Oneworld Classic Flight Reward Discussion - The Definitive Thread

[Mr H]

Luckily I don't expect any of these seats that aren't booked to be lost given that they're all domestic flights a while out.

All of your seats are vulnerable, not just the new ones.

 

[ETW]

All of your seats are vulnerable, not just the new ones.

Case in point over the space of the last 24 hours I've had a DXB-HKG segment (ticketed in August) and PER-KUL-BKK (ticketed in Feb) drop off/be removed from my itinerary as I tried to make changes completely unrelated to these flights.

I almost don't want to make any further changes for fear I'll be left with no booking. Also no reply from Twitter since yesterday morning which is much slower than I usually find them.

 

[djkelly69]

Also no reply from Twitter since yesterday morning which is much slower than I usually find them.

Likely all busy celebrating the rugby world cup win.

 

[elanshin]

All of your seats are vulnerable, not just the new ones.

Fun, right now they're all playing circles with each other - contact this department > no contact this department > no contact this department in a circle.

Original was reservations who said they don't have power to price it but Indonesia does - Indonesia is like this is a rewards flight so it should be QFF department who are like this should be reservations.

 

[Jacques Vert]

Fun, right now they're all playing circles with each other - contact this department > no contact this department > no contact this department in a circle.

Original was reservations who said they don't have power to price it but Indonesia does - Indonesia is like this is a rewards flight so it should be QFF department who are like this should be reservations.

Maybe easier to start from somewhere else.

 

[flapper]

Very disappointed to hear that BA are now severely restricting awards seats to non BA members, it makes creating a OWA very difficult and restricting. I've travelled on 7 OWA and have another booked for next year. Not sure if it will be worth it going forward without BA awards and dealing with the incompetent QF call centre.

 

[Kangol]

Very disappointed to hear that BA are now severely restricting awards seats to non BA members, it makes creating a OWA very difficult and restricting. I've travelled on 7 OWA and have another booked for next year. Not sure if it will be worth it going forward without BA awards and dealing with the incompetent QF call centre.

Source?

 

[elanshin]

Source?

Theres an AFF article today on it. Check the What's New tab.

 

[flapper]

Source?

https://www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au/british-airways-limits-partner-reward-seats/?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=Have+Your+Say+on+Australian+Aviation+Policy+%7C+British+Airways+Restricts+Award+Availability+%7C+Earn+Bonus+Velocity+Points+%7C+and+more&utm_campaign=The+Nouvelle+Gazette+-+Thursday+edition

 

[sapphireb]

To re-cap after taking the first flight date changes and re-routes are possible?

are date changes free like a normal RTW?

I can start in one continent and end in another?

Australia does not have to be in the Itinerary?

thanks

S

 

[Mr H]

To re-cap after taking the first flight date changes and re-routes are possible?

are date changes free like a normal RTW?

I can start in one continent and end in another?

Australia does not have to be in the Itinerary?

thanks

S

• After you take your first flight then opportunities to change the itinerary are very limited - I have always worked on them just not being possible.
• Date changes are not free and attract a change fee per person.
• You can start in one continent and end in another but you need to have enough unused mileage to fly a notional sector back to your point of departure.
• Australia does not have to be in the itinerary at all.

 

[sapphireb]

To recap -

After the all important first flight the rest are flexible. Are date changes free or the same cost as a re-route?

Australia doesn't need to be included

I can backtrack for instance -

Asia-Europe-Asia-Europe

valid for 12 months?

Upgrades of segments not possible using points however -
paid upgrades inc. airline offers at check in possible?

Thanks

S

 

[sapphireb]

• After you take your first flight then opportunities to change the itinerary are very limited - I have always worked on them just not being possible.
• Date changes are not free and attract a change fee per person.
• You can start in one continent and end in another but you need to have enough unused mileage to fly a notional sector back to your point of departure.
• Australia does not have to be in the itinerary at all.

Thanks for a very prompt response! I actually have just rented all out so home is where I lay my hat! - hence the question start and end it anywhere if with to, for instance getting to OSL or TYO for a cheap DONE4. whoa, I am so used the flexibility of normal RTW however a very good way to use points.

As a non-resident QFPlatinum I always have this 4 flights a year on QF metal drama to keep status. these award flights if taken on QF count towards this?

 

[MelbFlyer]

To re-cap after taking the first flight date changes and re-routes are possible?

I just recently finished my OWA, I had already taken 3 of 5 legs at the time of calling Qantas (2 were yet to be taken and I wanted to change Leg #4) - I was told that once the itinerary starts and you've flown some legs, that for the remaining unflown legs, only a change of dates is possible and not a change of route, even if it's to the same destination.

I called Qantas when I was in London in an attempt to change my direct BA flight from LHR to SIN in PE (Leg #4) to be via either Doha (QR) or Dubai (EK) instead.

Reason for wanting to change to either one of them was that I could see business (QR) and first (EK) reward seats online on the same day as my BA flight.

I called at around 4pm London time (2am AEDST) so the chances of a good operator was very limited. I HUACA a few times and I (unluckily) managed to get the same consultant twice (she told me that there were no reward seats available even though I could see them on the Qantas multi-city tool then and there, so I ended the call and called back again 15mins later). I did get another consultant as well, but got the same BS response.

In the end I gave up (also considering I had limited minutes with my Australian SIM / roaming) and just took the PE flight to SIN. I did however, at check-in, ask on the flight load and if there were any seats in business, hoping that there might be a free or cheapish upgrade.

The check-in person then said that there were seats in business available but wanted to charge £1.9k (AUD$4k+) for two people - I declined for obvious reasons.

When I got onboard though, the new Club World suites looked pretty nice (definitely better than the 2-4-2 ying-yang config) and cosy, but not $4k cosy.

Had it been £1k for both of us, I probably would have said yes, that was a bit of wishful thinking though.

Would have been nice had I got the QR flight as that would have cost no more extra in points other than a change fee (was already 318k capped) and taxes.

It's a risk too if they are able to change it, because it needs to be re-ticketed quickly, and we all know of the disasters that have happened with Qantas and unticketed reward bookings.

 

[elanshin]

Fun, right now they're all playing circles with each other - contact this department > no contact this department > no contact this department in a circle.

Original was reservations who said they don't have power to price it but Indonesia does - Indonesia is like this is a rewards flight so it should be QFF department who are like this should be reservations.

Everyone still playing pong and stating that it has to come through the Indonesian regional office while the Indonesian office says "we don't touch QFF reward bookings". Apparently, it has been sent to the "stack" to be processed.

I have discovered the more competent callers vs ones that look at this and just basically say "nope". The better ones have at least given me the direct number to the ID office as well as the email.

 

[sapphireb]

can this be booked with flights more than 1 year in advance?

 

[elanshin]

can this be booked with flights more than 1 year in advance?

Generally no. Award flights have to exist and I don't think any airline releases awards over a year in advance.

 

[Amanad78]

I just recently finished my OWA, I had already taken 3 of 5 legs at the time of calling Qantas (2 were yet to be taken and I wanted to change Leg #4) - I was told that once the itinerary starts and you've flown some legs, that for the remaining unflown legs, only a change of dates is possible and not a change of route, even if it's to the same destination.

I called Qantas when I was in London in an attempt to change my direct BA flight from LHR to SIN in PE (Leg #4) to be via either Doha (QR) or Dubai (EK) instead.

Emirates aren't part of OneWorld so can't be used on a OWA.
Would be nice to try F in EK though!

 

[Warragul]

Generally no. Award flights have to exist and I don't think any airline releases awards over a year in advance.

Don't think any type of seat are available more than 365 days in advance on any airline.

 

[MelbFlyer]

Emirates aren't part of OneWorld so can't be used on a OWA.

Yep I'm aware of that and at the time, would have been willing to pay the points above 318k and taxes to upgrade from BA PE.

Alternatively it would have been nice to be able to take the QR business seat that was available online, as that would have been under the 318k cap.

It's a shame that Qatar don't release reward seats for QFF members until 3 days prior (therefore you can't plan in advance) and also a shame that not all Qantas consultants can see and amend reward bookings - you literally have to be lucky to get a consultant who is able to see what you see online.