Limited [revenue] business seat availability on Qantas to Europe

[Dtrain]

Hello,

I am trying to book flights from Melbourne to Rome in July flying business class on Qantas. It appears to me that there is much more availability if I was just flying from Melbourne to London, rather than from Melbourne to London to Rome. This implies that a bottleneck exists on the British Airways (Qantas codeshare) leg from London to Rome. I never experienced this problem previously with the Qantas / Emirates arrangements given that Emirates would have an abundance of business seats from Dubai to Rome each day. I could usually book flights a few weeks out, let alone 6 months out.

Am I right in thinking that the problem is with British Airways' availability? If so, is availability likely to improve in the coming months?

Any help and guidance would be much appreciated. Cheers.

 

[bullerdude]

Its very possible that there is a lack of available on the connecting flights into Europe or that Qantas doesn't have access to the seats (more likely). Personally, i'd secure the reward seats to London while they are available and then sort of the last flight separately or adjust the the booking once a seat becomes available.

 

[Must...Fly!]

So you can not book from DXB-FCO? Why not try Milan, or Athens, or another OW partner. Avoid transiting the UK.

Seats out of the UK in to mainland Europe, particularly the Mediterranean destinations are in huge demand at that time due to summer and school holidays. Reward seats disappear quick and the cost of flights can be eye watering too.

 

[Dtrain]

To be clear, I'm not talking about reward seats. I am talking about normal seats that you purchase. (Sorry, I should have been clearer).

After March, Qantas no longer flys from MEL-DXB, instead you have to fly MEL-PER-LHR. This means that if you want to head to somewhere else in Europe, like Rome, you have to fly from LHR to FCO.

 

[jb747]

After March, Qantas no longer flys from MEL-DXB, instead you have to fly MEL-PER-LHR. This means that if you want to head to somewhere else in Europe, like Rome, you have to fly from LHR to FCO.

It also means that there will be half of the number of seats....

 

[Must...Fly!]

To be clear, I'm not talking about reward seats. I am talking about normal seats that you purchase. (Sorry, I should have been clearer).

After March, Qantas no longer flys from MEL-DXB, instead you have to fly MEL-PER-LHR. This means that if you want to head to somewhere else in Europe, like Rome, you have to fly from LHR to FCO.

The only change is instead of MEL-DXB(QF)//DXB-FCO(EK) it's MEL-DXB-FCO all on EK.

Since you are flying J anyway, why not just take another carrier? Or book QF codeshares op by EK if you need the SC?

 

[Anna]

I thought that after QF stop flying to DXB, they were going to start flying to LHR via SIN as an alternative to the PER-LHR non stop. Can't you go MEL - SIN - LHR? (not that that will help you with the LHR - FCO leg which is your issue).

 

[DJSYD81]

Can't you still get the QF coded EK flights from MEL-DXB-FCO?

 

[jb747]

I thought that after QF stop flying to DXB, they were going to start flying to LHR via SIN as an alternative to the PER-LHR non stop. Can't you go MEL - SIN - LHR? (not that that will help you with the LHR - FCO leg which is your issue).

The 380 from Melbourne is only going to Singapore.

 

[Dtrain]

Can't you still get the QF coded EK flights from MEL-DXB-FCO?

Yes, you can. Similar to what you could do previously. However, it's a bit of a shame if you enjoy flying on QF metal (as I do). Also, if there are less options when flying on QF metal, there will be more demand for those alternative QF coded EK flights, possibly making them harder to book.

What I was hoping to understand was whether it was likely that British Airways would release more seats in the future, or whether you just have to get in super early these days if you are hoping to fly on Qantas metal into Europe. As I noted in my first post, there was always plenty of availability under the Qantas / Emirates arrangements.

 

[docjames]

The 380 from Melbourne is only going to Singapore.

Which has a long-ish but ok connection to QF1.

Regarding the original question,best option is probably to purchase the QF code on EK for one-stop EU destinations.

 

[Must...Fly!]

Yes, you can. Similar to what you could do previously. However, it's a bit of a shame if you enjoy flying on QF metal (as I do). Also, if there are less options when flying on QF metal, there will be more demand for those alternative QF coded EK flights, possibly making them harder to book.

What I was hoping to understand was whether it was likely that British Airways would release more seats in the future, or whether you just have to get in super early these days if you are hoping to fly on Qantas metal into Europe. As I noted in my first post, there was always plenty of availability under the Qantas / Emirates arrangements.

I wouldn't expect extra. This summer is a little different as BA are adding big to their schedule through wet leasing due to the collapse of Monarch. Perhaps look in to alternate Italian destinations if that is important to you. I recall Bologna usually being pretty loose in terms of availability.

The way Qantas and most passengers would see it, there is availability and you get what you need apart from the QF aircraft. Assuming you prefer not to fly EK all the way....since you are a paying customer, I would recommend taking the opportunity to try another airline such as QR, CX, SQ or EY. If status is important, the first two are in oneWorld so will you get some status credits . Alternatively, the last two will earn in to Velocity

 

[OATEK]

Which has a long-ish but ok connection to QF1.

Regarding the original question,best option is probably to purchase the QF code on EK for one-stop EU destinations.

JB747 is pointing to the fact that there are are fewer seats to LHR with 1x380/1x787 than there were with 2x380. QF Seats on BA will be subject to the agreement between these 2 airlines which has been rocky for some years. The option with EK metal the whole way is also a bit of an unknown as QF pulls out of DXB. All in all, fewer seats for connections to EU is what I would expect given fewer QF seats out of AU to UK.

 

[Must...Fly!]

OTOH EK has freed up some of its own capacity in to and out of Australia by cancelling the TT AKL runs. Some of that would flow to QF codeshares you'd expect. And there are rumours of another direct AKL service coming in that have been posted elsewhere on the forum.

 

[OATEK]

OTOH EK has freed up some of its own capacity in to and out of Australia by cancelling the TT AKL runs. Some of that would flow to QF codeshares you'd expect. And there are rumours of another direct AKL service coming in that have been posted elsewhere on the forum.

I wonder if EK are prepared to provide as many QF code shares into EU or wouldn't perhaps rather encourage pax to book directly with them.

 

[Must...Fly!]

I wonder if EK are prepared to provide as many QF code shares into EU or wouldn't perhaps rather encourage pax to book directly with them.

You'd sooner have passengers flying on your metal on a QF number than not flying with you at all. It's a very useful partnership for EK, not much point in (visibly) rocking the boat by doing that. They would get plenty of money from QFF from all the redemptions anyway.

All you're really doing by restricting QF code shares is pushing people off to investigate offerings at QR/EY/SQ/CX/TG etc.

 

[laffer]

Why not take the opportunity to investigate CX or SQ? You might like what you find?

I do wonder if QF will fly into another Euro port other than LHR soon? I saw some speculation in another thread about CDG.

 

[OATEK]

A connection through SIN to CDG would be very welcome. as three of my last 4 trips to UK/EU have involved CDG (with CX/AY/A3).

 

[Dtrain]

I would recommend taking the opportunity to try another airline such as QR, CX, SQ or EY. If status is important, the first two are in oneWorld so will you get some status credits . Alternatively, the last two will earn in to Velocity

Yes, status is important for me. The only issue with flying with OneWorld partners is that you earn about half the status according the Qantas Status Calculator.

The new arrangement of being LHR centric is a little strange if QF codeshare connections to EU are much more limited than the previous connections out of DXB.

EDIT: Just did another test. Plenty of seats if I book MEL-LHR on the Qantas website, then book a LHR-FCO flight on the BA website. Very odd!

 

[Must...Fly!]

Again I would say they are only limited if you insist on flying QF metal vs EK. Which there is little reason to do given Y is Y, Skybed is a generation behind now. Y+ is another story and to be fair, F probably a different discussion depending on personal taste.