do a JQ trip to Avalon as I am 10 SCs short !!

Bottom line: Avoid AA codeshare, opt for direct AA F ticket when you are planning to fly QF in J inside the US of A.

 

[Boris spatsky]

Yep, always book the AA flight number when you can if you can afford it. Sometimes it is much more expensive.

Recent example:
QF J ticket, SYD-LAX-DFW-ATL rtn. $1200 cheaper if internal US legs booked on QF codeshares, not AA flight number. This time i had to deal with the SC difference.

 

[Paddy55]

Well, my PA would certainly not understand why I would like to change the "flights" to AA when it is the same departure time etc...

Time for a new PA?

 

[legroom]

Yep, always book the AA flight number when you can if you can afford it. Sometimes it is much more expensive.

Recent example:
QF J ticket, SYD-LAX-DFW-ATL rtn. $1200 cheaper if internal US legs booked on QF codeshares, not AA flight number. This time i had to deal with the SC difference.

Good to know that we have to be vigilant re. pricing as it could be either way with QF codeshared AA.

 

[serfty]

It can work in reverse - last year I booked a six segment economy sale fare to Cincinnati - all in O class. Four segments on AA metal. I had to ensure I booked the QF codeshares rather than AA (which were offered at the same price) as O class on AA does not earn with QFF at all.

 

[NM]

The only benefit in booking the QF code when travelling in Business/First on AA domestic flights is if you need the extra QF flights/SCs for attaining a status level. For example, qualification for P1 requires a minimum number of QF flights in the SC count. Or if requiring the 4 x ~ for status recognition. Otherwise its best to book the AA flight.

As for a good reason to ask the PA to book the AA flight, you could go down the path of preferring to use the operating airline's flight number as you believe you may be treated better if there is problem with the flight (irregular ops, cancellation etc) where AA may be better able to assist their F passengers with alternate flight options than QF can assist the J passengers on another airline's network.

 

[Skyring]

The only benefit in booking the QF code when travelling in Business/First on AA domestic flights is if you need the extra QF flights/SCs for attaining a status level. For example, qualification for P1 requires a minimum number of QF flights in the SC count.

Not a minimum number of flights, but a minimum number of SCs. 2 700 SC out of the 3 600 total.

That's quite a lot, actually. These AA 2-class flights where J books into F are big earners. My just-completed DONE4 scored 980 SC on AA flights

I'm currently sitting on 1 590 SC for the year (310 on QF), and to get to P1 I'd need 2 010 SC more of which 2 390 would have to be QF.

I don't think YUPPs and KUPPs are going to get me there. Nor is another DONE4.

Those QF SC make P1 a serious challenge indeed.

 

[legroom]

.....As for a good reason to ask the PA to book the AA flight, you could go down the path of preferring to use the operating airline's flight number as you believe you may be treated better if there is problem with the flight (irregular ops, cancellation etc) where AA may be better able to assist their F passengers with alternate flight options than QF can assist the J passengers on another airline's network.

Thanks for your thoughts.

As I will have more SCs than I need for WP requal by that time, it is academic to change to AA now.

Not worth explaining the whys to a puzzled PA.

Sure, next time around I will be more alert to this anomaly (QF J vs. AA F).

 

[legroom]

Thanks for your thoughts.

As I will have more SCs than I need for WP requal by that time, it is academic to change to AA now.

Not worth explaining the whys to a puzzled PA.

Sure, next time around I will be more alert to this anomaly (QF J vs. AA F).

I did request the change - for the sake of knowing that it could be done.

AMEX Corporate came back with two answers:

(1) ".... They are the same flights. Are you sure ?......"

and

(2) a $500 change fee

For the extra 70 SCs, it is not definitely not worth it (when you don't actually need them).

But - yet again - AMEX had failed to impress me.

 

[doctork]

I also requested a change. My work travel approval process is so slow that the TA can never book on sale fares (as invariably they are gone by the time the purchase is made). So I was on a changeable booking with no extra charge. I'm now on AA flights internally in the US, with extra SCs that will be of little use except to inch me closer to lifetime silver.

Also, using AA flight numbers resulted in:

(1) Cannot select seats on the AA flights using QF Manage My Booking (could for codeshare option)

(2) Can select the AA seats (only) using aa.com (could not see booking before)

(3) Now get 2 'booking references': one in Amadeus (6 alphanumerics, viewable via QF) and one in Sabre (6 alphabets, viewable via AA). Both GDS references point to the same total itinerary (QF and AA flights), so I assume that this is still a single PNR for carriage purposes, just using 2 codes for the same PNR, due to the different GDSs that the airlines use.

(4) same price for flights (although change fees may apply - see legroom's post above)

(5) needed to check that my QFF number was correctly recorded in both QF and AA, although it did seem to propagate from Amadeus to Sabre after a while.

For me, there is also the benefit that I can look for the AA flight numbers instead of waiting for the codeshare flight number to scroll up on one of the departure screens.

 

[serfty]

re 3: You indeed have 2 PNR's - one for Amadeus and another for Sabre.

It is likely you have only the one ticket number.

If ticketed with QF it will start with 081- ; with AA then 001- .

 

[legroom]

My experience is similar to doctork

1) Different booking numbers (QF and AA)

2) AA seat selection is now only possible on AA.com

I think the AMEX change fee was designed to frustrate my request as they changed some other sectors for me the week before (to allow for better connection time @ DFW) for free.

To them, the requested AA flights ".... are the same...." as the current QF-numbered flights.

Incidentally, only after that change did I click to the SC quirk between QF J and AA F.

To the gurus,

On my QF MMB page, one of the AA-numbered flight is not showing up but it is there on the AA.com page.

Should I be concerned or not ?

Should I alert QF or it should not matter at all ?

Many thanks

 

[serfty]

..

Should I be concerned or not ?
.

Only if the missing flight links with a QF flight.

 

[legroom]

Only if the missing flight links with a QF flight.

Thanks. Serfty

It is not linked to the QF flight.

****

But for learning purpose, what if the next flight (after the missing AA one) is a QF flight ?

Would QF not be aware of my connection in that case?

And if so, must I alert QF asap?

 

[doctork]

re 3: You indeed have 2 PNR's - one for Amadeus and another for Dabre.

It is likely you have only the one ticket number.

If ticketed with QF it will start with 081- ; with AA then 001- .

Thanks serfty. Ticket yet to be issued (that work travel approval timelag again) but when it is, it will be Qantas issued (081).
Does Qantas still have responsibility for my onward connections in the event of late arrival/prolonged delays at Customs & Border Protection?

I rejected the TA's offer of a one hour connection at DFW leaving the US, after looking at the on-time performance of the first flight.
However, I've got a 2 hour connection from QF7 to my next flight.