Discussion/Q&A on Best QF Status Run Options

[support]

This thread is for Questions and General discussion regarding the Best Status Run Options for QFF as per this thread:

Overview of Best Status Run Options [not the discussion thread]

Please keep your questions and queries to this thread and avoid posting in the other.

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You can also get some status run inspiration from this AFF article:

The Best Qantas Frequent Flyer Status Runs

Haven't earned enough status credits in your Qantas membership year? Here is a selection of the best Qantas Frequent Flyer status runs.

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

 

[Flashback]

re: Discussion/Q&A on Best QF Status Run Options

Hi All,

Based in London and need advice to retain SG. Need 310 SC before Feb
On a side note, is the LHR - SYD counted as one or two legs of the 4 needed on Qantas metal? (Sorry if already answered in the thread)

Cheers All
Kash

If you're that far off it hardly seems worth it - but anyhou, you can use JER-LGW-MLA return in Club Europe as a nicely priced option and then either nest in a MLA-LGW return or nest in a LGW-MAD-BIO or similar.

Re: number of legs - I would say if booking on the single flight number 1 segment essentially, but if booking on different flight numbers then should count as 2.

Is there any reason you're not crediting to BAEC instead?

 

[kash_0]

re: Discussion/Q&A on Best QF Status Run Options

If you're that far off it hardly seems worth it - but anyhou, you can use JER-LGW-MLA return in Club Europe as a nicely priced option and then either nest in a MLA-LGW return or nest in a LGW-MAD-BIO or similar.

Re: number of legs - I would say if booking on the single flight number 1 segment essentially, but if booking on different flight numbers then should count as 2.

Is there any reason you're not crediting to BAEC instead?

Probably over ambitious I know.
Not wanting to commit to BAEC as only here for work.

 

[Flashback]

re: Discussion/Q&A on Best QF Status Run Options

Probably over ambitious I know.
Not wanting to commit to BAEC as only here for work.

Another option, which is easy and could be done for about £5-600 is just 2 return trips from LGW to either RAK or MLA. MLA tends to be cheaper, but RAK has cheaper accommodation. Worth spending at least a day or two in RAK if you've not been.

 

[hat]

re: Discussion/Q&A on Best QF Status Run Options

hi all first time posting.

im 150SC off getting to Platinum and I have a few months left to reach it, but prob not going to make it without a Status run.

I am Melbourne based, andlooking for low cost options

any suggestions would hlep

 

[Awesom Andy]

re: Discussion/Q&A on Best QF Status Run Options

hi all first time posting.

im 150SC off getting to Platinum and I have a few months left to reach it, but prob not going to make it without a Status run.

I am Melbourne based, andlooking for low cost options

any suggestions would hlep

Welcome, thanks for your first post, which I'm sure it will be the first of many. And congrats for posting in the questions and discussion thread instead of the overview thread, which a lot of us more seasoned flyers/posters seem to have a problem with.

So to confirm you are currently 150SC off, or will you be needing 150SC after the next few months' worth of flying? Also, if you let us know what your flights will be in the next few months, we can take those into account and/or suggest alternatives to make it easier to reach WP.

 

[hat]

re: Discussion/Q&A on Best QF Status Run Options

Welcome, thanks for your first post, which I'm sure it will be the first of many. And congrats for posting in the questions and discussion thread instead of the overview thread, which a lot of us more seasoned flyers/posters seem to have a problem with.

So to confirm you are currently 150SC off, or will you be needing 150SC after the next few months' worth of flying? Also, if you let us know what your flights will be in the next few months, we can take those into account and/or suggest alternatives to make it easier to reach WP.

no upcoming till my membership year over, os need Status run

 

[NZ_Flyer]

re: Discussion/Q&A on Best QF Status Run Options

Was looking for a good status run out of HKG (as I won't be able to do one out of BKK) and managed to find a decent HKG-KUL-CMB-KUL-HKG on CX/UL in J which nets 320SC's at just under NZD$1200 which is NZD$3.75/SC. Pretty good value out of HKG. Even better in AUD.

 

[gizzard]

re: Discussion/Q&A on Best QF Status Run Options

im 150SC off getting to Platinum and I have a few months left to reach it, but prob not going to make it without a Status run.

The cheapest would probably be MEL-SYD-OOL in Flex Y but you'd need 2 return trips.

The easiest MEL-SYD-MCY in J return or MEL-BNE-DRW with at least one leg in J.

 

[hat]

re: Discussion/Q&A on Best QF Status Run Options

The cheapest would probably be MEL-SYD-OOL in Flex Y but you'd need 2 return trips.

The easiest MEL-SYD-MCY in J return or MEL-BNE-DRW with at least one leg in J.

or one with a comfort seat?

 

[Danger]

re: Discussion/Q&A on Best QF Status Run Options

Having just finished another status run on AA with a number of other flights flown (18 AA flights in total) I feel the need to share: nothing about American Airlines inspires me.

It all started bad. I was due to fly Stockholm-London-Dallas-Sao Paulo, the first sector on BA, all booked through AA. Twenty-four hours before the flight I went onto ExpertFlyer to see how the seat map was looking, only to learn that the flight I was ticketed and confirmed in, the flight aa.com was showing as me traveling on, actually no longer existed. I called AA and, ironically during the call, I received an automated email from AA reminding me to check-in for my flight that didn’t exist! The agent couldn’t explain what had happened and, indeed, took some encouragement to actually dig a little deeper to learn that the flight was no longer operating, believing her system when it said all was fine. I was transferred to special services or something where a gentleman also had no clue what had gone wrong. To his credit he looked further into my itinerary to make sure the rest of it was fine. It was far from it. My connecting AA flight from London to DFW was no longer operating. But again, aa.com showed me ticketed and confirmed on this phantom flight and all this just 24 hours from departure. I was re-routed through JFK (on BA at my insistence) and then down to Sao Paulo. If it wasn’t for me searching for a better seat I would have got to Stockholm airport for an 8.40am departure only to learn that flight didn’t exist, that I’d been booked on a 9.25am departure and that I had no onward connection. The call took 88 minutes. And to top it all off, the London-Dallas flight I was originally ticketed on but somehow had disappeared from the schedule and resulted in me being re-routed via JFK did actually operate.

There's the flight attendants that stand around with their hands in their pockets, leaning against bulkheads or sitting during the boarding process. Many clearly wish they were somewhere else. On a 10 hour flight in F, my introduction to the flight attendant was when he said “Now, Mr Danger. What would you like to eat tonight?” No “Welcome aboard”. No “Good evening”. Nothing. It’s all part of the ‘smiles cost extra’ mentality’ that seems to dominate. On one flight a male flight attendant just looked sloppy with his top button undone and tie loose for the entire flight.

No pre-departure beverages served in J (the highest cabin) on a 12 hour flight. International J and even F breakfasts resembling something you’d get on a decent carrier in international Y. The ‘snack basket’ service on flights under 2.5 hours (some flights are exempted) in F. On a San Francisco to LA flight that is blocked at a little under 90 minutes, all you get is a drink and a muesli bar or bag of chips in F. Compare that with the outstanding service flight attendants provide on a 55 minute Canberra-Sydney flight, where in J you get a full meal, and you’re quickly reminded how much better Australian carriers are. Even in Y I’ve always found the snack service to be very good and exceptionally efficient given a very short flight time. And this in a duopoly.

I had two aircraft go tech causing mis-connections that resulted in my two nights in Panama becoming one and my one night in San Francisco becoming zero. On one of them I had to fight to be put up in a hotel, the ground staff blaming weather but seemingly forgetting that the flight was already 2.5 hours late before the thunderstorm started. It didn't help their cause that a flight attendant had actually announced when we were on-board (we had to deplane) that the APU was broken.

Flagship dining at DFW is advertised as beginning at 6.30am but it’s in fact 8.30am. When I showed her the lounge agent even said “That’s strange. It’s always been 8.30am”. And what sort of time is that to start a breakfast anyway?

And the seatbelt sign. Oh my God. Arrrggghhh. I’ve had sneezing fits that created more disturbance than the so-called turbulence that AA’s pilots react to. On one 12 hour flight the seatbelt sign was on for the entire flight. I kid you not. There was not one solitary minute when the sign was off. Needless to say, it was a perfectly smooth flight from start to finish. This happened to be the same flight where not a word from the coughpit was heard. Not once, for 12 hours. No welcome on-board, no we’re expecting an on-time arrival, no thanks for flying American. Nothing. It was like the pilots decided ‘Well, we’re on a red-eye. How about we just put the thing on auto-pilot, switch on the seatbelt sign and play poker in the crew bunk?’ Of course, all that happens when the seatbelt sign is on in perpetuity is create a mentality whereby nobody pays any attention to it. So when there is legitimate turbulence or a valid reason to remain safely buckled up, people have no idea. They assume the sign is just on because it always is and proceed to the toilet or stretch their legs anyway.

If it wasn’t for the cheap status runs, I really couldn’t see myself flying with AA.

 

[technoir]

re: Discussion/Q&A on Best QF Status Run Options

Sounds like a pretty underwhelming experience to say the least... I'm constantly amazed that USA carriers are so sub standard. International carriers anyway, I was very pleasantly surprised at how good Virgin America was the couple of times I flew with them. Domestic only of course. Pity they will soon no longer exist!

 

[tm.smile]

re: Discussion/Q&A on Best QF Status Run Options

Pity they will soon no longer exist!

VX may still exist alongside AS. It'll just be interesting to see how they use the dual brand strategy if they do.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

re: Discussion/Q&A on Best QF Status Run Options

Danger - I hear you. But I'd trade USA based airlines' IRROPS procedures any day for the $2-$3 meal served by Aussie domestic airlines CBR-SYD. IRROPS for Aussie airlines? They might fly you on one of their services the next day (for international). US based airlines will get you there even by other carriers. They routed you via JFK on BA - try getting QF to do that.

I guess this is a case of YMMV. As a non-status passenger I find AA (and other US carriers) beat the offering by QF domestically. I don't particularly enjoy always getting sat in the last row of business class on QF where I don't get served my meal until we've already started descent. If you're a platinum in 1A with a drink after take-off and a meal shortly after it's probably a different story.

 

[anat0l]

re: Discussion/Q&A on Best QF Status Run Options

Without turning this into a AA thread rather than a thread about status runs......

...nothing about American Airlines inspires me.

See, people have reported the same thing except swap your AA with QF (and then proceed to talk about why AA is hot stuff). Maybe you just got a bad set? But it was 18 flights in a row...

It all started bad. ....And to top it all off, the London-Dallas flight I was originally ticketed on but somehow had disappeared from the schedule and resulted in me being re-routed via JFK did actually operate.

That's really odd and has to really p*** you off, too. In a way, you might have been better to just play none the wiser and see how far you got, e.g. would you have actually been put on the "cancelled" flight anyway. Had you been left out in the cold, with your printout in hand (eticket number clearly showing), you wouldn't be left in LHR because AA would have been responsible for getting you onto a new flight free of charge, and, if they care about their liabilities, one that got you to your ultimate destination almost at the same original timing. Might have saved you the 88 minute phone call, unless you were only using Skype and wifi. Then again, being proactive did let you at least control the certainty of the outcome rather than having to argue with the ground staff at LHR (although the staff there should be more than just a good head on a set of shoulders).

There's the flight attendants that stand around with their hands in their pockets, leaning against bulkheads or sitting during the boarding process. Many clearly wish they were somewhere else. On a 10 hour flight in F, my introduction to the flight attendant was when he said “Now, Mr Danger. What would you like to eat tonight?” No “Welcome aboard”. No “Good evening”. Nothing. It’s all part of the ‘smiles cost extra’ mentality’ that seems to dominate. On one flight a male flight attendant just looked sloppy with his top button undone and tie loose for the entire flight.

On the other hand, the food must have been at least satisfactory (bar breakfast), with sundaes. Plus onboard wifi. In J, a seat with guaranteed unimpeded access to aisle. Help me out here......

...On one of them I had to fight to be put up in a hotel...

Flagship dining at DFW is advertised as beginning at 6.30am but it’s in fact 8.30am.

Fighting to get put up in hotels during problems is something troublesome to many carriers - or at least most Western world carriers. Even Qantas doesn't do it very well. If this was at a carrier outstation (and not a hub) then that adds to the inadequacy.

I've heard Flagship dining is nothing to write home about, and if it was breakfast then I'd double down on my bet. Happy to be wrong, but....

And the seatbelt sign. Oh my God. Arrrggghhh.

Popular culture has it that this is a "cover backside" thing to account for the particularly litigious LOTFAPians. If there is turbulence and the pilots didn't put on the seat belt sign and someone got hurt, hello mega big lawsuit. As we all know, turbulence can happen at any time; pilots do their best to switch on the sign when it is anticipated to be turbulent but they can't get it right all the time (all the more reason why everyone when seated should have their seatbelt fastened). If they keep the sign on but people move about anyway, I guess the carrier can wash their hands because the pax is now taking the risk by disregarding the sign (ironically, it is specifically said at the beginning of the flight that it is a federal offence to disregard instructions given by the crew or posted on printed or illuminated signs).

Now I'm not sure how other, non-US based carriers that operate flights to/from the USA handle this kind of thing, because I'm sure there must have been a fair share of US citizens who have gotten a bump or two that some legal shyster in the USA would be able to bring a case forward for.

If it wasn’t for the cheap status runs, I really couldn’t see myself flying with AA.

With AA's entry on the Trans-Pacific at SYD and AKL, they are a breath of fresh air for some since their J product is viewed as superior and they have a couple of other things that QF don't offer (for those that stick to oneworld anyway).

 

[anat0l]

re: Discussion/Q&A on Best QF Status Run Options

They routed you via JFK on BA - try getting QF to do that.

Kind of helps quite a bit that BA and AA have a tight agreement over their TATL operations.

I had to help out a friend once go from HKG to JFK on AA (via DFW)... to cut a long story short, arguing with AA it was impossible to get him on a CX flight. The best they offered was same routing the next day. No hotel, either, though after many months and teeth-pulling AA eventually reimbursed him the hotel expense.

Now of course it's one example versus another one, so YMMV indeed.

As a non-status passenger I find AA (and other US carriers) beat the offering by QF domestically.

On a short flight less than 90 minutes? Hell, no.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

re: Discussion/Q&A on Best QF Status Run Options

In a way, you might have been better to just play none the wiser and see how far you got, e.g. would you have actually been put on the "cancelled" flight anyway. Had you been left out in the cold, with your printout in hand (eticket number clearly showing), you wouldn't be left in LHR because AA would have been responsible for getting you onto a new flight free of charge, and, if they care about their liabilities, one that got you to your ultimate destination almost at the same original timing. Might have saved you the 88 minute phone call, unless you were only using Skype and wifi. Then again, being proactive did let you at least control the certainty of the outcome rather than having to argue with the ground staff at LHR (although the staff there should be more than just a good head on a set of shoulders).

From what I can make out the original flight was on BA metal? I would have called BA for advice at first instance rather than the issuer. While the call might not have been much shorter (wait times) at least they would have had the correct info in their system.

 

[Aussie_flyer]

re: Discussion/Q&A on Best QF Status Run Options

I dont get it... where did this info come from that the flight wasnt operating? It did operate and online checkin was available... something isnt adding up here

 

[DC3]

re: Discussion/Q&A on Best QF Status Run Options

Having just finished another status run on AA with a number of other flights flown (18 AA flights in total) I feel the need to share: nothing about American Airlines inspires me ......

Sorry to hear about your bad experience with AA, Danger.

However, fortunately for me, my recent experience with a status run was pretty much the opposite to yours.

In July, I completed a status run on AA, all USA domestic segments, and had almost no issues. Today, I've posted a brief report on some aspects of the trip (mainly some meals and SC earning):

http://www.australianfrequentflyer....-photos/usa-status-run-trip-report-77400.html

 

[Danger]

re: Discussion/Q&A on Best QF Status Run Options

That's really odd and has to really p*** you off, too. In a way, you might have been better to just play none the wiser and see how far you got, e.g. would you have actually been put on the "cancelled" flight anyway. Had you been left out in the cold, with your printout in hand (eticket number clearly showing), you wouldn't be left in LHR because AA would have been responsible for getting you onto a new flight free of charge, and, if they care about their liabilities, one that got you to your ultimate destination almost at the same original timing. Might have saved you the 88 minute phone call, unless you were only using Skype and wifi. Then again, being proactive did let you at least control the certainty of the outcome rather than having to argue with the ground staff at LHR (although the staff there should be more than just a good head on a set of shoulders).

I definitely think I was in a better position by sorting it out prior to arriving at the airport. As it was I was staying in a town outside of Stockholm so I was up at 4.30am (the morning after a wedding) for the drive to the airport. After queuing for about 15 minutes for the solitary J/priority check-in agent (which I later learned from the Menzies contractor is at BA's insistence (ie. only one)) I was told I couldn't be checked in because I had been double-booked on the same flight. Off I go to the the Menzies help desk where a very helpful agent sorted it out. She commented, however, that they are contracted by BA and there was very little assistance she could provide on behalf of AA (if any).

So if it wasn't for my proactiveness I would have arrived at Stockholm for a flight to London that didn't exist, only to be told by a BA contractor that my onward flight didn't exist either. Almost certainly they would have told me to get in touch with AA as it was their ticket and their flight that (figuratively) went up in smoke.

On the other hand, the food must have been at least satisfactory (bar breakfast), with sundaes. Plus onboard wifi. In J, a seat with guaranteed unimpeded access to aisle. Help me out here......

The F seats on the 773 are great. Really very good. Not one of my favourites but still a solid product. Yes, you can't go past the sundaes but they were only available on the three class international sectors. Wifi I don't bother with but, yes, I can see it is a benefit for many. Direct aisle access in J is also a plus but how many airlines in the world offer only mainscreen entertainment in international J? I wrote the above after my 18th flight and before my 19th which was a 767 service from Miami to Milan. It took two hours for the IFE to work (there were no tablets for J) and the in-seat power for the entire aircraft was out for the whole flight. And the seatbelt sign: it was off for maybe 10 minutes in an almost 10 hour flight.

Fighting to get put up in hotels during problems is something troublesome to many carriers - or at least most Western world carriers. Even Qantas doesn't do it very well. If this was at a carrier outstation (and not a hub) then that adds to the inadequacy.

For my second IRROPS it was much easier to get accommodation. There was no question from the Admirals Club staff. In fact, one of that actually said to a colleague, "**** it. Book him in F" [on my new flight]. I appreciated that; not so much the upgrade (which actually wasn't an upgrade as I was booked in A anyway) but the way the agent acknowledged that it was AA's issue and I should be looked after. This agent had already blocked several rooms at a nearby hotel on account of other passengers on my tech flight.

I've heard Flagship dining is nothing to write home about, and if it was breakfast then I'd double down on my bet. Happy to be wrong, but....

I wasn't expecting much either but what I do expect is for the website of the very airline that runs, operates and owns the lounge to offer correct information. I think Flagship Dining at DFW has been around for several months. The website says breakfast begins at 6.30am yet the lounge agents said it's always been 8.30am. Very, very poor.

Popular culture has it that this is a "cover backside" thing to account for the particularly litigious LOTFAPians. If there is turbulence and the pilots didn't put on the seat belt sign and someone got hurt, hello mega big lawsuit. As we all know, turbulence can happen at any time; pilots do their best to switch on the sign when it is anticipated to be turbulent but they can't get it right all the time (all the more reason why everyone when seated should have their seatbelt fastened). If they keep the sign on but people move about anyway, I guess the carrier can wash their hands because the pax is now taking the risk by disregarding the sign (ironically, it is specifically said at the beginning of the flight that it is a federal offence to disregard instructions given by the crew or posted on printed or illuminated signs).

I have absolutely no doubt that you are 100% correct about it being an cough covering exercise. But as I pointed out, it simply breeds contempt to the point people do not take it seriously.

From what I can make out the original flight was on BA metal? I would have called BA for advice at first instance rather than the issuer. While the call might not have been much shorter (wait times) at least they would have had the correct info in their system.

The original flight was BA coded and operated but on an AA ticket. I'm confident that in line with practice if I'd contacted BA with the problem they would have directed me to AA as it's their ticket and travel hadn't commenced.

I dont get it... where did this info come from that the flight wasnt operating? It did operate and online checkin was available... something isnt adding up here

This has intrigued me, too. The agent I spoke with 24-odd hours before the flight said it wasn't operating. At first I was confident she was still deluded after having told me not 15 minutes prior that my ARN-LHR was still on time and set to go. I looked at EF and the flight showed but it was zeroed out. The agent was confident that it wasn't operating. Strangely, after I was re-booked, my A seat popped up on EF with A1 being the only bucket with any seats. That was very weird. But what could I do? The operating carrier said its flight wasn't operating.

The online check-in email I received during the call was for the original ARN-LHR, the first of my flights that had evaporated into thin air.

Sorry to hear about your bad experience with AA, Danger.

However, fortunately for me, my recent experience with a status run was pretty much the opposite to yours.

In July, I completed a status run on AA, all USA domestic segments, and had almost no issues. Today, I've posted a brief report on some aspects of the trip (mainly some meals and SC earning):

http://www.australianfrequentflyer....-photos/usa-status-run-trip-report-77400.html

I had a quick skim of your trip report and I'm pleased things went smoother for you (some of those meals looks familiar!).

I would point out that a fair portion of my comments relate to international F and J service.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

re: Discussion/Q&A on Best QF Status Run Options

The original flight was BA coded and operated but on an AA ticket. I'm confident that in line with practice if I'd contacted BA with the problem they would have directed me to AA as it's their ticket and travel hadn't commenced.

I guess YMMV. My experience is that for involuntary changes, once a flight is under airport control (or close to it) the operating airline is able to handle flights in the case of IRROPS. They can confirm if the flight is operating and secondly, advise alternative arrangements. This is a common issue ex China - for example AA issued tickets for travel on CX or KA operated flights... CX/KA have control.

The other (not insignificant) advantage of calling the operating carrier is that they can create additional inventory on their own metal that the ticket issuer can't do. This often opens up more options to get to your destination.