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

[MEL_Traveller]

Quick question are there any cons to starting a OWA booking from another country from where I am eventually hoping to depart?

Example wanting MEL-BKK-AMM-FCO and returning home.

I can see some seats from BKK-FCO and also some coming home from HEL-NRT should I grab them or does the originating city / country need to be from Australia for the better tax calculations and possibly the rules?

The rules will be the same. If I understand correctly, you can alter the starting point, but the original currency has to stay the same… so it would still need to be calculated in Thai baht even though you end up leaving from AU. You’d potentially lose a small amount in currency conversions. There was a similar question on the previous page.

Taxes should be the same.

 

[melbkate]

The rules will be the same. If I understand correctly, you can alter the starting point, but the original currency has to stay the same… so it would still need to be calculated in Thai baht even though you end up leaving from AU. You’d potentially lose a small amount in currency conversions. There was a similar question on the previous page.

Taxes should be the same.

Thank you

 

[Mr H]

The rules will be the same. If I understand correctly, you can alter the starting point, but the original currency has to stay the same… so it would still need to be calculated in Thai baht even though you end up leaving from AU. You’d potentially lose a small amount in currency conversions. There was a similar question on the previous page.

Taxes should be the same.

I am not a million per cent sure about that. My experience with a booking that started from Pakistan was that an eye watering tax applied for a premium cabin ticket issued in Pakistan. I presume that even if the departure point were subsequently changed, it would still count as a ticket issued in Pakistan. I really don't understand these tax issues in detail so I may be wrong on this. I just wouldn't assume that the taxes/fees would be the same.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I am not a million per cent sure about that. My experience with a booking that started from Pakistan was that an eye watering tax applied for a premium cabin ticket issued in Pakistan. I presume that even if the departure point were subsequently changed, it would still count as a ticket issued in Pakistan. I really don't understand these tax issues in detail so I may be wrong on this. I just wouldn't assume that the taxes/fees would be the same.

Yes… you found the outlier Pakistan has imposed a tax of $1000 (or more?) on premium tickets originating in that country… but pretty sure that’s not going to apply to many of us

 

[PointsTraveller!]

A little worried about my upcoming OWA first leg from MEL>NRT>FRA with JL on Nov 8 in J.

The reason is I've seen the timetable adjustments made on Jan 31 for bookings up until October 28th.

Now I know the changes up until the 28th of October are to accommodate flying via Alaska to avoid Russian airspace and take longer, my worry is I will get a late change of timetable which will make my layover at Narita not work and possibly have a departure time to FRA prior to me landing in NRT.

Is this JL or Qantas' responsibility to accommodate me onto a new connection that works?
If I was to change NRT>FRA to NRT>HEL would this be allowed or is my MEL>NRT>FRA flights married?
Should I just wait and see what happens?
Advice is appreciated.

So this has just become a reality and my flight JL 774 has changed and now lands around 4 and a half hours after my connection to FRA on JL407 leaves. Can someone please confirm that rights are to be placed on a suitable alternative to my final destination (London) is Qantas' full responsibility as they issued ticket?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

So this has just become a reality and my flight JL 774 has changed and now lands around 4 and a half hours after my connection to FRA on JL407 leaves. Can someone please confirm that rights are to be placed on a suitable alternative to my final destination (London) is Qantas' full responsibility as they issued ticket?

I believe the responsibility rests with JAL to reaccommodate you. It will be in JAL’s contract of carriage.

Qantas is the issuing agent, and should follow up with JAL on your behalf to get a suitable connection. In fact it’s unlikely JAL will deal with you directly. Qantas will likely go through the oneworld desk to fix it.

In ye olde days - pre covid- in cases like this you used to be able to call JAL, ask them to put in a new flight for you, and then you call qantas to get the ticket reissued. You could try this approach if calling Qantas doesn’t yield results.

There is no guarantee here. If JAL doesn’t come to the party, Qantas can offer you a full refund.

 

[PointsTraveller!]

I believe the responsibility rests with JAL to reaccommodate you. It will be in JAL’s contract of carriage.

Qantas is the issuing agent, and should follow up with JAL on your behalf to get a suitable connection. In fact it’s unlikely JAL will deal with you directly. Qantas will likely go through the oneworld desk to fix it.

In ye olde days - pre covid- in cases like this you used to be able to call JAL, ask them to put in a new flight for you, and then you call qantas to get the ticket reissued. You could try this approach if calling Qantas doesn’t yield results.

There is no guarantee here. If JAL doesn’t come to the party, Qantas can offer you a full refund.

Thanks, even though Qantas' conditions of carriage are per the below they shift the blame to JAL?

If JAL don't accommodate us, I read below the "conditions of carriage" that it is on Qantas to get me to my final destination. I feel this means even though it's a U-class ticket they will try facilitate us even if on QF metal and not in U-class but J.

9.2 Late or Cancelled Flights (Events Beyond Our Control)​

Where we make a Significant Change to your flight due to an Event Beyond Our Control, whether you have checked in or not, we will:

• use reasonable endeavours to rebook you on the next available flight on our services at no additional cost to you

 

[ozflier]

I’m having trouble accessing Alaska Airlines business award availability. Is it just me or is there some rhyme or reason to it ?

I am trying to get from San Francisco or Seattle to Anchorage or Fairbanks next June.

The QFF site just comes up with a yellow screen saying no flights between these destinations.

It works say looking for SEA-ORD ( ie not to Alaska ) but for some reason getting to Alaska is not an acceptable itinerary.

The only exception is Anchorage to Fairbanks where there is some availability.

I have rang the QFF helpline and they come up with the same answer.

I joined Alaska Mileage Plan to look at availability and for the Alaskan Airlines flights, only “Refundable “ First Class flights are available

I know American or Alaska have complicated award availability now eg refundable or non refundable First ( on AS) etc and that , early on when Alaska just joined OneWorld , it was not possible to access Business Class seats because they did not have business class , but I thought the situation had changed .

Have any posters had similar problems and/ or found a run around to actually find seats as part of a business class itinerary from Australia with connection thru to Alaska?

 

[djkelly69]

I’m having trouble accessing Alaska Airlines business award availability.

Have you tried looking at earlier dates (say March instead of June) to check if the flights are available then?

I had a quite similar issue the other day and there was flights on the routes I was looking at earlier, so figured it was just a timing thing (ie. that they hadn't released AS seats that far out yet).

 

[ozflier]

I hope that is the case.
I can see flights on the QFF site but when I click on them, up comes this message

It looks like something went wrong there
Flights out are not available for the date/time specified. Modify your request and search again. (#9200)

• Flights out are not available for the date/time specified. Modify your request and search again. (#9200)

This applies even as far out as April 2024.
I recognise that June is a busy holiday time in the USA so I recognise there will no doubt difficulty in getting partner award seats particularly in the premium cabin.
Just need to keep trying.

 

[Des1801]

Seems as though the BA flights SYD-SIN and SIN-LHR are currently blacked out for summer next year. A few weeks ago they were releasing J seats daily, now no reward seats on these flights at all after March next year

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Thanks, even though Qantas' conditions of carriage are per the below they shift the blame to JAL?

If JAL don't accommodate us, I read below the "conditions of carriage" that it is on Qantas to get me to my final destination. I feel this means even though it's a U-class ticket they will try facilitate us even if on QF metal and not in U-class but J.

9.2 Late or Cancelled Flights (Events Beyond Our Control)​

Where we make a Significant Change to your flight due to an Event Beyond Our Control, whether you have checked in or not, we will:

• use reasonable endeavours to rebook you on the next available flight on our services at no additional cost to you

The ‘we’ refers to Qantas making a schedule change. In this case it is JAL that has made the schedule change, not Qantas. The types of scenarios here could be if you were booked on a qantas service which say got rescheduled or cancelled because of air traffic control, or weather.

Qantas will do their best, and it shouldn’t be a difficult fix. But sometime the o/s call centres aren’t equipped to deal with these sorts of issues.

If you have been notified of the schedule change there should be a special phone number for assistance. If that doesn’t yield results you could try the award assistance email.

 

[PointsTraveller!]

So this has just become a reality and my flight JL 774 has changed and now lands around 4 and a half hours after my connection to FRA on JL407 leaves. Can someone please confirm that rights are to be placed on a suitable alternative to my final destination (London) is Qantas' full responsibility as they issued ticket?

Not sure if I can fully believe how this has worked out at the moment, but after over 10 calls and pretty much being told to sort it myself with JAL in the last day I'm actually shocked at the outcome I received. Also messaged via Messenger and Twitter.

Called a lot of various numbers but the one that got me a resolution was 1300 025 396.

The nice lady gave me 3 options to change my flights to, one with Qantas and Cathay legs, one with Qantas and KLM legs and the last which I accepted was Qantas MEL-SYD, Emirates SYD-DXB, Emirates DXB-ZRH, BA ZRH-LCY at no cost.

She made the changes, I've checked online and she has actually put me in first not business on my Emirates legs, WOW!

This shows as ticketed on JAL and RJ but I haven't received this yet via email so will follow up.

Stay persistent, it pays! Hope all works out but I am currently very grateful.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Not sure if I can fully believe how this has worked out at the moment, but after over 10 calls and pretty much being told to sort it myself with JAL in the last day I'm actually shocked at the outcome I received. Also messaged via Messenger and Twitter.

Called a lot of various numbers but the one that got me a resolution was 1300 025 396.

The nice lady gave me 3 options to change my flights to, one with Qantas and Cathay legs, one with Qantas and KLM legs and the last which I accepted was Qantas MEL-SYD, Emirates SYD-DXB, Emirates DXB-ZRH, BA ZRH-LCY at no cost.

She made the changes, I've checked online and she has actually put me in first not business on my Emirates legs, WOW!

This shows as ticketed on JAL and RJ but I haven't received this yet via email so will follow up.

Stay persistent, it pays! Hope all works out but I am currently very grateful.

Errrr. Fingers crossed!

It could turn out to be a problem for ticketing if some legs are in first. But hopefully it will be ok. Let us know! (I had a similar issue with the 1300 number where they put me in a higher class, but ultimately ticketing refused to issue it unless I was back in the original cabin!)

 

[PointsTraveller!]

Errrr. Fingers crossed!

It could turn out to be a problem for ticketing if some legs are in first. But hopefully it will be ok. Let us know! (I had a similar issue with the 1300 number where they put me in a higher class, but ultimately ticketing refused to issue it unless I was back in the original cabin!)

After asking for an e-ticket through messenger, the below was received. Not the most direct route but really don't care as it should be a terrific experience. Grateful!

 

[djkelly69]

After asking for an e-ticket through messenger, the below was received.

Not wanting to put a downer on your (hopefully!) great result, but just noting that that is not an e-ticket.

 

[PointsTraveller!]

Not wanting to put a downer on your (hopefully!) great result, but just noting that that is not an e-ticket.

Yeah I edited the previous snippet, is this the e-ticket you're eluding to below? Redacted personal info.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Well done! score!!

 

[11sjw]

Yeah I edited the previous snippet, is this the e-ticket you're eluding to below? Redacted personal info.


View attachment 337007

Enjoy!

 

[Ktan89]

That is the best routing!! 2 free first upgrades! SCORE!!