Booking with FF points

[Flying Senior]

Hi - we are planning to book 2 FF Qantas award business class seats to fly from Hong Kong to London next year.
The month we are wanting for the outbound flight is August 2010.
We know it can be booked 353 days in advance.
When we do a dummy run booking for July 2010 we find that there is only economy or first class seats available for the whole of July 2010.
We know that it is high season but are we likely to find the same for August 2010?
Also what sort of taxes can we expect to pay on booking?
Any help would be much appreciated.
Many thanks.

 

[munitalP]

I had a quick look...

Mr!

 

[serfty]

Availability may be better in August - although my NB daughter's account see the same availability as in munitialP's post above.

One trick is to call QFF before 10 am on the day the seats become available. They won't be seen online before then but if any are available, they can still be booked. Note this will cost an additional 2½K QFF points per PAX.

 

[Flying Senior]

Thanks for that. I needed Hong Kong to London. I think you have given London to Hong Kong.

 

[serfty]

Thanks for that. I needed Hong Kong to London. I think you have given London to Hong Kong.

munitiaP has provided both ways. The frame labelled June/July 2010 is HKG to LHR ...

 

[Flying Senior]

Thanks for that explanation.
Am I correct in assuming that the business class seats displayed are for paying passengers and all the QFF Award seats are gone?

Also is anyone able to give us an idea about the amount of taxes we will have to pay?
Thanks

 

[munitalP]

Thanks for that explanation.
Am I correct in assuming that the business class seats displayed are for paying passengers and all the QFF Award seats are gone?

Also is anyone able to give us an idea about the amount of taxes we will have to pay?
Thanks

The table above is award seating only

Mr!

 

[Flying Senior]

Hi - either I am really thick or something's wrong because when I did a dummy run on those dates they still came up with only First & Economy seats available.

Maybe you have to be a platinum or gold to get them - we are only silver.

Did not realise how frustrating trying to book Award seats would be.:evil:

Can only hope there will be some available for the August dates we need.:shock:

Anybody got any idea on the taxes?

 

[craven morehead]

For a J return HKG-LHR taxes should be $2378HK or approx $370AUD :mrgreen:

 

[SimonM]

Although its probably no good to you, if you look at July 2010 for one passenger only, there are lots of available dates across all classes, so it seems there's just one award seat in the upper classes left (or ever?) available on those flights.

 

[Flying Senior]

Thanks Craven for that information - it helps with the budgeting!

Do you know if there are any other shortcuts to booking with Qantas FF points?

 

[Flying Senior]

Thanks Roopaw - I'll have a dummy run again with just 1 seat.

My problem will be when I book the August seats - will I have to do them in 2 seperate bookings and if I get them how do I know we will be seated together?

 

[craven morehead]

Taxes are per person :mrgreen:

 

[Maca44]

Thanks Roopaw - I'll have a dummy run again with just 1 seat.

My problem will be when I book the August seats - will I have to do them in 2 seperate bookings and if I get them how do I know we will be seated together?

I don't know who many points you have to play with, but for two award J seats you might be better ringing QF and spending the 2.5K points for the booking. That way you will know if there are two award seats available on the flight you wish, and then for international flights you can request your seats. From experience, the pre allocated seats show up on QF site within 12 hrs.

 

[SimonM]

Thanks Roopaw - I'll have a dummy run again with just 1 seat.

My problem will be when I book the August seats - will I have to do them in 2 seperate bookings and if I get them how do I know we will be seated together?

I was thinking more along the lines of there only being one seat, rather than only being able to book one seat.

 

[Flying Senior]

Thanks Craven & Roopaw for your help.

I'm thinking I will just have to bite the bullet and maybe start phoning QFF a few days before the actual date we want to fly and either pay the extra points or the $50.00 per pax.
That way even if we have to fly out a few days earlier, we hopefully have a chance of getting the seats.
Thanks once again - everyone has been so helpful

 

[serfty]

Hi - either I am really thick or something's wrong because when I did a dummy run on those dates they still came up with only First & Economy seats available.

Maybe you have to be a platinum or gold to get them - we are only silver.
...

No, see my earlier post:

- although my NB daughter's account sees the same availability as in munitialP's post above. ...

i.e. I msaw the same availability through a non status accouns as munitialP posted with his WP account.

When you first enquire, it comes up with Economy only. To get W/J/F availability you need to ensure you check all four class boxes and resubmit.

 

[dajop]

And if all else fails, if you call QFF and don't mind paying an extra 8,000 pts per person each way (plus 2500 call service fee), you could see if there is any availability on either Cathay Pacific (direct) or Finnair (via Helsinki), or Qantas in one direction and Cathay or Finnair in the other or combinations thereof.

 

[Flying Senior]

Thanks Serfty - I will give it a go, but at the moment I seem to be locked out - keep getting Server Entity Too Long

 

[Flying Senior]

Thanks Dajop I will keep that one up my sleeve