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

[madrooster]

So, if I can't get award seats for say SYD-JFK as a 'single flight' and even though I may be able to get award seats for both legs (SYD-DXB/HKG-JFK) via the multi-city tool, it will not be ticketed because it isn't married?

Sorry for the repeated questions, it's just if that is the case then it's going to make booking some flights a whole lot more difficult.

I've seen cases where:

1. Flight #1 and #2 are both available separately but blocked as a through connection (ie. <= 24 hours)
2. Flight #1 is available on its own, flight #2 is not available on its own but as a through connection it is available
3. Neither of the two flights are available on their own, but the two flights together as a through connection are available (less common)

It's not a case of it won't be ticketed, it can't even be grabbed.

 

[rock86]

I've seen cases where:

1. Flight #1 and #2 are both available separately but blocked as a through connection (ie. <= 24 hours)
2. Flight #1 is available on its own, flight #2 is not available on its own but as a through connection it is available
3. Neither of the two flights are available on their own, but the two flights together as a through connection are available (less common)

It's not a case of it won't be ticketed, it can't even be grabbed.

Ugh, well it seems as now this got a whole lot harder (and more confusing). When I am booking would you still just suggest if it can't be booked as the one flight but availability is there on separate legs, to still book the two legs in the multi-city tool and see if it tickets?

 

[madrooster]

Ugh, well it seems as now this got a whole lot harder (and more confusing). When I am booking would you still just suggest if it can't be booked as the one flight but availability is there on separate legs, to still book the two legs in the multi-city tool and see if it tickets?

If it lets you get to payment details, then that means it was available as a through connection and is confirmed. It will throw an error before payment if it's not confirmable.

You can always call QF and ask them to search availability for you as married segments, or ask your TA if you have one, to check for you if you have one that is clued up on awards.

 

[rock86]

If it lets you get to payment details, then that means it was available as a through connection and is confirmed. It will throw an error before payment if it's not confirmable.

You can always call QF and ask them to search availability for you as married segments, or ask your TA if you have one, to check for you if you have one that is clued up on awards.

Awesome, thanks so much for that @madrooster - a wealth of knowledge . Most of the segments I choose in dummy bookings are letting me get right to the payment page, so it looks as though it should be fine. But, at least I now know that could be a reason when an error gets thrown up on some popular routes I search.

 

[nickfromeastryde]

Something I haven't seen before. Booked the first few flights for my latest 280K award and used the QR site to complete my seat selections. Was provided an e-ticket by Qatar which included a breakdown of taxes and carrier imposed fees as follows

AUD 158.40 YR , AUD 227.40 YQ , AUD 8.60 YQ , AUD 30.84 WY , AUD
20.30 HK , AUD 30.40 G3 , AUD 7.60 I5 , AUD 15.60 DQ , AUD 13.20 FI ,
AUD 6.50 WL , AUD 3.80 XU , AUD 24.70 IS , AUD 4.00 ZU , AUD 12.70
SW , AUD 6.30 OI

About AUD 570 for each ticket

Flight details as follows:

HKG - HEL - REK (AY)
REK - HEL (AY)
HEL - NRT - SYD (JAL)

I don't understand what all these taxes represent and suspect quite a few others would not as well. Hoping that someone more knowledgeable might provide a breakdown as a bit of an education piece

 

[Guvner]

Hong Kong Air Passenger Departure Tax (HK)
Hong Kong Airport Passenger Security Charge (I5)
Hong Kong Airport Construction Fee (G3)
Finland Air Transport Supervision Charge (XU)
Finland Security Charge (DQ)
AY YR surcharge (YR) - Fuel Surcharge
Finland Passenger Fee (FI)
Iceland Passenger Fee Keflavik (ZU)
Iceland Airport Service Charge (IS)
JL YQ surcharge (YQ) - Fuel Surcharge
Japan Passenger Security Service Charge (OI)
Australia Passenger Services Charge Arrival International (WY)
Japan Passenger Service Facilities Charge International (SW)

 

[tricky1337]

Something I haven't seen before. Booked the first few flights for my latest 280K award and used the QR site to complete my seat selections. Was provided an e-ticket by Qatar which included a breakdown of taxes and carrier imposed fees as follows

AUD 158.40 YR , AUD 227.40 YQ , AUD 8.60 YQ , AUD 30.84 WY , AUD
20.30 HK , AUD 30.40 G3 , AUD 7.60 I5 , AUD 15.60 DQ , AUD 13.20 FI ,
AUD 6.50 WL , AUD 3.80 XU , AUD 24.70 IS , AUD 4.00 ZU , AUD 12.70
SW , AUD 6.30 OI

About AUD 570 for each ticket

Did you have to request a breakdown of taxes? I'm trying to find a breakdown of my taxes and it isn't on my e-ticket.

 

[nickfromeastryde]

Did you have to request a breakdown of taxes? I'm trying to find a breakdown of my taxes and it isn't on my e-ticket.

No, even though I booked through Qantas, I went onto Qatar site to select my seats. They then sent a confirmation email that included this information on the e-ticket. I've done this before but never received the e-ticket before

 

[tricky1337]

No, even though I booked through Qantas, I went onto Qatar site to select my seats. They then sent a confirmation email that included this information on the e-ticket. I've done this before but never received the e-ticket before

Thanks, I just checked Qatar and I can see the taxes when I view the E-ticket on their site (well I can see all that fits into that box - which was only about 90% of my total). Yikes, my YQ and YR is over $815 (at least) out of abou $1400. My tax had to be manually calculated by the CSR's senior so am a bit sus whether it is correct. I expected fuel surcharges to be closer to $600 (using the wiki). Is there a way to break down YQ and YR by airline?

 

[gaz0303]

I've found some creative routing to allow for a 280K award to the UK rtn in December. However, the return does involve BA, and is a little less direct than hoped. I'm hoping that some last minute availability might open up with QR, AY or CX. If a more suitable return leg doesn't become available and I want to cancel the entire trip pre-departure, is it only a 5k fee with full refund of taxes?

 

[Jacques Vert]

I've found some creative routing to allow for a 280K award to the UK rtn in December. However, the return does involve BA, and is a little less direct than hoped. I'm hoping that some last minute availability might open up with QR, AY or CX. If a more suitable return leg doesn't become available and I want to cancel the entire trip pre-departure, is it only a 5k fee with full refund of taxes?

Cancellations are 6,000

 

[Jacques Vert]

I have just spent 4 phone calls (plus many hours on hold) trying to book my latest 280k Oneworld award.

As usual, this complex itinerary would not price online. I rang and was given a number of reasons why my itinerary was not valid during the various phone calls.

First, I was told that I was not allowed to backtrack - wrong.

Next, that I was only allowed five stopovers and two transits; I pointed out the rule that states that transits are unlimited.

Next, it was suggested I had too many segments; we later agreed that there were only 16 (15 flights + 1 surface sector).

Then, I was told that the last city on the itinerary (the same one that I start from) is also counted as a stopover! I pointed out that it's NOT a stopover as it is the end of the trip.

Today, I finally got onto an agent who seemed to know what he was doing. After a bit of back and forth, and waiting on hold while he discussed things with his supervisor, I was told that I had too many stopovers as a surface sector is counted as 2 stopovers. (I realise that there has been discussion of this point on this thread before.) I pointed out that this was never the case and I had previously booked a number of itineraries with surface sectors (and they only counted as one stopover) but the agent was adamant that it has been always been the case that they were counted as two.

He read out the section of the (internal) booking rules that specifically state that a surface sector is to be counted as two stopovers and noted that this document was dated 2016. He then added that some itineraries may have slipped through manually in the past but QF was now enforcing this rule; and all surface sectors are now counted as two stopovers.

If correct, this is a significant enhancement of the Oneworld Classic Awards, making them far less attractive (for me at least). Given this, the unacceptable waiting times to get through to a call centre, plus all the other inconsistencies, it is becoming increasingly difficult to like QF.

 

[cjd600]

Very frustrating.......as a long-offered Qantas product, it always staggers me that there is so much confusion and lack of knowledge once you are lucky enough to get through to someone on the phone.

Edit - fwiw I have currently been able to successfully price out my dummy bookings for an upcoming trip, with a surface sector definitely not knocking me out by counting as 2 stopovers....

 

[Jacques Vert]

Very frustrating.......as a long-offered Qantas product, it always staggers me that there is so much confusion and lack of knowledge once you are lucky enough to get through to someone on the phone.

Edit - fwiw I have currently been able to successfully price out my dummy bookings for an upcoming trip, with a surface sector definitely not knocking me out by counting as 2 stopovers....

Thank you for that. I suspect that if I keep trying I'll eventually get through to someone (who has a supervisor who knows the "proper" interpretation) but by then, the flights I want will have disappeared. I could get around it by changing the itinerary but I shouldn't have to.

The time wasted and the frustration of dealing with the QF call centre is wearing me down.

 

[Daver6]

Can you try a dummy but simple booking online to prove that the surface sector doesn't count as an extra stop?

 

[exceladdict]

Can you try a dummy but simple booking online to prove that the surface sector doesn't count as an extra stop?

Let's not point out the IT 'features' too quickly

 

[tricky1337]

Today, I finally got onto an agent who seemed to know what he was doing. After a bit of back and forth, and waiting on hold while he discussed things with his supervisor, I was told that I had too many stopovers as a surface sector is counted as 2 stopovers. (I realise that there has been discussion of this point on this thread before.) I pointed out that this was never the case and I had previously booked a number of itineraries with surface sectors (and they only counted as one stopover) but the agent was adamant that it has been always been the case that they were counted as two.

I just finished booking my ticket on the weekend and it had 5 stopovers with 4 of those with a surface sector. They had to do a manual calculation of taxes that took hours but got there in the end. They didn't have any issues regarding a breach of rules and it was 280k. Luck of the draw with what agent you get unfortunately.

 

[Jacques Vert]

I just finished booking my ticket on the weekend and it had 5 stopovers with 4 of those with a surface sector. They had to do a manual calculation of taxes that took hours but got there in the end. They didn't have any issues regarding a breach of rules and it was 280k. Luck of the draw with what agent you get unfortunately.

ust finished booking my ticket on the weekend and it had 5 stopovers with 4 of those with a surface sector. They had to do a manual calculation of taxes that took hours but got there in the end. They didn't have any issues regarding a breach of rules and it was 280k. Luck of the draw with what agent you get unfortunately.

Unfortunately, I've now had four agents who have no, or very little, idea of the workings of a one world reward.

It shouldn't be this hard.

 

[Daver6]

Another idea. Ask the relevant question on Twitter or Facebook. They will make an effort to get it right on a public forum.

 

[jewles]

I also booked a few months ago and have four of my five stopovers being surface sectors. Qantas way overcharged taxes and then lost a sector when trying to fix them so a supervisor had to step in and release seats for me and she had no issues with my itinerary either. Definitely keep calling back - it ended up being a weekend that I got through to a supervisor in Australia who fixed it all up for me.