Benefits for Qantas Frequent Flyers on Westjet?

[Mattg]

Just wondering if anyone has flown Westjet with Qantas status? Are there any sort of benefits available, e.g. complimentary checked bags, etc.?

The Qantas website is rather light on information about its Westjet partnership, other than that you can earn and redeem Qantas points with them.

I'm flying Westjet (WS flight numbers) YYZ-YEG-YZF next week and have QF Gold status. Booked using Qantas points.

Interestingly the QF website doesn't allow you to select a seat, only a window/aisle preference. But it has automatically allocated me front-row seats in the main economy cabin on both flights.

 

[V1213]

In my experience you get nothing.
I've travelled on WestJet booked as both WS and QF numbers and it made no difference. I have not redeemed QF points on WS, however.

I'm hoping that, with their transition to a mainline airline, we may see a stronger partnership involving their new Business and Premium Economy classes and access to their upcoming lounges, but I'm not holding my breath!

 

[ole nimeton]

Apart from miserable point earn rates, I didn't experience any other benefits from Westjet/Qantas Partnership. I flew on cheap WS tickets late last year as Qantas Platinum. Paid $25 extra for bags and earnt 170 QF points YEG/YVR and no points YYZ/YVR even though I thought I would (wasn't worth chasing as anticipated points were so few anyway).

As an aside, Westjet also seems to offer fairly cheap paid upgrades to their slightly more premium seats to all customers at check in. Did it for one flight which was worth it for the experience of a slightly larger seat and a snack/drink. Closest comparison would be the equivalent of upgrading from, hypothetically, Jetstar to Qantas Economy.

 

[justinbrett]

I flew WestJet on an AA flight number. I got the usual AA benefits (including ow baggage bonus).

I think if it was a straight WestJet flight you’d probably get nothing.

 

[Mattg]

I've now completed the flights with Westjet.

There didn't seem to be any benefits for Qantas flyers with status, as others have mentioned. In fact, as I had booked my ticket though Qantas, I wasn't able to check-in online or using the airport kiosks. This meant I had to wait in the "guest care" line which was long, understaffed and full of people with mostly complex ticketing issues, meaning the line moved super slowly. There was a priority line for Economy Plus passengers and Westjet Gold members, but this wasn't offered to QF Gold. If I had booked directly with Westjet (not possible when redeeming QF points), presumably I could have used the automated kiosks & bag drop and saved around an hour both times.

I had a suitcase to check in for my second flight. I was told it would cost $26.25. I asked if being QF Gold made any difference, and the guy just said straight away he would waive the fee as a one-off. Not because I was QF Gold, but because he couldn't be bothered to check the entitlements for QF members. I'll take that as a win, but don't count on it happening every time!

 

[galah]

FWIW, I flew YUL-YYZ on Westjet (QF code) back in 2016 as a WP, and don't recall getting any special treatment either.

I checked one bag without paying a fee (can't remember if this was by design or not) and used all regular checkin/security/boarding lines, which were empty on a Friday night in the middle of winter.

Flight itself was great - approx. 20 pax in total on a B736, FAs were handing out unlimited Molson for all and sundry

 

[justinbrett]

I've now completed the flights with Westjet.

There didn't seem to be any benefits for Qantas flyers with status, as others have mentioned. In fact, as I had booked my ticket though Qantas, I wasn't able to check-in online or using the airport kiosks. This meant I had to wait in the "guest care" line which was long, understaffed and full of people with mostly complex ticketing issues, meaning the line moved super slowly. There was a priority line for Economy Plus passengers and Westjet Gold members, but this wasn't offered to QF Gold. If I had booked directly with Westjet (not possible when redeeming QF points), presumably I could have used the automated kiosks & bag drop and saved around an hour both times.

I had a suitcase to check in for my second flight. I was told it would cost $26.25. I asked if being QF Gold made any difference, and the guy just said straight away he would waive the fee as a one-off. Not because I was QF Gold, but because he couldn't be bothered to check the entitlements for QF members. I'll take that as a win, but don't count on it happening every time!

Was it booked with a QF flight number?

Did you try to get the westjet record locator? I did this when I flew under a AA flight number which let me select seats and use the kiosk at the airport. Maybe qantas could have given this to you.

 

[Mattg]

Was it booked with a QF flight number?

Did you try to get the westjet record locator? I did this when I flew under a AA flight number which let me select seats and use the kiosk at the airport. Maybe qantas could have given this to you.

Both flights had WS flight numbers. I was able to get the Westjet PNR but this didn't help with checking in via the kiosk. The error I got was that I had a "paper ticket".

 

[Danger]

I just spoke to the QF FF service centre and was told I'd receive 3x32kg of baggage as Platinum flying WestJet in Y. Naturally, after reading this thread, I'm far from convinced.

 

[Mattg]

I just spoke to the QF FF service centre and was told I'd receive 3x32kg of baggage as Platinum flying WestJet in Y. Naturally, after reading this thread, I'm far from convinced.

Is this on a Qantas codeshare or a WS flight number?

Either way, I'm not convinced either.

 

[Danger]

Is this on a Qantas codeshare or a WS flight number?

Either way, I'm not convinced either.

It would be a WS marketed and operated.

I got on the chat function after the call and got the same answer.

However, the "You will earn points if you fly with WestJet", despite me saying I'd be using points, highlights a potential knowledge gap on the agent's part.

 

[Mattg]

It would be a WS marketed and operated.

I got on the chat function after the call and got the same answer.

However, the "You will earn points if you fly with WestJet", despite me saying I'd be using points, highlights a potential knowledge gap on the agent's part.

This is almost certainly incorrect. I suspect you'll be charged for every checked bag. That said, probably wouldn't hurt to bring a printout of the Qantas chat and show that when you check-in; you never know, they may waive the fees for you. And if they don't, you can try to claim compensation from Qantas later.

Also, arrive at the airport early if flying on a Qantas award ticket as you won't be able to check in online or at a kiosk.

 

[Longtoo]

I have just booked 2 classic award tickets within Canada for my wife and me. Simple if DIY is possible, confusion when ever I have to contact QF. Yesterday, I queried a webchat agent from QF about luggage allowance, he then insisted that there is no availability on the day i want to fly and that i was looking at points + pay or cash fare. Politely told him that i am absolutely sure that it is classic award (indeed, the tickets have now been issued), he would not care to look at any alternative explanation. It was a waste of time. PS: the agent was otherwise polite, he was just simply untrained and inexperienced.

Now the next mess is how to check in at the airport and pay for the checked luggage.

Some data points: good availability from West Jet, good redemption rate, 10K + 55 CAD per PAX for 1.5 hr flight. if paying in cash, it would be 250AUD per PAX.

 

[Danger]

Do you have any status with QF?

 

[Longtoo]

@Danger: I am a QF WP.

 

[DC3]

In a few months time, I will be looking into booking BNE/SYD/MEL-LAX-YYC, flying QF/WS, for August 2020, using QF rewards points (in Business) if I can get it. There are other options, but this (and via SFO from SYD) seems to be the most direct (and my preferable) routing.

I have been through TBIT terminal a few times. Looks like WS uses Terminal 2 at LAX. With the QF/WS "partnership", is there an interline agreement? If so, I could bag-drop on exiting TBIT. The QF website is a bit light on benefits of this partnership, as already mentioned, above.

I may also need to look at other options, including via DFW (DFW-YYC on AA, paid fare).

 

[Danger]

@Danger: I am a QF WP.

Then you maybe interested in this chat I had with Qantas earlier in the year. Take it with a grain of salt (it is Qantas chat, after all and the agent did say I'd earn points flying WS even after I said I was looking to use points for a ticket) but it might be worth doing your own chat and seeing if you get the same response.

 

[Longtoo]

Thanks Danger, I was trying to get a confirmation from Qantas but they are giving nothing. Simply pushing me over to Westjet, even giving me a Canadian phone number to call.

I feel that i have made a mistake. Despite selling and issuing the ticket, Qantas would not take any responsibility as a vendor or an agent at all.

I have kept all wechat log for future reference.

 

[Longtoo]

A quick update. I called the QFF phone number. The agent explained that there is no luggage allowance with my ticket (expected). She gave me a reference number from West Jet (webchat agent was not able to give me anything) to log in to west Jet system and make arrangement for my luggage.

Summary: Zero benefits for QFFlyer on WestJet. More importantly, webchat agents are less likely to be helpful.

 

[Mattg]

A quick update. I called the QFF phone number. The agent explained that there is no luggage allowance with my ticket (expected). She gave me a reference number from West Jet (webchat agent was not able to give me anything) to log in to west Jet system and make arrangement for my luggage.

Summary: Zero benefits for QFFlyer on WestJet. More importantly, webchat agents are less likely to be helpful.

That's pretty much what I would expect. But I don't think I would go as far as saying that booking with Westjet was a mistake. The alternative if you're travelling within Canada would have been to pay quite a lot of money for a commercial fare, and you'd still end up with no included luggage allowance or other benefits. All things considered, you're still getting a good deal.

(I'm assuming you don't have Star Alliance status which could be useful on Air Canada, which is the only other real player in the Canadian market.)