Oneworld Classic Flight Reward Discussion - The Definitive Thread

[BenG]

Have a look on the AA site for availability. Could be a QF/AA system issue, or AA might be doing some sort of broader change

The availability seems fine through the AA site, I'm just hoping to book it all in tonight or tomorrow, which is a bit more difficult with this issue occurring.

 

[jaybeedee]

quick question re transits:
I suddenly realised I was going to fall foul of the 5 stopovers, so having to rejig my trip.
If I book seperate segments with less than 24 hours between arrival/departure is that not counted as a stopover, or is it only segments thathave been put together by the booking engine.
For example we want to go from Tokyo to Doha but would like a day in either Seoul or Taipei.
If I book NRT-ICN and ICN-DOH with less than 24hrs is that not counted as a stopover, - and would I be able to check luggage right through (CX and QR)

 

[There'sOnlyOneJimmy]

quick question re transits:
I suddenly realised I was going to fall foul of the 5 stopovers, so having to rejig my trip.
If I book seperate segments with less than 24 hours between arrival/departure is that not counted as a stopover, or is it only segments thathave been put together by the booking engine.
For example we want to go from Tokyo to Doha but would like a day in either Seoul or Taipei.
If I book NRT-ICN and ICN-DOH with less than 24hrs is that not counted as a stopover, - and would I be able to check luggage right through (CX and QR)

I can only answer the Transit Vs Stopover question (and not the luggage check-through question).
A Transit is a stop that is STRICTLY Less Than 24 hours (ie maximum of 23 Hr 59 Min). A Stopover is any stop of 24 hours or more.

 

[hutch]

I was looking at add an AA flight to my current OWA booking... I've been checking availability often and there was heaps. Now searching today, I get the same error message:

"We are unable to find recommendations from the airlines we search. Please change your search criteria and resubmit the search. (# 66002)"

I have tried other cities (which also had heaps of seats) and the same error comes up. I feel there is some communication issue between AA / QF or they are punishing us for their marriage not being approved.

 

[BenG]

I was looking at add an AA flight to my current OWA booking... I've been checking availability often and there was heaps. Now searching today, I get the same error message:

"We are unable to find recommendations from the airlines we search. Please change your search criteria and resubmit the search. (# 66002)"

Whilst it doesn't help with the issue, I'm very glad to know its not just me!

 

[serfty]

I can only answer the Transit Vs Stopover question (and not the luggage check-through question).
A Transit is a stop that is STRICTLY Less Than 24 hours (ie maximum of 23 Hr 59 Min). A Stopover is any stop of 24 hours or more.

Are you sure?

I had a scheduled LON transit of into LHR 10am and out of LGW 10am next day.

No APD was assessed.

 

[hutch]

Whilst it doesn't help with the issue, I'm very glad to know its not just me!

Yes, sorry it doesn't help. More just letting you know you're not alone...

 

[hutch]

Are you sure?

I had a scheduled LON transit of into LHR 10am and out of LGW 10am next day.

No APD was assessed.

Perhaps the definition of 'transit' varies for a OWA and the assessment of whether the APD is payable? I have no idea... just putting it out there.

 

[There'sOnlyOneJimmy]

Are you sure?

I had a scheduled LON transit of into LHR 10am and out of LGW 10am next day.

No APD was assessed.

I'm not the GateKeeper on this issue, so I guess I'm not *sure*, but I based my amateur advice on the basis of the following extract from the QFF site Terms & Conditions, Section 2, "Definitions":

" 'Stopover' in relation to:
(a) an Australian domestic Itinerary, means a break of journey at an intermediate point when onward travel does not take place on the same calendar day; and
(b) for all other Itineraries, including those containing a domestic to international connecting flight, means when a passenger arrives at an intermediate point and is not scheduled to depart within 24 hours of arrival;"


I guess it's possible that the rules that govern the APD assessment might differ from the QFF Stopover definition. Or you were just lucky... ;-)

 

[serfty]

It's a rare thing ... I have not come across the exact same hour/minute 24 hours later since.

 

[jaybeedee]

CSR couldn't book some CX sectors even though we could see them.

Success! with a 280K/2Pax at short notice and getting pretty much all we wanted.
AKL-SYD-HND...NRT-HKG-ZCH(in Y+)-MAD ...MAD-DUB...LHR-CPH....CPH-DOH...DOH-DXB-HKG-SYD-AKL

A few more sectors than we wanted [that will teach us for booking at the last minute - for June departure in march] and ended up with one long Prem Economy sector.

On my first call I could see some CX flights showing on the BA site but the CSR couldn't see them at all(HKG-ZCH and HKG-AKL).

We booked what we could .After i had hung up I was played around again and I could see the HKG-ZCH available on the Qantas site as part of a Tokyo-Zurich query so I rang back. The CSR I got this time could see them if she started a new booking but not if she had my one open. She was able to get the seats onto my booking by changing the CX flight from Tokyo to HKG to a JL flight and then she could add the Zurich leg. And it made it cheaper!!

She then had a look at the HKG-AKL leg because I would rather a direct Y+ flight than the longer J(U) via Sydney with stopover and not quite enough time to sleep. Again she could see the seats for a new booking, but couldn't add them to our booking.

Now to hope some more inventory frees up, and in a perfect world QR would release some award seats for DOH-AKL which would be a lot better!

 

[CaptainCurtis]

Managed to book my fare after 3 hours on hold to the call centre. Little bit disappointed that they wouldn't waive the $60 phone booking fee given that I'm flying Malaysia Airlines (which don't show up online), but I guess you have to choose your battles and it just wasn't worth the hassle. Anyway, this is what I ended up booking:

SYD-PER (QF: A330 Business)
PER-KUL-LHR (MH: First leg A330 Economy and Second leg A380 Business)
AMS-LHR-FCO (BA: Both legs A320 Business)
DUS-SFO (AB: A330 Business)
SFO-JFK (AA: B777 Business)
JFK-HKG-SYD (CX: First leg B777 in Business and Second leg A330 Business)

Overall pretty happy with the result. Good value for 280k points in my opinion. A few notes/questions:
1. Is there a way to check if PER-KUL in J becomes available without calling through to the Call Centre everyday? This is the shorter leg, so it's not too serious if I'm stuck in Economy.
2. Cathay seem to offer the A330 and B777 on the HKG-SYD route. Does anyone have any feedback on which aircraft is preferable?
3. AB business apparently has great service, but the seats are somewhat narrow/short. Any other ideas to SFO/LAX?
4. Hoping Qatar becomes available in J from PER-LHR, but doubt I'll have much luck on this.

Just wanted to say thank you for all the feedback and advice that was provided to me on this forum. Couldn't have done it without you. If you have any tips or improvements for next time, please feel free to let me know!

 

[Doctore1003]

I think you can check MH availability on BA. You'll need to give them an overseas address to create a FF account as they don't accept Aussies - just make one up if you need to.

 

[CaptainCurtis]

I think you can check MH availability on BA. You'll need to give them an overseas address to create a FF account as they don't accept Aussies - just make one up if you need to.

Amazing, thank you!

 

[N860CR]

Is anyone else having issues getting BA shorthaul (i.e. IntraEurope) to come up on Qantas.com? I can't get anything at all

 

[N860CR]

Ended up locking in;

SYD-HKG-YVR (CX)
SEA-LHR-HEL (BA/AY)
ARN-DOH-EBB (QR)
EBB-DOH-BKK (QR)
BKK-SIN-HKG-SYD (CX)

Taxes are $1220pp. Reference issued but not ticketed as yet.

Waited 2 hours on hold... 2:45 phone call in total.

 

[Battymum]

Is anyone else having issues getting BA shorthaul (i.e. IntraEurope) to come up on Qantas.com? I can't get anything at all

Yes, I am checking each day for CDG-YYC via LHR - today I cant see anything CDG-LHR.

 

[Youfah Mizzum]

found that I could no longer see any AA availability, so figuring I had missed out the dates we wanted, I checked around those dates and still nothing, so I started to try things as just single segments just to find what was available. I'm not seeing any availability for any AA for any US route I've dreamt up or on any dates. I contacted Qantas for a manual search and they are not showing any availability either, seems to me like all AA seats are not available for booking at all. Even with "Flexible with dates" checked all I get is "We are unable to find recommendations from the airlines we search. Please change your search criteria and resubmit the search. (# 66002)"

Same here. I was searching, searching, searching all over the interwebby thing for what I thought was an fairly simple leg from JFK to get home to SYD via HNL. Would've been nice to stop over for a beachy few days in Waikiki but AA never had anything available and the QF consultant couldn't help either (multiple phone calls).
In the end it all got too hard so instead stopping off in LAX, then onwards to SYD.

 

[Auski]

Is anyone else having issues getting BA shorthaul (i.e. IntraEurope) to come up on Qantas.com? I can't get anything at all

Same deal Plenty of availability on BA but QF errors #9200 when you search.

I wonder if other Oneworld airlines are sick of providing all the J seats while QF hardly releases any and have stopped sharing with QF.

Just booked my second 280K award and only 1 QF international leg in the first, none in the second, just no availability even 12 months out.

Previously plenty of CX, but looking now even that seems less.

Maybe our points are no longer very useful.

 

[Kangol]

I can't find anything specific in the T&Cs, but if two pax are on the same PNR for a oneworld award, do they both have to have the same itinerary?