Detailed information on QF/EK arrangements released

[simongr]

Hi all

markis10 provided the link below in Berlin's thread to address their questions. Given the level of detail in the link below I thought this deserved its own thread.

http://www.qantas.com.au/agents/dyn/qf/policies/QF_EK_FAQs_Tradev5.pdf

There are some interesting tid-bits in there:

A few samples I thought were interesting are:

[-]Able to check in for EK flights at QF counters

For travel on/after 31 March 2013, Chairmans Lounge, Platinum One and Platinum Qantas Frequent Flyers Members will be able to check in for Emirates (EK) operated flights at First or Business check-in counters (where available). Gold Qantas Frequent Flyers will be able to check in at the Business check-in counters (where available).
Members must be booked and ticketed on the Qantas (QF) or Emirates (EK) flight number.[/-]

Booking EK flights using points from when?


Qantas Classic Award bookings may be booked on Emirates (EK) operated flights from 31 March 2013.

Boarding from the lounge

The lounges at Concourse A, from which Qantas flights will arrive and depart, enable customers travelling in First and Business to board directly from the lounge.

Transiting liquids

Due to Australian Government regulations, if a customer is travelling on a service to Australia and has purchased LAGs in excess of 100ml duty free in Dubai Airport, their purchases will be packaged, taken at the departure gate and stowed in the aircraft hold for the duration of the flight. If they have purchased duty free LAGs at the start of their journey and are transiting through Dubai, their purchases will also be taken from them at the departure gate and stowed in the airport hold. Customers will need to collect their purchases upon arrival in Australia at the Oversize Baggage counter in the Arrivals Hall

When can you book Dubai COnnect?

Eligible customers will be able to book the Dubai Connect service from mid-March 2013. If travel is booked before 18 March 2013, details will be provided as to how to add the Dubai Connect service to their booking once the functionality is available. Further information on the booking process will be available soon.

 

[TheInsider]

Correction needed. If you are on EK metal, you need to check-in at EK. Unless this is talking about DXB airport?

 

[simongr]

My mistake - I misread the information.

 

[Ansett]

makes for some interesting reading

What I found confusing is the CABIN BONUS POINTS refered to on page 11. It clearly indicates that the earn rate would be 200% BONUS Miles; in addition to the normal points earned, when traveling in First so dare I sugest one would get the normal, using easy figures, 21,000 base miles plus 42,000 Bonus Miles Plus 21,000 points for Staus Recognition, platinums thus making a total of 84,00 points for a flight Melbourne to London with a flight change in Dubai (QF9 to QF1).

This is far more than the 63,000 currently on offer or am I missing something?

Also seems Business and economy travelers are better off too????

 

[simongr]

My interpretation of this has been that the points earned are 200%in total for First. This is an improvement - I don't know when this changed but this table used to read 50% 25% 10% for F/J/PE:

Frequent Flyer - Earning Points - Fly - Airline Partners

 

[Ansett]

My interpretation of this has been that the points earned are 200%in total for First. This is an improvement - I don't know when this changed but this table used to read 50% 25% 10% for F/J/PE:

Frequent Flyer - Earning Points - Fly - Airline Partners

I agree with you and that whilst the website does not reflect this, trust that this is not an early enhancement to the new alliance ( Tongue in cheek)

The wording of the document leaves a little to be desired in my opinion in that it refers to CABIN BONUS being 200% to which one would normally add the normal bases points then add the status bonus. As per below



I will keep a copy of this and ask for the additional points once I return from trips

The example below shows only a 100% Bonus NOT 200% as indicated in the document

 

[docjames]

Transiting liquids

Due to Australian Government regulations, if a customer is travelling on a service to Australia and has purchased LAGs in excess of 100ml duty free in Dubai Airport, their purchases will be packaged, taken at the departure gate and stowed in the aircraft hold for the duration of the flight. If they have purchased duty free LAGs at the start of their journey and are transiting through Dubai, their purchases will also be taken from them at the departure gate and stowed in the airport hold. Customers will need to collect their purchases upon arrival in Australia at the Oversize Baggage counter in the Arrivals Hall

I realise this is due to Aust Govt requirements but what a PITA.

 

[Ansett]

I realise this is due to Aust Govt requirements but what a PITA.

BUT why is that via Singapore one can collect at gate yet not through Dubai? Dont understand what the issue is. Also given that it has to be packeaged for containment in the hull and I presumed individually boed or protected in some way. what will be the Minimum amount of time that is needed to enable this to happen?

I can see this being a right royal PITA. What happens if the parcel is lost?

What happens if it is broken?

What happens if it gets put onto the wrong flight?

So many questions for me here

Does this mean that I still cant buy liquids durt free is say London or other European ports and transit with them VIA Dubai?

 

[docjames]

BUT why is that via Singapore one can collect at gate yet not through Dubai? Dont understand what the issue is. Also given that it has to be packeaged for containment in the hull and I presumed individually boed or protected in some way. what will be the Minimum amount of time that is needed to enable this to happen?

I can see this being a right royal PITA. What happens if the parcel is lost?

What happens if it is broken?

What happens if it gets put onto the wrong flight?

So many questions for me here

Does this mean that I still cant buy liquids durt free is say London or other European ports and transit with them VIA Dubai?

It reads to me as you surrender them in transit and get them back at destination (via oversize luggage). PITA for a bottle of booze.

Guess that keeps the Aussie Duty Free in business then....

 

[ozmille]

I agree with you and that whilst the website does not reflect this, trust that this is not an early enhancement to the new alliance ( Tongue in cheek)

The wording of the document leaves a little to be desired in my opinion in that it refers to CABIN BONUS being 200% to which one would normally add the normal bases points then add the status bonus. As per below



I will keep a copy of this and ask for the additional points once I return from trips

The example below shows only a 100% Bonus NOT 200% as indicated in the document

don't forget that if you want to claim that you have to book EK operated flights QF flight numbers otherwise it will be a definite no.

Even so I don't think the bonus will be 200% for F travel because that would mean that even for travelling in whY you would get a 100% bonus...

 

[Ansett]

It reads to me as you surrender them in transit and get them back at destination (via oversize luggage). PITA for a bottle of booze.

Guess that keeps the Aussie Duty Free in business then....

I agree with your interpretation and yes PITA. Protectionism at its best. It wouldnt be so bad if the duty free in Australia was even slightly competitive. Atleast now it seems we can bring and transit Liquids to Dubai where as that was not possible through Singapore, even if we must loose it to the hold for the flight. Perhaps this is why the drop in Baggage allowlances lol

 

[Danger]

Boarding from the lounge

The lounges at Concourse A, from which Qantas flights will arrive and depart, enable customers travelling in First and Business to board directly from the lounge.

This is misnomer, in my opinion and it's an Emirates thing, not Qantas. While the F lounge at DXB does indeed have multiply gates, they are really only to exit the lounge. Once you've gone through the gate 'exit' at the lounge, you end up in the boarding pool with the rest of the passengers. It's not like, say, BA at SFO.

BUT why is that via Singapore one can collect at gate yet not through Dubai? Dont understand what the issue is.

My understanding is it's because Singapore Airport duty free staff are happy to deliver duty free liquids direct to the gate, post-screening, which satisfies the Australian Government.

 

[simongr]

This is misnomer, in my opinion and it's an Emirates thing, not Qantas. While the F lounge at DXB does indeed have multiply gates, they are really only to exit the lounge. Once you've gone through the gate 'exit' at the lounge, you end up in the boarding pool with the rest of the passengers. It's not like, say, BA at SFO.

Is that for the new concourse A at the new terminal?

From the Emirates website:

Now you can step straight onto your aircraft

The new hub features the biggest Business Class lounge in the world and a First Class lounge with exclusive new facilities like a cigar bar and Duty Free shopping area.

As well as offering a unique premium experience across two entire floors, both lounges offer direct access to your aircraft, for faster, frictionless boarding

 

[markis10]

FWIW Brisbane has the capability of direct boarding from the EK lounge as well.

 

[Danger]

Is that for the new concourse A at the new terminal?

From the Emirates website:

Yes. I had the pleasure of spending about four hours in the new lounge in January. I only have one flight to base statement on, but I did board through one of the new 'gates' from the lounge. Once through the 'gate', I took an elevator to the departure level. And, from memory, the Business lounge is one level above the First lounge but apparently it too has "direct access" to the aircraft. Ultimately, you may exit the lounge through a specific gate (all numbered with boarding pass readers and the like) but it's certainly not direct access to the aircraft.

 

[elbarto]

don't forget that if you want to claim that you have to book EK operated flights QF flight numbers otherwise it will be a definite no.

Even so I don't think the bonus will be 200% for F travel because that would mean that even for travelling in whY you would get a 100% bonus...

I think there's some key words missing that makes it look like more points will be earned than what will actually be the case. I doubt Discount Y would be getting a 100% points bonus. Getting 1 point per mile on QF and 0.5 on EK makes more sense and that's how I interpret that table. Which if I'm correct would mean F is only a 100% bonus and not a 200% bonus.

 

[simongr]

That is disappointing.

Although for F pax it wouldn't work given that QF have F on the lower deck and EK have it on the upper deck.

 

[markis10]

That is disappointing.

Although for F pax it wouldn't work given that QF have F on the lower deck and EK have it on the upper deck.

No reason why the aerobridge could not be lowered or raised as the case may be.

 

[ajw373]

No reason why the aerobridge could not be lowered or raised as the case may be.

Don't think so. All 3 bridges for A380's are staggered. Lower first door, upper door, lower 2nd door. Not possible to bring the upper door bridge down to the first lower door as the lower first door bridge would get in the way (even if it were not used).

Interesting about the liquid rules too, is this something that Emirates does too? First time I have ever heard of this arrangement. Have heard of the no duty free liquid rule, ala Bangkok. Delivered to the gate ala US (though for different reasons as well), Singapore, Kuala Lumpur etc, but never put in hold for collection in Australia. Also I though our government was relaxing these over the top rules and were going to rely soley on the rules in the country where the flight leaves. Guess the Australian duty free shops must have done some lobbying, because personally I reckon that's what these rules are about.

 

[TheInsider]

Guess the Australian duty free shops must have done some lobbying, because personally I reckon that's what these rules are about.

How though? You can still purchase duty free on EU ports and DXB.

The only difference is that the duty free purchases will be placed in the bulkhold for the Dubai to Australia flights.

This is what happens for all EK flights to Australia at the moment.