Qantas award booking- QF flight number - Jetstar operated!?!

[aschmid]

A few weeks back I made a booking from MEL to BKK using my award points for the family. The trip is coming up next week and I went into the Qantas FF site to select seats, request special meal and bassinet, etc.

Guess what! It didn't let me select seats and after digging around a bit I found that the QF labeled flights I booked are apparently Jetstar operated!

That is a bit annoying that I am using my valuable QF points to get cheap seats on a Jetstar flight. I reckon for what I paid on taxes on QF I could have probably bought the Jetstar tickets outright!

Anyway problem I have now I can't do anything through Qantas website, even tough I book through them - it just says it's Jetstar operated.

Now if I go to Jetstar website, obviously don't have any login or flight number or booking with them, I can't do anything either - most of the services need to be "requested when making a booking"!

Has anybody been in a situation like this before. What do I do or whom do I call to make some arrangements?

 

[pshepvic]

Call Qantas and they should be able to give you the Jetstar booking reference number.

Or cancel it, endure the 5,000 point cancel fee, and rebook it on Qantas

 

[TheInsider]

Call Qantas for the JQ booking number, and do everything through JQ.

It does say Jetstar Operated when making the booking though. Just like it says 'Operated by British Airways' or 'Operated by AA', operated by 'China Eastern', operated by 'Dragon Air' etc etc etc.

 

[serfty]

...

Or cancel it, endure the 5,000 point cancel fee, and rebook it on Qantas

That's per PAX and the OP cited "Family".

So methinx a lot more than 5000 QFF points ...

 

[aschmid]

Thanks all for suggestions. Called Qantas this morning and their answer is I have to call Jetstar directly to arrange with them ... not very happy!

I understand that some airlines do code shares and flights are operated by different airlines but in most cases this does not mean a difference in service.

Jetstar service is very different from Qantas service and I think Qantas should make it way more clear when you do awards booking that this on Jetstar, not Qantas, eg by using a Jetstar flight number instead of a Qantas one.

I am booked according to my itinerary on QF265 and QF266 but Qantas claims they have nothing to do with these flights as they are operated by Jetstar!
:evil:

I just have to get on with it as there is not enough time to rebook the flights -> another point for using SIA over QF. No wonder they are struggling.
:shock:

 

[rhjames]

I have just returned from Europe after booking online using Qantas FF points. After flying Sydney/Melbourne, I found that I was on a Jetstar flight with a Qantas number to Bangkok. This didn't worry me, and after boarding the plane, I found that the seats were quite comfortable for economy. However, I was amazed to find that the seats didn't provide entertainment, but this could be purchased. Then came meal time, and was gabberflustered, and looked at the stewardess like a stunned mullet when I found I had to purchase food.

I have no problems with minimum service on a low cost airline, but I booked with Qantas, had a Qantas flight, and expect to get Qantas service. I was quite prepared to use more points to get this, if given the option. In fact, I was prepared to go PE or business class all the way, but Qantas don't seem to allocate any seats for FF.

I recall last year, a similar thing happened - Qantas number, and Jetstar flight. I couldn't book in at the Qantas counter, and had to go to Jetstar, where my platinum status wasn't recognised. I had to join the economy line. This type of attitude is losing me.

 

[aschmid]

Yep, it's really bad situation. I experienced quiet similar. I called before to reserve seats and asked for special meal for kids and was told there is no meals included.

Stunned as the previous OP as I have never heard of there being no meal on QF flights. Again I booked QF flights, not JQ!!! So i purchased it which was something like $78 per person.

So it's around $250 in taxes + $78 for food plus 60,000 points ($500 Myer gift card) so we are talking about a bit over $800 for a Jetstar flight MEL-BKK return! I can buy cheaper QF (QF operated) flight if i book early!

On top of that when check-in my QF Gold status means nothing have to queue up with hundreds of people in Economy. Then they want to charge me extra for being 6kg over their limit of 20kg per person. Luckily i had the itinerary which was from QF which said 23kg per person.

If they would have charged me for extra luggage I would have exploded as with my QF Gold i can carry extra and I was clearly booked on a QF flight, I don't care who operates the flight. QF flight number QF rules!

This really pi**ed my off. Wrote a complain to QF about it but never heard anythign back. I think they know but try to ignore the problem.

 

[serfty]

This information is available on the Qantas web site - perhaps not obviously.

It certainly is well known by mmost of the members of AFF.

Interestingly, if it had have been a paid flight on the QF codeshare then complimentary food and a beverage would have been forthcoming.

More here: Qantas Industry Sales Site - Policies and Procedures - QF/ JQ Codeshare - Inflight Product

('Commercial' means paying with $$, not points)

 

[pshepvic]

It's also pretty clear when you make a booking that the flight is operated by Jetstar. If you click the flight number link, it also shows that it is Meal for Purchase.

I agree that it definitely pays to read the terms before you book something, but I don't see how this is Qantas' fault at all.

 

[rhjames]

After hours on the Qantas web site trying to find flights to Europe using FF points in business or premium economy, and various options of dates, destinations and times, then finally giving up and settling with economy because nothing else was available, I was beyond reading the fine print. On a long haul, I don't want to fly Jetstar, and am happy to pay with whatever points are needed. I've been on economy flights, because there were no business seats available to FF, yet there were plenty of free seats in business class.

I've flown other airlines using FF points, and have been given business class seats to Europe (eg KLM) at short notice with no problems.

If I book a Qantas flight, and I'm on BA, AA etc, my Lifetime Gold or Platinum status is recognised at checkin. Similarly with other shared carriers, such as Finnair (which I flew with last week). I don't understand why, with a Qantas flight number, I can't check in at a Qantas business counter in Sydney, and instead, have to line up at economy at Jetstar.

Let's just do a test. Qantas web site, I'm flexible with dates, and I want to fly Sydney with FF points to Heathrow in the first week of August (can't be easier than that) - just one limitation - I'm not flying economy (this is because I've already suffered one DVT) - not one seat available. I try 1st week of September - still no seats. So after a lifetime of loyalty, and millions of points, it's very hard to use them.

Overall, I don't think Qantas is giving good value to FF.

 

[aschmid]

I agree with all the comments that the information was presented and is in fine print. I acknowledge that I didn't read through all this in detail. I just booked it trusting that I book with Qantas and it's gonna be alright. But even if I did read through this I would have not been able to understand all the implications of this, eg luggage, check-in, etc

I just didn't expect all of this when I book with Qantas and that's why I am a bit shocked about the whole situation. Learned my bit and will not do this again.

In fact I just got myself two $500 vouchers on points to buy me an iPad2 instead of using them for QF labelled Jetstar operated flights!

 

[Danger]

Does a Qantas FF award seat for a Jetstar domestic flight include 20kg of baggage? A drink and a meal?

 

[serfty]

Does a Qantas FF award seat for a Jetstar domestic flight include 20kg of baggage? A drink and a meal?

Definitely not a drink or meal - dunno about baggage.

 

[yohy?!]

Does a Qantas FF award seat for a Jetstar domestic flight include 20kg of baggage? A drink and a meal?

The QF codeshare flight number indicates meals are for purchase - under Classic Awards baggage indicates "1 piece"

 

[monoccular]

Definitely not a drink or meal - dunno about baggage.

Well, it is very hard to find out just what baggage IS allowed on a Deathstar operated QF numbered flight for a Platinum loyal QFF. Is it the usual 32kg, the 23 or only 20?

Not at all clear. Nor by the way is seat selection.

Pretty pisspoor service to their loyal customers from Qantas really, especially if there is no direct QF operated flight available. But would Mr Joyce actually care??

 

[mannej]

Well, it is very hard to find out just what baggage IS allowed on a Deathstar operated QF numbered flight for a Platinum loyal QFF. Is it the usual 32kg, the 23 or only 20?

Not at all clear. Nor by the way is seat selection.

Pretty pisspoor service to their loyal customers from Qantas really, especially if there is no direct QF operated flight available. But would Mr Joyce actually care??

To select a seat, you will need the JQ booking reference, as that has to be done from the JQ site.

As for the luggage, there is a link somewhere on here that will hopefully help. Just trying to find it.

 

[medhead]

Pretty sure it tells you the baggage allowed in the fare conditions when booking. Baggage is included for paid fares not sure how heavy.

 

[serfty]

You do get one checked bag included, anecdotes indicate of 23kg.

 

[TheInsider]

One bag at 23kgs. No additional baggage as it's not Qantas metal, same rule applies for every other non QF metal, QF number flight.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

I understand that some airlines do code shares and flights are operated by different airlines but in most cases this does not mean a difference in service.

That is the problem. BA & QF codeshared for years on the kangaroo route & I never heard once any pax saying "no-one told me that the flight was operated by British Airways" because the service levels & inclusions were on the same level ie you got frequent flyer points with either airline, bags were through checked to final destination & boarding passes issued at point of embarkation & meals/drinks were included.

Jetstar service is very different from Qantas service and I think Qantas should make it way more clear when you do awards booking that this on Jetstar, not Qantas, eg by using a Jetstar flight number instead of a Qantas one.

Wouldn't make a shred of difference because people don't read their itineraries. Proof of this is when they turn up at QF checkin unaware they're flying JQ & when told replying "but I booked it on the Qantas website" when the itinerary has a JQ flight number not a QF codeshare flight number.

I am booked according to my itinerary on QF265 and QF266 but Qantas claims they have nothing to do with these flights as they are operated by Jetstar!

Despite QF codeshare flight numbers the itinerary always specifies "operated by Jetstar". Even prior to getting your itinerary the QF booking engine shows a symbol indicating that a subsidiary is operating the flight when not QF metal before you finish the booking.