Cannot add Domestic Reward Segment to International Booking

[BD1959]

Apologies if this has been discussed elsewhere - I did search ...

A couple of weeks ago I was looking to add a SYD-MEL J segment to an existing MEL-HKG-TPE-NRT/HND-SYD Reward booking - I could see the award availability so called to have these added. Was told "the booking won't allow it", assumed that there was some weird calculation happening in the background and this was as a result of the system assuming some forbidden married-segments deal and - with the SYD-MEL having to be pretty much confirmed at the time of arrival into SYD by seamless connections in the end gave in to having this just ticketed separately and the two PNRs linked.

Fast forward to last night when I was looking to get an AA sector added into a RTW J rewards ticket. When I'd initially booked all existing sectors, I'd had to call to get the leg from the US into Australia opened up as an award. The bot wouldn't allow anything direct into MEL and so I'd opted for J being opened on LAX-SYD (SYD-MEL wasn't available as an award for another 24hrs) with a mind to get the SYD-MEL added at the same time as the trans-continental US leg. Managed to get the AA segment added last night - though the CSE has managed to drop the initial leg of the trip (another issue I'll report on separately) but although I could see SYD-MEL in J for this date in May next year, again the CSE insisted that the system was telling her this could only be booked as a standalone segment.

Really? This time I'm not unwilling to accept as this as I should not need to spend further pints if the total booking falls within the 318k cap for a J RTW - which it should.

Has something changed in the last couple of years whereby domestic J reward which is available to book online cannot be added to an existing itinerary?

Regards,

BD

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Discussed many, many times unfortunately

QF hard blocks any voluntary domestic connections not offered at the time of your search/booking.

The segments are married essentially.

If you search MEL-LAX and it offers you MEL-SYD-LAX you’re good to go.

If however you search MEL-LAX and if offers you a non-stop flight, you’ll never be able to add SYD/ADL/BNE to the beginning. Hobart can apparently do it, but none of the other channels will.

I first raised this issue over two years ago and there has been no resolution.

The block is comprehensive and works both ways. If you book SYD-MEL first, all SYD-LAX flights disappear. If you book SYD-LAX first, all connecting domestic flights disappear.

The only way the general call centres can assist is by suggesting you buy a standalone sector.

 

[BD1959]

Thanks MEL_Traveller.

So I should persevere until I get Hobart?

TBH I would anyway given the way the rest of the itinerary has been stuffed up ...

Regards,

BD

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Thanks MEL_Traveller.

So I should persevere until I get Hobart?

TBH I would anyway given the way the rest of the itinerary has been stuffed up ...

Regards,

BD

Worth a try!

I never got through to hobart! I emailed the special award assistance line and never got a response (three months trying).

One agent at the call centre somehow managed to put the domestic sector on waitlist… but it never confirmed in the six months prior to departure.

 

[RealtimeY]

M

Post in thread 'QFF Platinum requesting release of extra Classic Reward seats?'

Nov 22, 2024

It's actually not the first time I heard this "domestic leg guaranteed" on the phone.

For international seat release bookings, where the domestic connection is knocked back by the robot...

The written policy is that the domestic connection can be manually forced in as long as C class is available for J, or S class is available for Y, on the domestic on a standalone basis (eg. looking at just SYD-MEL separately as if it were a new commercial booking).

The agent needs to call a team coach to have this done. Regular agents don't have the access to do it.

• madrooster

• 
• 

 

[Mattg]

M

Post in thread 'QFF Platinum requesting release of extra Classic Reward seats?'

Nov 22, 2024

It's actually not the first time I heard this "domestic leg guaranteed" on the phone.

For international seat release bookings, where the domestic connection is knocked back by the robot...

The written policy is that the domestic connection can be manually forced in as long as C class is available for J, or S class is available for Y, on the domestic on a standalone basis (eg. looking at just SYD-MEL separately as if it were a new commercial booking).

The agent needs to call a team coach to have this done. Regular agents don't have the access to do it.

• madrooster

• 
• 

I was just about to post a link to that same post!

This is the answer you need, @BD1959.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I was just about to post a link to that same post!

This is the answer you need, @BD1959.

Isn’t that for when a platinum requests the release of an award and the connecting seat to go with it?

Or does that apply to any situation where you have an existing award, but want to add domestic sectors (and for non-plats).

 

[serfty]

Isn’t that for when a platinum requests the release of an award and the connecting seat to go with it?...

I believe this is the case.

I asked for clarification in that thread but did get a definitive reply.