Booking on-line with Qantas

[bmam]

I'd be interested in any feedback regarding the Qantas website booking process. I am planning a trip to Europe/US later this year (Sep/Oct). The proposed itinerary is SYD/SIN/HEL/BCN/ORD/LHR/KUL/SYD.

Now I would have thought that that is a relatively simple itinerary, although obviously it cannot be on QF metal all the way - indeed little of it can. The QF website, in its "booking" section, allows me to enter those cities and planned travel dates. However when I come to choose flights it tells me that such a booking can only be made via their agent. No matter how many times I re-arrange the booking (e.g. simplifying it by cutting out a destination), it gives me the same message.

I suppose my question is basically, what is the point of this webpage if all it can process is return flights to/from actual QF destinations? Pretty useless in other words. Is it because OneWorld is not as seamless as we are led to believe (different booking systems, perhaps), or do QF just want additional revenue by booking through their agent? Cynical? - me?

Many thanks for any thoughts and/or experiences you have had in such a situation.

 

[TomVexille]

That will be because QF does not publish fares on many of the routes you want.

I suggest finding a good TA

 

[Mattg]

You will probably need a travel agent to book this. The QF website will allow you to book a RTW fare, e.g. flying SYD-SIN-xDXB-HEL/BCN-x-LHR-ORD-xLAX-SYD. But the itinerary you've proposed involves backtracking back via Europe to Australia.

Another option would be to book SYD-HEL/LHR-KUL-SYD with QF, then book BCN-ORD-LHR separately with AA (for example).

Or, if you don't mind flying CX via HKG in/out of Australia, perhaps ask your travel agent about a Cathay Pacific round-the-world fare?

 

[bmam]

Many thanks for your replies Mattg and TomVexville. I was hoping to avoid a travel agent as I've found that when I have used them in the past, I was able to help them more than they could help me. For example, telling me a particular airline doesn't fly to "x" when in fact it does. LOL. Obviously that airline was not offering enough commission!

My flights to Europe are normally not as complicated as this itinerary and so I do them on-line. My confusion was simply that since the QF booking web page was accepting those sectors (up until the "find flights" stage), I assumed it could cope with such a booking. For example, I have used it in the past and entered a sector where a message has told me such a sector was unavailable. Fair enough. However to "accept" an itinerary up until the last stage and then reject it seems perverse. I won't be dying in a ditch about it though as there are ways around it - even, I suppose, phoning QF - the sectors would be with OneWorld airlines, after all.

The suggestions Mattg has proposed could work for me, so thank you.

 

[TomVexille]

A half decent TA will be able to book something you put together on ITA Matrix as well.

 

[ajd]

That will be because QF does not publish fares on many of the routes you want.

I suggest finding a good TA

One of these days I'll decide to go quit my job and start an OTA which allows you to book any itinerary that can be constructed through the GDS...