Oneworld Classic Flight Reward Discussion - The Definitive Thread

[Ultan Lankford]

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

How does someone even calculate the taxes? The whole thing seems opaque.

 

[froggerADL]

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

How does someone even calculate the taxes? The whole thing seems opaque.

You can do a dummy revenue booking on each relevant airline to determine the taxes.

 

[Cardinal]

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

You can do a dummy revenue booking on each relevant airline to determine the taxes.

Qantas allegedly double checked and believe their calcs to be correct. I had already checked to see if there was much difference with QR fees and surcharges on premium flights ut there was not. Being obsessive, I'll try and do additional dummy bookings and see what I come up with.

Is it just me, or do others dread speaking with Qantas? I know OneWorld Awards are not their agents bread and butter, but unfortunately the level of knowledge is so variable.

 

[Kangol]

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

So a number of people have been mentioning QR cancelling segments out of an award PNR recently. I've now had this occur to one of my PNRs... and I think QR has set a new record.

(times below are in zulu time from the Amadeus PNR history)

Setting up the ticket exchange was completed at 19:45
QR came in and cancelled the segments at 20:12

It only took them 27 mins to come in and cancel !!!

They even left me this message in the PNR:

SSR OTHS 1A AUTO-CANCELED DUE TO LACK OF VALID TICKET

Definitely a QR issue... hardly QF's fault!

Interesting, thanks for sharing. How do you look at the Amadeus PNR history?
Now when you go to your QF manage your booking, what does the segment come up as?

 

[madrooster]

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

Interesting, thanks for sharing. How do you look at the Amadeus PNR history?Now when you go to your QF manage your booking, what does the segment come up as?

I have access to Amadeus, and I have control of my award PNR so I have full unadulterated access to do whatever I wish to do in it.Currently the segments are ghost segments (ie. unconfirmed dummies) in U class. I had the QR agency desk send the PNR to QR revenue management in DOH to reinstate the seats. Haven't seen much happen yet since Friday is their day off in the Middle East.

 

[Daver6]

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

How does someone even calculate the taxes? The whole thing seems opaque.

You can also use https://matrix.itasoftware.com/ to get an idea.

 

[davidj]

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

Any tips please? I can see award availability on a QF flight via AA, but through the QF booking system see nothing. How can I book? I'm finding the call centre 1 hour+ wait times less than palatable so prefer to avoid a phone call unless I have to in this instance?

 

[Danger]

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

Any tips please? I can see award availability on a QF flight via AA, but through the QF booking system see nothing. How can I book?

In my experience, varied award availability between different oneworld carriers is not uncommon. Are you able to look at another option, perhaps indirect?

 

[madrooster]

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

Any tips please? I can see award availability on a QF flight via AA, but through the QF booking system see nothing. How can I book? I'm finding the call centre 1 hour+ wait times less than palatable so prefer to avoid a phone call unless I have to in this instance?

AA has been showing phantom QF availability recently so it could also be that...

 

[flychrisfly]

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

I hope J on a QR A380 is worth it as I just got smacked with an extra $530 in fuel surcharge for changing:

NRT-BKK (JAL)
BKK-DOH-MUC (QR)
MUC-LHR (BA)

for

NRT-HKG (CX)
HK- CAN (KA)
CAN -DOH-LHR (QR)

Airport taxes remain the same. 50% increase seems severe for 4 flight changes, even if potentially a changed rate applied across other segments ?

The taxes are re-priced across the whole itinerary when it's re-ticketed, not just the changed sectors so it could be somewhere else in your trip where something has changed. Also, you're now flying longhaul into London so will pay more for the privilege.

 

[travelislife]

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

Also, you're now flying longhaul into London so will pay more for the privilege.

Why is that? Flying in to London shouldn't make any difference at all.

 

[mannej]

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

Why is that? Flying in to London shouldn't make any difference at all.

Isn't the APD calculated on the distance being flown into The UK?

 

[flychrisfly]

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

Why is that? Flying in to London shouldn't make any difference at all.

Flying long haul into London, compared to short haul, does make a difference. Have a look here and here. In short, the UK government pings long haul flyers more than short haul flyers.

 

[travelislife]

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

Flying long haul into London, compared to short haul, does make a difference. Have a look here and here. In short, the UK government pings long haul flyers more than short haul flyers.

AFAIK it only applies when you fly From London. I.e. your departing flight. How you get there shouldn't matter at all. Both your links say the same thing. Applies only to departing flight.

 

[Auski]

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

Hi, thanks for all the info.

My frustration when searching for business award seats on QF is that it shows mixtures of economy/business, quite often the short leg is business but the longer leg is economy.

Is there any way to search for only business seat combinations.

Thanks

 

[yld200]

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

Still doing a lot of planning for next year, and possible routes change daily!

Today I was looking @ MEL>DXB as a stating leg. When I search MEL>DXB, one of the options it gives me is:
MEL>ADL QF673
ADL>SYD QF752
SYD>DXB QF1

What a weird flight I thought, surely I can just go MEL>SYD>DXB? When I search SYD>DXB on its own on the same date as above, QF1 is not available... What tha?

Similar thing happens when I search SYD>DXB on other dates, one of the options is SYD>ADL>MEL>DXB.

Anyone have an explanation / workaround? All flights are in J for 2 pax.

 

[Kangol]

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

I have access to Amadeus, and I have control of my award PNR so I have full unadulterated access to do whatever I wish to do in it.Currently the segments are ghost segments (ie. unconfirmed dummies) in U class. I had the QR agency desk send the PNR to QR revenue management in DOH to reinstate the seats. Haven't seen much happen yet since Friday is their day off in the Middle East.

Thanks. Funnily enough I changed a booking with QR segments (adding additional flights only) and it was ticketed within the half hour. The QR segments are still there. What ended up happening with your booking?

 

[madrooster]

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

Thanks. Funnily enough I changed a booking with QR segments (adding additional flights only) and it was ticketed within the half hour. The QR segments are still there. What ended up happening with your booking?

30 mins to have it re-issued in my case would've meant the QR seats disappeared... very very unusual and certainly not the norm.

There's been some back and forth with QR's oneworld helpdesk to get the seats reinstated, but nothing firm yet.

 

[LachlanS]

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

Hi all, this is my first post on here so hopefully my questions aren't too annoying.

1) If I book say the first couple of flights on the 280k ticket through the multi city on the qantas site, can I then (say a week later when the next flight is released) still continue to add more flights to that original booking, or do I have to call up the qantas help desk (and wait the 1hr+)?
2) I'm having a lot of trouble finding any relevant flights from the east to west coast of the US. It seems that their 'first class' is more like half way between premium economy and business for the rest of the world? I know I can't take any 'first class' flights, as that would change the tickets from 280k to 420k, but does anyone have any advice on where to look for good flights or what to do? The AA website is terrible, and Qantas is only offering my economy or first class options. Should I just accept that getting from the east to the west will result in ~5 hours economy?

TIA

 

[austom]

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

Welcome .

I'm new myself but have read most of this thread.

Other people will probably be able to provide more insight, but in relation to question 1, I believe that once you have booked the first section of your award, you aren't able to make changes online and have to call up for each change (and pay the 3,500 points in change fee).

In terms of the 1hr+ wait, there's usually a call back service offered, which doesn't get rid of the annoyance of not getting through, but at least means you don't have to be on the phone the whole time. I have also found that if i call after about 10PM (WA time, so midnight EST) I seem to get through quickly/immediately. Just depends on whether calling at that time works for you .

For number 2, I believe that AA runs JFK-LAX flights on an A321T, in a three class config, Y, J and F. So it has a business class and I would hope you would be able to find award availability on it. I think AA releases availability 330 days in advance if that makes any difference to your searches.

Hope that helps