Dont expect any support from Qantas on an EK codeshare

[macca99]

I am a lifetime Gold QFF and generally enjoy my expereicne with Qantas. But I have to tell you after this last few days, I am wondering. Back in April booked a QF code share on EK to Amsterdam, flying economy. I locked in bulkhead seats all the way on all 4 legs of the return trip and then was surprised to find a few weeks back that the Qantas website told me I had not selected any seats. Perhaps ill advisedly, I jumped on and selected some alternative seats to at least ensure that I had a seat and then rang Qantas later to see if they could get my bulk head seats reinstated.

I would characterize the 5 subsequent interactions I have had with Qantas as being one big shoulder shrug - complaints about how busy they are and don't have time to make outbound calls to Emirates, offers to call Emirates (when I asked to be escalated to a team leader - from whom I have never had a return phone call), complaints that their arrangement with Emirates is arms length and that I should call emirates directly. I was wondering why I had gone to the trouble and additional expense of booking a QF codeshare when all I was given were instructions to call Emirates - who of course are not really that interested in my sapphire FF status.

so here are my learnings:
- the QF/EK partnership is no different from any other that Qantas have - despite the fact that they present like you are flying qantas - dont be fooled
- buying tickets on the QF website counts for nothing - Qantas premium will not represent your interests to Emirates
- the interoperability fo the QF website and the Emirates one is poor and changes you make on one are not always reflected on the other (despite the fact that they are presented that they are)
- as soon as you book on QF, get your Emirates booking number (which you dont automatically recieve from Emirates) and go and check your details on Emirates website (you need to call them to get the booking number as Qantas don't share your email address with Emirates)

 

[serfty]

Yes, always select EK seating using EK.com; QF.com seat selection on EK codeshares has not worked for a year or more.



Also, often you can improve seating at the EK lounge before your flight.

 

[lathiat]

This has confused me for a while, I fly emirates codeshares multiple times in the last 2 years and every time the online seat booking has worked for me from the Qantas site.

But every time it also says:
Seat selection is only available for flights operated by Qantas. To select seats and manage your booking, visit Emirates site with your booking reference #ISPBWW

Just checked a booking I made now (its actually a rewards booking in this case, but none of the others had been) and the seat selections on the Emirates site match what the Qantas site shows.


But there are just as many stories like yours, strange...

 

[madrooster]

This has confused me for a while, I fly emirates codeshares multiple times in the last 2 years and every time the online seat booking has worked for me from the Qantas site.

But every time it also says:
Seat selection is only available for flights operated by Qantas. To select seats and manage your booking, visit Emirates site with your booking reference #ISPBWW

Just checked a booking I made now (its actually a rewards booking in this case, but none of the others had been) and the seat selections on the Emirates site match what the Qantas site shows.


But there are just as many stories like yours, strange...

The problem is only on QF codeshares operated by EK. You are on an EK prime which doesn't have that issue.

 

[mannej]

Unless things have changed, EK have never offered access to bulkheads/exit rows in advance?

 

[sww199]

Unless things have changed, EK have never offered access to bulkheads/exit rows in advance?

Can confirm that back in June I jagged bulkhead/exit seats in Y on all legs at the gate (MXP-DXB-ADL) and they were otherwise nearly all unoccupied. Gate staff told me they could only do this at the airport before departure and once I had arrived in DXB I had to go to the customer service desk to try my luck for DXB-ADL. Spoke to another couple who managed to do the same and said they do it each time at the gate usually get exit seats.

This was also while travelling with a SG on the same booking, not that I think that makes any difference.

 

[large]

I booked a flight ADL - DXB - GLG and then home DUB - DXB - ADL. QF flight number booked through QF. All flights are EK metal. I'm travelling Y and are Bronze Qantas Club. When I booked through QF, the return flights were a flexible fare so the QF site has already allocated me the aisle seat I wanted on both return flights via my account preferences. This seat selection also shows up on the EK website seat selection tool.

The outbound flights must have been on special, (there were no options on the QF website on fare types either way) so no seats allocated. I can only select seats 48 hours out, and only on the EK website. earlier at $55 a pop or $185 for exit row. Will be interesting to see when I seat select on EK website, whether that information will transfer over to my booking on QF so I can use the QF app to check any changes.

 

[serfty]

Unless things have changed, EK have never offered access to bulkheads/exit rows in advance?

Over a year ago some bulkheads were available, but not exits.

However sometime before ek started charging for seat selection this ceased.

 

[Austman]

Code-shares are problematic re seat selection. It's always been that way. IME it works better when both airlines use the same CRS. But always select on the operating carrier if you can.

 

[RooFlyer]

Welcome to AFF macca99

Ignoring for now whether bulkhead seats could/could not be selected (notwithstanding the OP believed that they HAD been selected), the apparent indifference of Qantas on the phone is, unfortunately not new (or unique).

One of the things that guarantees me to arc up is being told that a service provider is 'busy'. My immediate retort is always that I too, am busy but the difference is that I'm the one paying.

If you are lifetime Gold macca99, then you own Qantas no loyalty, because its a certainty that they won't exhibit much, if any, to you.

 

[kitkatff]

you have to pay for bulhead seats on EK now. You can get "preferred" seats for free if you have some status with QF, those seats are at the front of the cabin for Y. But extra legroom and even "twins", ie. 2 seats on the side rather than 3, at the back of the plane, you need to pay for, at least on the cheaper fares - any idea what fare bucket the code share ends up in? Maybe Flex does not need to pay? Not sure. That may stuff up the seat selection.

I got some award J seats on EK and could do a seat selection on QF, with the correct plane layout, so that at least seems to work.

 

[macca99]

Unless things have changed, EK have never offered access to bulkheads/exit rows in advance?

having now spoken to EK, I can confirm you are exactly right - except that the QF seat selection allowed me to book them

 

[TheRealTMA]

This has confused me for a while, I fly emirates codeshares multiple times in the last 2 years and every time the online seat booking has worked for me from the Qantas site.

But every time it also says:
Seat selection is only available for flights operated by Qantas. To select seats and manage your booking, visit Emirates site with your booking reference #ISPBWW

Just checked a booking I made now (its actually a rewards booking in this case, but none of the others had been) and the seat selections on the Emirates site match what the Qantas site shows.


But there are just as many stories like yours, strange...

The bottom line is don't bother with trying to do it via QF, may work, generally doesn't. Just get your booking ref no and log on to the EK web site and do it there, once and for all. YMMV. Always works for me

 

[Austman]

having now spoken to EK, I can confirm you are exactly right - except that the QF seat selection allowed me to book them

That's one of the problematic areas with code-shares. The operating airline is the one that counts.

 

[Pushka]

Qantas website is known to be useless for seat selection. What you select there - (if you even can as sometimes you can't) doesn't stick. Always use the EK website and I've not had any issues in the several flights I've taken. I have had issues with Qantas changing my selected seats on Qantas metal for absolutely no reason.

Same applies with Cathay. Always use the website of the carrier not Qantas.

 

[kermatu]

Not just the website or general call centre. Even the Platinum One special services team have given me the "sorry, we can't help" response when I've had seating difficulties on EK.

 

[Happy Trails]

- as soon as you book on QF, get your Emirates booking number (which you dont automatically recieve from Emirates) and go and check your details on Emirates website (you need to call them to get the booking number as Qantas don't share your email address with Emirates)

The EK booking reference is shown on the QF seat selection page, together with a link to the EK website.
And the EK website will also recognise the QF booking reference.

 

[dajop]

Just a note re logging into EK website to allocate seats - I've always done that when on EK operated QF code. This time my QF booking code (QF code on EK operated SIN-BNE) didn't work - it just said booking code
not valid. Until OLCI opened and it worked for on line check in as per usual. Very strange! Always worked fine in the past.

 

[madrooster]

Just a note re logging into EK website to allocate seats - I've always done that when on EK operated QF code. This time my QF booking code (QF code on EK operated SIN-BNE) didn't work - it just said booking code
not valid. Until OLCI opened and it worked for on line check in as per usual. Very strange! Always worked fine in the past.

It's because Amadeus recently added a huge new range of possible letter prefixes that Amadeus record locators can begin with and EK hasn't caught up. Before it started with 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, X, Y or Z. Now it can be anything from a wide range of letters as well as the numbers I've already mentioned.

 

[Pleb Status]

Not just the website or general call centre. Even the Platinum One special services team have given me the "sorry, we can't help" response when I've had seating difficulties on EK.

The only assistance I ever received from the P1 SST with respect to any EK codeshare issue was to be given the number to call EK direct....