QFF Platinum requesting release of extra Classic award seats?

[Ade]

Recent experience getting Y/J reward seats released for QF-WP - I tried getting seats CBR-SYD, CBR-MEL on 4 occasions with no luck. Outright rejected. Not sent to manual processing, so I guess the agents are now catching up to the new rules, as @lurker explained.

When I get to talk to HBA/AKL, I ask if there is a chance they can request a seat they say, "The system is not allowing me to request seats as all the seats are logged under commercial fare buckets. Earlier we can request to change a commercial fare bucket seat into a reward (X/U) seat, however, we can't do that anymore. Unless the seats are released into the system, there is now no way to request for more than what is already in there, hope that explains it, Mr. Ade"

 

[sudoer]

Latest requests (WP)

19/12 MEL-SYD QF482 18:30 D7 I5 -> U2 declined
19/12 MEL-SYD QF486 19:00 D7 I0 -> U2 declined
19/12 MEL-SYD QF494 20:30 D7 I0 -> U2 declined
19/12 MEL-SYD QF486 19:00 N3 -> X2 approved

 

[Ade]

19/12 MEL-SYD QF482 18:30 D7 I5 -> U2 declined
19/12 MEL-SYD QF486 19:00 D7 I0 -> U2 declined
19/12 MEL-SYD QF494 20:30 D7 I0 -> U2 declined

"Declined" seems to be the new normal, unfortunately

 

[sudoer]

"Declined" seems to be the new normal, unfortunately

I somewhat expected the declines given demand would be high this close to Christmas, and with SYD being the major connecting hub for international, QF would want to make sure it keeps some J seats available for those sky-high fares (pardon the pun) to the USA.

I'm just happy to be flying my preferred airline at my preferred time and not paying $325 for the privilege. Without widebodies on the route, my only reason for requesting U was the extra Points Club SCs.

 

[Ade]

I somewhat expected the declines given demand would be high this close to Christmas, and with SYD being the major connecting hub for international, QF would want to make sure it keeps some J seats available for those sky-high fares (pardon the pun) to the USA.

I'm just happy to be flying my preferred airline at my preferred time and not paying $325 for the privilege. Without widebodies on the route, my only reason for requesting U was the extra Points Club SCs.

After the repeated “declined” I, after a very long time searched for flights on VA, ZL and even JQ .. none of have fares that are economical … also my travel is of personal nature, so no company funding that I can splurge on a Flex seat … if nothing works out, I’d be on the 6 am Murrays out of CBR

Another reason to use QF is the $50 voucher - trying to see if I can use it to pay the taxes of a rewards seat.

 

[Princess Fiona]

QF12 requested 1 seat in J late January
D6 I0
Droid said no.
Submitted to revenue management for manual request and approved same day.

 

[Princess Fiona]

QF7 requested 1 seat in J mid January
D9 I0
Droid said no.
Submitted to revenue management and approved within 24hrs.

 

[Ade]

Submitted to revenue management for manual request and approved same day.

Submitted to revenue management and approved within 24hrs.

Really good outcomes, @Princess Fiona - makes one wonder (& inspires to achieve) that P1 is the level to be to request/receive reward seats

 

[Princess Fiona]

Really good outcomes, @Princess Fiona - makes one wonder (& inspires to achieve) that P1 is the level to be to request/receive reward seats

It certainly seems to be that way.
Fingers crossed my luck continues

 

[mviy]

Really good outcomes, @Princess Fiona - makes one wonder (& inspires to achieve) that P1 is the level to be to request/receive reward seats

The thing is though that if you barely make Platinum the extra flying to get P1 would probably go a long way towards paying for a revenue J seat anyway.

 

[ozflier]

I rang QFF yesterday to change an award booking next may from LHR-SIN-SYD-BNE to LHR-SIN-BNE .
The agent who was very competent said that there were no "business saver" fares available for the LHR-SIN flight so no chance with the "droid' so he didn't try.
Interestingly enough , I checked EF later and found that there were 4 "i" fares available on that very flight QF2.
Am I correct that presence of i class seats does not necessarily equate with there being business saver awards available ( I am assuming now that it is the saver fare that offers the best chance of a seat being released .

 

[Princess Fiona]

The thing is though that if you barely make Platinum the extra flying to get P1 would probably go a long way towards paying for a revenue J seat anyway.

Oh definitely not worth chasing if far away.
But I would say for me it’s the best benefit there is right now as P1.
Especially so as long haul Award seats are really hard to find online.

 

[encryptededdy]

I checked EF later and found that there were 4 "i" fares available on that very flight QF2

SIN to BNE isn't QF2 though, so unsure what exact flight you mean.

If you do actually mean QF2 then this may be the problem that @sudoer has run into where the agents can only see availability for the full LHR-SYD flight for some reason.

 

[Ade]

Oh definitely not worth chasing if far away.

The thing is though that if you barely make Platinum

Absolutely. I'm certain that chasing P1 isn't a great idea. I'm a self-funded solo traveller, so P1 is not for me paying my own $$. Should things change the way I want them to, work-wise, then I might end up getting P1 on my employer's $$ and not mine ...

In terms of getting access to J/F international reward seats, P1 seems like the place to be .. so good for those that are already there and an inspiration for those that are aiming to be

 

[ozflier]

SIN to BNE isn't QF2 though, so unsure what exact flight you mean.

If you do actually mean QF2 then this may be the problem that @sudoer has run into where the agents can only see availability for the full LHR-SYD flight for some reason.

Oops sorry to confuse. The LHR - SIN QF2 flight is the problematic one.

 

[Captain Halliday]

Oops sorry to confuse. The LHR - SIN QF2 flight is the problematic one.

Availability in the I bucket should at least be sufficient for them the try the droid.

 

[justinbrett]

I had an existing one way DFW-SYD J booking in June next year.

As I'm moving to the GC next week (currently live in NTL), I wanted to see if I could get a connecting flight added to OOL. There were no U seats available in the AM (there was a PM flight but I didn't want to hang around all day).

I just phoned to see if I could get it released & added (think it was SA), she said "sorry there's no availability". But I asked if I could get a set released, she said she'd put a request through.

When I hung up the phone and checked my booking, already both flights say confirmed. There is no "On Request".

Does this mean it's been approved by the droid and she didn't know what she was doing? There was no talk of tax differentials. I guess I'll not count anything until I see the e-ticket (currently blank on CMT).

Lucky this is QF metal, this is how you lose reward bookings otherwise! I shall keep a close eye on it.

Edit - I called back as clearly they wouldn't ticket if taxes were owing. Heard an Australian accent and it was all sorted - US$21 extra taxes, no extra points. She did try to sting me for the 5K points change fee until I mentioned I'd booked before 30 Sep. She said she sent it off for ticketing.

 

[RichardMEL]

+1 to not chase the 3x extra SC earn to attain P1 just for seat release ability. It is great don't get me wrong. I have been very pleased with responses when I've tried and it definitely is a real perk but.. honestly.. the $$$ spent could be used on revenue premium cabins to get to wherever and still possibly come out ahead (specially using a BFOD methodology).

I'm intending to use the perk until I lose my P1 though because it's fantastic and when one has a large-ish points balance it's a no brainer.

 

[Burgo]

Availability in the I bucket should at least be sufficient for them the try the droid.

As a Platinum I tried today to get a Business seat released SIN-SYD in Oct-23, the premium desk agent said there needed to be 'I' class availability for the seat release (there wasn't - and 'D' class availability for domestic).

I checked Expertflyer, it confirmed no I Class for direct flights SIN-SYD but did show availability for indirect via BNE, so another call to the desk and a reward seat was released for SIN-BNE and then BNE-SYD.

Disappointing that the first agent didn't suggest/offer the indirect flight option.

There was no mention of 'business saver' fares on either call, and there were 'business saver' fares available for the direct flights showing online, but that didn't enable a seat release for me.

 

[encryptededdy]

There was no mention of 'business saver' fares on either call, and there were 'business saver' fares available for the direct flights showing online, but that didn't enable a seat release for me.

I think I fare class implies Business Saver, but Business Saver doesn't imply I fare class.