FJ/QF codeshare - rewards booking question

[Guvner]

Hi.
I read on Point Hacks today a review of Fiji Airways Business Class booked on a Qantas classic reward.
In the article the author (Brandon) mentions that he was able to use the First Class lounge as the FJ flight from SYD was coded as a QF flight, which sounds good to me, so I looked at availability and found this:



It clearly shows a QF flight number.

However when you select the award, the flight number changes to FJ. An FJ code does not have QF lounge access in Aus (AFAIK).



I'm sure this has been asked before, but I couldn't find a similar thread... how do you lock the QF flight number in on an award booking? I tried a few flights and they all changed to FJ codes, yet clearly a QF coded booking was able to be obtained somehow.

 

[sudoer]

I heard Brandon talk about this on the most recent Points Hacks podcast too, and can replicate the same thing you are seeing. I suspect this is a bug which has been fixed. I have tried the multi-city tool also but no luck.

An FJ code does not have QF lounge access in Aus (AFAIK).

It's possible that FJ will use the QF J lounge for J pax - I'm not sure what the current arrangement is. Their partner lounges page says to "enquire on check-in". They use the Qantas Club in BNE but Marhaba in MEL, so who knows..

 

[drron]

December 2019 we went FJ J on QF awards. BP and notifying email both had the FJ flight number. So although on a QF award we were not allowed in the Flounge but could go to the J lounge.
Mind you QF are not alone in this trick. Had AA awards on HA in J from Hawaii. We did have the AA flight number on the BPs but still weren't allowed in any AA lounge.

 

[sudoer]

BP and notifying email both had the FJ flight number.

Brandon stated that he was able to book the award on the QF codeshare, and even mentioned that he earned classic award status credits as a Points Club member.

 

[VPS]

There is this TR which has some recent experience too

Fiji Airways trip report: SYD-NAN-LAX and return in J: So amazing!

I was always curious but when FJ released some really good fares just after opening the country up post Covid, we took the plunge. And contrary to all our fears and some reviews we’ve ready on line, the experience was excellent from start to finish. Boarding in Sydney went seamless and without...

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

 

[levelnine]

I found this part of Brandon's post surprising too. I didn't think you could book QF numbered award seats on non-QF carriers. Eagerly awaiting any pointers on how it can be done.

 

[sudoer]

I didn't think you could book QF numbered award seats on non-QF carriers.

It has been possible in the past in some situations, I think the LATAM QF codeshare to SCL and possibly an Air Niugini codeshare?

 

[Mwenenzi]

It has been possible in the past in some situations, I think the LATAM QF codeshare to SCL and possibly an Air Niugini codeshare?

On TN may be another possiblity


For FJ Oneworld connect is a complicated table for lounge access
Google "ow-connect-lounge-access-policy-1218"
And https://www.fijiairways.com/en-au/experience/partner-lounges

 

[sudoer]

On TN may be another possiblity

Sorry, I may have been getting PX confused with TN!

 

[Guvner]

I found this part of Brandon's post surprising too. I didn't think you could book QF numbered award seats on non-QF carriers. Eagerly awaiting any pointers on how it can be done.

I've contacted Point Hacks to ask.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

There are a couple of exceptions to the rule, such as some previous QF codes on asiana and latam flights, but in general awards are only bookable on the flight number of the operating airline. For the points+pay option you are simply buying a regular fare, using points. That can be ticketed as the codeshare. For the outright award it would be FJ.

 

[SYD]

A points and pay booking would keep the QF code but I’ve never seen a classic reward on FJ with a QF code.

A few months ago, during the NAN J Sale, I tried doing a mixed paid J flight out and classic reward back and just couldn’t get that to work at all (where as I know it works to NZ and other destinations).

 

[madrooster]

QF*FJ codeshares are freesale codeshares so you cannot book an award on the QF codeshare. In fact U class and X class aren't even loaded on those codeshares.

It is possible to book classic awards on the QF codeshares if the codeshare is a hard block codeshare (CI, LA) but they're not easy to find space on because QF is stingy about award space on these.

 

[levelnine]

QF*FJ codeshares are freesale codeshares so you cannot book an award on the QF codeshare. In fact U class and X class aren't even loaded on those codeshares.

Thanks madrooster. That really puts a hole in the idea of booking a QF codeshare on FJ to attain access to the QF First Lounges prior to departure as a WP.

It also makes it a difficult trade-off — does a WP value better on board service with FJ over better pre-departure lounge with QF?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

It also makes it a difficult trade-off — does a WP value better on board service with FJ over better pre-departure lounge with QF?

Is one serve of salt and pepper squid and a pav in a glass worth 8 hours (round trip to fiji) in economy?

 

[SYD]

For FJ Oneworld connect is a complicated table for lounge access
Google "ow-connect-lounge-access-policy-1218"
And https://www.fijiairways.com/en-au/experience/partner-lounges

There’s a whole thread on how underwhelming OW Connect panned out for lounge access.

The real kick in wiggly bits is QF status PAX in whY on FJ code. I’ve seen many unhappy campers turned away at the SYD lounges. Yet welcomed in NAN…

 

[levelnine]

Is one serve of salt and pepper squid and a pav in a glass worth 8 hours (round trip to fiji) in economy?

The calculus even applies in business.

Do I book QF J to Fiji to attain First Class Lounge access and a subpar on-board product? Or do I book FJ J to Fiji to slum it in the Business Class Lounge and a superior on-board product?

 

[Seat0B]

The calculus even applies in business.

Do I book QF J to Fiji to attain First Class Lounge access and a subpar on-board product? Or do I book FJ J to Fiji to slum it in the Business Class Lounge and a superior on-board product?

Other than considering any cost difference between the two which might help you lean more in one direction or the other, I would say this is the classic "between a rock and a hard place" - first world problem I know, but still, we live in the first world, and I have experienced this same dilemma myself eg SC and points on QF or better service on QR?

 

[Austman]

I've just noticed this issue. Whenever you choose a classic award for a QFxx_X flight number that's being sold as operated by Fiji Airways the QFxx_X flight changes into an FJxx_ flight number. It doesn't seem to matter what flight you pick or how far ahead it is. And it's the the FJ flight number that gets printed on the e-ticket.

It's like madrooster stated. It will always get changed into the FJ flight number.

While a Qantas J class classic award would still get Qantas (or another) J lounge access, a Qantas Y class classic award, even if booked by a Qantas Gold or above, might not.

That's pretty poor for Qantas issued tickets using Qantas FF points on QF codeshare flights. If you bought the same ticket using money or Points Plus Pay, you'd get the QFxx_X flight number and Qantas lounge access.

Unless the Qantas J lounge actually accept the FJ flight number when it's sold as a Qantas Y class classic award on a QF codeshare flight?

 

[jpp42]

Austman, This is always the case for reward bookings. There's no such thing as a codeshare for classic reward bookings, that only applies for revenue bookings (which includes points+pay, as the points are converted to cash at time of booking).