"oneworld" award (132.4K/249.6K/318K/455K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

[knightfall88]

Guys, do you have to fly back to your home city or just home country. My trip is departing from Perth, I live in Sydney. Can I just finish in Sydney?

 

[Kangol]

Guys, do you have to fly back to your home city or just home country. My trip is departing from Perth, I live in Sydney. Can I just finish in Sydney?

You can finish it where you want, but you have to calculate the distance to return to your point of origin in the 35k mile limit.
As per the rules.

 

[knightfall88]

You can finish it where you want, but you have to calculate the distance to return to your point of origin in the 35k mile limit.
As per the rules.

Brilliant. Thank you.

Just got off the call with Qantas. must have been really busy today because I asked for the call back since 5.30pm and tried again at 7.30pm.

After the CC put me on hold to checked with another department she confirmed by saying "you will not be charged extra points as long as you stay within the rules." I had to clarify it and told her the situation again..
I'm in the middle of my RTW redemption, the current cost is 280k but in September Qantas will increase the cost to 318k and since I can't book the last 2 legs until November.. Will I be charge the new rates at 318k?
"No, since you already started the booking it will cap at 280k as long as you stay within 35,000miles."

Sounds good, I'm pretty happy!
I asked her if she could email me this info or if there is something on the site where I can read this but she can't. The only thing she recommend is to quote this call because it is recorded and linked to the booking number.
I don't know to believe her on this one?

And a incomplete booking counts as a Oneworld Booking as long as atleast 2 oneworld carriers are currently on the itinerary?

 

[Battymum]

I am wondering if the same would apply for a general award booking.
I am waiting for dates to be released for a straight forward flight.
Could I book a dummy date now and change when my preferred date is released.?

 

[Danger]

Just got off the call with Qantas. must have been really busy today because I asked for the call back since 5.30pm and tried again at 7.30pm.

After the CC put me on hold to checked with another department she confirmed by saying "you will not be charged extra points as long as you stay within the rules." I had to clarify it and told her the situation again..
I'm in the middle of my RTW redemption, the current cost is 280k but in September Qantas will increase the cost to 318k and since I can't book the last 2 legs until November.. Will I be charge the new rates at 318k?
"No, since you already started the booking it will cap at 280k as long as you stay within 35,000miles."

Sounds good, I'm pretty happy!
I asked her if she could email me this info or if there is something on the site where I can read this but she can't. The only thing she recommend is to quote this call because it is recorded and linked to the booking number.
I don't know to believe her on this one?

Well that's two of us now that have been told the 280K will stick. It's a start.

I am interested in this as I may have a couple of flights to be inserted into the itinerary later, due to seat availability issues.

It seems odd that the Call Centre can't quote the source of their information. This could become problematic.

The agent I spoke with said "There's nothing in writing" which doesn't surprise me in the least.

And a incomplete booking counts as a Oneworld Booking as long as atleast 2 oneworld carriers are currently on the itinerary?

I think you'll have to have triggered the 140K/280K/420K for it to be considered a oneworld award. For example, simply flying MEL-HKG with CX and HKG-NRT with JL won't hit 140K/280K but does have at least two non-QF carriers.

I am wondering if the same would apply for a general award booking.
I am waiting for dates to be released for a straight forward flight.
Could I book a dummy date now and change when my preferred date is released.?

In theory, yes and that occurred to me last night also. However, I'd be jumping on the chat function, settling in with a carton of beer while you wait and hoping you can get an agent that will put that in writing.

 

[adenda]

I have seen on this thread where some Qantas agents count transits as stopovers in completing the OW award bookings.
I am trying to complete my booking and have so far booked
MEL - DOH - JNB (QR)
JNB - DOH - CDG (QR)
LYS - LHR - YYZ (BA)
BOS - NRT - SYD (JL)
When I try to book the last flight from SYD to MEL 2 agents have said that because you change terminals from international to domestic in SYD this 2 hour transit counts as a stopover which I can accept, but this makes my 6th stopover.
My mileage count is under the 35K allowed.
Can anyone let me know where I can find the stopover/ transit discussion in this thread.

I'm having a similar issue. Our OWA itinerary has a first leg that is from Melbourne to Adelaide – due to the unavailability of flights to Europe (via Doha) out of Melbourne. For similar reasons our return to Australia at the end of our jaunt is to Adelaide. I’ve been trying to add a final segment from Adelaide back to Melbourne to bring us home but a couple of Qantas agents now have told me it can’t be done despite it seemingly not breaking any rules (total miles, number of sectors, number of transits etc). The Qantas agents couldn’t advise any reason just that the booking system wouldn’t accept it. Now I'm thinking that the change from International to domestic (in the same terminal) is being classed as a stopover - which would be our 6th and so against the rules. Alternatively I've seen it somewhere suggested that once you are back in Australia your award is over - maybe that's our issue but it seems others haven done this sucessfully
Can anyone suggest why it can’t be done? It’s not a crisis as it’s easy (and not that expensive) to buy domestic fares home but it would be nice to maximise the benefit of our award booking.
(Also it doesn't seem to be at the agent's discretion - on both occasions they said the booking system wouldn't allow it)

 

[rock86]

I'm having a similar issue. Our OWA itinerary has a first leg that is from Melbourne to Adelaide – due to the unavailability of flights to Europe (via Doha) out of Melbourne. For similar reasons our return to Australia at the end of our jaunt is to Adelaide. I’ve been trying to add a final segment from Adelaide back to Melbourne to bring us home but a couple of Qantas agents now have told me it can’t be done despite it seemingly not breaking any rules (total miles, number of sectors, number of transits etc). The Qantas agents couldn’t advise any reason just that the booking system wouldn’t accept it. Now I'm thinking that the change from International to domestic (in the same terminal) is being classed as a stopover - which would be our 6th and so against the rules. Alternatively I've seen it somewhere suggested that once you are back in Australia your award is over - maybe that's our issue but it seems others haven done this sucessfully
Can anyone suggest why it can’t be done? It’s not a crisis as it’s easy (and not that expensive) to buy domestic fares home but it would be nice to maximise the benefit of our award booking.
(Also it doesn't seem to be at the agent's discretion - on both occasions they said the booking system wouldn't allow it)

I'm pretty sure it is because you can't transit through the city of departure fro your origin country.

If you arrived say back in SYD/BNE then you'd be able to continue to MEL, but since your coming back through ADL you can't then go onto MEL.

I could be wrong though.

 

[adenda]

Sounds like Sth Africa to me. Try the SMS I found them better than SA CC but they are not perfect. Also if you use call back you have a better chance of getting NZ CC I have found. I usually have call back and SMS on the go at the same time and use who ever gets back first and also have a back up in case of an operator who has no idea.

Is there a way to increase the odds of being offered a call-back (time of day?, day of week?) I've called many times but only twice been given the option of a call back

 

[adenda]

I'm pretty sure it is because you can't transit through the city of departure fro your origin country.

If you arrived say back in SYD/BNE then you'd be able to continue to MEL, but since your coming back through ADL you can't then go onto MEL.

I could be wrong though.

Ok - but we're starting in Melbourne:
MEL-ADL
ADL-DOH
DOH-ZRH (stop)
ZRH-LHR
LHR-MIA (stop)
MIA-LIM (stop)
LIM-MAD
MAD-BCN (stop)
BCN-DOH
DOH-KUL (stop)
KUL-ADL (finish - for now)

I can't seem to get ADL-MEL added even though it shouldn't break any rules (miles, sectors, stops, transits)

 

[motef]

Ok - but we're starting in Melbourne:
MEL-ADL
ADL-DOH
DOH-ZRH (stop)
ZRH-LHR
LHR-MIA (stop)
MIA-LIM (stop)
LIM-MAD
MAD-BCN (stop)
BCN-DOH
DOH-KUL (stop)
KUL-ADL (finish - for now)

I can't seem to get ADL-MEL added even though it shouldn't break any rules (miles, sectors, stops, transits)

Is it because you are transiting back through a country in Australia?

 

[rock86]

Ok - but we're starting in Melbourne:
MEL-ADL
ADL-DOH
DOH-ZRH (stop)
ZRH-LHR
LHR-MIA (stop)
MIA-LIM (stop)
LIM-MAD
MAD-BCN (stop)
BCN-DOH
DOH-KUL (stop)
KUL-ADL (finish - for now)

I can't seem to get ADL-MEL added even though it shouldn't break any rules (miles, sectors, stops, transits)

Understood, but you're departing Australia from ADL.

It's about the only thing I can think of why it isn't working.

 

[abby-line]

Is there a way to increase the odds of being offered a call-back (time of day?, day of week?) I've called many times but only twice been given the option of a call back

I've called twice between 7/7.30am and had option to select a callback.

 

[blu]

...Qantas agents now have told me it can’t be done despite it seemingly not breaking any rules (total miles ...

Just to confirm, did Qantas give you their mileage total?

 

[adenda]

Just to confirm, did Qantas give you their mileage total?

They gave total of all except the last segment (KUL-ADL) as being 30,685. KUL-ADL is 3524 from the Great Circle Mapper making a total of 34209 which leaves plenty for the 400 miles back to Melbourne.

 

[Danger]

They gave total of all except the last segment (KUL-ADL) as being 30,685. KUL-ADL is 3524 from the Great Circle Mapper making a total of 34209 which leaves plenty for the 400 miles back to Melbourne.

I'm not surprised Qantas can't give you a reason. The rules are convoluted.

I think you're falling foul of 14.3.15: "A Classic Flight Reward Itinerary must contain no more than one departure from the city or country of first departure on that Itinerary".

 

[cjd600]

I'm not surprised Qantas can't give you a reason. The rules are convoluted.

I think you're falling foul of 14.3.15: "A Classic Flight Reward Itinerary must contain no more than one departure from the city or country of first departure on that Itinerary".

Should still be able to book it, but will just blow the points out?

 

[Danger]

Should still be able to book it, but will just blow the points out?

Well no, actually. I don't think so. The term says "A classic flight reward . . ." It doesn't say anything about it being this particular fare product we're talking about. I take the term to apply to all award tickets.

 

[Kangol]

I'm not surprised Qantas can't give you a reason. The rules are convoluted.

I think you're falling foul of 14.3.15: "A Classic Flight Reward Itinerary must contain no more than one departure from the city or country of first departure on that Itinerary".

The last ADL-MEL is neither of those. I'd try and escalate it if I were you. Without status, you might not be able to do it so easily.

 

[footy99]

Hey guys

I recently organised a 420K award. The next sector is Singapore to Athens with transits in Hong Kong and Heathrow.

These are the flights:

2 Sep SIN-HKG 09:50-14:05 CX J
2 Sep HKG-LHR 23:45-05:30(+1) BA F
3 Sep LHR-ATH 06:55-12:40 BA J

It's likely the first 2 are going to cause problems with the planned protest at HKG airport and simultaneous general strikes that day (fortunately the BA pilot strikes didn't line up too!)

What happens to the remaining 10+ flights on the ticket if one or both of those flights are cancelled by the airline at the last minute? Do Qantas just reroute this sector and the rest remain unaffected? And if so, do they still keep you in F (or J where applicable) if there is space even though the only availability now is for cash?

Thanks

 

[motef]

Hey guys

I recently organised a 420K award. The next sector is Singapore to Athens with transits in Hong Kong and Heathrow.

These are the flights:

2 Sep SIN-HKG 09:50-14:05 CX J
2 Sep HKG-LHR 23:45-05:30(+1) BA F
3 Sep LHR-ATH 06:55-12:40 BA J

It's likely the first 2 are going to cause problems with the planned protest at HKG airport and simultaneous general strikes that day (fortunately the BA pilot strikes didn't line up too!)

What happens to the remaining 10+ flights on the ticket if one or both of those flights are cancelled by the airline at the last minute? Do Qantas just reroute this sector and the rest remain unaffected? And if so, do they still keep you in F (or J where applicable) if there is space even though the only availability now is for cash?

Thanks

Qantas will re-accomodate you on alternate flights. It doesn’t matter to you that there is no award space and the fares are cash only.
If I was you I would research some alternatives now so you can be fully prepared should the cancellations eventuate.