QFF Platinum requesting release of extra Classic award seats?

[smarm]

Be interested if anyone has requested AA flights as a WP and had success in J?

Couple of transcontinental USA flights next month, ideally we'd like to try and do one of them on points as we've got a ton of points to burn. There's plenty of classic award availability for those flights in Y, just hoping we can open up J.

 

[sudoer]

Be interested if anyone has requested AA flights as a WP and had success in J?

Couple of transcontinental USA flights next month, ideally we'd like to try and do one of them on points as we've got a ton of points to burn. There's plenty of classic award availability for those flights in Y, just hoping we can open up J.

Not possible to request award space on partner airlines, but occasionally the premium line can see space that doesn't show online so still worth a call.

 

[smarm]

Not possible to request award space on partner airlines, but occasionally the premium line can see space that doesn't show online so still worth a call.

Ah damn, thanks for the information!

 

[cardiology]

Called up to Platinum Hotline to request for 2 Business redemption tickets from Tokyo to SYD. Got approved after 5 mins wait. Sounds Great, but then saw the INTERNATIONAL REWARD ASSISTANCE FEE of 6,000 points in the account.
Is this usual to charge this fee when requesting business reward tickets on the phone? If it per passenger or per call?
Any comment? Thanks.
PS: This is the second time I request for the reward business tickets and they didn't charge me anything last time 5 months ago.

 

[sudoer]

They should waive it if the booking can't be made online.

 

[JohnM]

You need to state that you couldn't do it online (if indeed you couldn't) and make sure they respond that the fee will be waived because of that - ie. get it on the record.

Edit: was this to get seats released because none were showing online or trying to make a normal award booking that the system wouldn't process? If the former, I've never heard of any fee, although I haven't personally asked for a seat release.

 

[hossein_au]

Called up to Platinum Hotline to request for 2 Business redemption tickets from Tokyo to SYD. Got approved after 5 mins wait. Sounds Great, but then saw the INTERNATIONAL REWARD ASSISTANCE FEE of 6,000 points in the account.
Is this usual to charge this fee when requesting business reward tickets on the phone? If it per passenger or per call?
Any comment? Thanks.
PS: This is the second time I request for the reward business tickets and they didn't charge me anything last time 5 months ago.

I think the default is to charge the fee. This should be waived if the booking cannot be made online, but sometimes you need to remind the operator. You can always call back, explain the situation and the charge, and ask for the charge to be reversed. I recently had 2x charges reversed after they were levied by mistake.

 

[cardiology]

Thanks, I have checked before calling them and the business reward ticket was not available online, will call them tomorrow to get the 6000 waived. Thanks.

 

[hossein_au]

Thanks, I have checked before calling them and the business reward ticket was not available online, will call them tomorrow to get the 6000 waived. Thanks.

You had to call to have reward seats released; these are by definition not available online.

 

[sudoer]

Another data point for this thread. I recently called the plat line to request economy seats be made available for a relatively large group. The request went to yield management, however they didn't respond within 5-10 minutes, so the operator gave me a "reference number" to call back later and provide.

The reference was 6 digit alphanumeric so I figured it was probably a PNR. Plugged it into MMB and initially got this result:



After a few hours, I checked again and found 18/4 (my first preference) had changed to Confirmed.



So if you get given a reference number and told to "call back later" - you can periodically check MMB for an update instead of calling and waiting in the queue.

 

[JohnPhelan]

Great. But you have to get it ticketed, so you may still need to call to get that button pressed.

 

[sudoer]

Yep, called to get it ticketed already - I just thought it worth sharing as a convenient way to check whether yield management have responded, before calling up. Have had a few 15-20 min wait times on the WP line recently..

 

[Kangol]

I think the default is to charge the fee. This should be waived if the booking cannot be made online, but sometimes you need to remind the operator. You can always call back, explain the situation and the charge, and ask for the charge to be reversed. I recently had 2x charges reversed after they were levied by mistake.

I've had multiple F seats released as a WP benefit and never been charged the fee, nor can I recall them even mentioning it.
Never requested J though.
I agree with calling and having them reverse it.

 

[coyote25]

Another data point and phone booking fee reference.

Making the most of my soon to be lost Platinum status I requested two separate international seats releases.

The first release request was for F seat SYD to DFW on 5 August 2019 (yes way out but no F seats on that day). This was a gift to my brother for his 50th birthday and his first international flight above Y. I’ll give him this gift next week . Anyway after 10 minutes the seat is released and booked. No phone booking fee imposed.

The second release request was for J seat SYD to DFW on 9 August 2019 for myself which I booked after an opportunity openned up in Colombia around that time (hopefully no problems there when travelling). This time after 5 minutes waiting for the release I was given a reference to check back. About 1 hour later received a booking e-mail and the next day the points deducted and co-payment taken from credit card. Again no phone booking fee imposed and I didn’t have to ask.

I also previously used this release request feature for a JNB - SYD J seat back for travel during peak January period, so really have benefited a lot from the option. To think when I was first time WP I didn’t even know this service existed but I’ve made up for it the second time a WP and this the likely third and last time a WP, a great benefit in my opinion.

 

[jetpack]

If I was to ask today for an economy seat to be released, any idea if I will get the 25% off under the current promotion?

 

[sudoer]

If I was to ask today for an economy seat to be released, any idea if I will get the 25% off under the current promotion?

It should.

 

[RichardMEL]

A bit of a fun one to report (well I think so).

On a whim of wanting to treat myself I decided to go for the QF 55 744 domestic SYD-BNE this Thurs in J. Given all 9 in JCDI I figured there would be no issue, and a 0900 332 flight MEL-SYD ensures plenty of time to connect and do the Flounge thing.

The funny thing was when I called and requested the release I clearly confused the poor agent by specifically specifying the flight number.. I thought I was clear in saying I'd like the QF MEL-SYD then SYD-BNE on QF55 in J please. He worked for a bit and said yep, I have those seats released in J no problem.. but I am a bit confused.. don't you want to go MEL-BNE instead of MEL-SYD? Now I was confused by this and enquired further. Turns out he'd released J on QF55 BNE-LAX instead! Highly tempting I must say, but I clarified what I wanted and the domestic sector was no problem and he sorted it all out quickly.

no mention of phone charges or anything (as should be for a P1, but given previous reports it was good to not have to deal with that). Great agent too, about 90sec wait on the phone.

happy days.

 

[Fergo747]

Great experience just now. Was hoping to have two J seats released on QF82 later this year however this wasn't available. Speaking with Matt from the premium desk, he first offered through MEL (which was checked and confirmed that two seats could be released) then proceeded to offer up a number of other alternatives from my point of origin (not SIN). Unfortunately whilst these were all tempting the flight times didn't quite work out. All in all very happy with the result and proactivity of Matt as I now have J seats for the overnight flight home.

Also, when I mentioned something about being charged for the booking he was very clear in saying that because this could not be done online there would be no service charge. Finally, after mentioning this he indicated that this function (i.e. requesting award seat release) would be made available online in the future. He was then very coy when I probed a little further. Let's see what the future holds on this front.

 

[coyote25]

Finally, after mentioning this he indicated that this function (i.e. requesting award seat release) would be made available online in the future. He was then very coy when I probed a little further. Let's see what the future holds on this front.
​

This would be an interesting new feature dare I call it an ‘enhancement’

 

[RichardMEL]

oooh how could the work experience kids make that one work better I wonder?!

Anyway interesting tidbit and would be nice