Flight costs more when redeeming QF voucher

[Mattg]

I'm trying to redeem a Qantas gift voucher for a flight from SYD to BNE on 2 July. When I check on the Qantas website I can see a seat on the 7am flight for $116. But when I try to redeem a voucher, the same flight is $163.

Any ideas why this is? Am I doing something wrong?

 

[ftm]

Is the voucher a credit for a flight that you'd previously cancelled?

 

[Mattg]

Is the voucher a credit for a flight that you'd previously cancelled?

No, it's a $50 gift voucher that I bought last week...

 

[ftm]

Odd. QF does manipulate the availability depending on the history of the PNR, so that was going to be my guess. But if it is a gift voucher, it is less likely. Still possible though, depending on how the Gift Voucher is recorded in their system.

 

[Mattg]

Well I ended up calling and was able to book at the lower price (and they didn't charge a phone assistance fee). I shouldn't have had to do that though...

 

[astrosly]

I see this occasionally where a red-E deal fare is in E booking class, for some reason the voucher redemption system doesn't know about it. I call QF explaining the discrepancy in what I see and they book the cheaper fare using my voucher for no service fee. When I first tell them they assume I'm talking about a customer care voucher and start to explain the minimum booking class stuff and you have to be clear it is a standard gift voucher you are trying to redeem. I had to do this with two redemptions last week.

 

[Mattg]

I see this occasionally where a red-E deal fare is in E booking class, for some reason the voucher redemption system doesn't know about it. I call QF explaining the discrepancy in what I see and they book the cheaper fare using my voucher for no service fee. When I first tell them they assume I'm talking about a customer care voucher and start to explain the minimum booking class stuff and you have to be clear it is a standard gift voucher you are trying to redeem. I had to do this with two redemptions last week.

Sure enough, this was an E class fare!

 

[RichardMEL]

E class makes sense. IIRC E class was used mostly for super cheapo asian fares and only recently for AU fares (domestic) and that obviously had not been fixed up (typical).

Certainly makes sense.. as my first thought was a credit voucher too

 

[astrosly]

E class makes sense. IIRC E class was used mostly for super cheapo asian fares and only recently for AU fares (domestic) and that obviously had not been fixed up (typical).

Certainly makes sense.. as my first thought was a credit voucher too

Oh yes, I recall a thread from a while back where someone was trying to get their points and SCs due for an E class international booking but QF was saying it was an employee fare class and not eligible. Must have been a reserved/special class when the voucher system was first set up but E is now used for discount fares both domestic and int but the voucher booking channel hasn't been updated.

To be honest, that has sometime worked in its favour as their has been times that I've wanted to do a particular combination of return fares but the regular booking engine would allow only certain combinations when one leg was selected, but the voucher redemption system was a free for all

 

[RichardMEL]

yep the Employee fare.. that's what I forgot.. which makes sense why it would be excluded in the first place.

 

[serfty]

E for "E"xtra discounted.

Be aware if looking to credit to a QF partner airline FF program such as AAdvantage as they may not earn points/miles in the program.

 

[JohnK]

I am currently having an issue with BNE-SYD on 21 April and SYD-BNE on 25 April. There are $139 airfares available on both days but when using a gift voucher the cheapest fare displayed is $163. The same thing is happening in June.

Is the only way to use gift voucher by calling Qantas to book flights? I am almost certain I have booked 'E' class in the past with gift vouchers and did not have this issue? I have a lot of bookings to make and also for wife and daugher. Why can't Qantas fix these stupid glitches?

 

[Pushka]

I am currently having an issue with BNE-SYD on 21 April and SYD-BNE on 25 April. There are $139 airfares available on both days but when using a gift voucher the cheapest fare displayed is $163. The same thing is happening in June.

Is the only way to use gift voucher by calling Qantas to book flights? I am almost certain I have booked 'E' class in the past with gift vouchers and did not have this issue? I have a lot of bookings to make and also for wife and daugher. Why can't Qantas fix these stupid glitches?

That's happened with me in the past but was told it doesn't happen. I just booked the cheaper seat.

 

[serfty]

That's happened with me in the past but was told it doesn't happen. I just booked the cheaper seat.

I have had this happen soI called. Once clarified it was a gift voucher, they booked the cheaper flight using the voucher and waived any service fees.

 

[JohnK]

That's happened with me in the past but was told it doesn't happen. I just booked the cheaper seat.

How? I can't get the cheaper seats to come up?

Not looking forward to numerous calls to book my flights, then book wifes flights and add daughter to each booking as the gift voucher was in my name and transferred to wifes name.

 

[mviy]

If you weren't a WP you could have to wait a few hours on the phone to speak to someone. At least as a WP you should have a short time to wait on the phone before speaking to someone.

 

[JohnK]

Oh yeah. The lovely enhancements to customer service where they make you wait longer to take your money. Oh the anticipation.

 

[Robert K]

I am currently having an issue with BNE-SYD on 21 April and SYD-BNE on 25 April. There are $139 airfares available on both days but when using a gift voucher the cheapest fare displayed is $163. The same thing is happening in June.

Is the only way to use gift voucher by calling Qantas to book flights? I am almost certain I have booked 'E' class in the past with gift vouchers and did not have this issue? I have a lot of bookings to make and also for wife and daugher. Why can't Qantas fix these stupid glitches?

Had the same problem for BNE-SYD around around the same time as yours. Called them up, and they said they can't see it the cheaper fare on their system either.
Told me it was an online only deal.
they even asked their manager apparently.
Sounded like BS.

Ended up just saving the voucher for another day.

 

[JohnK]

I was on the phone for ~45 minutes to Premium desk trying to use different gift vouchers to book BNE-SYD return in April and 2 BNE-SYD one-ways in June. She called a backend guy and had him on the phone and they could not issue the ticket at the lower 'E' class airfare. She said they should be able to issue the tickets manually within 30 minutes. That was over 3 hours ago.

The problem is I have heaps of vouchers and only limited flights to book. I can't save the vouchers for another day. I need to book these flights.

 

[esseeeayeenn]

I am currently having an issue with BNE-SYD on 21 April and SYD-BNE on 25 April. There are $139 airfares available on both days but when using a gift voucher the cheapest fare displayed is $163. The same thing is happening in June.

Is the only way to use gift voucher by calling Qantas to book flights? I am almost certain I have booked 'E' class in the past with gift vouchers and did not have this issue? I have a lot of bookings to make and also for wife and daugher. Why can't Qantas fix these stupid glitches?

What is the value of the gift voucher?