How risky is it to book an award flight on CI with QF points?

[heycam]

Hi everyone,

I'm thinking about heading back to Taiwan for a month, maybe in March or April next year. My partner and I have built up some QF points over the last few years, so I'd like to use them for flights there and back. There looks to be plenty of J availability on CI's MEL-TPE flights.

This would be the first time I've used points to book an award flight on a partner airline. With all the threads on AFF about issues people have had with changes and Qantas re-ticketing, it has me wondering how risky booking these flights would be. Does anyone have experience booking awards through QF on CI metal and having any changes or cancellations dealt with poorly? Or do these problems tend to be limited to OWAs?

Thanks,

Cameron

 

[Dr4manyspecies]

Hi everyone,

I'm thinking about heading back to Taiwan for a month, maybe in March or April next year. My partner and I have built up some QF points over the last few years, so I'd like to use them for flights there and back. There looks to be plenty of J availability on CI's MEL-TPE flights.

This would be the first time I've used points to book an award flight on a partner airline. With all the threads on AFF about issues people have had with changes and Qantas re-ticketing, it has me wondering how risky booking these flights would be. Does anyone have experience booking awards through QF on CI metal and having any changes or cancellations dealt with poorly? Or do these problems tend to be limited to OWAs?

Thanks,

Cameron

I'll be interested to see some replies, Cameron, as I'm considering some partner flights for next year.

 

[p--and--t]

Hi everyone,

I'm thinking about heading back to Taiwan for a month, maybe in March or April next year. My partner and I have built up some QF points over the last few years, so I'd like to use them for flights there and back. There looks to be plenty of J availability on CI's MEL-TPE flights.

This would be the first time I've used points to book an award flight on a partner airline. With all the threads on AFF about issues people have had with changes and Qantas re-ticketing, it has me wondering how risky booking these flights would be. Does anyone have experience booking awards through QF on CI metal and having any changes or cancellations dealt with poorly? Or do these problems tend to be limited to OWAs?

Thanks,

Cameron

May be wrong but sounds like you want to go to TPE and return. no multiple carriers, no connection times, no mixed class travel. A simple straight forward uncomplicated itinerary.

I wouldn't be worried about booking in the slightest.

Make your booking, ensure you get your actual e-ticket within a reasonable time. Watch for any changes coming to you in email. A few weeks out from your flight go to Manage My Booking and check there are no changes and all is OK.

Just watch for any emails that advise of changes that may occur and make sure you follow them up if requested to ensure you still have valid tickets after the change. In the majority of cases with simple changes I get an email advising of the change asking me to accept, then a follow-up email with the new ticket within hours. Sometimes if it is just a very minor reschedule the new ticket will just arrive.

With any process, there are always exceptions and AFF is the perfect place to see them disproportionately in all their glory

 

[antycbr]

Booked on CI in April, unfortunately I couldn’t get a direct SYD-TPE so am connecting via Melbourne. CI retimed the flights so now have a 35 minute DOM-INT at MEL so now have to brave the call centre. Why can’t Amadeus have a “fail to meet MCT” flag and push it to someone to sort out ?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Friends just arrived in Sydney two days ago flying CI business class, QFFF points. No issues.

 

[adenda]

Agree with previous comments. If, as you say, there is plenty of availability then the risks are low.
The issues others have posted about regarding reticketing disasters are related to flights for which little or no award seats are available so a lost booking for a single sector can mean an entire itinerary is ruined.
I’d be booking and following p—and—t’s suggestions to the letter.

 

[Mattg]

Go ahead and book the flights. You should be fine and it's a good use of Qantas points.

Just be aware that if there are any schedule changes (you might want to using a third-party service like Check My Trip to keep track of this) you might need to proactively ensure the ticket is re-issued promptly.

 

[Pushka]

I booked MH with Qantas points for next year. There was a cancellation but miraculously the ticket was reissued with no dramas. I think it's worth it.

 

[Matt_01]

I have SYD-TPE J rewards via QF booked for June 23, I gave it a second thought i.e. would China invade Taiwan for 1 or 2 minutes and then just thought stuff it book the flights and deal with any cancellations, if I have to in the future.

 

[antycbr]

I have SYD-TPE J rewards via QF booked for June 23, I gave it a second thought i.e. would China invade Taiwan for 1 or 2 minutes and then just thought stuff it book the flights and deal with any cancellations, if I have to in the future.

If the PRC invaded the ROC cancellations are the least of our worries.

 

[RichardMEL]

Book it.

A fairly simple redemption and the problems seem to involve changes being made post travel usually adding or changing sectors involving carriers with strict ticketing deadlines (ie: QR)... And it's not everyone affected.

I'd go ahead and book and enjoy your time in Taiwan (obviously we all hope PRC keep to themselves!).

 

[heycam]

Thanks for all the reassurances! My situation is about as simple as it could be (lots of availability, no connections, no other airlines involved), so here's hoping.

 

[jase05]

I’d definitely book it. As you have said it’s a fairly simple booking. I really like the product and the carrier charges are decent