Help! May have made a BIG mistake!

[anj]

I'm a newbie here and I apologise if this is posted in the wrong spot...

...my problem is this. I had enough FF to fly two (out of three) of us Business Class (return) to the US. I looked for flights available and scooped up two one ways from Brisbane to LAX (the return flights were not out yet but I wanted to be sure to snaffle what was available). At the same time, I bought my husband a return Premium Economy flight BNE to LAX (ok, so it's a little mean its not business class...). I was clearly hoping to secure two one way Business Class tickets back from LAX to BNE so we could all fly together.

However, despite being quite flexible with respect to dates (from 7 - 16 October, even later at a push) all I can see is flights through Nadi or through Hong Kong. I think I would even be ok with changing arrival locations (since we have to fly back to PER anyway, it doesn't much bother us where we fly back to as a first stop) depending on how much that would cost me to change my husband's return leg, but even then I can't see anything.

I've read all about how Qantas' redemption is a bit suss, but no business class seats from the US to Australia at any time from 7 - 16 October seems REALLY suss. Have they just not been released yet, or are there unlikely to be any at all?

I know the 7th is the tail end of the holidays, but still...

 

[ellen10]

We did similar last year flying out of Sydney in Business to NYC.
However finding flights home was much more difficult, nothing on Qantas. We ended up flying home via Hong Kong on Cathay and was very impressed with their service.
Our return flights were 20th October, about a week later than we first intended.
Good luck.

 

[Mattg]

I don't know if this helps, but I can see 2x Business award seats on QF74 from San Francisco to Sydney on 8 October.

 

[eric2011]

This is spooky, I also was looking for an J award flight from LAX - BNE for 7th October and nothing available. Rang QF and was also told nothing available. I had previously been able to get Mrs eric2011 her J award return BNE-LAX-BNE for 19th Sept and return 7th Oct but I did that in 2 separate bookings the day they each became available. So it now means that I have to pay for my fares. Looked at QF at sale fares of Just under $6000 for J. Looked at NZ and booked with AirNZ for $4500. Times are close and I am sure we can be apart for 13 hours and save $1500.

 

[Dr Ralph]

I don't think that you have made a mistake. But you may need to be more flexible.

What about returning to Australia via Europe?

 

[bam71]

I would have held off purchasing the PE ticket for your husband until you could secure flights home, via wherever. Having no seats available from the US to AUS isn't really "suss", its pretty normal actually. Rare as hens teeth. I would have swooped on the flights via Nadi ( but I'm based in Brisbane). Keep en eye on ex San Fran, and also Dallas, but grab what you can now ( well - thats what we always do.........)

 

[Pushka]

US redemptions are the prime targets. I'd go via HK. Cathay is fabulous. And no need for us to fly on the same flight. I wouldn't do the NAN route. It sometimes also stops in Guam? = no long leg to sleep on.

 

[Scr77]

I'm sure we've all been there before. I can't even get Y home from Singapore with Qantas in October 2017!

 

[anj]

Thanks everyone! I actually 'chatted' with qantas today and they're telling me those flights won't be released until the beginning of December. What's with that?

 

[Mattg]

Thanks everyone! I actually 'chatted' with qantas today and they're telling me those flights won't be released until the beginning of December. What's with that?

I wouldn't necessarily trust that advice... doesn't sound right.

Nonetheless, keep an eye out. The seats may be well released at some point between now and then.

 

[Scr77]

Thanks everyone! I actually 'chatted' with qantas today and they're telling me those flights won't be released until the beginning of December. What's with that?

I wouldn't trust that advice either. I was told that the Singapore to any AU hadnt been released yet despite the first two weeks showing and then all disappearing on the same day. I was short of points and had to wait 2 days for cc points to post. Then all two weeks disappeared at the same time (even economy).

The flights in the opposite direction have all been released.

 

[Dr Ralph]

Thanks everyone! I actually 'chatted' with qantas today and they're telling me those flights won't be released until the beginning of December. What's with that?

I would check every day. Things change very quickly.

 

[GoldCanyon340]

Thanks everyone! I actually 'chatted' with qantas today and they're telling me those flights won't be released until the beginning of December. What's with that?

The usual system range for QF is 353 days, i.e. flights departing from current day to 353 days into the future are available for booking. Award seats for QF frequent flyers are generally released when a flight is at system range, however it is possible for QF to delay that release to later in the flight's lifetime. The seats not being available to early December is possible but I can't state the likelihood of this (each flight can have different controls set).

I'd definitely check every day because there will be someone in the world wanting to travel on the same flight and hitting refresh every 10 minutes.

 

[Mattg]

I would check every day. Things change very quickly.

I'd definitely check every day because there will be someone in the world wanting to travel on the same flight and hitting refresh every 10 minutes.

I have taken the liberty of setting up an Expert Flyer alert for QF16 LAX-BNE on every day between 7-16 October.

I will post in this thread and/or contact anj directly if anything becomes available.

 

[anj]

Thanks so much!

 

[CaptJCool]

Just looked now. QF16 LAX BRI is showing 2 business seats Available on Mon 16 Oct and Tues 16 Oct. taxes at US$868 for two

 

[Mattg]

View attachment 84148Just looked now. QF16 LAX BRI is showing 2 business seats Available on Mon 16 Oct and Tues 16 Oct. taxes at US$868 for two

I gather from your profile that you have Platinum status? The OP may not have access to the same availability if they don't have any status.

 

[anj]

Thanks - I thought I was going mad! I checked 22 minutes after the post and they were 'gone'. I was wondering why they weren't there. I'm merely a qantas pleb so I don't have platinum. I'm going to ring them in a minute, though. Will see if that makes one jot of difference.

 

[CaptJCool]

Yea. Good point.

I checked via one of my kids accounts and they're not showing....