QFF Platinum requesting release of extra Classic award seats?

[ozflier]

As always "sudoer" , your advice is appreciated.

 

[encryptededdy]

I guess I have been spooked by the lower number of I class seats in my post above - for example, HND-SYD 31-08 -24 with I4 and biz sale present or NRT-BNE QF 62 biz sale present and I2 .
Looks like I have not rang as aggressively enough in the past.

Last month I requested seats on QF25 & 26 for this December. They were I4~6 and approved. In fact I was declined on an I8 flight. I think you could reason that more I seats means a higher chance of a release as they're willing to sell more sale cash tickets, but it definitely doesn't mean it's not possible!

It feels like to me what plays a bigger role is whether the dates/route are blacked out (e.g. QF1/2) or whether there's already been a lot of award seats sold/released on this flight (Allocation Exceeded)

 

[RichardMEL]

There is also that intangible (to us) aspect of the customers PCV (value to QF) and allegedly also can relate to booking history, future bookings, number of requests approved in the past and so on. While none of this is exactly confirmed, it kind of makes sense in a general sense imo - perhaps more for P1 than WP given the manual review nature, but the "bot" may also take these things into account for WP when deciding yay or nay for a particular flight.

I also recall discussion about caps on reward seats per flight (or perhaps cabin) also being a factor - so a high availability of seats for sale may mean nothing if QF yield management have decided nope, no more reward seats on this flight (at least until the goal posts change).


imo

 

[Nickor]

Success as WP yesterday afternoon with bot coming back yes both times with choice of F or J:

1xF QF93 MEL-LAX 4/9/24 EF A9 I6
1xF QF94 LAX-MEL 18/9/24 EF A9 I9

Many thanks to Barry in Auckland for his professionalism

 

[RooFlyer]

Despite a large QF profit there’s still repair to the balance sheet required.

sorry, just a comment on that one. They are devoting a very large portion of that profit to share buybacks and not retaining it within the company, so the balance sheet can’t be too badly off.

 

[bussyboy]

Deferring to the brains trust on this, as I haven't seen any indication previously in thread:
a friend of mine has asked if there's a limit to the number of times a WP can request seats to be released, or if you're deprioritised for future requests if you ask too often?

 

[serfty]

Deferring to the brains trust on this, as I haven't seen any indication previously in thread:
a friend of mine has asked if there's a limit to the number of times a WP can request seats to be released, or if you're deprioritised for future requests if you ask too often?

It is all possible ... see post 1803.

 

[Bugalugz]

Phoned up today and got the loveliest person in Hobart!

4x Business rewards 23rd December PER-BNE - no economy for days either side (interestingly this flight had D and I availability, the other option 2hrs later didn't have I only D)

2x Business 1st Jan BNE-PER - No economy either and both flight options has 2I and 6D, was 2 flights showing N class so was quite interesting.

Wasn't complaining about J as still saved 5k compared to purchasing same flights thanks to a late leave approval.

I hung up actually thinking there is some hope at Qantas when you experience a staff member as lovely and helpful as I had.

 

[larrymull]

Hobart make things happen, funnily enough I did have a great agent in Cape Town. Requested 4 J's SYD-JNB in school holidays and got a quick answer back in the affirmative. Usually the process is delayed and comes back denied.

 

[Hampton Mike]

I guess of course there’s diamonds in the rough in all the call centres, but in Hobart they are almost, if not all, very good.

 

[RooFlyer]

I called today to get an economy Award seat released on a domestic flight, request made as a Plat.

Got Sth Africa (I think) but seemed to be a good agent.

When I gave the flight I wanted, he almost immediately said that he could see that the request would be 'guarantee declined', because the required fare class wasn't available and would I like to nominate an alternative? I did, and the seat was released after the usual wait.

TBH, I haven't made that many requests to have award seats released but I don't recall the "fare class needs to be available" being a criteria. Has it always been thus?

I queried, and he said for economy N needs to be available for domestic and Q for international; for business D and I. Else its a 'guarantee decline'.

If that's the case, I could simply look up EF and see what 'release' seats are available.

Have I just missed this aspect before?

 

[levelnine]

Always been the case: https://www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au/qantas-platinum-extra-reward-seats/

Note: having the requisite fare class available does not guarantee the release will be successful. It is a necessary, not sufficient, condition.

 

[RooFlyer]

Ah, OK, thanks @levelnine . I guess on those occasions when I have requested a seat release before there was the appropriate fare class available, so no comment was made and the request was submitted straight away.

 

[Danger]

I called today to get an economy Award seat released on a domestic flight, request made as a Plat.

Got Sth Africa (I think) but seemed to be a good agent.

When I gave the flight I wanted, he almost immediately said that he could see that the request would be 'guarantee declined', because the required fare class wasn't available and would I like to nominate an alternative? I did, and the seat was released after the usual wait.

TBH, I haven't made that many requests to have award seats released but I don't recall the "fare class needs to be available" being a criteria. Has it always been thus?

I queried, and he said for economy N needs to be available for domestic and Q for international; for business D and I. Else its a 'guarantee decline'.

If that's the case, I could simply look up EF and see what 'release' seats are available.

Have I just missed this aspect before?

As the information is correct, it's clear you weren't talking to Cape Town.

 

[RooFlyer]

As the information is correct, it's clear you weren't talking to Cape Town.

Maybe But in any event, I gave them a 5-4-1 score on the survey (4 not 5 only because of a strong accent on their part requiring a number of things to be re-said). The agent was very personable and I'd be happy to deal with them again.

 

[BriarFlyer]

As the information is correct, it's clear you weren't talking to Cape Town.

I'd laugh too, except my most recent request was handled competently and successfully by a SA agent ... apart from the bit where he couldn't tag on a domestic leg (with availability.)

 

[RichardMEL]

Perhaps this points to some better training and tools being made available? Hopefully it's a good sign for all pax who need to call.

 

[Ade]

Had been requesting handful of domestic Y seats to be released and have been successful.

In the past few days, requested;

1. 1xCR Y CBR-BNE return
2. 4xCR Y MEL-BNE
3. 1xCR Y CBR-MEL
4. 1xCR Y SYD-BNE return

Tried finding 1x CR Y BLR-MAA - no availability and shows via CMB (BLR-CMB-MAA) would love to do that, but don't have the time.

 

[dairyfloss]

Had been requesting handful of domestic Y seats to be released and have been successful.

In the past few days, requested;

1. 1xCR Y CBR-BNE return
2. 4xCR Y MEL-BNE
3. 1xCR Y CBR-MEL
4. 1xCR Y SYD-BNE return

Tried finding 1x CR Y BLR-MAA - no availability and shows via CMB (BLR-CMB-MAA) would love to do that, but don't have the time.

You won't be able to request release of anything not on QF metal... or are you just noting this desire, as an aside?

 

[Ade]

You won't be able to request release of anything not on QF metal... or are you just noting this desire, as an aside?

My noting was of desire in this instance.

However, re : requesting CR seats on other metal - I could be wrong, but I was on the phone with CPT and the QBR agent was saying something along the lines of "can request a reward seat to be released on UL125 CMB-MAA" .... may be they got it wrong? or may be it is possible to request CR seat release on partners?

side note: how about partner metal QF marketed? Would it be possible to get a CR seat released on QF5128 (BLR-MAA), operated by 6E ?