QF international booking out of SIN

[Commuter]

On the QF website for Asia, I have noticed that there is a fare band (?) called Flex in economy from SIN to LHR (and back) that apparently counts as full economy but I cannot find the same fare band in economy from SIN to BNE. Could someone advise me this fare class is actually not offered, or if it is just some anomaly on the QF Asia website?

Could those in the know also let me know if it is possible to book a fare out of SIN on QF website (Asian version) using an Australia or UK-based credit card.

Thank you!

 

[JohnK]

On the QF website for Asia, I have noticed that there is a fare band (?) called Flex in economy from SIN to LHR (and back) that apparently counts as full economy but I cannot find the same fare band in economy from SIN to BNE.

I could be wrong but all my bookings from SIN QF website have been in V class. I do not think it is possible to book Y class on the SIN QF website.

Could those in the know also let me know if it is possible to book a fare out of SIN on QF website (Asian version) using an Australia or UK-based credit card.

I have made many bookings on the SIN QF website and I have not had any issue using my Australian credit card or Australian address.

The only minor issue I had was when I booked a BNE-SYD domestic flight, part of the whole itinerary, on a QF codeshare for a JAL flight and this needed to be a paper ticket rather than an e-ticket. Anyway I was doing AY status runs then and I was able to pick up the paper ticket in SIN airport without hassle.

 

[Commuter]

Thank you JohnK! That's very informative.

"Flex" is attractive to me because the website said it counted as 'economy' (as opposed to "discount economy") for SC purposes and I therefore assume that it's also upgradable for economy => business points as opposed to discount => business points. Combined with SIN-BNE-SIN (in discount economy) it appears to be a lot cheaper than paying full economy from BNE-SIN-LHR-SIN-BNE or LHR-SIN-BNE-SIN-LHR.

Not that I have ever been successful in securing an upgrade from/to SIN-LHR...

 

[stuartfaz]

Could those in the know also let me know if it is possible to book a fare out of SIN on QF website (Asian version) using an Australia or UK-based credit card.

Thank you!

I recently had issues booking a QFF award SIN-PER-MEL one-way. According to the most helpful of the five people I talked to at QF about this, it was because the taxes were in SGD and therefore the credit card had to be sighted at a QF booking office in Singapore.

I don't know if this was a one-off bug in the system or something you should take note of, its just something that happened to me recently.

 

[wandering_fred]

The flex tickets on the QF Singapore web site normally will book into H class. Which will still only give you discount economy SCs for QF international flights. They will however give full mileage and Qpoints for QF flights in the AA program as opposed to the 50% for V class. The other advantage of the H class is that there is no rebooking charge associated with changing the flight date/time.

While I would normally overnight in SIN to catch the early SIN-PER flight meaning I don't worry about misconnects that much but for a same day connection (even on line with QF) I think I would want the H class flexibility - even if checked in for the second ticket's flight from the original departure airport (eg JL NRT-SIN or BA LHR-SIN)

The difference SIN-PER between V class and H class is about SG$200 each way. But then the SIN-Oz tickets are about 60% of the Oz-SIN tickets. And I have used both US and Oz CCs with the QF Singapore site. In 2005 I did have to pay for a oneway SIN-PER at the airport. There are online TAs with modest ticketing fees though they will want FAXs of CCs and authorisations.


Happy wandering

Fred

 

[Evan]

Isn't that strange, over the last couple of years i have booked ex SIN flights on the QF web site and also over the phone, both normal fares and also a circle Asia (DAS13) and always used my Australian credit card. Not once have they ever mentioned anything about seeing it. And the tickets were all paid in SGD.

I spend 80% of my year in SIN but live in Melbroune so i have done these flights a few times, booked on BA, QF, CX, some mixed tickets, some simple return tickets via the web site and all the same result, never checked my card or required faxed forms etc.

Tickets cost from $500 or so upto $5400 + taxes so the value also should have nothing to do with it.

E

 

[Commuter]

Thank you for your input everyone. I think I shall have a go at booking it in the next couple of days. I could always show my CC at SIN booking office on a previous trip as I have a few hours in SIN.

The fare conditions on Flex for SIN-LHR-SIN stated something to the effect of 'counted as economy for status credits', whereas Flexi Saver for SIN-BNE-SIN stated that it was discount economy for status credits.

 

[JohnK]

"Flex" is attractive to me because the website said it counted as 'economy' (as opposed to "discount economy") for SC purposes

The categories I have seen are 'Sale', 'Super Saver', 'Flexi Saver' and 'Flexi'. I know what the conditions state but I find it hard to believe that you could get a full economy airfare for that price. As someone else mentioned it would be most likely 'H' booking class. Also if it was treated as full economy 'Y' class it would mean that the 'Flexi' airfare is cheaper than Premium Economy for the same SCs. Check with QF before booking.

I recently had issues booking a QFF award SIN-PER-MEL one-way. According to the most helpful of the five people I talked to at QF about this, it was because the taxes were in SGD and therefore the credit card had to be sighted at a QF booking office in Singapore.

I don't know if this was a one-off bug in the system or something you should take note of, its just something that happened to me recently.

I have not booked a ticket from SIN on the QF website for a while so I hope this is only a once off glitch to do with award tickets.

I hope this is not a general change that is part of the implementation to include more Asian countries on the QF website. I know that to book an airfare originating in Thailand you need to visit a Bangkok office before the ticket will be issued even though it is an e-ticket. I hope this is not the case with bookings originating in SIN.

 

[Commuter]

The categories I have seen are 'Sale', 'Super Saver', 'Flexi Saver' and 'Flexi'. I know what the conditions state but I find it hard to believe that you could get a full economy airfare for that price. As someone else mentioned it would be most likely 'H' booking class. Also if it was treated as full economy 'Y' class it would mean that the 'Flexi' airfare is cheaper than Premium Economy for the same SCs. Check with QF before booking.

My mistake, it is called Flexi, not Flex.

I did a double-take when I read about the SC earn on the fare conditions and the fact that it is fully refundable prior to departure, and date changes and re-routing permitted without charge.

I will definitely check with QF before booking this in case it's a misprint.

Thanks for all your help John.

 

[openseat]

You can buy the H class fare that originates in Singapore from Australia at the same price as from Singapore (at least according to Expert Flyer).
As others have said, it is quite a saving on buying tickets, especially flexible tickets, that start in Singapore compared with buying in Australia.
I have a friend who always has a round trip ticket from Singapore, which he uses to get to Europe every year for his holidays. The H class fare can also be used for stopovers, eg. SIN-PER-SYD.
It is just a shame that there is not an AA codeshare on these flights so one could escape the fuel fines.

 

[Commuter]

Thanks Openseat.

Does that mean if I telephoned QF office in Australia, they can sell me the Flexi tickets out of SIN for the same price that is showing on the Asia version of QF website (or more or less the same in any case)? I would prefer to book through the QF office in Australia if possible, because of my CC points earn.

 

[Evan]

As of a few months ago QF office in SIN now has it phone line for sales directed to Australia, so although i have called the +65 number i have purchased ex SIN fares over the phone from AU using an AU credit card with no problems.
E

 

[Commuter]

Thanks Evan! It's good to hear those confirmations before I give it a go (just waiting for the spouse's leave confirmation).

 

[Dave Noble]

Just checking for february..

The Flexi fare SIN-LHR shows as SGD2098 excluding taxes and is listed as "Classed as Economy for Status Credit Earn.". ( once "taxes" are added on, it is an extra SGD497 at SGD2595 )

Checking on EF, the BLEE1YSG is SGD2098 , so I would be pretty certain that the fare being sold is the B class fare which would not earn full SCs

The YLEE1YSG fare is another SGD600 at SGD2698 plus "tax"

Dave

 

[wandering_fred]

Given that BA WT+ SIN-LHR-SIN is showing between SG$2498 (T ?) and $3298 (W ?) plus taxes on their website for Februday I certainly would not be looking at the QF Flexi or Y class fares for very long. And those fares do earn full economy SCs on QF, tier points on BA and 1.5 Qpoints/mile on AA.

Whether the fares will stay at that level when QF can actually offer Y+ on the route has been discussed elsewhere.

YMMV

Happy wandering

Fred

 

[openseat]

Given that BA WT+ SIN-LHR-SIN is showing between SG$2498 (T ?) and $3298 (W ?) plus taxes on their website for Februday I certainly would not be looking at the QF Flexi or Y class fares for very long. And those fares do earn full economy SCs on QF, tier points on BA and 1.5 Qpoints/mile on AA.

Whether the fares will stay at that level when QF can actually offer Y+ on the route has been discussed elsewhere.

YMMV

Happy wandering

Fred

The only drawback is after 1 March 08 BA flights no longer earn elite bonus for AAdvantage members, which is significant at 100% bonus for such a long flight when Plat or above.

 

[openseat]

Thanks Openseat.

Does that mean if I telephoned QF office in Australia, they can sell me the Flexi tickets out of SIN for the same price that is showing on the Asia version of QF website (or more or less the same in any case)? I would prefer to book through the QF office in Australia if possible, because of my CC points earn.

I haven't booked with Qantas over the phone, but I have done it with a travel agent here in Australia - I just wanted to be sure of the ticket that I was buying, rather than playing the booking class lottery of the QF Singapore website.

 

[wandering_fred]

The only drawback is after 1 March 08 BA flights no longer earn elite bonus for AAdvantage members, which is significant at 100% bonus for such a long flight when Plat or above.

Understand that - but 10000 Qpoints (one way SIN-LHR @ 1.5/mile) goes a long way to keeping the PLAT status if you only have 2 or 3 trips a year. IF QF is close to the same price (unlikely given the postings so far except ex Oz) then yes QF Y+ would be the choice because of the status bonus.

But the comfort level of BA WT+ will still be a whole lot better than QF B class - just 6000 less spendable miles in the "bank". And remember that "ordinary Y" QF V class will only get you 3333 Qpoints. And BA V class half that. Combine that with the yield management policies of BA and QF (eg consider the opup opportunities on the two - small vs zero) and I think I'll stay with BA for now.

YMMV

Fred

 

[Commuter]

Just checking for february..

The Flexi fare SIN-LHR shows as SGD2098 excluding taxes and is listed as "Classed as Economy for Status Credit Earn.". ( once "taxes" are added on, it is an extra SGD497 at SGD2595 )

Checking on EF, the BLEE1YSG is SGD2098 , so I would be pretty certain that the fare being sold is the B class fare which would not earn full SCs

The YLEE1YSG fare is another SGD600 at SGD2698 plus "tax"

Dave

Thank you for checking this, Dave. Sounds like the Flexi one shows the wrong SC earn then. Damn. I shall look at the BA WT+ posted by someone below. That sounds like a much better value.

 

[Commuter]

Given that BA WT+ SIN-LHR-SIN is showing between SG$2498 (T ?) and $3298 (W ?) plus taxes on their website for Februday I certainly would not be looking at the QF Flexi or Y class fares for very long. And those fares do earn full economy SCs on QF, tier points on BA and 1.5 Qpoints/mile on AA.

Thanks for pointing me in this direction. It sounds like a good deal, so I'll check it out for April.