Oneworld Classic Flight Reward Discussion - The Definitive Thread

[CJEMNMAC]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

Speaking of award flights, I was looking at LHR-MEL for next Feb and Qatar J pops up as an option for booking.

Hopefully this is a sign that QR J is now generally available online.

Hutch I am only new to this but I have seen a fair bit of QR availability to the USA in my recent searches. Fair to say it is quite common now IMO

 

[madrooster]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

Speaking of award flights, I was looking at LHR-MEL for next Feb and Qatar J pops up as an option for booking.

Hopefully this is a sign that QR J is now generally available online.

Yes, that bug has been fixed.

 

[hutch]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

Really. Good. News.

 

[Sethur]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

Hi i've started booking some points flights and now half way through i'm wondering whether I am abiding by all the rules for a 280K redemption

HKG-NRT, KIX-LAX, SFO-JFK. I'm then flying onto London via Iceland on some revenue flights. If i was to add flights through to AKL from LHR and then back as close to london as possible, SIN is the best I could find under 35,000 miles potentially could get closer? I seem to get an error message with the qantas multi-city booking system when i put through this route.

Proposed routeing
HKG-NRT (STOP) CX
KIX-LAX (STOP) JAL
SFO-JFK (STOP) AA
LHR-DXB-SYD-AKL (STOP) QF
AKL-BNE-SIN (STOP) QF

Secondly I wasn't planning on a 280K redemption so the SFO-JFK with AA is unfortunately booked on a separate itinerary, what is the likelihood of AA putting that seat back as a revenue seat following my cancellation?

Cheers.

 

[hutch]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

In my experience the QF multi city tool doesn't cope with some surface sectors. Is HKG closer to London than Singapore?

I assume you've already booked flights to iceland? JFK-LHR-KEF-LHR uses up some miles and will be in J.

I can't answer your second question.

 

[Danger]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

Hutch I am only new to this but I have seen a fair bit of QR availability to the USA in my recent searches. Fair to say it is quite common now IMO

I agree. I've never had an issue with seeing QR J availability online. Whether I'm seeing all of it is anyone's guess.

 

[hutch]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

I agree. I've never had an issue with seeing QR J availability online. Whether I'm seeing all of it is anyone's guess.

Hmmmm, you must be lucky!

I completed a 280J booking a few months back with 4 x QR flights in J. Around the same time, my friend also booked a 280J award with 2 x QR flights. None of those flights were searchable online via the QFF site.

There's also a fair bit on this thread about having to ring to book QR J. QR Y has been available online.

 

[fastferret]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

Hope this isn’t too off topic. I’ve got a 280k booking that includes BA BUD-KEF with transfer at LHR. I arrive LHR 1455 and depart next day at 0815, so I’ve booked a hotel at Heathrow. I’ll have to clear immigration at LHR. Will my luggage be checked through BUD-KEF or will I have to collect it and take it to the hotel?

Similarly I am booked CX BOS-SYD with transfer in HKG. I arrive HKG 0535 and plan to have a look around the city before my flight to SYD at 2355. Again, will my checked luggage remain in transit while I clear immigration?

 

[madrooster]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

Hope this isn’t too off topic. I’ve got a 280k booking that includes BA BUD-KEF with transfer at LHR. I arrive LHR 1455 and depart next day at 0815, so I’ve booked a hotel at Heathrow. I’ll have to clear immigration at LHR. Will my luggage be checked through BUD-KEF or will I have to collect it and take it to the hotel?

Similarly I am booked CX BOS-SYD with transfer in HKG. I arrive HKG 0535 and plan to have a look around the city before my flight to SYD at 2355. Again, will my checked luggage remain in transit while I clear immigration?

Collect at LHR (due to overnighting), in transit at HKG (same day).

 

[fastferret]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

Thanks madrooster!

 

[Sale]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

Good: AB, AA, CX, KA, JL
OK: IB, QR, LA, JJ, AY, RJ
Bad: BA, QF, MH

Don't know: UL, S7

I just tried to change one of our J return flights on trip to Europe July/August. We are booked CDG-LHR-SIN all with BA and our total taxes etc for all the 280J flights are $1175 pp (total $2350 which is pretty phew!). I found availability basically with the same flight times on Finnair AY CDG-HEL-SIN and rang to change thinking that it would cost me the 7000 change points but save a quite a few $ on the BA bit plus no LHR in the itinerary.

Wrong - the Qantas CS started to ask for my cc for the additional $95. when I asked why the answer was "thats the way it it - the fees generally go up when you change flights".

Its all too complicated for me and I wasn't into paying more plus losing the points - so I kept the BA flights.

 

[ablecookie]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

I just tried to change one of our J return flights on trip to Europe July/August. We are booked CDG-LHR-SIN all with BA and our total taxes etc for all the 280J flights are $1175 pp (total $2350 which is pretty phew!). I found availability basically with the same flight times on Finnair AY CDG-HEL-SIN and rang to change thinking that it would cost me the 7000 change points but save a quite a few $ on the BA bit plus no LHR in the itinerary.

Wrong - the Qantas CS started to ask for my cc for the additional $95. when I asked why the answer was "thats the way it it - the fees generally go up when you change flights".

Its all too complicated for me and I wasn't into paying more plus losing the points - so I kept the BA flights.

That's a rip-off!
I wonder who keeps the fees, Qantas or BA?

 

[hossein_au]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

I just tried to change one of our J return flights on trip to Europe July/August. We are booked CDG-LHR-SIN all with BA and our total taxes etc for all the 280J flights are $1175 pp (total $2350 which is pretty phew!). I found availability basically with the same flight times on Finnair AY CDG-HEL-SIN and rang to change thinking that it would cost me the 7000 change points but save a quite a few $ on the BA bit plus no LHR in the itinerary.

Wrong - the Qantas CS started to ask for my cc for the additional $95. when I asked why the answer was "thats the way it it - the fees generally go up when you change flights".

Its all too complicated for me and I wasn't into paying more plus losing the points - so I kept the BA flights.

That does not sound right; a flight change generally would trigger recalculation of taxes and fees (which in your case should have resulted in a handsome refund).

 

[travelislife]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

They could be right. The $$ wouldn't change much on that itinerary change. There is no APD or UK departure tax on either as its a transit, so it is just the difference in Finnair and BAs fees. I am assuming they weren't charging you the change fee of $80 as it is business class? Then it should just be the points (3500 pp) +/- any taxes/fees change.

 

[hossein_au]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

They could be right. The $$ wouldn't change much on that itinerary change. There is no APD or UK departure tax on either as its a transit, so it is just the difference in Finnair and BAs fees. I am assuming they weren't charging you the change fee of $80 as it is business class? Then it should just be the points (3500 pp) +/- any taxes/fees change.

The difference in YQ between BA and AY on a long haul flight could be quite a bit.

 

[Sale]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

They could be right. The $$ wouldn't change much on that itinerary change. There is no APD or UK departure tax on either as its a transit, so it is just the difference in Finnair and BAs fees. I am assuming they weren't charging you the change fee of $80 as it is business class? Then it should just be the points (3500 pp) +/- any taxes/fees change.

Thanks travelislife, that explains it then - I was trying to avoid the APD and departure tax - did't realise that it wasn't payable . No, she didn't try to charge the $80 change fee - she called it an increase in taxes of $95.

There is so much to learn and understand and remember with these OW bookings! I should be just grateful that I have us travelling in J where we want to go and when.

 

[prozac]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

The difference in YQ between BA and AY on a long haul flight could be quite a bit.

What is "YQ"?

 

[exceladdict]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

What is "YQ"?

Short term for the fees and charges associated with an award booking. Also known as fuel tax.

 

[prozac]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

Short term for the fees and charges associated with an award booking. Also known as fuel tax.

Can't believe I have been reading this thread for so long and hadn't picked up on that.

 

[hutch]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

Thanks travelislife, that explains it then - I was trying to avoid the APD and departure tax - did't realise that it wasn't payable . No, she didn't try to charge the $80 change fee - she called it an increase in taxes of $95.

There is so much to learn and understand and remember with these OW bookings! I should be just grateful that I have us travelling in J where we want to go and when.

Personally, I would have been tempted to pay the extra to avoid flying BA J...particularly if AY is flying their A350's to Singapore. But YMMV of course.

Having said that, I'd be surprised if AY's taxes are higher than BA's (not sure if anyone tops BA's fees, even excluding the APD). I had to HUCA and complain to get my taxes reviewed... sometimes the computer ain't right!