Oneworld Classic Flight Reward Discussion - The Definitive Thread

[exceladdict]

My apologies. I made some minor changes to the itinerary but I always thought taxes for AA flights were dirt cheap

MNL-SYD-BNE/BNE-ORD-SEA/SFO-SYD/SYD-HKG-cough/TYO-SGN/SGN-HKG-MNL to

MNL-SYD-BNE/BNE-ORD-YYC/SFO-SYD/SYD-HKG-cough/TYO-SGN/SGN-HKG-MNL.

Still on the phone as we speak but I'm hoping to request a breakdown of my taxes.

How did you go in the end? I was reviewing my FF account and noticed that for my latest change to an ex MNL award, the original award actually shows as cancelled, with points refunded, and a new deduction created, and $100 extra in taxes (albeit with same PNR).

So perhaps the process the call centre goes through actually involves cancelling it first and then rebooking, possibly with a different point of sale?

Anyone in the know, is it possible to view the point of sale anywhere from a consumer's perspective?

 

[Danger]

The page linked is a gazette page and isn't guaranteed ad-free for Silver/Gold subscribers. The only pages guaranteed ad-free are the community forums, because these are the Xenforo pages.

We did have the wiki running in Xenforo initially, but in the more recent update from April it wasn't ready yet and we found the wiki to be under utilised anyway. If there is demand for a collaboratively edited post/page then we shall look into it, but it was fairly niche when it was operational.

I do note that page is partially out of date, but it is maintained by the same team who run Frequent Flyer Solutions, so I would guess the focus has been on webinars and Award Flight Assist instead.

The best idea right now might be to report the first post with details of what needs to be updated, bearing in mind a moderator can copy and paste content but isn't likely to take directions to find the information themselves. If you are able to provide the whole text that should be replaced, it can be done so for easy access by others.

If there's one thread on AFF that needs a wiki at the top, this is it.

In my opinion, altering the text of the first post is near-on useless. If a wiki is created, I volunteer to get the ball rolling.

 

[support]

If there's one thread on AFF that needs a wiki at the top, this is it.

In my opinion, altering the text of the first post is near-on useless. If a wiki is created, I volunteer to get the ball rolling.

The software that powered the wiki is incompatible with our current version of forum software. It is not possible to add a wiki in the manner like there was one previously.

 

[jkcfc]

I've just received an email advising changes to our Business Class ATW award next year. I have 2 main questions:

1. Our transit in London has now gone from 23 hours to 26 hours (BA changed the timing of their LGW-CUN route) - we had 1 stopover spare so could retain this so long as we don't get charged the long haul Air Passenger Duty. Any chance we won't be charged this because the airline has changed the departure time or would this automatically happen when taxes are re-calculated?

2. Our flight from Dallas to Tokyo (Narita) on JL11 has changed to arrive at Tokyo (Haneda). We would prefer Haneda however we have another flight on to Hong Kong from Narita. How much time would you need to transit from Haneda to Narita given the last leg is on a different airline (CX)?

Cheers

 

[DC3]

I've just received an email advising changes to our Business Class ATW award next year. I have 2 main questions:

1. Our transit in London has now gone from 23 hours to 26 hours (BA changed the timing of their LGW-CUN route) - we had 1 stopover spare ...

That 23-hour transit has now become a stop-over, I would say, unless you can change to earlier flight(s). So, there are no stop-overs left and taxes will be recalculated when you make future bookings, I would expect.

Had the completed itinerary been already ticketed, then any changes made by carriers would not affect the charges or extra (unplanned) transits, I would say.

 

[exceladdict]

I've just received an email advising changes to our Business Class ATW award next year. I have 2 main questions:

1. Our transit in London has now gone from 23 hours to 26 hours (BA changed the timing of their LGW-CUN route) - we had 1 stopover spare so could retain this so long as we don't get charged the long haul Air Passenger Duty. Any chance we won't be charged this because the airline has changed the departure time or would this automatically happen when taxes are re-calculated?

2. Our flight from Dallas to Tokyo (Narita) on JL11 has changed to arrive at Tokyo (Haneda). We would prefer Haneda however we have another flight on to Hong Kong from Narita. How much time would you need to transit from Haneda to Narita given the last leg is on a different airline (CX)?

Cheers

If you're planning on making any changes that involve adding an extra stopover I wouldn't just accept that, perhaps see if they can get you a shorter stopover if you want it.

Also, transiting between Narita and Haneda isn't impossible but is inconvenient. Is there a CX flight out of Haneda you could take, or JL to HKG? Perhaps see if Qantas can help you with that. I don't think it will be a free airport transfer, and I'd be budgeting two hours for the transfer to be sure, on top of check in time for your next flight.

 

[jkcfc]

If you're planning on making any changes that involve adding an extra stopover I wouldn't just accept that, perhaps see if they can get you a shorter stopover if you want it.

Also, transiting between Narita and Haneda isn't impossible but is inconvenient. Is there a CX flight out of Haneda you could take, or JL to HKG? Perhaps see if Qantas can help you with that. I don't think it will be a free airport transfer, and I'd be budgeting two hours for the transfer to be sure, on top of check in time for your next flight.

We aren't planning to make any further changes to the itinerary. I had the standard torturous story of dealing with the call center multiple times for tens of hours to get the flights we wanted finally ticketed.

There is an alternative flight which leaves Haneda to Hong Kong which would work - i'm just worried it will be treated as a change and trigger a recalculation of taxes on all flights - meaning the Air Passenger Duty may be charged. The transit time in Tokyo is only 2h50m which I think should be grounds for them to be able to swap the flight to Hong Kong from Narita to Haneda without charges. If I can get this change made without anything being recalculated I'd just do that.

Unfortunately we are staying in San Sebastian and travelling from Bilbao to London which means there isn't many options to make it a shorter stopover. EAS doesn't come up in the Qantas booking system - we'd prefer to fly out of EAS but when I finally got a helpful operator they said it wasn't possible.

I'm just trying to get my plan A, plan B and plan C sorted before I try the call center again.

 

[Jacques Vert]

We aren't planning to make any further changes to the itinerary. I had the standard torturous story of dealing with the call center multiple times for tens of hours to get the flights we wanted finally ticketed.

There is an alternative flight which leaves Haneda to Hong Kong which would work - i'm just worried it will be treated as a change and trigger a recalculation of taxes on all flights - meaning the Air Passenger Duty may be charged. The transit time in Tokyo is only 2h50m which I think should be grounds for them to be able to swap the flight to Hong Kong from Narita to Haneda without charges. If I can get this change made without anything being recalculated I'd just do that.

Ring up and ask for the change you want; if they say it's going to cost extra, decline/keep your existing flights and HUACA...

 

[pottsy]

Thoughts please?
I am thinking of changing my OWA to include another stopover to total it at 5. ('Yes, I am dreading ringing 'customer service'!)
I thought my current booking only had 4 stop overs, however when I input my proposed addition on the QF website the points go way over the 318000? Could you anyone point out where I have made an error please? Help would be VERY much appreciated as my head is already spinning!
Current itinerary is: MEL,ADL,DOH,AMM/stop/TLV,AMM,FCO/stop/FCO,DOH,HKG/stop/HKG,LHR/stop/LHR,HND,NRT,MEL
Proposed itinerary is:
MEL,ADL,DOH,AMM/stop/TLV,AMM,FCO/stop/FCO,DOH,SIN/stop/SIN,LHR/stop/LHR,HND/stop/NRT,MEL

 

[_TheTraveller_]

How did you go in the end? I was reviewing my FF account and noticed that for my latest change to an ex MNL award, the original award actually shows as cancelled, with points refunded, and a new deduction created, and $100 extra in taxes (albeit with same PNR).

So perhaps the process the call centre goes through actually involves cancelling it first and then rebooking, possibly with a different point of sale?

Anyone in the know, is it possible to view the point of sale anywhere from a consumer's perspective?

I asked for a breakdown and it looks like YQ/Fuel Surcharges have increased to $648 + all other security fees/taxes. Big departure from the $729 (all inclusive). I also think you're right that it might be re-priced from AUS POS since I'm getting refunded and deducted as well.

 

[Oubline]

Thoughts please?
I am thinking of changing my OWA to include another stopover to total it at 5. ('Yes, I am dreading ringing 'customer service'!)
I thought my current booking only had 4 stop overs, however when I input my proposed addition on the QF website the points go way over the 318000? Could you anyone point out where I have made an error please? Help would be VERY much appreciated as my head is already spinning!
Current itinerary is: MEL,ADL,DOH,AMM/stop/TLV,AMM,FCO/stop/FCO,DOH,HKG/stop/HKG,LHR/stop/LHR,HND,NRT,MEL
Proposed itinerary is:
MEL,ADL,DOH,AMM/stop/TLV,AMM,FCO/stop/FCO,DOH,SIN/stop/SIN,LHR/stop/LHR,HND/stop/NRT,MEL

It looks OK to me.. maybe the website tool just can’t handle it properly. Might be worth calling in.

 

[There'sOnlyOneJimmy]

Thoughts please?
I am thinking of changing my OWA to include another stopover to total it at 5. ('Yes, I am dreading ringing 'customer service'!)
I thought my current booking only had 4 stop overs, however when I input my proposed addition on the QF website the points go way over the 318000? Could you anyone point out where I have made an error please? Help would be VERY much appreciated as my head is already spinning!
Current itinerary is: MEL,ADL,DOH,AMM/stop/TLV,AMM,FCO/stop/FCO,DOH,HKG/stop/HKG,LHR/stop/LHR,HND,NRT,MEL
Proposed itinerary is:
MEL,ADL,DOH,AMM/stop/TLV,AMM,FCO/stop/FCO,DOH,SIN/stop/SIN,LHR/stop/LHR,HND/stop/NRT,MEL

Have you checked the total mileage, including surface sectors? (Max = 35000 miles)
Any chance you’ve used a non-oneworld carrier?

 

[pottsy]

Have you checked the total mileage, including surface sectors? (Max = 35000 miles)
Any chance you’ve used a non-oneworld carrier?
[/QUOTe
Thanks will look at that and get back to you asap.

 

[pottsy]

Distance is under 30000 (Great Circle Mapper) Airlines are Qatar, Royal Jordanian, BA and Japan Airlines (same airlines that were accepted on my current booking)? Does my proposed route show only 5 stops (in your opinion) please??

 

[BriarFlyer]

Distance is under 30000 (Great Circle Mapper)

For this routing -- MEL-ADL-DOH-AMM-TLV-AMM-FCO-DOH-SIN-LHR-HND-NRT-MEL -- I got a GCM mileage of 34,299. Under the 35,000 allowed but I've read of instances in this thread where the Qantas calculation is different.

 

[mrsterryn]

Darn will have to wait till Monday when I hope Australia staff are back on deck. I was unable to have the call centre staff person in the Phillipines put a request in for a rewards seat for me . It appeared she did not understand what I was requesting
I have to say I have really noticed the difference between local and overseas staff.

 

[pottsy]

For this routing -- MEL-ADL-DOH-AMM-TLV-AMM-FCO-DOH-SIN-LHR-HND-NRT-MEL -- I got a GCM mileage of 34,299. Under the 35,000 allowed but I've read of instances in this thread where the Qantas calculation is different.

Thankyou much appreciated. Perhaps I input it incorrectly on Qantas website? If successful will ring customer service..........(not looking forward to that!)

 

[pottsy]

Darn will have to wait till Monday when I hope Australia staff are back on deck. I was unable to have the call centre staff person in the Phillipines put a request in for a rewards seat for me . It appeared she did not understand what I was requesting
I have to say I have really noticed the difference between local and overseas staff.

Yes know what you mean. Hopefully they are back on Monday for you. Just out of interest, what time do they start (Australia staff)??

 

[pottsy]

It looks OK to me.. maybe the website tool just can’t handle it properly. Might be worth calling in.

Thanks will do as you suggest.

 

[BriarFlyer]

Perhaps I input it incorrectly on Qantas website?

I've put through your itinerary successfully on some random dates and it maxed out at 318,000 pts. Perhaps you accidentally selected a non-oneworld airline (Emirates or El Al, for example.)