Oneworld Classic Flight Reward Discussion - The Definitive Thread

[melbkate]

You can only book what you see on the Qantas website. Almost all QR flights are not available using Qantas points.

Hi thanks Mr H but I have booked on the phone previously flights on JL that didn't show on the Qantas site so thought same thing may apply. Do you have any more information about this?

 

[Danger]

Interesting, I’ve always just included the surface sectors in my GCM calculations as if Id flow the route directly.

Including the mileage, as you seem to suggest, is a necessity. However, only one of the surface sector ports (i.e. the origin or destination) counts for rules like 'Only x number of stops allowed in the country of origin' and so forth.

Hi thanks Mr H but I have booked on the phone previously flights on JL that didn't show on the Qantas site so thought same thing may apply. Do you have any more information about this?

You're right, melbkate. There are times when Qantas agents may see award seats that aren't available online. Equally, the reverse is also true, where agents can't see what's apparently available on the website. Both situations are reported here (sadly, far more of the latter, though).

 

[Mr H]

Hi thanks Mr H but I have booked on the phone previously flights on JL that didn't show on the Qantas site so thought same thing may apply. Do you have any more information about this?

You're right, melbkate. There are times when Qantas agents may see award seats that aren't available online. Equally, the reverse is also true, where agents can't see what's apparently available on the website. Both situations are reported here (sadly, far more of the latter, though).

I was using shorthand. There may occasionally be discrepancies between what is visible online and what agents can see - although I have always found that agents can find flights that are visible on the website of they search under flight numbers - maybe I have been lucky.

What I wanted to caution @melbkate against was using a partner airline search engine in order to see additional availability - e.g. with QR. I think QR no longer releases any premium seats to QF (or maybe only very close to departure) and only releases economy seats a couple of moths out. To all useful purposes, QR is not available for QF redemptions.

 

[Lynda2475]

Including the mileage, as you seem to suggest, is a necessity. However, only one of the surface sector ports (i.e. the origin or destination) counts for rules like 'Only x number of stops allowed in the country of origin' and so forth.

So last year part of my OWA was:
SYD-SIN-LHR-EDI stop
EDI-GLA surface sector stop
GLA-LHR stop

When calculating mileage i entered the following for these legs:
SYD-SIN + SIN-LHR + LHR-EDI + EDI-GLA +GLA-LHR

Are you saying from QF's pov it would actually be treated as just two legs:
SYD-SIN-LHR-EDI
EDI-GLA-LHR
so no record of a stop in GLA?

And should I have just searched SYD- EDI + EDI-LHR?

 

[Mr H]

Are you saying from QF's pov it would actually be treated as just two legs:
SYD-SIN-LHR-EDI
EDI-GLA-LHR
so no record of a stop in GLA?

Yes-ish. Glasgow would not have counted as a stop or a transit but would have been needed in the mix when calculating mileage.

And should I have just searched SYD- EDI + EDI-LHR?

We all have our own search strategies.

 

[Easy Tiger]

To all useful purposes, QR is not available for QF redemptions.

agreed here 100%, you'll get them only by pure luck due to the new and diluted relationship between QF & QR (normally if someone has pulled the pin close to the date of flight) best bet for QR is to join avios (sadly, as its difficult to earn wads of points in Oz) but also great to diversify and help your chances and try new things ...see other threads re Avios. Not meaing to hijack this thread with a different direction

 

[Lynda2475]

We all have our own search strategies.

I meant for the purpose of calauclating mileage, not for finding the flights.

 

[Mr H]

I meant for the purpose of calauclating mileage, not for finding the flights.

No - you would need to count mileage for surface sectors and flights - plus any mileage from your final destination back to your point of origin.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

So last year part of my OWA was:
SYD-SIN-LHR-EDI stop
EDI-GLA surface sector stop
GLA-LHR stop

When calculating mileage i entered the following for these legs:
SYD-SIN + SIN-LHR + LHR-EDI + EDI-GLA +GLA-LHR

Are you saying from QF's pov it would actually be treated as just two legs:
SYD-SIN-LHR-EDI
EDI-GLA-LHR
so no record of a stop in GLA?

And should I have just searched SYD- EDI + EDI-LHR?

If you change flight numbers, you count the mileage for each sector. Or of course if you have a stopover, you count each flight.

I’m assuming EDI-GLA and GLA-LHR were separate flight numbers, so you’d be right to count both.

If you were on QF1 SYD-LHR, the stop in SIN isn’t counted as it’s a through flight, SYD-LHR.

 

[melbkate]

I was using shorthand. There may occasionally be discrepancies between what is visible online and what agents can see - although I have always found that agents can find flights that are visible on the website of they search under flight numbers - maybe I have been lucky.

What I wanted to caution @melbkate against was using a partner airline search engine in order to see additional availability - e.g. with QR. I think QR no longer releases any premium seats to QF (or maybe only very close to departure) and only releases economy seats a couple of moths out. To all useful purposes, QR is not available for QF redemptions.

Oh well that is a shame. How to get to Europe from Melbourne (not on BA or via London) is the dilemma? Previously gone via Tokyo and Helsinki or HKG any tips welcoome on where to put my time investigating

 

[Mr H]

Oh well that is a shame. How to get to Europe from Melbourne (not on BA or via London) is the dilemma? Previously gone via Tokyo and Helsinki or HKG any tips welcoome on where to put my time investigating

Just look at the list of Oneworld airlines and their routes. Tokyo or Honkers should still work.

 

[flapper]

A surprising good service with a flight change on my OWA. Today I was notified on the QF app of a flight and time change of a connecting AS flight within a few minutes a new e-ticket arrived. I'm not sure is this is the efficency of AS or QF. Even 20 min time change can result in days on the phone trying to get it reticketed or even flights inexpectedly disappearing without warning.

 

[grey fantail]

Hi,

I have a Qantas Oneworld Award booking in economy which I am trying to make changes to.

The existing booking is:

,,,,,

Are the three surface sectors the problem?

Or is there some other problem that I am not seeing?

.....

Replying to my earlier post, apparently the three surface sectors was the problem.

I modified my booking to include only two surface sectors and the next agent I spoke with was (eventually) able to price it.
Though before that happened there was another problem - at least according to the agent, I can only have 10 flights in my booking - they weren't able to get it to price until they removed an 11th flight I had in my booking.
I got the agent to remove a different flight instead, and they were still able to get the booking to price.
I only had 9 flights in my original and version 1 modified bookings, so that wasn't the cause of the initial problem.
My ticket hasn't been issued yet, so I will have to see if any additional issues crop up.

 

[Mr H]

Though before that happened there was another problem - at least according to the agent, I can only have 10 flights in my booking - they weren't able to get it to price until they removed an 11th flight I had in my booking.

You are allowed up to 16 sectors including land sectors and you are also allowed any number of land sectors up to your maximum of five stops (noting that each also counts as a sector). Your issue is that the agents have an automatic pricing system that only allows ten flights (I thought it was actually eleven) and if you have more then they have to price the itinerary manually.

 

[grey fantail]

Thanks Mr H.
That explains why I was having these issues when I thought my itinerary was fine according to the rules.
I will have to remember to ask about manual pricing the next time I get agents saying my itinerary won't price.
On the plus side, so far I haven't been charged a change fee or phone booking fee.

 

[flapper]

Does anyone know how to find the AS recloc? I want to choose a seat on my OWA. I used to get it from CMT but like almost everything else it no longer shows it.

 

[Lynda2475]

Does anyone know how to find the AS recloc? I want to choose a seat on my OWA. I used to get it from CMT but like almost everything else it no longer shows it.

BA website typically contains the PNRs for AA so maybe they have AS too?

 

[Phoenix-1]

I've got my e-ticket for my OWCA but points have yet to be deducted. I have a -318k charge and then a credit for 318k immediately after. My flight was ticketed about 24 hours after these "charges". Will the points be taken eventually or should I call up and make sure it's taken?

Points were taken about a week ago but now I've got another issue. The pending charge on my credit card has dropped off. Surely this isn't normal?

 

[Mr H]

Points were taken about a week ago but now I've got another issue. The pending charge on my credit card has dropped off. Surely this isn't normal?

My experience is that it can take a very long time for points and/or money to be taken, but they will both be taken eventually.

 

[flapper]

BA typically contains the PNRs for AA so maybe they have AS too?

Thanks, I tried both BA app and web versions but can't find the AS PNR but the app does show ticket number though.