Oneworld Classic Flight Reward Discussion - The Definitive Thread

[Wolf creek]

What am I doing wrong forum?
My partner and I want full value out of next overseas trip in November.business 318k,35,000 miles.
We have booked our trip over,Syd-LHR,and our trip back home
HEL-DEL,DEL-HKG(transit)BNE with CX,different ref numbers.

After London,we are looking to book,LHR-REF,REF-HELtransit)OSL,CPH-HEL(transit less than 24 hrs)continue home with our 5 th stop in DEL.

I T seems to be within rules,how do I get them to ticket this?

 

[Mr H]

What am I doing wrong forum?
My partner and I want full value out of next overseas trip in November.business 318k,35,000 miles.
We have booked our trip over,Syd-LHR,and our trip back home
HEL-DEL,DEL-HKG(transit)BNE with CX,different ref numbers.

After London,we are looking to book,LHR-REF,REF-HELtransit)OSL,CPH-HEL(transit less than 24 hrs)continue home with our 5 th stop in DEL.

I T seems to be within rules,how do I get them to ticket this?

You have already made separate bookings that will never link. In order to do a OWA, all the flights need to be on the same booking. When you make changes, you need to add flights to an existing booking, not make a new booking.

 

[Wolf creek]

Hmmm so when I did the SYD -LHR booking I should have booked a return from LHR to SYD in the intention o f changing it when my suitable return itinerary becomes available ?

I am feeling pretty dumb here… I thought the idea was book anything that is available,make it work than ring qantas and get them to link it and finalise it

 

[Wolf creek]

Hope I can help someone out there…..I had 2 BA business class tickets for Nov 8 th I cancelled them this morning( I was lucky enough to get qantas tickets to lhr instead) hope they put them back in the system.

 

[Mr H]

Hmmm so when I did the SYD -LHR booking I should have booked a return from LHR to SYD in the intention o f changing it when my suitable return itinerary becomes available ?

You do not need to book all your flights at once - you can add flights to an existing booking. This has to be done by phone, and the conversation should go: "I would like to add flights to an existing booking". You will then give your PNR and they will open your existing booking.

I thought the idea was book anything that is available,make it work than ring qantas and get them to link it and finalise it

No - that is definitely the wrong way. Qantas cannot and will not link separate bookings. You will not get the protection of through tickets and your booking will not cap out at 318,000 points.

I am feeling pretty dumb here…

Not dumb, just inexperienced. You are trying to do the grand-daddy of difficult redemption bookings without really understanding what you are doing. You would be well advised to read the guide on the first page of this very long thread. People here are helpful but with almost zero knowledge of the scheme, you are likely to seek the wrong advice or misinterpret the answers.

 

[Lynda2475]

Typically you book your first leg (or all legs that are available) online yourself - this may or may not reach the 318k limit. Then when you find additional/return flights that fit within the OWA rules, you call up Qantas and say you want to add additional flights to your booking - quote the dates and flight numbers.

No need to mention OWA, the system will recalculate any points gap (capping at 318k pp) and any taxes gap. If the booking is in Business or First then there is no telephone assistance fee charged for the changes, but you will be charged a change fee per person each time they have to reticket because of a chnge you request.

You can not link separate bookings to make a OWA, you have to keep modifying the booking you already have.

For example, I originally booked a CR SYD-LAX-SYD, but then when SYD-DFW flights were released I called up and asked then to change flight #1 to SYD-DFW, add DFW-LHR, LHR-DUB, DUB-HEL, HEL-JFK and keep LAX-SYD. I just had to pay a chnage fee of 6k points, the extra points (they capped out at 318k) and the extra taxes.

 

[Wolf creek]

What am I doing wrong forum?
My partner and I want full value out of next overseas trip in November.business 318k,35,000 miles.
We have booked our trip over,Syd-LHR,and our trip back home
HEL-DEL,DEL-HKG(transit)BNE with CX,different ref numbers.

After London,we are looking to book,LHR-REF,REF-HELtransit)OSL,CPH-HEL(transit less than 24 hrs)continue home with our 5 th stop in DEL.

I T seems to be within rules,how do I get them to ticket this?

See If I get this right,
Step 1 BookSYD-LHR
Step 2 Should have linked LHR To HEL to DEL to BNE when it came available
Step 3 Then can change or add internal flights

 

[Mr H]

See If I get this right,
Step 1 BookSYD-LHR
Step 2 Should have linked LHR To HEL to DEL to BNE when it came available
Step 3 Then can change or add internal flights

Yes

 

[cambriamarsh]

See If I get this right,
Step 1 BookSYD-LHR
Step 2 Should have linked LHR To HEL to DEL to BNE when it came available
Step 3 Then can change or add internal flights

Not booked the new flights and linked, amended by adding the new flights

 

[Mr H]

See If I get this right,
Step 1 BookSYD-LHR
Step 2 Should have linked LHR To HEL to DEL to BNE when it came available
Step 3 Then can change or add internal flights

Not booked the new flights and linked, amended by adding the new flights

This is a good example of why it is really important to get the terminology right - to avoid thinking you are asking one thing and actually asking another - or misunderstanding answers. There is a potential for mis-steps to be very expensive to fix.

 

[PointsTraveller!]

Just had a time change on one of my flights on my OWA booking which has been brought forward just over an hour. I can’t accept online or via app and it’s telling me to call up.

Why can’t I just accept the change online or view alternatives ? Really can’t be bothered dealing with the call centers….

 

[Mr H]

I can’t accept online or via app and it’s telling me to call up.

Really can’t be bothered dealing with the call centers….

Your choice. Let us know how it works out for you.

 

[PointsTraveller!]

Your choice. Let us know how it works out for you.

Even more confused now.

Called and had the issue addressed within 4 minutes, said he has sent the new e-tickets.

Reviewed after getting off the phone and I received 3 emails. 1 e-ticket for each passenger and a "Travel Document" Email.

Both e-tickets don't have updated times, but the travel document does. Should I be concerned?

JAL still says ticketed and reflected the new time, Qantas manage my booking shows new time (But when sending email itinerary shows old time on e-ticket), RJ and MH shows ticket number (same numbers as before time change) and updated time.

 

[yaksha98]

Even more confused now.

Called and had the issue addressed within 4 minutes, said he has sent the new e-tickets.

Reviewed after getting off the phone and I received 3 emails. 1 e-ticket for each passenger and a "Travel Document" Email.

Both e-tickets don't have updated times, but the travel document does. Should I be concerned?

JAL still says ticketed and reflected the new time, Qantas manage my booking shows new time (But when sending email itinerary shows old time on e-ticket), RJ and MH shows ticket number (same numbers as before time change) and updated time.

Pretty sure you are fine. The QF email itinerary function is known to resend old etickets even though new ones have been reissued. This is the case for me currently - the MH / RJ app/website shows me the current eticket numbers (and issue date on MH app) and flights which is in the Qantas MMB, but not via the email eticket function (which shows the old itinerary).

 

[PointsTraveller!]

Took me a few days and a few messages through twitter but finally have an updated e-ticket with the new time showing.

Interesting to note that the ticket numbers didn't change so possibly you're correct @yaksha98

 

[funnybrus]

Hi all,

I am gold, but my old man is platinum. Are any issues likely if he calls to request the release of I seats for CR as the first flight on my OWA?

Is this also possible as an additional flight added later to a PNR?

 

[ChrisMars]

Is your owa booked with your points? If so I don t think they will allow the seat release request on your existing owa. If it was booked with his point, then should be fine.

You can add more flight to your pnr, the only issue is to find availabliti, and a trained agent (hobart ok, offshore hit and miss)

 

[funnybrus]

Is your owa booked with your points? If so I don t think they will allow the seat release request on your existing owa. If it was booked with his point, then should be fine.

You can add more flight to your pnr, the only issue is to find availabliti, and a trained agent (hobart ok, offshore hit and miss)

Don't have a booking yet - asking if I will run in to any problems trying to add flights if the first is booked through his account as a request.

 

[ChrisMars]

Don't have a booking yet - asking if I will run in to any problems trying to add flights if the first is booked through his account as a request.

Will be ok for him to request, but he must use his points for your booking, and of course you can transfer him your points (up to 600k per 12 months, no cost). Still possible to add more flights later, it will still be with his point, and of course there will be a 5k points fee. He essentially becomes your travel agent for this booking.

 

[Steph123]

Hi all, me again. I'm a very happy little vegemite as I have been able to secure us a full itinerary for our honeymoon next year! With a few hiccups and one not-so-ideal layover, I'd say we've got a pretty good plan.

I would like to say that I found it interesting that the first time I called to make a change to my booking I had to speak to 7 people before I was able to get my change actioned (with some of them hanging up on me and/or transferring me around - I was finally able to get onto the 'premium' line who were able to help me). The second attempt (where I wanted to add 6 flights...) I only had to speak to 2 people, the second of whom was a lovely lady in Fiji who was incredibly helpful and stayed on the line with me for an hour and a half to get me booked in. Finally I had one last flight I needed to add to get us home and was reticent to call today even though the flights were available as it's my birthday (and who wants to wrestle with Qantas on their birthday?!). But a birthday miracle occurred and I got it in 1 call!

Also when I added the 6 flights in the second change, I wasn't ticketed for ~3 days which worried me. I sent an email to the new rewards escalation team after 24 hours, from whom I received an auto reply straight away. When I still hadn't heard anything after 48 hours I called Qantas again (and somehow managed to get the same very helpful lady who assisted with my booking 2 days before) who told me she had included some special booking reference number in my booking? So that it didn't get auto-cancelled? Not sure about that one, but by midday the next day I'd had a response from the rewards escalation email to say they were ticketing my booking and I received the tickets within the hour.

Now just to wait on the final tickets from the change I made today - but from my last experience I'm very hopeful it all goes smoothly!

Anyway, here is our itinerary in case anyone is interested (also I just want to tell someone as I'm so excited!!!):

MEL-NRT/HND-JFK (U - JAL) <--- Stop. this is the most annoying flight as we have a coughpy layover in Tokyo where we fly into NRT and then 12 hours later fly out of HND. But I'm just happy to have the flights

JFK-MIA (AA) <--- Stop. the only flight we got that's in economy. Surface segment from MIA to MCO.

MCO-AUS (U - AA) <---- Transit. We are transiting AUS for just under 24 hours which is perfect!
AUS-DFW-LAS (U - AA) <--- Stop. Plan is to get ourselves from LAS to SFO and then to LAX. Not sure how yet, maybe drive or maybe fly.

LAX-KIX (U - JAL) <--- Stop. Explore Japan! Surface segment to HND.

HND-SIN (U - JAL) <---- Stop. Final stop in Singapore before coming home.

SIN-SYD (U - BA) <--- Home. Get ourselves from SYD back to MEL.

Thanks everyone!