A little help with QF Award booking BKK-TPE

[Croupier]

Hi all, so I’m trying to book a J award from BKK to HKG.

Individually the seats are available on my preferred flights.

But if I try to book as one flight I can only get Y and PE?

See screenshots:
BKK-HKG



HKG-TPE



And as BKK-TPE all I get for the same flights is Y or PE?


I called in and the QF agent was pretty unhelpful and said that nothing could be done it’s a CX issue.

I’ve got the same itinerary on hold with AA but would prefer to burn QF points and save money on Taxes and close in booking fees and don’t want the inconvenience of separate tickets and the cost of extra Qantas points.

Is this a matter of HUACA or is this just another simpler and fairer Qantas enhancement?

Thanks for any help.

 

[mannej]

Sounds like a married segments issue which is something CX is known for.

 

[Croupier]

Sounds like a married segments issue which is something CX is known for.

So AA cans build the itinerary from 2 segments no problems but QF doesn’t have ability because the system they use or the fact that they use mileage based awards rather than region based awards?

 

[Dr Ralph]

So AA cans build the itinerary from 2 segments no problems but QF doesn’t have ability because the system they use or the fact that they use mileage based awards rather than region based awards?

I think you'll find CX is the problem. They are well known for this type of problem.

 

[Croupier]

I think you'll find CX is the problem. They are well known for this type of problem.

Problem between CX-QF only I guess as AA has no problems processing the ticket.

I’m thinking of Taking AirAsia from DMK to HKG then the QF award, I’m taking carty on only so shouldn’t be to much hassle :-(

 

[RooFlyer]

I think you'll find CX is the problem. They are well known for this type of problem.

But it appears AA can circumvent the 'CX problem'?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Have you tried it as a multicity booking on QF.

I was thinking it could be married segments, CX is renowned for that exTPE as the often have much lower fares from there. But that doesn't explain AA booking it for you.

I've had this issue a number of times with QF trying to book intra Asia on CX. The seats being there for individual sectors but the QF system won't allow it as a through booking. In each case I've called QF who've found the individual flights and then combined them.

 

[davidj]

Why don't you book a multi city booking and build the route yourself?

 

[Croupier]

Why don't you book a multi city booking and build the route yourself?

thanks but it doesn’t work? I’ve never been able to get multi city to work on awards for flights departing the same day.
Actually, come to think of it, multi city awards have never worked for me the few times I’ve tried.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

in that case it's a QF glitch. Had this several times, especially when booking awards at the upper edge of a zone... as in just a few miles short. The QF tool doesn't want to give it to me... but reservations was able to sort it.

 

[Croupier]

in that case it's a QF glitch. Had this several times, especially when booking awards at the upper edge of a zone... as in just a few miles short. The QF tool doesn't want to give it to me... but reservations was able to sort it.

I might try calling again, perhaps I’ll get a more knowledge agent that can force it through.

 

[madrooster]

Are you trying to search for more than 1 seat?

The other problem is you're holding up seats at AA, and that will be affecting your availability at QF...

This is what's available below on 06/12, as married availability. See result #4 for the flights that you are wanting.

U class = J award
T class = W award

 1   CX 654  U9 T9                /BKK   HKG 1  1515    1850  E0/359
     CX 468  U9 T9                /HKG 1 TPE 1  2000    2155  E0/333       5:40
 2   CX 750  T9                   /BKK   HKG 1  1140    1530  E0/359
     CX 448  T9                   /HKG 1 TPE 1  1640    1830  E0/359       5:50
 3   CX 708  U9 T9                /BKK   HKG 1  1740    2125  E0/77W
     CX 408  U9                   /HKG 1 TPE 1  2255    0030+1E0/773       5:50
 4   CX 616  U1                   /BKK   HKG 1  0630    1015  E0/333
     CX 406  U1 T5                /HKG 1 TPE 1  1200    1345  E0/333       6:15
 5   CX 712  U7 T7                /BKK   HKG 1  1640    2015  E0/333
     CX 408  U7                   /HKG 1 TPE 1  2255    0030+1E0/773       6:50
 6   CX 616  U1                   /BKK   HKG 1  0630    1015  E0/333
     CX 564  U1                   /HKG 1 TPE 1  1305    1455  E0/333       7:25

But it appears AA can circumvent the 'CX problem'?

Whilst AA may supposedly be able to circumvent the married segment issue, CX can and does come back and cancel the segments if they find them unmarried. This can happen even if it is ticketed.

 

[Danger]

Despite popular believe, I firmly believe different oneworld airlines (and presumably others, too) can make different award seats available to different carriers. I, too, have had this exact situation where I was able to use my AA miles to book a two segment itinerary on CX that QF wouldn't allow.

 

[sudoer]

Just putting it out there - MH do some excellent value SC earn fares on this route, albeit via KL. Check it out if you'd consider paying cash.

 

[BD1959]

thanks but it doesn’t work? I’ve never been able to get multi city to work on awards for flights departing the same day.
Actually, come to think of it, multi city awards have never worked for me the few times I’ve tried.

I was getting the same error message at the end of last week with an itinerary which was a mix of QF/CX/EK, despite multiple attempts to book inventory which consistently showed as available. Initially, the CSR explained that this message usually flags a mismatch between QF and the partner's inventory (QF's system does not always update immediately and the partner's inventory has been snapped up) - in my case it was because the QF system generally was cactus and the QF domestic segments weren't booking.

Just wondering - have you looked again since last week to ensure availability?

Regards,

BD

 

[Croupier]

Firstly thanks for everyone’s input.
And yes it seems that my AA award on hold might have been holding up the inventory even though as separate sectors it was showing?
As soon as my award was no longer on hold I immediately went to QF and was able to book it as one ticket, so a great result.
Indeed MH have great deals intra Asia for mileage runs, I made WP in October thanks to the Sake fare and my Ukrainian girlfriend, whom has never flown QF metal, made SG thanks to some BL flights on our Vietnam trip So I’m not chasing anymore SC”s till February.

My original routing back from EU to AU, AMS-BKK on the cracking AZ $1400 premium fare deal in J and connecting with an AA award BKK-KUL-SYD.
So a few weeks ago I see the crazy $900 multi city from TPE-LHR in J on MH and started thinking how to route it in to my return.
AA were great and dropped the first sector BKK-KUL with no fuss, charges and a tax refund of $5

So one and half trips from SEA to EU is not bad for $2300 with easy positioning and points redemption from my local airport BNK.

On a side note I booked 3 of the KU CMB-FRA flights in J for about $750 so that would make it 4.5 SEA region to EU region trips in J from Oct-Oct for a little ove 3K .

Now I just need to figure out how to not overstay my UA visa.

 

[Must...Fly!]

Now I just need to figure out how to not overstay my UA visa.

If friends experiences are anything to go by, I wouldn't be so worried! Beautiful country.

 

[Croupier]

If friends experiences are anything to go by, I wouldn't be so worried! Beautiful country.

Yes it sure is, if the Australian government weren’t so harsh with their visa policy for Ukrainians visiting Australia for tourism I wouldn’t be making so many trips to UA.

2 failed visa attempts already $300 wasted, leaves a bad taste in my mouth, a little reciprocation on the visa policy would be good.

 

[Must...Fly!]

Yes it sure is, if the Australian government weren’t so harsh with their visa policy for Ukrainians visiting Australia for tourism I wouldn’t be making so many trips to UA.

2 failed visa attempts already $300 wasted, leaves a bad taste in my mouth, a little reciprocation on the visa policy would be good.

I broadly agree, though worth noting that VOA was only introduced for us in 2016 to visit Ukraine. It is what prompted me to visit, having previously decided not to go through the process of obtaining a tourist visa (on top of cost, annoying as I was resident in the UK at the time). Such is life - the challenges make it worthwhile, I suppose. Good luck with round three, though I envy your position to visit Ukraine often!