Oneworld Classic Flight Reward Discussion - The Definitive Thread

[blu]

That MH flight might go again. I guess the 24-48hrs clock reset when they rebooked the lost flight? Will be calling again tomorrow (FiJi). And still have a sector to book when JL 'unfreezes' an award we need. We see availability but Agents says no.

 

[SnowmanShroomz]

Hi All,

Just wondering if there is any limit to overland sectors or if I would be able to do an overland segment in all 5 of my stopovers?

Cheers

 

[vetrade]

Hi All,

Just wondering if there is any limit to overland sectors or if I would be able to do an overland segment in all 5 of my stopovers?

Cheers

Yes, you can do that, and it's an excellent way of getting extra value out of a OWA. The straight line distance between land segment cities will count towards your 35,000 mile maximum

 

[aidan059]

Hi all need some urgent help.

So my partner has commenced a OTW already and is due to fly from EDI to AMS via LCY tomorrow morning. BA has delayed first flight 2 hours, which means arrival in LCY after flight to AMS has departed.

Given it is in 10 hours - there have been no changes to the next flight by the system and it is still showing a "negative connection time"

Should my partner just turn up at the airport and ask to be put on another flight - are they at risk of being a "no show" for the second flight and risking the rest of the itinerary? Hopefully we are not required to call Qantas right?

 

[Mr H]

Hi all need some urgent help.

So my partner has commenced a OTW already and is due to fly from EDI to AMS via LCY tomorrow morning. BA has delayed first flight 2 hours, which means arrival in LCY after flight to AMS has departed.

Given it is in 10 hours - there have been no changes to the next flight by the system and it is still showing a "negative connection time"

Should my partner just turn up at the airport and ask to be put on another flight - are they at risk of being a "no show" for the second flight and risking the rest of the itinerary? Hopefully we are not required to call Qantas right?

View attachment 283334

If I were your partner, I would be calling BA as both flights are presumably BA. They may say call QF. I would not turn up at the airport without first having tried to resolve the problem.

 

[aidan059]

If I were your partner, I would be calling BA as both flights are presumably BA. They may say call QF. I would not turn up at the airport without first having tried to resolve the problem.

BA doesn't operate 24 hours how delightful. Not going to take a chance with qantas who might fail to give me a ticket in time...

 

[ozflier]

"Should my partner just turn up at the airport and ask to be put on another flight - are they at risk of being a "no show" for the second flight and risking the rest of the itinerary? Hopefully we are not required to call Qantas right?"
I was caught up last week with a BA last minute cancellation LHR-VLC. The alternative offered was Gatwick via Majorca to Valencia .
I tried to contact BA to discuss as there were other options .I knew connections at Majorca are notoriously complex.
All calls to BA customer service just disconnected after telling me they were busy and call back later.
I did ring Qantas on their UK number and , to be fair , I am platinum, the call was answered in a minute or so and problem fixed.
I would not rely on waiting til your partner gets to the airport to fix things up .

 

[aidan059]

"Should my partner just turn up at the airport and ask to be put on another flight - are they at risk of being a "no show" for the second flight and risking the rest of the itinerary? Hopefully we are not required to call Qantas right?"
I was caught up last week with a BA last minute cancellation LHR-VLC. The alternative offered was Gatwick via Majorca to Valencia .
I tried to contact BA to discuss as there were other options .I knew connections at Majorca are notoriously complex.
All calls to BA customer service just disconnected after telling me they were busy and call back later.
I did ring Qantas on their UK number and , to be fair , I am platinum, the call was answered in a minute or so and problem fixed.
I would not rely on waiting til your partner gets to the airport to fix things up .

Do you know how it works if its part of a oneworld award thats already commenced? Do they need to book in U Class? and do they need to reissue a ticket/send you a new ticket with the new flights?

 

[Mr H]

Do you know how it works if its part of a oneworld award thats already commenced? Do they need to book in U Class? and do they need to reissue a ticket/send you a new ticket with the new flights?

In theory it is down to BA, as the airline that has changed its schedule, to reaccommodate you. There is no need for them to have U availability and they can even accommodate you on another airline. Example, I had a flight on British Midland to GYD that went tech and returned to LHR - they reaccommodated me (at my insistence) on the next flight to GYD - operated by Azal with whom BD had no alliance or codeshare.

Cancellations | Civil Aviation Authority

Find out your entitlements, and if you can claim compensation too

www.caa.co.uk

 

[ozflier]

Its not a problem if the changed flights are initiated by one of the operating airlines . My experience is that they can book you in any fare class to get you to your destination .
Bear in mind , if you have a business award ticket , the actual flight may involve economy seating .
I do not think that the whole booking needs to be reticketed because of this forced change by the operating airline. Before I found an alternative to the originally offered flight changes , the ticket was not changed.
Once , I got QFF to change to an alternative connection , it was reticketed.

 

[cathalm8]

I would be looking at a flight around 10am or midday. A 14-hour transit before a 14-hour overnight flight in Y gives me tremors just thinking about it. The other thing I would suggest, provided you have at least 4 hours between arriving in Melbourne and departing again, is to only have your bags checked to MEL, not all the way through to DUB. Check them in yourself with QR.

Oh, actually, one more thing. Regardless of what flight options you take, ask QR when you get to DOH if your bags are in DOH. And record the name of the person you speak to and when and where.

Thanks for the most recent replies guys.

I actually went ahead and paid for a revenue business class fare directly with American Airlines on 3rd July flying Syd-Dallas-Dublin. It was not cheap but at least it takes a way the issue I was facing and its business albeit not top of the line business from what I have read.

Has anyone got experience of flying business with American airlines. The first leg from Syd-Dallas is actually operated by Qantas (787-9). The Qantas website will not let me choose my seat for this flight. It just refreshes to the start of the process again. I think this is a website issue only (I hope). I had to apply for an ESTA visa as well as I read you need one even if just transiting. I hope I do not have to pass immigration/passport control in Dallas and I am transiting within the airport only...?

 

[flapper]

Hi all need some urgent help.

So my partner has commenced a OTW already and is due to fly from EDI to AMS via LCY tomorrow morning. BA has delayed first flight 2 hours, which means arrival in LCY after flight to AMS has departed.

Given it is in 10 hours - there have been no changes to the next flight by the system and it is still showing a "negative connection time"

Should my partner just turn up at the airport and ask to be put on another flight - are they at risk of being a "no show" for the second flight and risking the rest of the itinerary? Hopefully we are not required to call Qantas right?

View attachment 283334

Hi aidan059, can you please share how this was resolved? It may help others stuck in a similar situation.

 

[vetrade]

Do you know how it works if its part of a oneworld award thats already commenced? Do they need to book in U Class? and do they need to reissue a ticket/send you a new ticket with the new flights?

The operating airline will put you in any seat they have available. The chances of an award seat being available at such short notice is low so you would almost certainly end up in a revenue seat. We've had mechanical issues cause cancellations of 3 OWA flights over the years. In each case there was no ticket re-issue and they just gave us BPs for the replacement flight in revenue seats. Fortunately we've never been downgraded to Y.

 

[DC3]

Do you know how it works if its part of a oneworld award thats already commenced? Do they need to book in U Class? and do they need to reissue a ticket/send you a new ticket with the new flights?

As already mentioned, the next carrier will just move you along, however they are able. No re-issue of e-tickets. Award availability is not a factor.

 

[Ponky]

I've booked an economy OWA for my daughter who is heading off to study in Europe in a few months. It's initially for 5 months but may have the option of extending to 10 months once she's there. She's also been told the course starts earlier than originally advised and wants to bring the trip forward by 4 weeks (keeping all other flights as is)

1. In your experience, would it be easier to cancel the current booking and just start again rather than try to amend the current booking? I have the points available to rebook without needing an immediate refund, and I realise it might be a bit of a wait for my money to come back to me, which I'm okay with. My main concern is that a few of the flights are with Qatar, and I get the impression they are quick to cancel bookings if Qantas is tardy with the reticketing.

2. Can I change flights of an OWA once the journey has already commenced? That's to say, she gets to Europe in August, and wants to come home in June instead of February - can we do that at any stage prior to commencing that particular segment?

 

[vetrade]

I've booked an economy OWA for my daughter who is heading off to study in Europe in a few months. It's initially for 5 months but may have the option of extending to 10 months once she's there. She's also been told the course starts earlier than originally advised and wants to bring the trip forward by 4 weeks (keeping all other flights as is)

1. In your experience, would it be easier to cancel the current booking and just start again rather than try to amend the current booking? I have the points available to rebook without needing an immediate refund, and I realise it might be a bit of a wait for my money to come back to me, which I'm okay with. My main concern is that a few of the flights are with Qatar, and I get the impression they are quick to cancel bookings if Qantas is tardy with the reticketing.

2. Can I change flights of an OWA once the journey has already commenced? That's to say, she gets to Europe in August, and wants to come home in June instead of February - can we do that at any stage prior to commencing that particular segment?

Once travel has commenced you can only change date or flight number. You can't change any segment route or airline. If your daughter wants to change the duration of her stay she would have to stick to the originally booked route and find award seats for those.

If you can find availability online for the new flights you want, it will probably prove easier to make a new booking online and cancel the existing booking rather than run the gauntlet of dealing with the call centre.

This is from QF's Ts&Cs:

If your booking contains only Classic Awards, then the following conditions apply:

Up to 24 hours before departure of the first flight:

The following changes are permitted up to 24 hours before departure of the first flight in your booking:

- change to name (only for flights with a Qantas (QF) flight number on the ticket that are operated by Qantas)
- change to class of travel
- change to any segment routing (including departure, stopover or destination cities) or airline

Up to the commencement of travel for each flight:

The following changes are permitted up to the commencement of travel of each flight in your booking*:

- change of flight number
- change to date of travel

provided that a change to name, class of travel or segment routing or airline is not required.

 

[azza_1992]

What is the situation with AA international J awards these days?

A few searches through the QF website suggest there is zilch availability.

Is this because:
- AA don't have many award seats?
- AA have the award seats but they aren't available to QFF members?
- AA award seats are available to QFF members, but not shown on the QF website?

 

[Guvner]

I saw some yesterday. DFW > MEX or are you talking long haul J?

 

[Ponky]

Once travel has commenced you can only change date or flight number. You can't change any segment route or airline. If your daughter wants to change the duration of her stay she would have to stick to the originally booked route and find award seats for those.

Thanks vetrade - much appreciated

Given I should have a 3-4 months notice and a bit of date flexibility, hopefully I should be able to make that happen - the return leg is MAD-DOH-PER on Qatar, so perhaps not a super competitive route from a reward seat perspective.

 

[There'sOnlyOneJimmy]

Thanks vetrade - much appreciated

Given I should have a 3-4 months notice and a bit of date flexibility, hopefully I should be able to make that happen - the return leg is MAD-DOH-PER on Qatar, so perhaps not a super competitive route from a reward seat perspective.

I admire your optimism…