Award Booking Change

[Beasley]

We have been watching for J class award bookings from Singapore to Australia in September for a couple of months and there never appears to be any availability on the days we are trying get. Interestingly, there always seems to be avails on the previous week and earlier but they never seem to drop down to the week we want to travel.

(As an aside, I sometimes wonder whether Qantas uses cookies from browsing history to adjust award availability and make life difficult!)

Anyway, as there are always economy award seats available, I am now thinking whether I should book economy to secure a booking, and then change the booking at a later date if J becomes available.

I appreciate there is a 5000 point penalty ..... but can someone advise if the penalty is per booking or per person on the booking?

Cheers

 

[DIVIC]

It is per person. I changed a booking a few weeks ago, and 5000 per person deducted.

 

[Beasley]

It is per person. I changed a booking a few weeks ago, and 5000 per person deducted.

Thanks Divic.

 

[Dr Ralph]

Definitely per person. But may be a small price to pay to lock something in now 'just in case'.

 

[Pushka]

Definitely per person. But may be a small price to pay to lock something in now 'just in case'.

My strategy also. I’ve had one lot booked for next December, then changed it and now waiting for EK to be released which would be our preference. The first change was just an amendment but next one will be an outright cancel. Would be worth it though. Just good to know that at least you have something in play.

 

[Beasley]

Thanks for the feedback .... that's what I'll do.
This is the great thing about forums like this ..... being able to confirm your random thoughts with like-minded people.

Cheers.

 

[Pushka]

Thanks for the feedback .... that's what I'll do.
This is the great thing about forums like this ..... being able to confirm your random thoughts with like-minded people.

Cheers.

I keep learning so much here and still think I’m just scratching the surface of all there is to know. There are a couple of posters I avoid but mostly people here are just happy to help each other out.

 

[RichardMEL]

When in September do you want to traveL? Is it, for example, prior to or around the Grand Prix or other major event? This sort of thing could well affect availability. Also in terms of Australia things like the AFL/NRL Grand Finals and the like could also affect inbound avail (though that would be more domestic than ex-SIN, but still).

 

[Beasley]

It’s the week before the AFL GF but I don’t think his would be an issue. Nothing major happening in Singapore that I can see during that week either.

 

[BD1959]

End September/Early October is Australian school holiday season - not unusual to see Premium Award seats in to Australia restricted at this time. End October 2017, I was looking to book premium award from UK back to Melbourne leaving UK around Oct 3 2018. The *only* seats I could get at that time was EK J to BKK and then QF J BKK-SYD-MEL. Kept watching, watching and eventually QF F SIN-MEL opened up around 10 weeks prior and fortunately there was still EK J available DXB-SIN, so a switch saved me around 5 hrs on the inbound.

Good Luck!!

Regards,

BD

 

[Pushka]

I’m not seeing much at all. Just one flight in JQ in J. The rest are economy just clicking on a few random dates.

 

[ellen10]

I had been watching J flights SIN to Australia for October and had been watching them daily for the beginning of September to get a feel for what was on offer. The J seats seemed to be loaded in batches not each day and never any direct flights to Sydney (this still continues). On Thursdays the only options was always a Jetstar flight and no Friday flights at all. I originally booked some flights on CX via Hong Kong and then when I saw QF release seats I phoned but could only get Sydney via Melbourne. Those seats quickly disappeared.
Good luck!

 

[Beasley]

I've booked a couple of Y awards seats on QF from Singapore to Melbourne to ensure we have a flight. Will now keep an eye out for J opportunities ......... but not interested in Jetstar J class as feel not much better than Y on QF.

 

[ellen10]

I agree with the Jetstar statement my preferred date to fly home the only J on offer was Jetstar. I chose the day earlier.