EK Awards not showing at the moment

[renatts]

Hey everyone,

I've been trolling the QF Search engine every day for the last couple of months, waiting for our dates to Europe in May to become available.

I noticed that EK Awards stopped appearing from around 25 March 2020 onwards, so I figured they would be doing a big dump of dates at some point in the future (same thing happened last year about 250 days out)

I'm bronze, so obviously don't see that much premium availability, but considering we're going in off-peak I figured it shouldn't be too much of a hassle finding flights.

Yesterday I noticed that EK flights in Y and J aren't showing up at all anymore, only First. Nothing at all between any AUS capital city and DXB.

Does anyone have any idea what may be happening? Is it the same for people of a higher status?
Could it be to do with the upcoming increase in redemption cost do you think?

We're looking at anything between May 7 and May 10 departing BNE to Europe, and other than the occasional Cathay Pacific via ADL on the 10th, nothing has come up. Quite strange to me that now even Y EK flights aren't showing, there were plenty of them 2 days ago, on every single day in April, May and June, now nothing.

Quite a curious one,
Cheers,
Renatts

 

[Mattg]

It's probably indeed the case that Emirates just isn't releasing any seats (to anyone) for that time of year.

Have you looked at going via AKL, or using Qantas to somewhere in Asia and then connecting onwards to Europe on Emirates? Should be the same number of points.

 

[Lynda2475]

I was able to EK J seats last thursaday from HKG for travel in june, and no probs getting QF to HKG to connect. Try searching by putting in a stop in HKG and see what sows up.

 

[renatts]

Yeah I’ve tried all kinds of routings. Nothing showing from HKG via DXB and nothing showing from AKL on EK at all when I looked this morning.

About 7 separate days in April/May/June had random first class availability, but no Y and no J. 2 days ago there was Y EK availability for every single day. From Feb to June

 

[renatts]

It's probably indeed the case that Emirates just isn't releasing any seats (to anyone) for that time of year.

Have you looked at going via AKL, or using Qantas to somewhere in Asia and then connecting onwards to Europe on Emirates? Should be the same number of points.

There was plenty of Y availability 2 days ago, which I obviously wouldn’t bother with, but now it’s all gone when I search. There was also some random dates in late June via HKG on QF/EK In J.

HKG to every city in Europe that I could think of didn’t show any options on EK at all. Only Cathay, Finnair, BA, China eastern. All in Y.

It just looks like all EK Y and J awards have been taken off QF, at least when I’m personally logged in.

 

[Silvia]

My suggestion is to ring QF line. I saw some from DXB-SIN one day, and a day later I couldn't see them.
When I rang, I explained and they were able to book them for me. Phone fee was also waived.

 

[jase05]

Something definitely doesn’t seem right. Tons of F availability on EK from Asian ports but no Y or J.
Decent QR availability in J from DPS to various European ports in May if that suits you

 

[renatts]

Something definitely doesn’t seem right. Tons of F availability on EK from Asian ports but no Y or J.
Decent QR availability in J from DPS to various European ports in May if that suits you

Glad I'm not the only one seeing it like this. It literally was the exact opposite two days ago.

DPS is an option for sure, I'll look into that one thanks

 

[Isochronous]

QF website and even the phone system are both known to be unreliable when showing EK availability. Try your luck both on the website and on the phone, but it may well be that they just haven't released inventory that far ahead yet.

 

[adamd40]

I thought I was going crazy until I came across this thread. I too have been trolling some flights from DXB to maldives for a few months. There have been seats on a few different flights on different days. Now I have my dates set I went to book, and everything has vanished except for a handful of F (I would have checked not even a week ago and there were dozens of seats). After a mild panic I scoured the booking engine looking for emirates rewards and can not find any Y or J anywhere, only F.

Think I might give them a call tomorrow to see if they can help.

 

[renatts]

I thought I was going crazy until I came across this thread. I too have been trolling some flights from DXB to maldives for a few months. There have been seats on a few different flights on different days. Now I have my dates set I went to book, and everything has vanished except for a handful of F (I would have checked not even a week ago and there were dozens of seats). After a mild panic I scoured the booking engine looking for emirates rewards and can not find any Y or J anywhere, only F.

Think I might give them a call tomorrow to see if they can help.

I just had a look on the mobile version of the site, and it’s the opposite. EK Y awards show up and nothing else.
Usually I can’t get the mobile website to show any awards at all.

I’m hoping this is a technical glitch, and not awards being held back until the redemption increase. It feels more likely to be a glitch or a mistake, so let us know how you go on the phone.
I had to call the other day to change class on a BNE - LAX flight when they released premium seats, it was a nightmare. The call back took 3 hours and then I waited on hold for 20 minutes, the agent didn’t understand what I wanted to do and just kept offering to cancel the booking, and when he finally understood he quoted me the wrong amount of points (lower) and didn’t put through the credit card transaction properly. I got a call two days later from the Australian call centre and she fixed it all up, luckily.

 

[renatts]

*UPDATE*

All the EK awards appear to be back online! Including some extra availability via HKG.

I managed to snag 2 J awards BNE - HKG - DXB - AMS on the exact day we wanted, which I'm hoping to change to a shorter trip at a later date for the change fee...

30 Hours in J sounded better to us than risking it and waiting.

 

[Beano]

I've booked EK flights on QF points + pay from SYD-DXB-GLA returning MAD-DXB-MEL in August-September this year no problem . But then it was points + pay on QF codeshare.

 

[GoldCanyon340]

QF website and even the phone system are both known to be unreliable when showing EK availability. Try your luck both on the website and on the phone, but it may well be that they just haven't released inventory that far ahead yet.

And you can't complete the process anyway with QF award bookings on EK metal. Up until the last time I tried about a month ago it always fails on the last step and you have to call Premium Res, or SST if you're fortunate, to make the booking. This is obviously stressful as the F seat you've found may be snaffles by someone else in the meantime.

 

[Isochronous]

And you can't complete the process anyway with QF award bookings on EK metal. Up until the last time I tried about a month ago it always fails on the last step and you have to call Premium Res, or SST if you're fortunate, to make the booking. This is obviously stressful as the F seat you've found may be snaffles by someone else in the meantime.

That is usually a sign of phantom availability.

 

[GoldCanyon340]

That is usually a sign of phantom availability.

I've always been able to get the seat(s) when calling Res.

 

[adamd40]

OK another update to this... My seats re-appeared last week. When it got to Saturday and I had some time on my hands to book, they were gone again!

Sunday I bit the bullet and contacted Qantas via live chat, they had no problem finding them even though they were still not showing in the search for me, and were able to book them for me sans booking fee.

As of Monday morning the award seats are back... No idea what is going on but at least I'm confirmed for a relaxing trip to the Maldives now.

Just to note tho, when all the J vanished, some F appeared that was not otherwise available. This has gone now the J is back. Unsure whether these F were actually bookable, but if the system is playing up like this it shows to maybe check for flights daily if hunting for that illusive fare.

 

[Beano]

This shows you have to be ready to strike when the opportunity arises. Unfortunately I don't have such a choice.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Previously it seemed relatively easy to secure last minute o/w EK F Euro to MEL via QF web site but a quick check today shows no availability. Has there been changes? Have I missed something? Was always a good way toi burn those unburnable QF pts that they keep throwing at you.

 

[mflyer100]

Previously it seemed relatively easy to secure last minute o/w EK F Euro to MEL via QF web site but a quick check today shows no availability. Has there been changes? Have I missed something? Was always a good way toi burn those unburnable QF pts that they keep throwing at you.

Just checked FRA-MEL for the next month, about a week from now there are F seats available. Generally for the next 3 weeks, theres reward seats on almost every day in Y, J and F. However, it does seem that there is perhaps a bit less F ability as I've notice seats that were very last minute (T-72 Hours) often had F availability.