European Reward Bookings - What's Going On?

[Warks]

I'm looking for reward or purchase flights for SYD-CHC or ZQN for December-Jan and everything for those months shows as sold out. Assume it's the Sabre Toothless Tiger again.

 

[rtyuiop]

Hmph - well, I just got told that there is actually availability booking BNE-AUH and then AUH-FRA as separate flights, but that adds up to 140,000 odd points and more taxes, instead of the 125,000 it used to be. Highly disappointing! About to call the plat desk and see if they can help, as I have very little faith in the redemptions folks...

 

[rtyuiop]

So, working with them now, but so far the international redemptions folks seem dead set that going from BNE-FRA now costs 141800 points plus two lots of taxes, not 125,000 plus one set which it used to be (although 125,000 is still showing on the website).

I'm wondering if the difference is that the website availability is using the VA codeshare for AUH-FRA, whereas the separate sectors quote I have from them seems to be using an EY flight number for that flight?

Anyone know how to get an escalation to someone in Australia who might be able to help with this? I'm getting really sick of it, and would like to get it nailed down before Etihad does their Sabre upgrade and the chaos presumably begins again!

Cheers,

Danny

 

[xtra]

That's been their latest suggestion to me too. They can book BNE-SYD-AUH as one booking and then AUH-Europe as another. They supposedly have "plenty of availability' doing it that way.

However:

• The points and taxes are considerably more expensive than the pre-Sabre BNE-SYD-AUH-Europe quotes (particularly when you're booking 2xJs like me);
• You have to re-check your bags in AUH; and
• They can't guarantee that you'll be reaccommodated if you miss the connection as it's two separate PNRs.

No thanks.

If you have any luck finding someone locally that can help, I'd love to know! I've tried over phone and email and always end up back with the international call centre. I can honestly say my whole experience dealing with them over this has now cost VA >$100k in revenue bookings.

So over it!

 

[pblackie]

Gave up trying to book my reward seat with VA. Have now booked LHR-SYD with VS in economy and then used 55000 miles to upgrade to Upper Class. Very painless process in comparison!

 

[rtyuiop]

OK, they've now managed to find flights that they can at least put on the same PNR (EY all the way), so now the only issue is that there's a points inflation since the sabre cutover.

I think I'm going to wait and see what happens with the eithad sabre cutover on the 23rd. Hopefully that decision doesn't end up biting me...

 

[rtyuiop]

Hopefully my last post here - doesn't seem like customer service could help at all, but I found availability on the web site for the old 125,000 points + $90-odd on two VA codes by going to Dusseldorf (which seems to have excellent J award availability, incidentally). Booking seems to have gone through just fine, so the fight is over for me (until I try to book my return flight)...

 

[TiredOldFlyer]

Have had a similar problem with SQ for some months now, Unable to find any J availability from BNE to any International destination only BNE - SIN and separate booking from
SIN. Have spoken to the call centre several times and they have plenty of seats. Been told that it is a glitch in the system and they are working on it !

 

[xtra]

All European reward seats seem to have again disappeared. Am guessing it's in parallel with the Etihad upgrade to Sabre (which is apparently complete) but of course the call centre can't tell you anything except that crazily-priced Any Seats are available.

 

[rtyuiop]

In the vain hope that someone from VA/VFF is watching (and cares) - reward availability for EY flights (and the VA codeshares with them) still appears to be broken... Not a good look!

 

[Formal Hall]

Even the 'we will be adding more available over the coming days' message has gone. Surely they haven't given up on fixing it?

 

[rtyuiop]

Just noticed that they seem to have turned off online awards searchs to/from Europe - maybe that's a sign of progress... Maybe...

 

[bcworld]

Just noticed that they seem to have turned off online awards searchs to/from Europe - maybe that's a sign of progress... Maybe...

You can still try the search if you modify your original allowed search e.g. a MEL-SYD search. Still pulls up results for AUH for example whereas from the first booking screen it says you need to call to book for AUH.