Help with Frequent Flyer Booking Query

[utaussiefan]

Hi there.

I'm looking at paying for some friends to visit Australia from Kiev using QFF, when I try and choose Kiev as the departure city, it isn't available, only as the arrival city. Is it possible to do a QFF booking from Kiev to Australia?

Many Thanks.

 

[Spongbob]

I don't think any OW airline or even EK fly to/from Kiev. This could be the reason.

 

[utaussiefan]

I don't think any OW airline or even EK fly to/from Kiev. This could be the reason.

I had a look and Qatar have now started flying out of Kiev.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Qatar and British Airways both fly from Kiev. If you want a paid fare ($$) you can go to google flights for options, or book directly with BA or QR. Once you have made the bookings you add the frequent flyer number.

A frequent flyer award booking, sounds like you need to call Qantas for them to ticket it. But you won't be able to use FF points for friends, only for family as defined in the QFFF terms and conditions (which extends to cousins).

 

[Mattg]

Yes, you would need to call Qantas to get this ticketed as a frequent flyer award booking.

For some reason, Qantas doesn't allow bookings online from a number of origins. Kiev is one, as is Doha, Belgrade, Colombo, etc...

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Yes, you would need to call Qantas to get this ticketed as a frequent flyer award booking.

For some reason, Qantas doesn't allow bookings online from a number of origins. Kiev is one, as is Doha, Belgrade, Colombo, etc...

Because there might actually be availability from those ports and QF doesn't way to pay?

 

[Mattg]

Because there might actually be availability from those ports and QF doesn't way to pay?

I would say there is almost definitely availability, but yes, QF wants to discourage bookings from these ports (several of which are oneworld hubs). Why that is, I have no idea.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I would say there is almost definitely availability, but yes, QF wants to discourage bookings from these ports (several of which are oneworld hubs). Why that is, I have no idea.

I suspect they don't want to pay for the redemptions. I've had this before with a number of trips in Asia... no flights available origin-detination, they do show on multi-city, but you can't book them (error message). Especially a problem when right up on the boundary of a higher award, seems to error out (ie a couple extra miles and you'd have to pay a higher award level).

 

[Mattg]

I suspect they don't want to pay for the redemptions. I've had this before with a number of trips in Asia... no flights available origin-detination, they do show on multi-city, but you can't book them (error message). Especially a problem when right up on the boundary of a higher award, seems to error out (ie a couple extra miles and you'd have to pay a higher award level).

I'm not sure that flights would error out because they're near the award zone boundary. But if these were Cathay Pacific flights, the problem of married segments is a probable cause.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I'm not sure that flights would error out because they're near the award zone boundary. But if these were Cathay Pacific flights, the problem of married segments is a probable cause.

Not married segments as there was availability sector by sector and could be booked through the call centre. But not bookable on line. I tested the theory... some shorter flights (well within the zones, or just in a higher zone) were able to be booked on line, those right at the boundary were blocked. QF goes to considerable effort to make sure popular itineraries somehow just happen to fall into (completely arbitrary) higher zones. It wouldn't surprise me if the system picked up those just inside a boundary to block.