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

[Mr H]

It strikes me that this makes it all but impossible to have MH on a OWA unless you are Platinum or above, right?

One schedule change or one change of itinerary and your MH flights are gone.

That is the conclusion I am reaching.

 

[Danger]

My turn!

Three flights on a oneworld award lost due to the ticket going unissued for over a week. One on MH and 2 on CX.

As a Platinum I reached CPT (of course). The MH flight is back but, surprise, surprise, the CX flights are no longer available. The agent has booked seats in India in the reservation and allegedly sent a request to the oneworld helpdesk (or CX) to have the flights converted to award seats, a process she tells me takes "7 to 14 days". I warned her that if the ticket goes unissued again, then the same issue will happen again and the MH flights will be lost. It fell on deaf ears: "This is the process."

Why wasn't it reissued? Presumably because the SUV agent I spoke with doing do what she was supposed to.

 

[Warragul]

Just completed booking and ticketing a OWA for Aug-Oct next year ( 2 people in Business Class), approx $1800 fees/taxes pp

CBR-SYD-AKL-JFK (QF) - Stop 1
JFK-CMN (AT) - Stop 2
CMN-BCN-AMM (AT/RJ) - Stop 3
AMM-FRA (RJ) - Stop 4
FRA-NRT (JL) - Stop 5
ITM-HND-SYD (surface between TYO-OSA)

Will try to add the SYD-CBR Dash 8 dash later, but not too fussed if they play silly buggers and I need a separate redemption for that - or heaven forbid a commercial Y fare.

FWIW, I just added the SYD-CBR flight (and ticketed) without any dramas, noting others have had issues with reward seats for domestic flights on QF once the OWA itinerary reaches back to Aus. Maybe cause CBR is my origin and destination port??

 

[djkelly69]

Maybe cause CBR is my origin and destination port??

I have seen previously people thought the 'restriction' may not apply to CBR or HBA origins/destinations due to their lack of direct international flights, so this would tend to confirm that.

I assume the reasoning is that QF want MEL/SYD/PER/BNE/ADL etc people to fly on (the very limited) award flights out of their own city rather than connecting to another major city to take one of theirs.

 

[SimonR32]

It strikes me that this makes it all but impossible to have MH on a OWA unless you are Platinum or above, right?

One schedule change or one change of itinerary and your MH flights are gone.

I've changed ours twice (2 x 2 MH flights) with no issues

 

[tooten69]

I firstly wanted to say thank you to everyone that posts into this forum.
I have spent the last year reading and learning how to book the oneworld OWA ticket. I must say even with all the knowledge I was still under prepared for the extreme effort, persistence and overall cough show that unfolded...

However after all the effort I have managed to book the below trip for 4 people split into two bookings (myself and a daughter, wife and a daughter). All flights are together just some in different classes.

My Booking: (September 2023) - 1 separate award booking to include 6 stops

MEL-HKG with CX (2 in J, 2 in W), HKG-DEL with CX (4 in X), DEL-LHR with BA (4 in J), LHR-WAW with BA (4 in J)
stop 1
WAW-LHR with BA (4 in J), LHR-LAX with BA (4 in J)
stop 2
LAX-AUS with AA (4 in J)
stop 3
AUS-MCO with AA (4 in J)
stop 4
MCO-CLT-JFK with AA (4 in J) - SEPRATE AWARD BOOKING
stop 5
JFK-NRT with JAL (2 in J, 2 in W)
stop 6
NRT-MEL with JAL (2 in j, 2 in X)

Total taxes $7,258.56 ($1,815 per person)

I spent 40+ hours on the phone over more than 38 phone calls and all in the space of 6 weeks. Most normal people would have given up but I was determined to get this booked!

I had dropped flights (5+ times), reinstatement requests which where incorrectly submitted (4 times) and then finally when CX agreed to the reinstatement they only did so on my booking and not my wife! (they claim to many seats where taken.... In the end we had to go via Delhi in X as it was the only availability.

I must say the best help I received was from the Fiji agents (and 1 person in Manila). 3 of the night time team leaders in Fiji where excellent. They where both extremally knowledgeable and helpful.

Cant wait to go on the trip! Thanks again for all your help.

My biggest tip - If they sound like they have no idea just hang up and call again! No use trying to persist with the agents that have no idea. Oh and they lie lots! so challenge what they say with the knowledge learnt from this thread until they do what you need.

PS: I do have one question. With the HKG layover being 13 hours and the DEL layover being 10 (switching carriers) will they hold our bags and check them into the next flights? Or will we be required to collect them and then check them back in?

 

[Mr H]

I firstly wanted to say thank you to everyone that posts into this forum.
I have spent the last year reading and learning how to book the oneworld OWA ticket. I must say even with all the knowledge I was still under prepared for the extreme effort, persistence and overall cough show that unfolded...

However after all the effort I have managed to book the below trip for 4 people split into two bookings (myself and a daughter, wife and a daughter). All flights are together just some in different classes.

My Booking: (September 2023) - 1 separate award booking to include 6 stops

MEL-HKG with CX (2 in J, 2 in W), HKG-DEL with CX (4 in X), DEL-LHR with BA (4 in J), LHR-WAW with BA (4 in J)
stop 1
WAW-LHR with BA (4 in J), LHR-LAX with BA (4 in J)
stop 2
LAX-AUS with AA (4 in J)
stop 3
AUS-MCO with AA (4 in J)
stop 4
MCO-CLT-JFK with AA (4 in J) - SEPRATE AWARD BOOKING
stop 5
JFK-NRT with JAL (2 in J, 2 in W)
stop 6
NRT-MEL with JAL (2 in j, 2 in X)

Total taxes $7,258.56 ($1,815 per person)

I spent 40+ hours on the phone over more than 38 phone calls and all in the space of 6 weeks. Most normal people would have given up but I was determined to get this booked!

I had dropped flights (5+ times), reinstatement requests which where incorrectly submitted (4 times) and then finally when CX agreed to the reinstatement they only did so on my booking and not my wife! (they claim to many seats where taken.... In the end we had to go via Delhi in X as it was the only availability.

I must say the best help I received was from the Fiji agents (and 1 person in Manila). 3 of the night time team leaders in Fiji where excellent. They where both extremally knowledgeable and helpful.

Cant wait to go on the trip! Thanks again for all your help.

My biggest tip - If they sound like they have no idea just hang up and call again! No use trying to persist with the agents that have no idea. Oh and they lie lots! so challenge what they say with the knowledge learnt from this thread until they do what you need.

PS: I do have one question. With the HKG layover being 13 hours and the DEL layover being 10 (switching carriers) will they hold our bags and check them into the next flights? Or will we be required to collect them and then check them back in?

They will through check your bags in Delhi, don’t know about Hong Kong. You would be well advised to get Indian visa and go airside as you may have to wait several hours for a BA agent in a holding area before you can go through to international departures in Delhi.

 

[tooten69]

They will through check your bags in Delhi, don’t know about Hong Kong. You would be well advised to get Indian visa and go airside as you may have to wait several hours for a BA agent in a holding area before you can go through to international departures in Delhi.

Thanks for the reply Mr H.

Yes that would be the plan to be honest, I am just hoping that they check the bags with both stopovers so we can explore without worrying about the checked luggage.

 

[Mr H]

Thanks for the reply Mr H.

Yes that would be the plan to be honest, I am just hoping that they check the bags with both stopovers so we can explore without worrying about the checked luggage.

They should be able to do that.

I transited Delhi twice this year. Once I sailed through an empty passport/visa hall; and once it was rammed and they were processing people at glacial speed - so be aware.

It's a long time since I transited Hong Kong, but I remember being able to get a catamaran from the airport to Macau, then a catamaran to Hong Kong, trip on the Star Ferry and metro back to the airport. It was very fun.

 

[sqrt()]

Booked an OWA for this weekend on AA and AS (domestic US flights only). I have QF and AS PNRs but nothing for AA and I can’t find the booking on aa.com using the ticket number or other PNRs. Called QF and was told there was no AA PNR, called AA and they couldn’t even find the (fully ticketed) booking. 5/6 flights are AA so I’d like to be able to select seats/OLCI. Has this happened to anyone else? I’ve booked two QF awards on AA recently and had no trouble pulling up the booking after ticketing.

Edit: AA pnr appeared but now half the legs are showing as canceled. Luckily I wasn’t booking this for anything in particular. I’ll see what happens overnight…

 

[tooten69]

Booked an OWA for this weekend on AA and AS (domestic US flights only). I have QF and AS PNRs but nothing for AA and I can’t find the booking on aa.com using the ticket number or other PNRs. Called QF and was told there was no AA PNR, called AA and they couldn’t even find the (fully ticketed) booking. 5/6 flights are AA so I’d like to be able to select seats/OLCI. Has this happened to anyone else? I’ve booked two QF awards on AA recently and had no trouble pulling up the booking after ticketing.

I had this also but I found if I logged into BA and clicked manage my booking (even with no BA flight on the booking) I could not see the AA flight and could also go into choose seats and it would redirect me to the AA site and allow me to update my seat preference. They have connectivity between the carriers it seems.

I also could not find my AA flights directly on the AA site.

 

[Warragul]

I spent 40+ hours on the phone over more than 38 phone calls and all in the space of 6 weeks. Most normal people would have given up but I was determined to get this booked!

Totally agree and I had told Mrs W that this was going to happen - just a matter of when and what cities we'll fly to. Luckily I'm on long service leave and had plenty of time for the phone calls (and three question survey at the end of the call that never seemed to get started for me).

 

[flapper]

My turn!

Three flights on a oneworld award lost due to the ticket going unissued for over a week. One on MH and 2 on CX.

As a Platinum I reached CPT (of course). The MH flight is back but, surprise, surprise, the CX flights are no longer available. The agent has booked seats in India in the reservation and allegedly sent a request to the oneworld helpdesk (or CX) to have the flights converted to award seats, a process she tells me takes "7 to 14 days". I warned her that if the ticket goes unissued again, then the same issue will happen again and the MH flights will be lost. It fell on deaf ears: "This is the process."

Why wasn't it reissued? Presumably because the SUV agent I spoke with doing do what she was supposed to.

When you change your booking ask them how long you have before it needs to be re-ticketed, the exact time to the minute displays on their screen, that won't stop some of them claiming that their system doesn't show it, if they say that HUACA.

 

[Danger]

When you change your booking ask them how long you have before it needs to be re-ticketed, the exact time to the minute displays on their screen, that won't stop some of them claiming that their system doesn't show it, if they say that HUACA.

Very interesting. I'll do that next time.

 

[acinod]

One of my Qatar flights has been replaced by a Finnair flight at the exact same time (Helsinki to Doha). Wouldn’t that flight be cheaper and I should get a refund? What should I do?

 

[djkelly69]

One of my Qatar flights has been replaced by a Finnair flight at the exact same time (Helsinki to Doha). Wouldn’t that flight be cheaper and I should get a refund? What should I do?

Is it just a codeshare?
What do you want a refund of? Presumably your OWA would be capped either way.

 

[sqrt()]

Is it just a codeshare?
What do you want a refund of? Presumably your OWA would be capped either way.

Assume a refund of the high carrier charges QR places on their flights.

It does look like QR and AY are both "operating" the route from December, once per day, at exactly the same time: 08:00 to 14:15, on 788 and 333 respectively? Maybe AY is taking over the route and QR hasn't cancelled it yet?

Looks like you can only buy QR metal tickets up to December 15, and only AY metal tickets from December 16. QR is charging $118.10 in YQ/YR surcharges and AY $0 surcharges.

Not sure about asking for a refund. Don't poke the bear.

 

[FenderQF]

One of my Qatar flights has been replaced by a Finnair flight at the exact same time (Helsinki to Doha). Wouldn’t that flight be cheaper and I should get a refund? What should I do?

I have a flight in March replaced HEL - DOH from QR A320 to AY A333 codeshare flight. Not a bad replacement considering you get the new AY J product and the QR A320s can be hit or miss. Will be a good opportunity to try out the new AY couch to see if it’ll stand up to long haul routes. Definitely won’t be asking questions about refunds of taxes.

 

[AndyC1970]

I have a flight in March replaced HEL - DOH from QR A320 to AY A333 codeshare flight. Not a bad replacement considering you get the new AY J product and the QR A320s can be hit or miss. Will be a good opportunity to try out the new AY couch to see if it’ll stand up to long haul routes. Definitely won’t be asking questions about refunds of taxes.

Hi - same situation for me Mid Jan Doha- Helsinki as part of one way reward flight to Europe. I am not entirely sure all AY 333 will be the new seat by then -certainly not showing as the new seats in expert flyer/finnair.com. I will let sleeping dog alone on this one as it seems to be re-ticketed every week of late!

 

[Atlascat]

I’m having issues adding a Seoul to Tokyo flight on Japan Airways to my OWA. Qantas Agents keep saying that this is not a classic reward fare and that it’s a commercial/economy flex fare. However, I can see the classic reward availability on the Qantas website and can book with points. I’ve checked that it’s the exact same flights that they see and that I can see on the website.

One agent was able to ‘reserve’ the flight for me and it got added to my OWA booking in MMB but does not have a ticket number in CMT and doesn’t show up on the e-Ticket. They are saying it can’t be ticketed since it’s a commercial fare.

Anyone encountered this problem before?

I could just book it online on a separate PNR, but it’ll cost a few extra points that I’d like to save.