Does QF Status impact on award availability?

[Origin]

Perhaps a newbie question but when searching for available award redemptions on the Qantas website do you see the same flights regardless if you are Bronze or Gold status?

 

[Deleted member]

We all see the same flights. But status helps in many ways to secure those elusive award seats.

 

[Origin]

Thanks , but I am not sure I follow.
if you can see the flight, you can book if can't you? Provide of course you ha e sufficient points.

 

[jetpack]

People with status get to see more award seats than Bronze. I've compared availability before using a bronze account and a non bronze account, there can be differences.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

Also QF Plat members can call up and ask for award seats to be released so while there may be no award availability showing the Plat may end up with a seat if their request is successful.

 

[eric2011]

Also QF Plat members can call up and ask for award seats to be released so while there may be no award availability showing the Plat may end up with a seat if their request is successful.

Does that happen instantly or does the Plat need to wait til closer to departure, ie T80

 

[clazman]

Sorry i thought everyone could see the same award seats.. irrelevant of status, with status coming into play for upgrades only?

 

[Dr Ralph]

It varies enormously.

 

[blackcat20]

Definitely a difference, even as a Gold compared with Bronze.

• Preferential access to selected Qantas Classic Flight Reward seats
  On selected flights, preferential access to Qantas Classic Flight Reward seats for Gold members may be above the access available to Silver and Bronze members.[SUP]9[/SUP]

 

[Origin]

Yes I always thought there should be, from the airlines point of view. With credit cards being the major source of points for a lot of people I was wondering if there was an extra benefits for status on the booking website for award availability

 

[RooFlyer]

Does that happen instantly or does the Plat need to wait til closer to departure, ie T80

In the case of an Award seat being requested to be released, its either granted or denied on the spot (usually after a call by the phone agent to 'yield management'). There have been reports of Golds making a successful request too, but I suspect that is rare. Out of about 8 requests over time, the only time as a Plat I've ben denied a requested Award seat was when the flight was about 2 weeks out.

Yes I always thought there should be, from the airlines point of view. With credit cards being the major source of points for a lot of people I was wondering if there was an extra benefits for status on the booking website for award availability

As a Plat, can I say 'Amen' to that.

 

[medhead]

In the case of an Award seat being requested to be released, its either granted or denied on the spot (usually after a call by the phone agent to 'yield management').

Not exactly. There is a process to send a request to yield management. So granted on the spot, or denied by the computer then referred to yield management (if so requested by the member).

 

[ozbeachbabe]

Does that happen instantly or does the Plat need to wait til closer to departure, ie T80

It's usually a reasonably quick turnaround but the issue is you either need do a return award ticket or if doing it on a one way basis you need to factor in what kind of fare you are purchasing on the return sector as they won't combine an award flight and a commercial fare on the same pnr.

We were contemplating asking for a J award seat (booked in U class) for SYD/HNL which was around 72,000 points plus several hundred bucks in taxes for the outbound overnight flight then wanted to book a sale fare for AUD479.00 on the return HNL/SYD which was a day flight but were told they couldn't be combined so we'd have to book the HNL/SYD separately. Only problem was that the one way economy fare was USD1,400.00 one way.

In the end we didn't bother with the award seat request and instead bought a return economy fare and put in a points upgrade request for 48,000 points on the outbound flight.

If you did get the SYD/HNL J award seat released and didn't want to pay USD1,400.00 to return on QF you could purchase a one way fare on JQ whose one way pricing isn't through the roof. I've flown JQ before in whY HNL/BNE on the 332 with the 2x4x2 config however wouldn't be keen to do it on the 788 3x3x3 config as seats are too cramped so you can't stretch your legs underneath the seat in front.

 

[Mattg]

A little while ago I needed to fly CBR to SYD on a particular day. Fares were $300+ and I couldn't see any award availability. I eventually decided that I had no choice but to buy a ticket. I logged in before purchasing the ticket (I was Gold at the time) and voila, several flights had award seats.

 

[Kiwifruit]

This is likely a dumb question as I think I know the answer, but here goes. Does QF Gold or Platinum status increase award availability seen for OW airlines other than Qantas? I suspect not but couldn't find a thread specifically discussing this.

 

[Mattg]

This is likely a dumb as I think I know the answer, but here goes. Does QF Gold or Platinum status increase award availability seen for OW airlines other than Qantas? I suspect not but couldn't find a thread specifically discussing this.

No it does not.

(And there's no such thing as a dumb question )

 

[Kiwifruit]

No it does not.

(And there's no such thing as a dumb question )

Thanks, it was wishful thinking on my part .. Lol.