QFF Platinum requesting release of extra Classic award seats?

[justinbrett]

to be fair, I see QF11 as 388 with F in April, but it does seem to be 789 on dates in July I looked at. They may yet change depending on how things pan out. IIRC they had scheduled 380's and some had F awards downgraded to J when they switched back to 787

so I was right, but also wrong. story of my life

I've got a F award seat in October on QF12.

QF aren't exactly fast at updating their schedules.

 

[fifo]

You didn't specify DFW, you said USA.

I was referring to LAX. Which of course you can connect through (and would probably have a much better chance of getting seats on)

point taken, my bad, but you did assume just as much as I did

 

[justinbrett]

point taken, my bad, but you did assume just as much as I did

I did not assume. You said USA. If I were you I'd be looking at all Aus/US flights not just specifically DFW-SYD.

You've got to be flexible when it comes to award seats.

 

[danzel]

As QF Gold, they will not release new seats for you for no reason. However, if they cancelled your flight, in my experience they're usually happy to rebook you with no problem, even if there's no award space.

I called up Qantas earlier today when my J Award PER to SYD via. MEL got cancelled and rebooked onto an earlier flight. I told them I would prefer to fly the next day as opposed to earlier on that day, and the agent accommodated that for me, which included creating Award Space for me. I didn't even have to ask for it, they just put me onto a flight which I knew had no award space. This is as a Silver. With that said, I don't know if I just had a more competent than usual agent, or if this is standard practice.

I think just call up and say the new flight times don't work for you. Hopefully they can put you onto a flight that works.

This ended up being my experience - was rebooked onto another flight BNE to PER via SYD where there was no award space available. Agent explained that they secured seats in I class and had to have ticketing force convert it to a U (reward) ticket. Fairly seamless process. Seems it is standard procedure when it is considered an 'involuntary' change due to QF cancelling/rescheduling.

 

[Sojourner]

However, if they cancelled your flight, in my experience they're usually happy to rebook you with no problem, even if there's no award space.

I was also able to get QF to rebook be onto another flight where there was no reward seat availability. It was not easy though, it required a bit of persistence, highlighting that the coughpy flight times allocated to me was a result of Qantas cancelling my original flight, and being firm about speaking to their supervisor.

I really hope Virgin improves and expands their network - I feel like Alan Joyce thinks he can just abuse his customers with the worst call centre experience because the competition has barely recovered.

 

[RichardMEL]

You've got to be flexible when it comes to award seats.

Specially with 4-5 months to go and wanting a premium cabin in peak travel season.

 

[fifo]

Specially with 4-5 months to go and wanting a premium cabin in peak travel s

Specially with 4-5 months to go and wanting a premium cabin in peak travel season.

Given that I stated that the business cabin is entirely available with every flight of 4 options
I asked for having all 4 J fare buckets at 9, this isn't fair criticism.

 

[justinbrett]

Given that I stated that the business cabin is entirely available with every flight of 4 options
I asked for having all 4 J fare buckets at 9, this isn't fair criticism.

That's not how it works. U are the seats allocated for awards. Release of other seats is not an entitlement for any FF member, it's a privilege granted at the absolute discretion of Qantas.

You're also demanding 3 seats on a single route which is currently underserved by a 787. In peak season. Just because revenue seats are available now doesn't mean Qantas won't sell them.

 

[fifo]

That's not how it works. U are the seats allocated for awards. Release of other seats is not an entitlement for any FF member, it's a privilege granted at the absolute discretion of Qantas.

You're also demanding 3 seats on a single route which is currently underserved by a 787. In peak season. Just because revenue seats are available now doesn't mean Qantas won't sell them.

You realise you are incredibly condecending and this is why people leave forums like this, right? Obviously if someone is requesting seats and quoting fare buckets they know what a U bucket is. It's widely quoted, even in the wiki for this forum that availability must be in certain buckets before they'll allow release.

 

[justinbrett]

You realise you are incredibly condecending and this is why people leave forums like this, right? Obviously if someone is requesting seats and quoting fare buckets they know what a U bucket is. It's widely quoted, even in the wiki for this forum that availability must be in certain buckets before they'll allow release.

I'm sure you do. That wasn't the point. The point is Qantas doesn't have to give you anything above this. You seem to demand that they do.

Don't shoot the messenger.

 

[RichardMEL]

You realise you are incredibly condecending and this is why people leave forums like this, right? Obviously if someone is requesting seats and quoting fare buckets they know what a U bucket is. It's widely quoted, even in the wiki for this forum that availability must be in certain buckets before they'll allow release.

Availability needs to be in certain buckets, eg I for Platinums for reward seat release to be *CONSIDERED* - it's not (as you well know of course) automatic and based on the YM profile and algorithm for the flight in question.

I'm sorry you took my comment as personal criticism. I was simply trying to point out the situation looking at it from the point of view of revenue demand and that the allocations are obviously already exhausted for reward seats, and that asking for 3 seats would usually be a big ask on any flight (but it does happen). EF can show 9's across the board in JCDI but that is only what QF is willing to *sell* but doesn't give a real indication of the actual sales on a flight (as much as a seat map of EF only gives an indication, not any kind of actual fact) not to mention QF's projections for sales for the flights in question. These are all factors, and only those within QF's Yield/Revenue Management have a full picture.

 

[dylarr]

I'm sure you do. That wasn't the point. The point is Qantas doesn't have to give you anything above this. You seem to demand that they do.

Don't shoot the messenger.

Being able to request release of reward seats is an unpublished benefit after all.

 

[RichardMEL]

Being able to request release of reward seats is an unpublished benefit after all.

and it's "request" not "obtain"

As P1 I've been knocked back a few times, other times I've found it surprisingly easy (one flight showing I think F7 A0 I was given an F seat which actually surprised me - in a happy way) but on another showing A seats for sale, they only offered me a Business seat .. so again there are internal rules that apply to each and every flight and the goalposts shift depending on the projections, sold seats, the YM rules in place, and so on.

And that's the thing. It really is up to the powers that be and these "rules" we talk about such as I availability for WP and D for P1 are more anecdotal than fixed entitlements. One only needs to read through this entire thread to see this.

After all QF's aim is to try and maximise yield for each flight by finding the proper mix - and talking to a few friends over the years who have worked in Yield/Revenue management at some US majors - it's often as much art as it is science.

 

[Matt_01]

As P1 I've been knocked back a few times, other times I've found it surprisingly easy (one flight showing I think F7 A0 I was given an F seat which actually surprised me - in a happy way) but on another showing A seats for sale, they only offered me a Business seat

I have experienced similar, a few years back when QF changed the rules for P1s and extended seat release to the D bucket they also changed seat release in first to cover both F and A. In theory if there is any seat available in F/A P1s are in with a chance however as you mentioned it will be up to the bot or yield management to give final approval.

 

[fifo]

update, just got a call from the hobart call center, manual review came back and I got 1/3 seats I wanted. was a definte no for the other 2.

 

[RichardMEL]

update, just got a call from the hobart call center, manual review came back and I got 1/3 seats I wanted. was a definte no for the other 2.

Well I know that isn't what you wanted result wise, but a manual review is more than most Plats get these days. Good for HBA to actually call you too imo.

 

[Matt_01]

I believe there's a blanket ban on award releases for certain routes and months.

We've previously seen that QFF agents had a PDF stating school holidays, weekends and even certain days of the week would all be denied. Even if they put in a request, it was programmed to deny.

It seems this has been extended to mirror the lack of awards when searching.

I have also read posts around this but IME this may be unfounded. With the exception of the past couple of years we normally travel internationally only in school holidays and getting x2 J rewards seats for Mrs&MissM wasn't too hard. Sometimes the U seats were available but most of the time they had to be requested. In the past have requested J seats for my parents to fly to AKL, HNL, LHR and a few other places they are retired and could travel at any time however they always seem to choose travel dates that over lap with school holidays and the northern peak travel season and these requests have been approved more often than not.

 

[MrJetset]

I’ve seen the PDF and it was posted on a private Facebook group. Also confirmed by ops.

 

[fifo]

I’ve seen the PDF and it was posted on a private Facebook group. Also confirmed by ops.

Pdf of what mate? Link us up.

 

[MrJetset]

A PDF from previous years informing call centre agents of blanket bans for award release requests during school holidays, weekends and certain peak travel times.

My point is the droid is configured by revenue management. Given this ban has been in place in previous years, current experience by many reports indicate they are being rejected.

Given QF 11/12 and 1/2 are flying full atm due to reduced capacity and revenge travel, it makes business sense for QF to restrict awards. Most airlines are doing this as well as partner blocking.