QFF Platinum requesting release of extra Classic award seats?

[madrooster]

Re: QFF Platinum and request release of extra Classic award seats

I had missed a call from an unknown number, which could mean Qantas. The question (non-crytic) was asked to try to gauge if I should call qantas to check, or whether a ghost segment was just normal programming.

It's normal for them to add a GN (ghost need) segment for seat requests.

 

[NoName]

Re: QFF Platinum and request release of extra Classic award seats

Does anyone know whether it's possible for the WP to have a seat released but charge the points from the person actually travelling?

EG
A is WP
B is the PAX with some other lower status.
A rings and requests seat for travel by B. Points charged to B's account.

Suspect the the answer is not possible.

 

[bismarck]

Re: QFF Platinum and request release of extra Classic award seats

Does anyone know whether it's possible for the WP to have a seat released but charge the points from the person actually travelling?

EG
A is WP
B is the PAX with some other lower status.
A rings and requests seat for travel by B. Points charged to B's account.

Suspect the the answer is not possible.

Not sure, but easy enough to book from the WP's account and then family transfer points from Pax B to the WP?

 

[NoName]

Re: QFF Platinum and request release of extra Classic award seats

Not sure, but easy enough to book from the WP's account and then family transfer points from Pax B to the WP?

Agree its it's easy to transfer but can only do up to 100k pts. Was more thinking in the situation where the cost is more than 100k which is likely for a lot of F flights.

 

[cjd600]

Re: QFF Platinum and request release of extra Classic award seats

Agree its it's easy to transfer but can only do up to 100k pts. Was more thinking in the situation where the cost is more than 100k which is likely for a lot of F flights.

Can do 4 x 100k pts in a 12mth period...

 

[NoName]

Re: QFF Platinum and request release of extra Classic award seats

Can do 4 x 100k pts in a 12mth period...

fantastic! Happy to stand corrected on that one!

 

[dfcatch]

Re: QFF Platinum and request release of extra Classic award seats

Does anyone know whether it's possible for the WP to have a seat released but charge the points from the person actually travelling?

EG
A is WP
B is the PAX with some other lower status.
A rings and requests seat for travel by B. Points charged to B's account.

Suspect the the answer is not possible.

No is the short answer.

Otherwise every person in Australia would be eligible to achieve a Plat Request Release.

 

[Quickstatus]

Can do 4 x 100k pts in a 12mth period...

Assuming A & B are family

 

[cjd600]

Assuming A & B are family

yes, of course, that goes without saying (I was merely correcting the misinterpretation of the 'quantity' part of the Family Transfer terms).

 

[ComeFlyWithMe]

Had success for a SYD-BKK-SYD J redemption in new J suites for SWMBO, no award availability (even in Y) and on a long weekend around schools holidays in October. Requested the seats and came back successful within 30 seconds.

 

[immature]

Re: QFF Platinum and request release of extra Classic award seats

Don't think this is 100% correct...was looking for a J award seat on QF 1 from Syd-Lhr (next October), and Expert Flyer is showing:
F9 A7 J9 C9 D9 I0 W9 R3 T0 Y9 B9 H9 K9 M9 L9 V9 S9 N9 Q9 G0 E0

i.e. no "I" inventory...so rang Premium Desk, and 5 minutes later, a J seat was released automatically. No mention of phone assistance fee either. Thanks QF!

So either the above theory is not always the case or EF is not correct in showing I0.

EF uses a US PoS. There's often times where there'll be I inventory in the US but not in AU, and vice versa.

Sorry to reply to an old post, but is there any better way to search for I inventory other than EF? I've had a few requests showing I9 on QF1 and QF9 get knocked back within a few minutes (I guess this means it was automatically rejected?), and the advice from the consultant was to try again in a week or so.

Apart from the flight having inventory in I, are there any other clues that J award seats would be released? Also, has anyone had luck recently in successfully getting seats released when they were previously denied?

 

[hossein_au]

Re: QFF Platinum and request release of extra Classic award seats

Well, let me vent a bit: checked a couple of domestic flights and they both had more than 7 seats in 'I'. Requested seats on both flights (they were on the same day, just wanted to give weald management a couple of options). After two weeks of calling every couple of days, today I was told yield management has rejected the request because they "have reached the number of seats they can release". I understand that line of reasoning if either of the flights were getting filled, but there are plenty of seats still available in both flights (in both business and economy).

To say I am cheesed off is an understatement.

 

[Quickstatus]

Re: QFF Platinum and request release of extra Classic award seats

I have had this happen to me. Its just how the cookie crumble sometimes.

The T&C don't specify how the extra seats are released as Classic rewards. It is assumed that it depends on the availability of I fares but I would not be surprised if other factors also form part of the algorithm. In fact extra seats for Classic rewards are a P1 benefit only. That it is also (even unofficially) offered to WP is the number one reason I stay as WP. Its a golden egg at some level and in my opinion best kept low key during interactions with the Qantas team.

 

[serfty]

Re: QFF Platinum and request release of extra Classic award seats

I have been knocked back with I9 showing 8 months out.

 

[ComeFlyWithMe]

I think it's also how many award seats have already been released on that specific flight, as it's based on the overall yield of the whole flight.

I also have a funny feeling they don't like it when you request too many in a year but that may be made up, I have no evidence as I get them released about 95% of the time...

 

[boomy]

Re: QFF Platinum and request release of extra Classic award seats

Sorry to reply to an old post, but is there any better way to search for I inventory other than EF? I've had a few requests showing I9 on QF1 and QF9 get knocked back within a few minutes (I guess this means it was automatically rejected?), and the advice from the consultant was to try again in a week or so.

Apart from the flight having inventory in I, are there any other clues that J award seats would be released? Also, has anyone had luck recently in successfully getting seats released when they were previously denied?

You can always ask the platinum desk how many available seats are on a specific flight but there are other factors they must consider before releasing extra award seats.

I had some bad luck last year with requests to release F seats on QF1/QF2/QF9/QF10 on various dates, sometimes 8-10 months out.

It doesn't matter if more than half of the cabin still not sold, as long as the 'strategic team' believe it will most likely end up sold out on those dates they won't release anymore seats, even to P1s. The advice I always got was to call again 2-3 weeks before departure but I always managed to find alternatives on other airlines and never bothered to call back.

 

[juddles]

Re: QFF Platinum and request release of extra Classic award seats

There seems to be a sort of common feeling amongst those that have sought and been denied release of seats - it is a bit like "I am entitled to it, and they (yield management) are stupid and know less than me".

If QF professionals do not release a seat, because they feel that it will get greater revenue selling it, then that is their call, and those calls are made with ALL the QF system and history at their disposal, every day of their lives.

I just don't buy that - I suspect they know pretty much exactly what they are doing. When a benefit is not an official God-given right, I am just happy the times it does work

 

[NoName]

Re: QFF Platinum and request release of extra Classic award seats

A family member is requesting release for transpac flights for myself & Mrs Noname today. Keep your fingers crossed for us!

 

[juddles]

Re: QFF Platinum and request release of extra Classic award seats

NoName, please let us know how it goes

 

[Quickstatus]

Re: QFF Platinum and request release of extra Classic award seats

A family member is requesting release for transpac flights for myself & Mrs Noname today. Keep your fingers crossed for us!

When I request for a family member I am always asked whether they will be flying with me. I suspect if they are not then the success rate might be lower. (Speculation).