Needing only 50 SCs to retain my Gold status I thought no worries, return flights on American Airlines from Seattle to Montreal, flights from Seattle to London. After more than a month of wrangling with Qantas and AA because I didn't get any points credited, I discover that the points don't get credited to my FF account because they are a type of Economy flight (apparently the nasty letter 'Q') that Qantas very conveniently excludes from their little arrangement with AA. Of course, I didn't know this when booking my flights. I just thought that Economy airfares with AA were all fine. Didn't realise that there are 6 letters within economy that are fine and that there's one letter ('Q') which isn't. And of course when you book online with AA they don't tell you what letter it is that you're booking - you just choose Economy and book that. So now I'm feeling pissed with both AA and Qantas and I'm still 50 SCs short of retaining Gold, back living in Australia, and without plans for flying in the next couple of months. I feel like washing my hands from the lot of the coughs and their sneaky little schemes. :evil:
Frustration with AA Q class fares not credited to FF account
- Thread starter jaztech99
- Start date
- Status
- Joined
- Nov 16, 2004
- Posts
- 46,635
- Qantas
- Platinum
- Virgin
- Platinum
Sorry about your issues. This is a known non posting class and really it is not 'sneaky' (see below).
The best thing to do with Q class on AA flight numbers ... is credit them to AAdvantage.
FWIW, O class is also excluded.
The earning classes are clearly laid out on the airline earning table: http://www.qantas.com.au/fflyer/dyn/program/terms#jump25
Moreover, on the AA website the booking class is indeed easily available to see before completing your booking, both on www.aa.com and http://www.americanairlines.com.au/intl/au/index.jsp .
I suggest you now consider opening an AAdvantage account (if you don;t already have one) and get your flights credited there.
As far as earning 50 more SC's, if you do not have any other flights; I suggest you book a one-way First class fare on AA.com (AA codeshare Flight numbers on AS metal) SEA to SFO (or vv) for USD357 - this will earn 90 SC's.
Fly back (or down) on a QF award for 12,000 QFF points. (Or revenue from USD110 - Q class so non QFF earning).
The best thing to do with Q class on AA flight numbers ... is credit them to AAdvantage.
FWIW, O class is also excluded.
The earning classes are clearly laid out on the airline earning table: http://www.qantas.com.au/fflyer/dyn/program/terms#jump25
Moreover, on the AA website the booking class is indeed easily available to see before completing your booking, both on www.aa.com and http://www.americanairlines.com.au/intl/au/index.jsp .
I suggest you now consider opening an AAdvantage account (if you don;t already have one) and get your flights credited there.
As far as earning 50 more SC's, if you do not have any other flights; I suggest you book a one-way First class fare on AA.com (AA codeshare Flight numbers on AS metal) SEA to SFO (or vv) for USD357 - this will earn 90 SC's.
Fly back (or down) on a QF award for 12,000 QFF points. (Or revenue from USD110 - Q class so non QFF earning).
- Joined
- Nov 16, 2004
- Posts
- 46,635
- Qantas
- Platinum
- Virgin
- Platinum
Ewing
Established Member
- Joined
- Jun 22, 2006
- Posts
- 2,486
- Qantas
- Gold
- Virgin
- Gold
Oh, they don't earn status credits either. I thought it was that they didn't earn points.
Oh well. They got me from SAN to ORD (4hr flight) for $126 inc tax last week, so at that rate I can live without the SCs
drron
Veteran Member
- Joined
- Jul 4, 2002
- Posts
- 34,708
I am talking about qantas.com.How so?
As I posted, the booking class is readily available online.
And yes it has been explained before how to get the booking class but as a dinosaur I find it easier to wait for the E-ticket.I find it easier on aa.com-but I use that more often.
My point was it also is the same problem QF to AA as AA to QF.
- Joined
- Nov 16, 2004
- Posts
- 46,635
- Qantas
- Platinum
- Virgin
- Platinum
Fair enough, however, the OP posted:
... which contradicts my experience. I was referring to that specifically.
The Frequent Flyer Concierge team takes the hard work out of finding reward seat availability. Using their expert knowledge and specialised tools, they'll help you book a great trip that maximises the value for your points.
Unfortunately, "known", like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder. It wasn't "known" to me. When I booked online using the AA website it never said at any point what the 'letter' code is for the flight. Just to double check I went back and tried to book again - there's nothing. After you've made your booking you find out. However, not being up on the whole 7 different types of Economy, and having received SCs and FF points for AA economy fares before, and given that it says on the QF website that Economy airfares on AA count (yes, some 'letters' count and some don't, but i didn't book a 'letter' I booked a standard Economy airfare), I guess I just assumed that i'd be fine. In any event, I don't see the way this works as at all upfront and straightforward.
If I'd known I was not going to get SCs for the flights to Canada and England, I would have booked a First class flight to SFO from SEA. However, I didn't because I thought I was covered. And, unfortunately, I've now returned to Australia to live so this doesn't work as a particularly good option anymore.
I guess for people who have been around the proverbial block a few times this is all straight forward. I've flown a bit, especially recently, but when I hop online to book an airfare I'm not always aware exactly which of a couple dozen different codes I'm supposedly purchasing.
C
connieguy
Guest
Qantas has a web page for each airline that it allows points and SC to be earned with which shows which booking classes are earnable:
Frequent Flyer - Earning Points - Fly - Airline Partners
Here is the AA page:
Frequent Flyer - Earning Points - Fly - Airline Partners
We all were probably caught at least once with this.
juddles
Suspended
- Joined
- Aug 2, 2011
- Posts
- 5,283
- Qantas
- Platinum 1
To the original poster: I do truly understand your predicament, as once upon a time this happened to me. Did a BNE to BOG round trip and discovered afterwards that it gave me exactly zero points and zero status credits. It was incomprehensible at the time that I could travel the globe, much of it on Qantas metal, yet not get a single point. I got a bit upset with Qantas FF, and they agreed at the time their info was misleading. They have since updated (a tad) the info in their website. Essentially, unless you take flying seriously and really learn the ins and outs, you stand no chance with their website. But in a philosophical way, I learnt a lot from the experience, and now know exactly what I will get with whatever airfare. The thing that hurt me most was that at the time my airfare would have cost me the same if booked thru Qantas (thus gaining points, SC, etc) but I did it as an American Airlines booking due to the superiority of the USA AA website and the better coonections that were available thru same.
To repeat, I feel your pain, but take it as a learning experience and put the hard yards in to really study and learn the system.
Cheers,
Juddles.
To repeat, I feel your pain, but take it as a learning experience and put the hard yards in to really study and learn the system.
Cheers,
Juddles.
elbarto
Established Member
- Joined
- Nov 8, 2010
- Posts
- 1,365
If you had bothered to read the terms and conditions you would have discovered it there. I had this same issue earlier in the year, so I checked the T&C and discovered it was a fare that didn't earn.
If you clicked on flight details you will see the booking code as the attached image will show
Ewing
Established Member
- Joined
- Jun 22, 2006
- Posts
- 2,486
- Qantas
- Gold
- Virgin
- Gold
That's the US site which doesn't take Australian details (yes, I'm aware of the ways to hold the booking, call for ticketing/etc).
The Australian site does not easily show the booking code prior to payment, unless you view the full fare basis and know that for example fare basis QA21ERR1 (which is what I got when doing a random dummy booking just then) books into Q.
- Joined
- Nov 16, 2004
- Posts
- 46,635
- Qantas
- Platinum
- Virgin
- Platinum
I do feel your frustration; my post was in order to assist. While it would be easy for me to post "Hindsight is a wonderful thing", I was suggesting ways for you to move forward.
As posted by elbarto, this is incorrect. It is easy to miss, and if you are using the multi-segment, then it's even easier to miss. However, the fare basis is definitely available prior to confirming your booking.
FWIW, Qantas Gold/Platinum status is relatively inexpensive to earn if living in the USA as long as you can get your four annual QF/JQ segments.
Given the OP lists their location as Seattle, I doubt they are using the Oz portal.
The issue is not that there's not a web page somewhere which lists all the various 'letters' (although it only lists the 'letters' that count, not the ones that don't), it's that when you go to book a fair what you get is a multitude of different prices for fares which are all under the 'Economy Supersaver' or 'Economy Flexible' banner, some of which count for points and SCs and others which don't (so, this particular line which is $218 one-way counts, but this one on the next line down for $210 doesn't count). So, yes, if you know how it all works and you find the code and you go to the websites, and you find the look up tables etc. it is possible to work it out. However, and as I've said, the process is by no means straightforward and as someone who has always just booked a fare online I wasn't aware of how these things work. Anyway, none of that helps me now.
- Joined
- Nov 16, 2004
- Posts
- 46,635
- Qantas
- Platinum
- Virgin
- Platinum
True; other than trying to get the Q class travel credited to AAdvantage there is little more you can do for those flights.
However, we are trying to help. I suggest you go back through the thread, read the advice freely given and move forward. Being in SEA, those 50 SC's are not that difficult to earn.
- Joined
- Jun 13, 2006
- Posts
- 57
- Qantas
- Gold
Long shot: Is there any option for flights already ticketed and flown of calling AA and paying a change fee ($150 or whatever) plus an upgrade fee to have the booking class changed to one which earns SC's?
It would seem like an inexpensive source of revenue for AA; many of us have had that problem at least once, and gaining the SC's that way may cost less than taking additional flights.
Pax to AAgent: "I'd like to pay you more money for a flight I've already taken!"
- Joined
- Nov 16, 2004
- Posts
- 46,635
- Qantas
- Platinum
- Virgin
- Platinum
Not that I know of! WTF is W class on AA anyway? (On QF 'Tis full PE.)
- Joined
- Jun 13, 2006
- Posts
- 57
- Qantas
- Gold
These may help:
QF Points on AA ("W" Class) - FlyerTalk Forums
Crediting W class on AA to QF - FlyerTalk Forums
AA earning Class - FlyerTalk Forums
'H' Class on AA – discount or full economy? - FlyerTalk Forums
All discuss problems with W class on AA.
I found these after I made an SC run for 25 SC's to retain Gold, and points/SC's did not enter.
I ended up with Silver.
- Joined
- Jun 13, 2006
- Posts
- 57
- Qantas
- Gold
This site may also help.
Inventory Classes and Mileage Eligibility (AA) - FlyerGuide Wiki
It shows that from an AA perspective it is treated as a higher fare than NSGV, so why AA does not allow it to credit to QF is not obvious to me.
- Status
Enhance your AFF viewing experience!!
From just $6 we'll remove all advertisements so that you can enjoy a cleaner and uninterupted viewing experience.And you'll be supporting us so that we can continue to provide this valuable resource :)
Sample AFF with no advertisements? More..
Sample AFF with no advertisements? More..
