Dilemma- My paid booking now has award seat availability

[ronlon]

HI, I have a paid fare with Qatar Airways, Zagreb to Melbourne. The fare is fully refundable.

There are now award seats available on the very same flights, there were none before. I suspect if I book the award seats it won't ticket as Qatar will recognise that I am already on the flights. Would I then cancel the paid booking and hope the award booking tickets ?

I could cancel the paid booking now but could I then book the award booking immediately?

Compounding the matter is that if I have to end up rebooking the paid fare if the award seats fall through, the fare has increased to what I paid.

 

[TheInsider]

Qatar will not know you are already on the flight, Go ahead and book it.

Just don't waste any time in booking the reward seat - they will go quick!

Cancel the paid ticket when you get the ticket from Qantas.

 

[RichardMEL]

Can I request you not use ALL CAPS in subject lines? it's like being shouted at. I am a sensitive soul

I actually disagree with TheInsider a tiny bit (sorry!) but some airlines DO run duplicate PNR/pax searches (has been a thing for quite a long time). Do QR do this? I have no idea, but it is definitely a thing. AA does it for example, or at least they used to (I know one who was involved with implementing with SABRE back in the day).

However it wouldn't be instant so I would agree in general to book the reward seat and when it is ticketed cancel ASAP the revenue seat.

good luck.

 

[TheInsider]

I actually disagree with TheInsider a tiny bit (sorry!) but some airlines DO run duplicate PNR/pax searches (has been a thing for quite a long time). Do QR do this? I have no idea, but it is definitely a thing. AA does it for example, or at least they used to (I know one who was involved with implementing with SABRE back in the day).

I mean there is, but the time it would take to look at and then chase up is quite a bit.

 

[ronlon]

thanks RichardMEL and TheInsider ! I have grabbed the last remaining award seats and hopefully it will be able to ticket and then I will cancel the paid fare. Unfortunately the taxes/carrier charges are so high in recent times (depending on airline/route etc ) that each time one has to determine if it is better to pay the fare and keep the points for a better reward option.

 

[ronlon]

Wow.....I got the ticket numbers a few minutes after completing the booking !

 

[DC3]

Wow.....I got the ticket numbers a few minutes after completing the booking !

That’s how it’s meant to happen.

A simple straight-forward booking, and an e-ticket within a few minutes.