Qantas Sale fare change fee query, adding stop over.

[Daveller]

Yes decided to just book a separate ticket via AA.
Playing around with the Multi City fare calculator and a $2,000 fare became an $8,000 fare.

Good choice… if you have no plan to stay in LAX, you can try to ask AA ground staff at the Toronto airport check-in to send your suitcase to Sydney not Los Angeles. I think that you don’t have to worry about picking it up at the LAX airport.

 

[Quickstatus]

It was a question of changing the QF ticket, or buying a second ticket

Basically what I said

 

[Cynicor]

If you had booked your original ticket through a TA you could buy a second ticket on the same PNR and you would be protected, but if you bought from QF direct you won’t be able to do that. QF will just sell you a new fare to your new destination and deduct the original amount plus change fee.

@madrooster can correct me if I’m wrong, but me plolking random unconnected tickets onto one PNR doesn’t protect them as far as I know, and I am a TA.

 

[justinbrett]

Madrooster can correct me if I’m wrong, but me plolking random unconnected tickets onto one PNR doesn’t protect them as far as I know, and I am a TA.

It does for oneworld, he’s done it for me many times.

 

[serfty]

@madrooster can correct me if I’m wrong, but me plolking random unconnected tickets onto one PNR doesn’t protect them as far as I know, and I am a TA.

If the second segment was AA they have a defined oneworld to/from AA connection protection even if different PNR's.

 

[John82]

Good choice… if you have no plan to stay in LAX, you can try to ask AA ground staff at the Toronto airport check-in to send your suitcase to Sydney not Los Angeles. I think that you don’t have to worry about picking it up at the LAX airport.

AA doesn't generally through-check on separate PNRs, even their own metal.

 

[justinbrett]

AA doesn't generally through-check on separate PNRs, even their own metal.

True, but I’d still ask. I once flew IAH-DFW to self connect to QF8, I didn’t even ask, AA agent proactively asked if I had a connection and checked my bag through (he said I had to OLCI with QF for him to do it).

But yes, definitely don’t expect it.

 

[John82]

True, but I’d still ask. I once flew IAH-DFW to self connect to QF8, I didn’t even ask, AA agent proactively asked if I had a connection and checked my bag through (he said I had to OLCI with QF for him to do it).

But yes, definitely don’t expect it.

I will defer to those well travelled...
Assuming this was after 01/09/2016 when the policy was changed?

 

[justinbrett]

I will defer to those well travelled...
Assuming this was after 01/09/2016 when the policy was changed?

Yeah 2023. I was very surprised at the time.

 

[Cynicor]

If the second segment was AA they have a defined oneworld to/from AA connection protection even if different PNR's.

Yep, I’m not sure of any benefit that is conferred just by me putting 2 things into a PNR, though!

 

[serfty]

Yep, I’m not sure of any benefit that is conferred just by me putting 2 things into a PNR, though!

No need to combine PNR's with AA and oneworld.

See here:

https://saleslink.aa.com/en-US/resources/html/irregular-operations-irops.html#separate

 

[justinbrett]

Yep, I’m not sure of any benefit that is conferred just by me putting 2 things into a PNR, though!

It’s oneworld policy to protect separate tickets in the same PNR. AA’s policy is more generous.

Other benefits is that bags will be interlined on separate tickets in the same PNR. Also tax can be reduced on AA domestic tickets if the PNR also contains international flights on another ticket.

MadRooster is the king of putting multiple tickets into a single PNR. I think we did 7 or 8 on my last trip.

 

[Cynicor]

Yep, I’m not sure of any benefit that is conferred just by me putting 2 things into a PNR, though!

Learn something every day. Thanks for this info. I mostly book hotels due to time constraints but this is good to know.

 

[Quickstatus]

Yep, I’m not sure of any benefit that is conferred just by me putting 2 things into a PNR, though!

This is how I rationalise it and I may be wrong in my intepretation:

It boils down to who is responsible for IIROPS
Assuming that a Single PNR regardless of the airline combination, protects the onward sector is correct, the responsible party that protects the onward sector is usually the inbound airline causing the delay/disruption.

So a QF to any airline Single PNR, if QF caused the disruption, QF is responsible for the rebooking of the onward sector. I am not sure whether it delegates this to the onward sector airline or does it within its own systems.

In a QF to AA separate PNR, there is no mandatory obligation for QF or AA to provide onward sector protection, even if the onward sector is operated by a OW partner (Thanks BA). However, AA, in the link provided by @serfty, has a policy to treat the separate PNR as though it is a single PNR. I don't know if this is a bilateral agreement between AA and each OW member airline or a unilateral pragmatic policy by AA.

Others have mentioned that there might also be a "residual" partnership/relationship between QF and AA, that even without the explicit AA policy, travellers could request the assistance of AA to rebook them if the event of a separate PNR.

Ive found that if the itinerary was in the other direction, it is my experience that QF would (at the airport) assist a non protected disrupted passenger coming back from overseas to AU - without charging a change fee.